Please share your Cabana photos and opinions!

[LaceC]

Thank you RebelHawk, great photos! What is it about #9 that makes it the best to you? It's definitely got a great view of the ship!

 

[OrcaPotter]

Has anyone had any luck as a Silver level CC member in getting a cabana? If they sell out right away and gone by the time they open for my cruise, is there a waiting list or if someone cancels, it's just a matter of snagging it as soon as it pops up online?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Has anyone had any luck as a Silver level CC member in getting a cabana? If they sell out right away and gone by the time they open for my cruise, is there a waiting list or if someone cancels, it's just a matter of snagging it as soon as it pops up online?

It's a matter of snagging one that someone randomly cancels and it pops up online. Once onboard, they typically do start a wait list, but, of course, not everyone on the list will get one. Some might.

 

[over50visits]

Some interesting tidbits about the cabanas you might not always hear/know:

Bowl of potato chips, energy bars, fresh fruit
Stocked fridge with cold drinks and water
Electric wall plugs (for example, plug in to recharge your electronics)
Suntan lotion
Private hammock
Personal float tubes
Snorkeling equipment rental
Bike rental included
Nearby shower
Magazines
Facial tissue
Trashcan
Hanging closet
Cocktail table, sofa, two chairs inside
Call button for attendant
Overhead fan
Privacy curtains over windows
Plates
Private beach in family cabanas
There is a safe in them, just as in your onboard cabin.
You can eat lunch there (table and chairs). Your host might give you a ride to/from the buffet.
There is a changing curtain for get into/out of swimwear
A drink host will come and take your order for alcoholic drinks and bring them to you.
They provide a plate of cold, wet towels. Great for cleaning/cooling off.
Lot of chairs inside and out (on the porch) for relaxing
Once at the end of the day, our host took us from our cabana to the ship's reboarding point in his golfcart. Wow!

 

[OrcaPotter]

It's a matter of snagging one that someone randomly cancels and it pops up online. Once onboard, they typically do start a wait list, but, of course, not everyone on the list will get one. Some might.

Thanks for the tips! If it comes down to a waiting list, do you go to the excursions desk or guest services?

 

[Bree]

You need to go to guest services to get on a waiting list. Concierge handles the cabanas and guest services will forward them your information.

I was able to book Cabana #20 as a Silver CC member. I was sailing on the Magic which has less people or fewer concierge rooms that the Dream/Fantasy (concierge gets first dibs on the cabanas). I went to guest services and asked to be put on a waiting list for a lower number cabana and we ended up with #12. We had vegetation around our cabana, but we were located in such a way that the sun always beat down inside the cabana. We had to close the big doors to keep it shaded. Our cabana experience was not the norm (and not in a good way), but that's a story for a different conversation.

 

[DCLDVC1]

Has anyone had any luck as a Silver level CC member in getting a cabana? If they sell out right away and gone by the time they open for my cruise, is there a waiting list or if someone cancels, it's just a matter of snagging it as soon as it pops up online?

If you're on the Magic or Wonder you'll have a pretty good chance as a Silver member.

 

[DCLDVC1]

I believe from all that I've read in my research I'm going to request cabana 8, 9, or 5 on our first DCL vacation next Summer....

However I'd love to see your photos and get opinions on the best cabana on the family beach! (Would especially love to see photos of the above listed 3 options)

Thanks in advance!

We prefer the lower numbered cabanas and try to get 4-8. Once you get to 12 and turn the corner, there isn't as much privacy and they face directly into the sun.

 

[hanscarlet]

If this is your first time, unless you are concierge you will likely not get a family cabana because as others have said, they book up quickly. However we were silver and were able to snag a cabana (On Wonder) because we just got really lucky, so it can happen!

The New Cabana 18 on the Family Beach. Heaven. We're going concierge in 2017 just for the cabana.

 

[RebelHawk]

Thank you RebelHawk, great photos! What is it about #9 that makes it the best to you? It's definitely got a great view of the ship!

