Trip Reviews - Caribbean Locations
Bahamas | Cuba | Dominican Republic | Jamaica | St. Lucia
Caribbean
Caribbean Cruise Carnival Legend
Hotel: Doubletree Beach Resort, Gulf View Room, Tampa
Everything was great on Carnival - food, service and excursions. I love the balcony on our suite, will want to ask for that on future cruises. Tampa was a nice beach town, we drove around and did a bit of sightseeing. People there are so friendly, guess the nice weather helps.
Thanks again for booking everything for us the last minute for a much-needed vacation. Everything went very smoothly.
May 2010
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Holland America Panama Canal 14 day Cruise
We really enjoyed our cruise as all the personel aboard ship were terrific, food was great & we enjoyed our tours (except all the street vendors), they were a royal pain.
March 2010
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Statendam with Holland America Panama Canal Cruise, San Diego to Fort Lauderdale
Embarkation in San Diego ( nice city) was smooth. We were able to get into our stateroom as soon as we boarded at about 1:00 pm.
Our room was an outside room with a window just aft of midship – category DA. It had a tub . It was a good room with a decent location.
Cosmetically the ship’s interior looked good.
The food was good and certainly lots of it. You have to be very disciplined not to pigout all the time. Anytime dining worked well for us.
The entertainment was good too. They had several different acts they brought on at various ports – comedians, singers, musicians. There was no production number which I did not miss at all.
The crew were friendly and helpful.
The ports were generally good. Some were out of the way places or new places just beginning to draw ships. I assume it was to save money on port charges. Most of the excursions we took were good. The exception was the one in Nassau but it was not the ship’s fault. The Panama Canal transit was excellent – it takes a whole day.
Disembarkation in Florida was also very smooth.
There were some issues. Our air conditioning didn’t work for the first 3 days, but it wasn’t really hot yet and they gave us a fan to use so it was tolerable. After it was fixed, it worked for the duration, but there were some people who did not have air conditioning for the entire cruise. One day our toilet wouldn’t flush but that was fixed later in the day. There were lots of problems with the elevators. By the end of the cruise, some were completely out of commission. The lido inside pool was too hot to swim in. There were bad smells in various places for a few days especially by the restaurant by the lido. That was cleared up after a few days. This ship (Statendam) was going to dry dock immediately after our cruise and I hope they will address all of these problems.
Overall the cruise was good and we are glad we did it. We would recommend it to anyone interested. We covered over 5000 nautical miles in 18 days and saw lots of interesting things. We also met some very nice people who we will probably keep in touch with. That’s a bonus.
March 2010
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Holland America Panama Canal
The cruise was great. Definitley recommend a room with a balcony. Also we purchased a plan for 199.00 on the ship that allowed us to use the mineral pool and thermal suite whenever we wanted. This was something we enjoyed a great deal. Food was super. Entertainment was great, with a lot of variety. Plenty of shore excursions to choose from, with good advise from excursion director. They had talks every day about where we were going and good tips on the ports of call. Enjoyed Costa Rica the best and definitely plan to go back. We took a tour to a Hacienda and spent the day at the ranch.
One thing to note is the cruise does not actually go right through the canal. There is a shore exursion to ferry you through for the full passage, but the cruise ship only passes through the first set of locks at Gatun. We opted for a shore excursion to see more of the country. There are plenty of options so really best to decide how you wish to spend your time at port. Therefore the talks on the ports of call are a good idea.
We also found the best shopping right on the ship. Many of the things that were sold on shore were also sold on the ship with prices being the same or better. I think they do this because many passengers do not leave te ship.
This was our second time with HAL and we definitely enjoyed it. There is so much to do on the ship that it can be overwhelming the first time.
February 2010
Mike McIntyre Caribbean Cruise - Celebrity Equinox
As always Chassity and Mike were great hosts! We had a wonderful time. The excursion we chose were great this year! Thoroughly enjoyed it!
February 2010
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Mike McIntyre Caribbean Cruise - Celebrity Equinox
We had just an awesome time! These cruises get better year after year. We can hardly wait to do it again next year.
Chas ( and Mike) did a great job again hosting, ensuring everyone was informed and accounted for when necessary. We really enjoy spending time with our cruise family yearly.
Thanks for your efforts putting all this together for us.
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Mike McIntyre Caribbean Cruise - Celebrity Equinox
WE HAD AN ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL TIME ON THE CRUISE. WE'RE SO GLAD WE WENT.HOPEFULLY WE'LL DO IT AGAIN.NICE TO TRAVEL IN GROUP.THE MCINTYRES WERE GREAT HOSTS. THANKS FOR ALL YOUR HELP.
February 2010
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Bougainvillea resort in Barbados
It was great, but too short! Now that I know the ins and outs of particular things, it would be quite easy to take this same trip for 10 days as Air Canada flies to Barbados every Wednesday as well as going out on Saturdays, plus other flights.
First of all, getting to Montreal took almost an entire day, due to a stop over in Toronto and a plane having mechanical difficulties which meant deplaning, switching gates and planes. Arriving in Barbados airport proved to be a semi nightmare. Only four workers manned the immigration booths, causing thousands of tourists to be jammed in kiosks, with line ups of people outside the doors of the airport. We waited almost an hour and a half to get through this line up, which was short considering what the poor people from England had to endure. We heard numerous complaints from people from all over about this, and many of them said they would not return to Barbados if they had to go through this again. Even the Air Canada representative was not happy about this, and stated this was a little unusual. However, we have been in several airports on different islands and have seen this happen, but not to such a degree.
