The Havana Cabana staterooms on Carnival Cruise Line's Excellence (XL) class ships are a great place for guests that want a patio style balcony and access to some exclusive amenities. On the Mardi Gras, Carnival Celebration, and Carnival Jubilee Deck 8 is home to the Havana staterooms.
The Havana staterooms on Deck 8 consist of some different type of rooms including the Havana Cabanas, Havana Interiors, Havana Cabana Suite, Havana Cabana Extended Suite, and Havana Cabana Extended. All of these rooms, including the interior Havana rooms, come with access to the Havana Pool area which is located on Deck 8. Additionally, all of these rooms require guests to be 12 and older in order to be booked in the rooms. Carnival provides wristbands that must be used to access to the Havana Pool Area.
The goal of this post is to focus on the Havana Cabana staterooms and look at the pros & cons of these staterooms. A Havana Cabana stateroom is one that has a patio outside. The patio is a fenced in area that has a gate that leads to an area of Deck 8 that can be walked around. This allows for easy access to the Havana Pool area. Typically, the Havana Cabana patios come with a swinging chair, patio chair, and table.
The Havana staterooms on Deck 8 consist of some different type of rooms including the Havana Cabanas, Havana Interiors, Havana Cabana Suite, Havana Cabana Extended Suite, and Havana Cabana Extended. All of these rooms, including the interior Havana rooms, come with access to the Havana Pool area which is located on Deck 8. Additionally, all of these rooms require guests to be 12 and older in order to be booked in the rooms. Carnival provides wristbands that must be used to access to the Havana Pool Area.
The goal of this post is to focus on the Havana Cabana staterooms and look at the pros & cons of these staterooms. A Havana Cabana stateroom is one that has a patio outside. The patio is a fenced in area that has a gate that leads to an area of Deck 8 that can be walked around. This allows for easy access to the Havana Pool area. Typically, the Havana Cabana patios come with a swinging chair, patio chair, and table.
| Pros 1. Access To The Outside Havana Pool Area The Havana Cabana patios have gates that connect guests to an outside walkway. Some of the Havana Cabana staterooms have a couple of stairs that must be walked down to access the outside walkway so if you have accessibility issues you will want to check with Carnival before booking your room. The gate from your patio allows easy access to walk on the outside walkway and you can walk outside on your way to the Havana Pool area. 2. Proximity To Chibang & Havana Bar The Havana staterooms (not just the Havana Cabanas) are very close to the Havana Bar and Chibang. The Havana Bar has Latin themed dancing delivered by a DJ or Latin Trio, depending on the time. Carnival advertises the Havana bar serves Cuban sodas, cocktails, and Cuban Coffee (at regular bar prices). The Havana Bar is very close to the Havana Staterooms, but is open for all guests. Chibang is a dining area that is open at lunch & dinner and serves a combination of Chinese & Mexican food. This area is right by the Havana staterooms which allows for easy access to some food during open hours. 3. Outside Patio Extends To The Very Front Of The Ship The outside patio that is accessible from your Havana Cabana wraps around the front half of Deck 8. From the very front of the Deck 8 area you can see the view from the front of the ship. Carnival's XL class ships do not have the public observation deck areas like the older ships due to the ship having balconies in these areas instead so having this area to be able to walk by & look out the front is nice. 4. Ease Of Access To The Front Elevator/Stairwell Area The Havana staterooms are at the front of Deck 8. The closest elevator/stairwell area to these rooms is the front. Guests staying in these rooms can easily travel up or down depending on where on the ship they want to go. Deck 8 is also home to Bonsai Sushi, Bonsai Teppanyaki, Cucina Del Capitano, Guy's Pig & Anchor Smokehouse, Rudi's Seagrill, Patio Pool, The Watering Hole, and many other features. Since these (plus more) are all on the same deck, if you are staying in a Havana stateroom you don't even have to travel up or down decks to visit some of the ship's amenities. | Cons 1. Patios Have Reduced Privacy Compared to a traditional balcony stateroom, the Havana Cabana patios do not have the same level of privacy. Guests walking by on the public space can easily see you on your patio. Make sure to lock your stateroom door to prevent someone from trying to get in unauthorized. 2. Age Restriction - Can Be A Pro or Con Depending On Your Situation Guests traveling with children younger than 12 cannot stay in the Havana staterooms, including the Havana interiors. If you are looking to travel with children younger than 12 you might want to look into the Family Harbor area on these ships. |
Overall, there are many positives to staying in a Havana Cabana stateroom on the Mardi Gras, Carnival Celebration, or Carnival Jubilee. Before booking I recommend you do or keeping the following things in mind:
- Research your particular Havana Cabana stateroom to determine what the view from the balcony will consist of. The exact view you have will depend on where your room is located.
- Keep in mind that staying in a Havana Cabana suite (or any other type of suite room) will typically come with a higher person per day service gratuity.
- Look for videos on You-Tube that will show you what your particular Havana Cabana balcony will look like. Watching videos from other guests is one of my favorite ways to get familiarized with a ship's layout.