We like #9 the best as it is far enough away from the public beach area so you don't have the noise but you're close enough to walk to the bathroom in just a couple of minutes. Add to that the view of the ship is just really cool as the cabana is slightly angled in toward the dock. Finally the palm tree is perfectly placed to offer maximum shade on the outside area. #8 is the only other cabana that offered this same mix and I would easily pick that as a 2nd option.

The only reason we are giving up our "secret" favorite cabana is this christmas is going to be our last Disney cruise for the foreseeable future. We're going to check out some of the other cruise lines and see what they offer by comparison.

 

[Sunseeker17]

We are on the Magic off season (next week) and I was able to book Family Beach 19 when online check-in opened for us in August. I was on right at midnight. I was surprised! We have been in Cabana 7 twice and really loved the location. It will be a nice change to try the newer ones at the far end of the Family Beach.

 

[hanscarlet]

We like #9 the best as it is far enough away from the public beach area so you don't have the noise but you're close enough to walk to the bathroom in just a couple of minutes. Add to that the view of the ship is just really cool as the cabana is slightly angled in toward the dock. Finally the palm tree is perfectly placed to offer maximum shade on the outside area. #8 is the only other cabana that offered this same mix and I would easily pick that as a 2nd option.

The only reason we are giving up our "secret" favorite cabana is this christmas is going to be our last Disney cruise for the foreseeable future. We're going to check out some of the other cruise lines and see what they offer by comparison.

May I be nosey and ask why you are looking to do other cruise lines? I have imagined to do something similar but I am worried about being disappointed but I'm curious as to how others feel. I think the year we book Alaska we might book a short bermuda cruise with another line just to get our beach in.

 

[RebelHawk]

May I be nosey and ask why you are looking to do other cruise lines? I have imagined to do something similar but I am worried about being disappointed but I'm curious as to how others feel. I think the year we book Alaska we might book a short bermuda cruise with another line just to get our beach in.

We sailed on a few Carnival cruises back in the day with friends who were big Carnival fans but we found issues that made us long for something a bit more upscale. Being life long Disney fans we decide to give DCL a try. On our first Alaskan cruise we immediately saw what we were spending the extra money on when sailing with Disney and loved it. Over the last two years we booked three more cruises all of them Concierge and didn't look back. However as we booked these we have watched Disney remove perk after perk. They have raised the cost of the cruises and even started charging for food items in some of the venues (Sports Club on the Dream specifically). Seeing all of this we started looking around at other cruise alternatives. Looking on paper we can enjoy RCCL and Celebrity in larger concierge level rooms and get more benefits for a significant savings. We figure we'll give them both a try and see what we think. In the mean time we are DVC members and are planning some ABD trips so we'll continue getting our Disney fix, just not with DCL.

 

[DCLDVC1]

Our cabana experience was not the norm (and not in a good way), but that's a story for a different conversation.

What happened?

 

[phinz]

Two 360* views of Cabana 22. Click and drag the picture to look around.

https://www.thesphere.com/spheres/474505

https://www.thesphere.com/spheres/474513

 

[LaceC]

hanscarlet, we are concierge that is why I'm comfortable enough in our probability of getting one to ask preference. Thank you for the photos, I'd say there is a definite lack of privacy in the higher number cabanas on the family beach.

Bree, I'm very curious to know why you did not enjoy your experience?

 

[poison ivy]

just wanted to add, we actually preferred cabana 4 over cabana 9. We chose #4, being concierge guests that year after enjoying cabana 9 on a previous trip.
We wanted to be a little closer to everything - pelican plunge/cookies too/bathrooms; etc. for our multi-generation family. It was so convenient that we felt it was just perfect.

If we ever get another opportunity to choose, we'll try for a lower number again.

 

[LaceC]

just wanted to add, we actually preferred cabana 4 over cabana 9. We chose #4, being concierge guests that year after enjoying cabana 9 on a previous trip.
We wanted to be a little closer to everything - pelican plunge/cookies too/bathrooms; etc. for our multi-generation family. It was so convenient that we felt it was just perfect.