Anyways, to me and my husband, the beaches in the south coast of Barbados are probably the best we have had, although the beaches of Negril and Punta Cana are pretty spectacular as well. The water is so blue and clear, you can see turtles and schools of fish, without even having to snorkel. Mind you, the beaches on the properties are quite small and public; there are no private beaches in Barbados. The beaches in the south are a bit rougher than the west, with some good waves.
The Bougainvillea resort was a very clean and comfortable hotel; nothing fancy. They actually upgraded us to a deluxe studio which was nice. The rooms are quite spacious as well; like a studio apartment. with a small kitchenette. This was probably one of the nicest hotels in the south, especiall y being that it was on a beautiful beach. Most hotels in Barbados are quite run down looking. Many were built in the 60's and 70's and haven't seen too much renovation. I know you are not there to sit in your room, but it is nice to be comfortable considering the length it takes to get there. New hotels are being built like the Four Seasons and Country Inn and Suites, but they are not on the beach. I would recommend anyone going there to get a hotel on the beach, and the Bougainvillea is a great place to stay, although it could use some renovations, better entertainment (which there was almost none), better prices in their restaurants, etc. My husband and I were checking out the Sea Breeze down the road, and it looked quite promising with good entertainment.
Generally, it is extremely expensive for everything in Barbados. Those Visa cards, the room credit and gourmet cards were really welcomed. These extras were not offered to everyone this year; just Canadians as far as I know. They have done these things with other countries in the past to increase tourism as they are suffering apparently, although you would never know it with our hotel being at full capacity, etc. Even the Americans thought the prices of food, excursions, etc were expensive. For the Europeans, especially the English, their money goes almost double what ours does, so it is quite cheap for them. As well, the UK gets really good deals on flights and hotels, special inclusions like breakfasts for free, etc. depending on the airline. When we went to check out another hotel, the lady at the desk would only give us information and a good rate if we were from the UK, otherwise we would have to call them directly from Canada, etc.
Most people eat in at least once a day, to save money. Food in the stores are quite expensive, many things are much cheaper here. In their stores, any food item from the U.S. is a couple dollars more than we would pay, and even the fruit is mostly imported from there costing a large amount. Some of the restaurants are at least $100 US for supper without frills, and it takes another $20 -$30 for a cab to get there. The dining gourmet card was a big saving for the odd gourmet restaurant, but you had to pay alot of money for the cab to get there, and a 15% service charge, VAT charges, etc. In Barbados, they add many extra taxes on to many services, so people have to be aware. However, the food is almost 100%natural, a lot of fish, okra plaintain, etc. One or two fast food places exist. (McDonalds had to leave the country) A good value is the little pub like restaurants down the streets where food is good and a better value for your money.
We took the Tiami catamaran for snorkeling for the day, an island tour with a private driver, a day out to Bridgetown, the Mount Gay Rum tour, and a Roots and Rhythm show. The best show anywhere that I have been would be the Roots and Rhythm show. The dancing, music and supper was fabulous! The island tour was really worthwhile, as well as the snorkeling. Bridgetown is good to see, but very chaotic and not a good place to stay too long. Mount Gay is good to buy your rum cheap. Harrisons' caves are closed for renovations until further notice. We used public transportation (buses) a couple of times, after paying large amounts for cabs, with very good results.
Anyways, enough of my details. I could probably go on forever. In general, Barbados is a very beautiful, lush island. People are the most friendliest I have met anywhere. They go out of their way to help you with no intentions of getting a reward or money, etc. You encounter very few vendors wanting to sell you things. There were no time share people as well. Lewd, drunken behavior is not tolerated at all, which prevents happenings of people in general going there and getting into serious trouble like you often hear about in Mexico, etc. I felt completely safe there, and we even walked or took a bus at night. We would probably like to go back again one day. The Barbados Tourism Authority is trying to change a few things to entice more Canadians and Americans to visit, as they are becoming aware that they are in competition with places like Mexico, Cuba, etc where there is better value for money and more affordability. This is not the place for endless partying and drinking.
December 2009
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Caribbean Cruise - MSC
We did have a good time, weather in Florida was cold and rainy, but we can’t control weather. The cruise was good, although we were a little disappointed in MSC, from the first time we cruised with them. A lot of cut backs, that we noticed, so won't be recommending them to our friends. This was our second cruise on that line and there wasn't as much as "glad to see your again" or "welcome back" etc. They didn't tell the truth about the shows being different and the menus being different, that day we phoned to see if the shows were different and they said yes, well they weren't. For the most part everything went well, but like I say, we probably wouldn't use MSC again. but who knows.
January 2010
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Eastern Caribbean cruise with Carnival, balcony suite.
Carnival was great; would do again if it was a family type vacation. The food was good, Celebrity was a bit better.
The suite was large, plenty of room to move in. The pre night hotel was fantastic, it was a Marriott and right down in the financial section of Miami, no problems with the transfers everything went smoothly.
The only problem was that the return flight was an hour late, so missed connection in Toronto and got home much later.
Your vacation is what you make of it, so overall completely satisfied with the whole trip.
