Half Moon Cay

[Jamman]

I think they hold your S&S hostage so you don't skip paying your food and drink bill.

[novelist]

Originally Posted by Jamman

I think they hold your S&S hostage so you don't skip paying your food and drink bill.

.....and you don't forget to give back the key they give you for the door. You can't get on the ship without the S&S card, so they get their key.

[Jamman]

Originally Posted by novelist

.....and you don't forget to give back the key they give you for the door. You can't get on the ship without the S&S card, so they get their key.

Tru Dat... We always get #'s 9 or 10, closest to the beach and flowrider.

[ChiTownCruiser]

Originally Posted by Jamman

Tru Dat... We always get #'s 9 or 10, closest to the beach and flowrider.

So I know this thread started w/ HMC, but since it's wandered a bit to GT cabanas....

You mention 9 or 10 being close to the beach/flowrider. Does anyone have a map or anything showing all the cabanas? I know years ago I found one for HMC that really helped us decide which ones to request (9 and 10 ironically!) We're getting a GT cabana for the first time in September and our ship is the second one in port that day. We'd like to be nearer to the Margaritaville craziness...should we request a low or high number?

BTW - I read somewhere that you can now email Carnival's shore excursion email address to request your HMC cabana number...wonder if that works on GT as well?

[novelist]

Originally Posted by ChiTownCruiser

So I know this thread started w/ HMC, but since it's wandered a bit to GT cabanas....

You mention 9 or 10 being close to the beach/flowrider. Does anyone have a map or anything showing all the cabanas? I know years ago I found one for HMC that really helped us decide which ones to request (9 and 10 ironically!) We're getting a GT cabana for the first time in September and our ship is the second one in port that day. We'd like to be nearer to the Margaritaville craziness...should we request a low or high number?

BTW - I read somewhere that you can now email Carnival's shore excursion email address to request your HMC cabana number...wonder if that works on GT as well?

Actually, they are all right next to the Margaritaville pool that snakes all around and is very large. HMC is run by Carnival, and shore excursions sets everything up. Margaritaville is not run as closely by Carnival as HMC. They also have more ships in port and often, there are people in cabanas who are from different ships. Getting off real early there is the only way, as you go to their main bar and ask for your cabana and give them your ticket. Then you wait a bit (island time) and finally someone comes and gets a key and takes you to a cabana. The far ones are closer to the flowrider and beach but to tell you the truth, they are all in the same general area, and not that far from each other. They also are curved around the pool, so some end up physically closer to each other. It is much different on HMC where the cabanas cover a very big area of the beach - this is a more concentrated area. It makes less difference in Grand Turk because it is a much small area. BTW, the first one in line closers to the entrance has a ramp so they have one cabana for handicap if they need it. All the cabanas seem far from the bathrooms

As for emailing Carnival ahead of time, it works sometimes, but in practice, they often are starting from scratch on cruise morning and often the right person on the right ship does not get your request. Every time we have been to HMC, even though they were sold out, there always seems to be 1 or 2 empty ones on the beach, not sure if people cancel them, but we have never seen all of them actually occupied even when they are "sold out."

[Jamman]

As Rita mentioned, the GT cabanas are closer to each other than the HMC cabanas. The lower numbers would be closer to the swim up bar, the bathrooms, and the entrance. The higher numbers towards the beach and flowrider.Carnival has nothing to do with assigning the cabana numbers, they just sell you the voucher (ticket). Get off the ship as soon as possible once cleared and head directly to Margaritaville and you'll be directed to the people handling the cabanas. Since you'll be the second ship in that day, you'll only have a choice of which cabanas are left. To be honest, any location is good, we just prefer the higher numbers.

[ChiTownCruiser]

Originally Posted by novelist

Actually, they are all right next to the Margaritaville pool that snakes all around and is very large. HMC is run by Carnival, and shore excursions sets everything up. Margaritaville is not run as closely by Carnival as HMC. They also have more ships in port and often, there are people in cabanas who are from different ships. Getting off real early there is the only way, as you go to their main bar and ask for your cabana and give them your ticket. Then you wait a bit (island time) and finally someone comes and gets a key and takes you to a cabana. The far ones are closer to the flowrider and beach but to tell you the truth, they are all in the same general area, and not that far from each other. They also are curved around the pool, so some end up physically closer to each other. It is much different on HMC where the cabanas cover a very big area of the beach - this is a more concentrated area. It makes less difference in Grand Turk because it is a much small area. BTW, the first one in line closers to the entrance has a ramp so they have one cabana for handicap if they need it. All the cabanas seem far from the bathrooms

As for emailing Carnival ahead of time, it works sometimes, but in practice, they often are starting from scratch on cruise morning and often the right person on the right ship does not get your request. Every time we have been to HMC, even though they were sold out, there always seems to be 1 or 2 empty ones on the beach, not sure if people cancel them, but we have never seen all of them actually occupied even when they are "sold out."

Originally Posted by Jamman

As Rita mentioned, the GT cabanas are closer to each other than the HMC cabanas. The lower numbers would be closer to the swim up bar, the bathrooms, and the entrance. The higher numbers towards the beach and flowrider.Carnival has nothing to do with assigning the cabana numbers, they just sell you the voucher (ticket). Get off the ship as soon as possible once cleared and head directly to Margaritaville and you'll be directed to the people handling the cabanas. Since you'll be the second ship in that day, you'll only have a choice of which cabanas are left. To be honest, any location is good, we just prefer the higher numbers.

Thanks all! Guess I'll just take what we can get.