If we ever get another opportunity to choose, we'll try for a lower number again.

Thank you! That's great to know, I've been considering #5 which I would venture to guess is very similar to #4.

 

[Bree]

I'll post what happened, but I just want everyone to know that I believe our experience was just an anomaly. I tried to speak with a manager about our Cabana experience while on the ship, but was told that since we used the Cabana for the day there was nothing they could do and to email DCL with my concerns

My mother-in-law is 76 years old and this was the first cruise she had ever taken. She has some mobility issues and I wanted to make sure she had a comfortable setting out of the sun to enjoy Castaway Cay. I reserved a Cabana on the family beach.

When we got to the Cabana check-in booth I inquired about being shuttled to our Cabana since my mother-in-law has a hard time with walking long distances. I was told that the service wasn't available and was given directions to get to the walking path to the Cabanas. It took us a bit since my mother-in-law had to take frequent stops to rest her legs. When we arrived at our Cabana there were three other last names for families I did not know on the sign. The fresh fruit we were supposed to receive consisted of one overripe banana, an apple and a few mushy red grapes. In the snack basket there were only two small snack sized bags of potato chips for a party of four. The basket with sunscreen had products that had already been opened. Our outdoor shower was not working and my mother-in-law wanted to know if there was a place to get coffee so I pushed the button to contact concierge. We waited around 30 minutes and nobody came so I pressed it again and went outside to take a look at the shower. A person in the cabana next to me helped me find the valve to get the outdoor shower working. Another 20 minutes had passed since I rang for concierge a second time. I decided to leave my mother-in-law and head out to Cookies in search of coffee when I ran into two castmembers walking by. I recall one was Andy, but I cannot remember the woman's name. I flagged them down and said I had been pressing the button trying to get some assistance, but nobody was coming. Andy proceeded to ask if someone had come by to give us a rundown of the Cabana and services. I told him no and he gave us a very brief overview. I asked why there were three other last names on our cabana sign. He was very confused and said that when I made my reservation I had added them. I told him that I did not add anyone to our cabana. He went down the list of extra guest names and I let him know I had no idea who they were. I inquired as to why they were no longer shuttling guests to and from the cabanas. He told me that indeed they were still providing that service and when we were ready for lunch to push the call button and someone would shuttle us to Cookies Too. He said someone would be by periodically to check in with us. No one came by to check on us the entire day (not even a waiter to take a drink order). When we were ready for lunch we pressed the call button. We waited about 15 minutes and pressed it again since no one came. We waited another 10 minutes and still no one came by. I walked over to a building where I thought possibly concierge could be found, but it was empty. I went back to our cabana and my mother-in-law said nobody came. We were very hungry at that point so we walked over to Cookies which, again, was difficult for my mother-in-law to get there and back to the cabana. We were told we had to vacate the cabana by 4pm. At 3:30pm we pressed the call button so we could have a shuttle bring us to the tram station. Again, nobody came by. We pressed it again at 3:40. I saw Andy walking by around 3:50pm so I went outside and let him know we had used the call button and nobody was responding. He did get someone on the radio and we were able to be shuttled back to the tram.

I was told upon returning to the ship that I needed to verify that I was charged correctly for the cabana. It took 3 trips to guest services to have everything sorted out. The first trip I was told that I had not been charged yet and to check back later. The second trip I was told that charges had been made, but I had requested to have it charged to my mother-in-law's onboard account which was incorrect (plus the charge was for 10 people and not 4). I wanted it charged to my onboard account. My mother-in-law was not with me and they would not move the charges to my account without her being present. That resulted in a third trip to guest services.

 

[poison ivy]

#5 is a great cabana. I believe it was the one used as the model for all the media photos when they first introduced them. It has a slight angle toward the left with perfect views of the ship.

I don't know if you checked out this thread, http://www.disboards.com/threads/dream-concierge.3376714/page-7
but scroll down on that page and you'll see a ton of pics I posted comparing the cabanas among our visits.