April 2009
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Caribbean Cruise - Princess Cruise
Everything on our trip went very well. Mostly, the weather was very good. It drizzled while we were at Cucacoa and it was too windy to dock at St.Kitts. We were disapointed about St. Kitts as it was one of the islands we had not been to before and were looking forward to seeing it.
Everything on the ship was excellent, food, service, entertainment , etc.
March 2009
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7 Day Coral Island Cruise, Signature
Have just returned from one week Signature Coral Island Cruise-
The rooms were extremely small and the beds could not be put together.
Everything was in Pounds and had to be converted from Pounds to American dollars which became costly.
Overall loved it - destinations were beautiful.
Food was fabulous: 24 hour buffet & Fine Dining always excellent.
Entertainment was mainly British and we loved it but other passengers didn’t.
March 2009
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Mike McIntyre Royal Caribbean Panama Canal Cruise
[We] had a stellar hosted cruise on the Jewel of the Seas. The on-board entertainment was excellent. Days at sea had lots of activities for a wide range of interests. The sites visited (Columbia, Costa Rica, Panama Canal and Gran Cayman) were varied and fascinating. A major contribution to the success of our holiday was the caring and skill of Mike and Chassity McIntyre, the tour hosts. They added so much!. We would certainly recommend this well-priced hosted cruise for a relaxing carefree holiday.
February 2009
Bahamas
Bahamas
We had a wonderful trip. Everything went well.the resort we stayed at was great.our rooms were very nice, roomy and spacious. Everything was within walking distance like shops , restaurants,the waterpark and casino at the Atlantis. The wedding was so beautiful on the beach. The weather was just right not too hot or too cool. The people were so friendly and helpful,especially the taxi drivers who were super fun to be around. We had a wonderful family holiday near the beautiful blue waters of the bahamas. Thank you very much for everything you have done for us.
March 2009
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Cuba
Oasis Brisas del Caribe
Our stay at the Oasis was average of which we would give it a 3 star. The place looked a bit run down but clean. The food was okay and give it a 4 star, although 2 people in our group got sick however not sure it was from the food or alcohol.
The beaches are fantasic unforntunatly the weather was only nice about half the trip. The trips into Havana and our day trip for snorkeling were great. Our hosts were very knowledgeable about the history and culture of the land. It seemed everywhere you went everybody had their hand out looking for tourist $$.
Overall it was nice winter break, but we all agreed Cuba will not be on
our list of countries to visit again.
March 2010
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Allegro Varadero
The trip over all was a great experience. the food was better than expected. Actually very good. The ppl awesome however the hotel room was disappointing but tolerable. the room had black mold over the walls, ceilings and drapes. very musty and mold smelling.
I didn't complain as it was just a room, other wise everything was nice.
March 2010
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Barcelo Solymar, Varadero
The weather was the pits cool and rain and a few great days but we managed to keep ourselves occupied, went to Havana, and also did the double Decker bus tour for the day, that was great also Havana was very interesting. I wish I had taken more warm clothes Food, was good, lots to choose from, accommodations were nice and clean and comfortable, people were very friendly and helpful. Lots of Canadians, had to watch what we said it might have been our next door neighbor.
February 2010
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Caribe Punta Canal
Buenos dias!
We really enjoyed our vacation in Varadero. The hotel has a beautiful layout and it must have been absolutely spectacular when it was first built. It is a little run down now, so visually things are not perfect, but function is fine. The pool area is beautiful and very well maintained.
We went on 3 day tours, all of which we enjoyed. We found the Cuban people very warm and friendly. We plan on returning to Cuba - the climate is great, and we received good value for our vacation dollar.
Buenos tardas
February 2010
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Montehabana
The Montehabana was very pleasant and quiet. Terrific staff. We appreciated the space and the use of a kitchen, although we didn't do any significant cooking from scratch. The meals at the "sister hotel" as they call it, the Miramar next door, were pretty good and very decently priced. The Montehabana no longer runs its own shuttle service into downtown Havana, but the Miramar does, three times a day. There was no charge. Although the trip was a bargain, another time we would try to book earlier and get into one of the less expensive hotels in the downtown area, because that is where we want to be. The Montehabana would be good for longer stays, as it takes a while to build up supplies for doing your own cooking. For example, it wasn't always easy to find basics like milk and bread at the nearby supermercados, although things like shrimg were in abundance, and we could always use the 24-hour cafe in the Montehabana when we wanted toast or milky coffee.
The only contretemps we had was shortly after arrival. The change booth at the Varadero airport had closed when we arrived about 1:30 am. The Montehabana couldn't cash travellers' cheques, but the Miramar could. However we arrived at the Montebana at around 4 am, and the change booth at the Miramar was closed until 8 am. In the meantime we had no water or food. So I had a short nap, and then got up at 8 am to go to the Miramar. However in my sleep-deprived state, I managed to trip on some uneven sidewalk, knock myself out and break my nose. Some very kind groundskeepers from the Montehabana saw what happened, and took me to the medical centre at the Miramar. From there they sent me to a clinic with English-speaking staff, and an ear-nose-and-throat specialist stitched up my nose. Fortunately they accepted credit cards. For a while I looked like a Navi from Avatar, with a black-and-blue face and a nose a yard wide, but I was well looked after, and given appropriate pain killers and antibiotics. (How ironic since every other time we have travelled to Havana we have brought along Tylenol to give to Cubans.)
So all in all it was an excellent vacation.
