Adult beach Cabana Vs. Family beach cabana?

[cruisehopeful]

Has anyone booked a Serenity Bay Cabana? How is it different than the ones on the family beach?

I've wondered if an adults only trip would still be more fun in a family beach cabana because that is where a lot of the activities are. I've spent the day at serenity beach and didn't feel like I needed a cabana, but for a larger family group, it may be fun to have one.

I don't have a trip planned but thought if we did a double dip we could do a cabana for one of the days.

 

[phinz]

I had a cabana on our double dip for both days. I like the ability to sit in the shade and just enjoy the tropical breezes. I'm not much of an activities person, so it suits me fine. A bucket of beer, a bag of chips, a book and my iPod and I am completely self-entertaining.

 

[cgolf]

I can't speak to the Cabanas, but I can speak to the beach choice. We have done a couple of cruises without our daughter and tried Serenity Bay on those two trips and left after a very short time, because surprisingly the peace and quiet bored us. We wanted to be on the beach were all the action was and I guess all of the noise. So even without our daughter we ended up on the family beach. I will say we did seem to have more options for things to do on the family beach area and that worked out well for us. We are not the type of people to just lay out in the sun and relax for a while, we need to be doing stuff.

 

[cruisehopeful]

Just thought of another question, is there music piped into the cabanas? I think the whole experience would be lost if there was Disney music playing in the background all day.

 

[DCLDVC1]

Just thought of another question, is there music piped into the cabanas? I think the whole experience would be lost if there was Disney music playing in the background all day.

Yes and there's volume control so you can turn it off if needed.

ETA: Family cabanas have music. I've never been in a SB cabana so I'm not sure if they have it.

 

[phinz]

I've never heard music in the SB cabanas and I've never found a volume knob. I guess music would be the antithesis of Serenity.

 

[shelbell77]

So we've struggled with this because pre-cabana SB was always our preference. We travel with a group, all kid free. But our group is too large for one of the SB cabanas. So we've done the Family Beach Cabanas 3 times now. Even though we prefer to be kid free in general, we don't mind the Family Beach cabanas. I don't know where the heck all the other families are, but the beach by the Cabanas is generally empty except 1-2 other parties. Often we're the only ones in the water. We rarely run into anyone walking to/from bathrooms or Cookies Too. We carry our food from Cookie's Too back to the cabana and eat there so we avoid the crowds that way.

So although I can't comment on specific experience with SB cabanas, I wouldn't be worried or concerned to have one of the Family Cabanas. The only difference I know for sure is the SB cabanas are slightly smaller - because they can only go up to 6 people, and family cabanas can go up to 10 people.

 

[DCLDVC1]

So although I can't comment on specific experience with SB cabanas, I wouldn't be worried or concerned to have one of the Family Cabanas. The only difference I know for sure is the SB cabanas are slightly smaller - because they can only go up to 6 people, and family cabanas can go up to 10 people.

Has DCL changed the maximum capacity of the SB cabanas? I thought the max was 10.

 

[wilkeliza]

We were an adults only trip and had 5 adults in one family cabana. It was fun and still relaxing. We aren't fans of SB as we like the family beach offerings. We got the Cabana for space and the more "private" beach.

I have to say we did not hear Disney music at all in our cabana. Either that is new since January 2015 or the guys turned it off before the girls got there as the girls ran the 5K and the boys just chilled.

 

[shelbell77]

Has DCL changed the maximum capacity of the SB cabanas? I thought the max was 10.

As far as know SB has always been for 4 people, with ability to add 2 extra at a per person cost. Versus family beach where its for 6, with ability to add 4 extra at a per person cost.

 

[Oswald the Canuck]

How are you guys able to reserve a Cabana? I was online at midnight 90days out from my Feb/16 cruise and (when the site started working again) all the Cabanas were gone. Any tricks I can use for next time?

 

[wilkeliza]

How are you guys able to reserve a Cabana? I was online at midnight 90days out from my Feb/16 cruise and (when the site started working again) all the Cabanas were gone. Any tricks I can use for next time?

Sail concierge or be a platinum or gold castaway cay member.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

How are you guys able to reserve a Cabana? I was online at midnight 90days out from my Feb/16 cruise and (when the site started working again) all the Cabanas were gone. Any tricks I can use for next time?

Sail concierge or be a platinum or gold castaway cay member.

Also a good idea to stalk the DCL website for cancellations. Some people get them that way.

Then, once onboard, check to see if they are doing a wait list.

 

[Oswald the Canuck]

Also a good idea to stalk the DCL website for cancellations. Some people get them that way.

Then, once onboard, check to see if they are doing a wait list.

Thanks. That's what I figured. We'll be Gold after our next cruise.

 

[DCLDVC1]

Any tricks I can use for next time?

Book on the Wonder or Magic.

 

[wilkeliza]

Thanks. That's what I figured. We'll be Gold after our next cruise.

Gold isn't really a guarantee either. The only people pretty much guaranteed are concierge since they get 125 days out to make requests and then platinum since they can self book at 120.

 

[phinz]

And concierge requests go live at 00:00:01 on the 120-day mark.

 

[SnowWhite2]

I've been able to snag a cabana twice sailing non-concierge and both times as a platinum cruiser on the Wonder and Magic.

 

[NCConch]

As a Silver I have found at least one SB cabana on a past cruise and one coming up in a month - both right after Christmas. I must be living right.

 

[CM Dad]

As far as know SB has always been for 4 people, with ability to add 2 extra at a per person cost. Versus family beach where its for 6, with ability to add 4 extra at a per person cost.

My wife and have a SB cabana on an upcoming cruise (got as gold members when our booking window opened). I just checked. Maximum is 10.

Cabana - Serenity Bay #24
Select this Activity
Duration: All Day
Price includes up to 4 guests, additional $53.75 per person charges can be accommodated onboard up to a Maximum of 10 guests.