By the way, each time we go to Havana things are better and better in every way for travellers. People who like food, music, interaction with Cubans, interesting sights of all kinds should forget the beaches and go to Havana. Havana rocks.
February 2010
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Varadero & Havana, Cuba
The following is a report on our Cuba vacation. Some friends wanted to know about our trip - others who have not been to Cuba wanted to get information for possible future trips.
Pre trip
We booked our trip through Renaissance Travel which is a division of Journey's Travel and Leisure Super Centre in Winnipeg. Journey's is owned by Ron Pradinuk -a great guy and the most knowledgeable travel guy in Manitoba. Deb Peters one his agents booked our trip and did a fantastic job of helping us with our travels plans. We traveled through an Air Transit Holidays package using Skyservice Airline out of Winnipeg. We paid an additional 25 dollars each way for advance seat selection - check in - loading plus an additional 5 kg per person baggage allowance. The basic baggage allowance is 20 kg. The advance seat selection was worth it for comfortable aisle seats. As was priority check in.
I also consulted with a friend Jude Carlson who visits Havana often and she had help full suggestions for the Havana portion of our trip.
We purchased a 14 day package 4 days (room and breakfast) in Havana and 10 days in Varadero (all inclusive). We traveled with our great friends Erna and Doug. Their first trip to Cuba our second.
Cuba
Some things to know. It is a communist country so most of the businesses are state run or in the case of resort hotels joint ventures with Spanish. French. Italian or German hotel companies. There are some very good small private restaurants (cuban peso cafeterias or paladares) and a few private accommodations (casas particulares). The decades long and harmful US embargo limits some of the goods available. The have a closed currency system. You cannot buy Cuban money outside of Cuba. Local currency is the Cuban peso which you can buy at legitimate money exchanges outside of tourist hotels and I suggest buying some. The convertible cuban peso (CUC) is the tourist money which is used in tourist hotels, restaurants and areas like Varadero. You can buy both currencies at money exchange places with Cdn money or Cad based credit cards (make sure your credit company knows in advance you are travelling) Don't use US money - huge premium charged and US based credit cards cannot be used. Exchange rate was one CDN dollar buying .8935 CUC pesos. Cuban pesos sold 24 pesos for 1 CUC peso so about so 1 cuban peso was 4 cents Canadian.
In tourist areas they only accept CUC pesos but outside of tourist zones Cuban pesos work and buy you so much more for value. As an example 10 Cuban pesos buys a hot dog on the street. Unsuspecting tourists pay 5 or more CUC pesos for the same hot dog. Also staff prefer tips in Cuban pesos but obviously will accept CUCs but they have some difficulty converting them. Never give Canadian money as tips.
Average wages there are 300-500 cuban pesos per month ( about 15 to 40 dollars canadian a month) which is obviously extremely low. So tipping is part of their needed income and economy. So tip everyone that serves or helps you. Some people think that an all inclusive hotels means no need to tip - WRONG.
Cuba is a poor country but basic standard of living seems adequate. Peoples perceptions are interesting. Many tourists we met said poverty was awful in Cuba and beggars were overwhelming. I have seen far worse poverty and begging in Mexico, India, Unganda and at times on Wpg or Toronto streets. We walked throughout Havana and on side streets day and evening where poor people lived and we had no trouble at all. The perception at times is that poor people are all criminals. Not the case in Cuba. We found people to be friendly and engaging.
Cigars - be careful buying on the streets as everyone knows someone who smuggles cigars from factories - reality is that street cigars contain odd substances which are not smokable.
Music - everywhere you go in Cuba musicians play and sing - every restaurant - bar - we heard some incredibly good artists. And remember they need tips to exists. Bought lots of cds (many classic artists and songs) - Carlos Puebla - Septeto Nacional de Ignaciop Pineiro - Los Van Van - Matamoros - Joseit Fernanez (wrote original Guajira Guantanamera before rewrite that Pete Seeger made famous) - David Calzado - Eliades Ochoa - Omara Portuondo - and band leader Benny More.
Internet is readily available but pricey - and it is quite slow.
Cuba has much improved since our last visit which was shortly after the collapse of Russia and the lifelines Russia provided to Cuba.
Havana
We stayed at NH Parque Central - great hotel roof top bar and pool and across from Parque Central and in Centro Habana - very central close walk to neat sites like - Plaza de la Catedral - Catedral de San Cristobal de la Habana. - Plaza Vieja - Real Fabrica de tabacos Partagas - Gran Teatro de la Habana - Museo de la Revolucion
We also drove around and saw other sites such as their Malecon ocean drive - National Hotel - Plaza de Arms - Revolutionary Square - beautiful City park - lots of great old buildings with many in disrepair - restoration work is ongoing but they have a long way to go.
And of course the numerous still running old US cars are a treat to see and drive in.
Restaurants and bars - lots to chose from
Los Nardos - spanish club restaurant (fabulous) - Cafe Paris - great music 24 hour bar - Taberna de la Muralla - brew pub where can drink beer produced on site out of an ice cooled plastic tube at your table. - El Floridta - Hemingway's famous bar (though the guy seemed to drink everywhere in Cuba) Also the bar that started the daiquiri. Castillo de Farmes - where Castro and Che ate on Jan 9th 1959 after the triumph entry into Havana (spanish). Don Cangrejo in Miramar (suburb of Havana)- great seafood run by Ministry of Fisheries. -Cafe Taberna in Vieja Square - a nice Cuban restaurant dedicated to the great Cuban band leader and singer Benny More.
4 Days was not enough time for Havana. The City grows on you each day you explore more areas. Next time we would stay at least 7 days in Havana.
Varadero
We were booked for 10 days at the all inclusive adult only Paradisus Princesa Del Mar. Excellent resort and well spaced out over a large treed area. Good section of Varadero's fabulous beach and a nice pool area. Food at the breakfast, lunch and supper buffet was very good. Supper options included meat grill station all meats including on occasion lamb and rabbit. Sea food station - , shrimp, calamara, variety of fish and on occasion lobster - pasta station, soups, salads and wonderful deserts (lots of fruit and yogurt). Also they had 5 a la cart restaurants - French - Italian - Asian - Japanese - Cuban - The Cuban was very good and surprisingly the Asian and Japanese were also very good. The French and Italian were disappointing. There were also lots of bars and a cabaret and an 24 hour bar - food and coffee service. Room service and in room mini bar were included.
Pretty much every restaurant and bar had live music - some of the artists and groups were very good. They also had a variety of other "tourist type" activities throughout the day.
There also was a spa which I took advantage of for a massage. We had booked a junior suite but planned on upgrading to a junior suite ocean view when we arrived. They wanted 60 cuc per day for the upgrade but we negotiated a rate of 40 cuc per day. They also included one meal at the Hill Top Restaurant which is a separate restaurant for Royal Service level guests ( a separate high end section at the resort). The food there was good AND they had Crown Royal Canadian whiskey at that restaurant. We ended up eating there twice. The a la cart restaurants have to be reserved and get filled up. We booked on line prior to leaving so we got to go to all of them and the Cuban place twice. If you go to resorts with these type of restaurant and do not book on line go to dinner reservations desk as soon as you arrive and make bookings for all of your stay.
Weather was good and we had many sun days. Evenings cooled down and we had one really cool night. It rained one night for a short time.
Biggest problem at the resort was mosquitoes - you hardly see them - don't feel them bite but they can leave big welts. Bring insect repellent and after bite - and anti hestamenes are helpful. One of us had an infected bite which was treated by the on site doctor who was good and had all the right meds. We also had a problem at the start of our stay with one room being not cleaned properly. Once notified the Resort quickly gave it a full and thorough clean. As well they gave the 4 of us an additional meal at the exclusive restaurant. We found the staff and service fabulous at this resort. T.V. was available with HBO - CNN and CTV (Alberta). Had a balcony with Ocean view - shower and bath - lots of hot water (mention this as folks from some other resorts reported running out of hot water) in room coffee maker and comfortable beds.
And of course there was non stop choice of cocktails (mojita being the National drink of choice)and excellent Cuban beer - any hour of the day or night. Decent Spanish and Chilean wines were freely available and some non Cuban drinks but there was a limited selection. We had no difficulty drinking all that we wanted.
We visited the little town of Varadero (about 25 kms from our resort) A few shops and markets but very tourist oriented. Not a typical Cuban town.
Overall a fabulous vacation in all respects.
February 2010
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Las Americas in Varadero, Cuba
The facilities were good, great to wake-up in the morning and look out to the ocean. Cuba is a lot different then other areas we have been to. The weather was good, and the staff very friendly at the location we were in. The golf was OK, not great, but it is always a treat to do it during the winter. Overall it was a very relaxing vacation and we enjoyed the time there. The sunwing service was less then we have experience, and the hotel wasn't able to accommodate our dinning requests, but the extra effort they did to allow the golf was great.
Overall it was a enjoyable vacation, but I don't think we would go there again, seeing what we have experienced in our previous travel. Maui still rates #1, with D.R. a close second.
February 2010
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Club Mayanabo - Santa Lucia Cuba
We had a wonderful trip to Santa Lucia. It is so different from Varadero! The weather is warmer and it was just like waking up in paradise every morning.
I must say the food was a little better than we expected.Our room was nice. It overelooked the beach and the air conditioner worked real good (I'm saying that as hubby almost froze me out) lol. The staff was wonderful.I made good friends with a couple of them.I must say, the last night in Camaguey was my favorite.
The plaza hotel is very nice and the food was good there too. Maria, our tour guide is the best! She is very knowlegeable on everything, and her English is terrific. It was great our flight was delayed as she took us to the market where Cubans buy veg, It was very interesting. We also went on the side trip to see the iguanas. I really wanted to see the flamingos, but since the hurricane they don`t go there anymore. I found the boatride too long and I think it should say you have to be in good shape. Since hubby can`t walk too far he had to sit in the hut while the rest of us hiked up the hill. Huff, Puff! But I talkedto a young couple and they liked it.
The trip to the school was great. Everyone brought pencils etc. for the kids. I think someone even brought some jersys.All in all, it was a fantastic time and we would certainly love to go again.
February 2010
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Sol Palmeras, Varadero, Cuba
trip was all good..nobody got lost or drowned and we're all still speaking to one another!!!kids had a blast and we enjoyed each other's company..something for everyone at sol palmeras..pool ,beach, off shore snorkeling ,watersports and excursions..dolphins ,catamarans ,bus and taxi to town..off property dining ..lobster was great..we enjoyed a jeep safari on our own..
February 2010
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Club Kawama, Varadero, Cuba
Cuba was great and Club Kawama was a nice hotel. Better food than Aguas Azules. Staff were very nice and accomodating.
I had a nice surprise on my last day. I was suppose to leave the hotel at 11pm on the thursday to catch the 2 am flight. But I received notice that our flight was delayed until 10 am the next day and Sunwing was paying for our extra hotel night!! What a great way to end the week!
February 2010
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Club Kawama, Varadero, Cuba
We had a wonderful time and the weather was just beautiful. One day we had high winds so could not go in the ocean but the rest of the time was great.
We took a over night trip to Havanna and stayed at a 5 star hotel and did some touring with a host that did a wonderful job. We went to the Tropicana show in the evening that was spectacular. Lots of music and colorful costumes. Another day we did a Catamaran trip out to a island to snorkel, lunch, and we watched a dolphin show.
A great great holiday! Maybe the only draw back was the rooms. The first one we were in for 5 days was a 1/2 mile from the pool and ocean and had mold which was a #2 allergy of mine. I started to cough and we finally complained and got another room on the Friday. That room was much better. We did go home with a cough, both of us. We thought maybe it was the air conditioning so we kept it on will we were away all day and then turned it off for the night.
January 2010
Sol Palmeras, Varadero, Cuba
The wedding was great. I had lots of fun. Weather was pretty iffy but that’s life. We go to a smaller resort (vacation club) in Cozumel every year (we are divers) and we much prefer it to a large hotel like Sol Palmeros. Never been to Cuba before so don’t really have anything to compare it to. I’ll stick to Cozumel in the future.
January 2010
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Gran Club Santa Lucia - Cuba
Had a really good trip to Cuba. The weather there was really great, usually sunny and with temperatures hovering around +30C. Got a nice tan.
I did several of the side trips that Sunwing offered eg snorkeling on the reef, scuba diving on the reef, diving to see the sharks and I went to see a crocodile farm. On the first day there, they had a special briefing for all of us, telling us what was available for us at the resort and activities to do on the side if we were interested.
The room I had at Gran Club was very nice and clean and they came and made my bed and brought me clean towels every day. The food at the resort was very good. They had a special dinner on new year's eve and it was excellent!
The Cuban staff there are very friendly.
January 2010
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Hotel Barlovento - Cuba
We had a wonderful time in Cuba at the Barlovento. Although it is an older complex and the rooms are a little tired, the Barlovento has a number of great features that contributed to an excellent holiday. The location is great - it is minutes away from two craft markets where you can find some great local handicrafts for incredible prices and a small bar with live music every night. It has three pools - one very shallow for children and two other pools with nice loungers and convenient access to the bars. Three of the restaurants serve very good food - a Mexican restaurant and the Criollo, both for which reservations are required, and well worth it. A third buffet style restaurant, by the pool, was also very good, serving a hot paella every day and a grilled meal (fish or other). There is also a bank right on the property open from 9 to 9 every day, in addition to being able to change cash at the front desk. The beach in front of the hotel is wonderful. We found the staff to be very friendly, but we did tip very generously. The only problem that I could mention is that the sports equipment was not often available, but that is understandable in Cuba where some of the basics are not available. I would recommend that if you are keen to play tennis or volleyball that you bring your own equipment. All in all, we were very happy with our stay there.
For your information, we met people who stayed at the Club Kawama and who thought it was absolutely dismal and were relocated. We walked through the complex and it certainly was run down, especially compared to the Barlovento.
December 2009
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Oasis Varadero 1920, Cuba
Had a fantastic time at Oasis Varadero 1920.
Although the hotel does have a worn look to it, it is very clean and the staff were always visible working very hard to fix and maintain the building and grounds. As expected, the food at the al a cartes required some imagination, but in the buffet the meals were well prepared and the staff were fantastic. In fact all the staff were polite, friendly, very helpful. The exchange from Canadian to Pesos was a surprise as it was done based on the Euro.
The beach was awesome, drinks were plentiful, and the cigars were (although pricey) wonderful.
I would definitely recommend this hotel to others.
April 2009
Oasis Brisas, Cuba
It was absolutely fabulous. The weather was great and the Oasis Brisas property was gorgeous, beach/pools/grounds and entertainment were all great. Food was generally pretty good, all 3 a la cart nights were superb, the 24 hr café was good, only so so at the buffet, but once we figured out how to pick and choose and use the grills for ordering what you wanted it was good. Rooms were lacking in décor but clean and comfortable. Staff were very friendly and service was wonderful. There were lots of visible security guards all over the property and on the beach 24hrs and we appreciated having that. We plan to go back to the same location.
The only 2 things I wish they could improve were the food sanitation at the grill location near the beach – food was sitting in the sun for hours (12 – 3) without being covered, lots of flies …..and the other was we booked an excursion to Havana for a day trip on Monday and they did not disclose that everything would be closed on Monday so all the things we wanted to see that they had promoted ie. Museums and the Flea Market for shopping, were not open to us…I really thought we should get a refund or a discount, but we were having such a good time and with only being there for 6 days, I did not want to wait and spend time complaining to the Rep.
Wish there were a way to get 7 full days out of it, we actually only had 6 days and it went by way too fast. We tried to stay longer or another week, but it would cost a full return fair and then full price for each night and the hotel was full…there were a number of others trying to do the same.
We enjoyed it very much, and as I say plan to go back hopefully next year!
April 2009
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Oasis Las Morlas, Cuba
We had a wonderful time at the hotel because we have made such good friends with the staff. The hotel renovations that they have made were wonderful. However here's the flip-side! There was no mini bar in the rooms as per notification in the brochures. Instead it was an additional $10.00 per fill if you wanted that service. Instead of pool side room , we ended up getting a room over looking the pool on the second floor.
The biggest problem that we had about our stay, was that we were not informed that this hotel was changed into what they call an "Eden Village" which means 95% of the clients were italian. They had there own entertainment staff, 80% of the shows were Italian only. The entertainment sports and games were all announced in Italian and the whole stay they didn't seem to involve any other nationality. Even before check-out, the Italians were all given a survey and the rest of us I guess they didn't care.
If it wasn't for us liking the hotel and most important the cuban workers, our vacation would have been a disaster. Any others we met also had the same feelings. This is the fourth time staying at this resort, and we would have to think twice about ever traveling with Sunquest again.
April 2009
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Sol Sirenis Coral, Veradero, Cuba
You were right on target - we left our hotel before 8:00 a.m. and were back home by 5:00 p.m. Friday. We had a great time. The weather was fabulous - always hot, mostly sunny but when it was overcast, and we were ready for a little relief from the sun. It usually rained at night, and with the season's changing down there, it was lovely to see the the leaves budding and flowers starting to bloom. Of course, there were tons of evergreen plants amongst the bare trees that are perpetually full of riotous colour, so Cuba has a terrific tropical feel all the time.
We didn't take the excursions we'd planned on, because of too little time, but we did two others. We took the Catamaran to snorkel on the reef and swim with dolphins. We highly recommend this to anyone who loves to meet others in a friendly, party-setting. One person there had done it NINE times! A good indication this is a great value - only $99 each, including a lobster dinner, lunch and the ever-popular open bar throughout. The only caution is that you must bring your own fins if you like to snorkel, and although they provide masks and snorkels, we were glad we had our own since the quality of those offered was pretty shabby.
We also went on the jeep safari, and the only people who enjoyed it were those who had no mechanical sense and obviously had never been on a quality safari before. It was unsafe. It included about three hours of driving through intense dust, hundreds of beggars on route, pot holes and speed, to get to destinations that were 'iffy' at best. There was an opportunity to ride starving horses, with hipbones and ribs jutting out of their taut skin, and a river ride that included no swimming. There was also 25 minutes of snorkeling on a reef with a guide who had no knowledge of conservation, who kicked, stood on and broke coral and saw the fish only as photo ops. We ate a farmhouse and met the farm family - which we really enjoyed (although we both got violently ill afterward). We'd recommend doing a jeep safari in another country (as we have in Mexico and Columbia), but definitely AVOID this one. Our jeep was so mechanically unsound, Harold asked the mechanic to look at it, and initially he thought he could fix it but he replaced it since the front end was so bad it could have flipped. However, the bad jeep was not taken off the road, it was driven by someone else. This poor event was also way too long, 8:15 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., we got back exhausted and felt we lost a wonderful day we should have spent on the beach enjoying the sun and local colour.
People need to know a little about Cuban hotels before they go. All we saw were dated, and in need of repair - I'd say they are a disappointment in comparison to the hotels in Mexico that we've stayed at. The exception would be the Emelia hotels according to people we met there, but everyone else had the same experience we did. Did you know that slipping the desk clerk money gets a room upgrade? I now think most of the hotels have their shabby parts, and their better parts so that this scam can be pulled. Our first room had no amenities - not even toilet paper, and two single beds with a view of a rooftop and mold in the bathroom with crumbling and missing tile. This was not the 4-star we were expecting for the $1500+ package. We were lucky to get a change to a cleaner, nicer room for the second day, and initially thought this was a little glitch in our reservations, until we met seven others who'd had the same experience at our hotel. Those who used money to bribe the desk clerk got king beds, and better buildings, one even got a suite with a jacuzzi for a mere $20 tip. Our cleaner room still had two single beds pushed together - and many people we spoke to thought that was all that was available in Cuba. Next time we'll know better.
We would go back, and would recommend Cuba, with a few cautions, to anyone else wanting to go there. First of all, we'd recommend only going there on a 'deal' - if possible. For us, there were no other options, so we were really happy to get to the tropics. Most people we met spent two-thirds or less for seven to ten days, while we were there for six.
P.S. The market prices were very low this year, according to cuban regulars. One person we met said they were the lowest in the five years they'd seen. Begging is against the law in cuba, so some websites claim there is no begging. Not true - as soon as you hit any back roads in the country there are tons of people and nearly naked children begging. Very sad.
March 2009
Oasis Varadero 1920, Cuba
We had a fantastic time. We couldn't have asked for better weather as it was sunny and hot everyday. The resort itself was beautiful. It was clean as well, which is all I really wanted. There were shows every night and friendly staff. The food itself as most people know is mediocre. That was the only thing that could have been better. There was a wide variety though and we liked the Hamburger Stand. Sara and I especially enjoyed the Piano Bar where they made Mojitos and other fancy cocktails. I especially loved the cuban cappuccinos. I would highly recommend this resort and if I had a chance would return.
March 2009
Breezes Bella Costa Oceanview, Cuba
Our vacation was really good. We both enjoyed the Golf Course and the great weather. The food at the resort was good and there was always a lot of variety. The staff is very friendly and approachable (certainly tipping has a great deal to do with that).
It is a very nice resort and the only thing I would suggest is that you don’t get ocean view rooms. We paid extra for the ocean view and unfortunately it is situated over center court and they seem to feel that everyone should hear what is going on all the time. If you are there for rest and relaxation, as we were, you are unable to have an afternoon siesta or get to bed earlier than 11:00pm when the evening show ends. When you have a 6:30 wake up call in to make your tee time the noise is not appreciated.
We spoke to the General Manager about this and he said they were looking into it. I’m not sure exactly what that means so I don’t know if anything will be changed.
On the whole I would recommend the resort. The garden view rooms overlook the golf course, so the view from those rooms would be very nice.
March 2009
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Club Amigo, Holguin, Cuba
We are just back from our trip to Club Amigo in Holguin. We had a good time. The villas are definitely the only way to go. We saw the bungaloes - affectionately referred to as the barracks - and would not have been happy there. The people were helpful and friendly. The accomodations were clean and maintained well inside and out. On the one occasion where there was an issue with a patio door that would not lock it was repaired the same day, probably within a couple of hours of reporting the situation.
The plane going down to Holgujn afforded good legroom for which I was very grateful. The flight back was problematic as the scheduled plane was pulled causing a delay of about five hours. We appeciate that stuff happens but do think that the airline was very remiss in not notifying Winnipeg of the delay. The posted times were therefore out five to six hours. We plan to let Sky Service know that we found this unacceptable. Omar our tourist rep from Signature knew of the delay - let's call it part one - and changed our bus pickup time from 1 to 4pm. He told us that he was accompanying our group to the airport. He was a no show and then part two happened when the group discovered that the departure time had changed from 6 to nearly 9:30. Many of us felt that this situation could have been somewhat softened by moving back the bus trip to the airport by another couple of hours to allow us to partake of a meal at the resort and more relaxation.
Something to be advised of is the currency situation. I had checked the conversion back in December and found it about $1.11 to purchase pesos. We were shocked when the rate had jumped to over $1.46. I did take my credit card but am cautious about using it so we took cash. I mention this in the event that others are like us in preferring to take cash over credit cards for converting money. I accept that I should have checked for more recent changes...just a suggestion that for us it was an issue and it may be a proactive piece of information for further vacationers.
I don't want to end this on a negative note … a good relaxing vacation.
March 2009
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Sol Sirenes Coral, Cuba
As you probably are aware the Winnipeg Airport is mayhem on Sundays and Mondays during the sun holiday winter travel season. I am so looking forward to the new airport and hope they have laid out the plan to better accommodate the busy season air companies and will have better space for our regular airline companies.
The lineup actually moved along quite quickly considering the number of passengers and luggage there was to get on the plane.
The flight to Veradero was full but we were quite comfortable - I wish all the planes at least had the head rests that flip up on the sides (like the West Jet planes) It would make it so much more comfortable to sleep or watch the movie. We actually arrived a 1/2 hour early which was greatly appreciated.
The Signature rep and transfer bus that took us to our hotel were good. It was nice that they gave us a bit of time at the airport to exchange money.
The Signature rep at our hotel - Sol Sirenas Coral was good and knowledgeable about the tours available. I wish he would have had an earlier time to visit our hotel as by 11:00 in the day you really want to have made your arrangements, be at the beach or be on another tour.
I was pleasantly surprised that even though we had not paid extra for an ocean view room we could see the ocean directly from our balcony. Most other rooms could not see the ocean unless you paid the extra fee for ocean view which meant you were on the third floor. In our building that would not have been good as the elevator in our wing did not work and by the rust around the sign on the elevator door, obviously had not worked for quite some time. Our maid service was very good. Rooms were clean, sheets and towels were always in supply. We did need some maintenance as our sink got plugged up and after we reported it that morning, it was fixed before lunch. We always had hot water in the shower so we were quite happy with those services. The bathtub was a bit ominous, you basically had to climb out of it as the floor was much lower than the bottom of the tub. So if the floor was slippery or if you were elderly or not in good shape, it would have been a bit dangerous. But that is building design and no fault of the staff or the travel agency.
Check in went smoothly and the bell boy provided you lots of info when he brought your bags to the room. The room was exactly as pictured in the travel info. Not luxurious but comfortable. We were pleased that we had a small fridge in our room but it was always a challenge to get ice. There were no ice buckets. You had to use a shopping bag and ask for it at the bar.
The waitresses in the dining rooms were always pleasant, neatly dressed and helpful. The always had a smile and were quite willing to prepare you a table or get your coffee. The coffee was a challenge since there was only 1 coffee machine for the whole buffet so the waitresses would stand in line to get you 2 cups of coffee. I think a lot of Canadian guests would have welcomed a pot of americano coffee on their table, especially at breakfast. Then the cappuccino coffee from the machine would have been a treat later or at other times of the day.
The lobby and pool areas were lovely and very well maintained by the staff with the exception of the public washroom which always seemed to out of paper products and sometimes it would take till the next day to get paper in those bathrooms .The buildings have not had physical improvements since they were built and the grounds had good daily maintenance but could have used some major grounds design like elimiting dead trees and branches for a more manicured look.
The entertainment was not very good - we actually enjoyed the small 5 man band that would entertain in the bar area of the Silenis rather than the main-stage entertainment at the Coral. as they never had real Cuban entertainment - it was usually pulling people from the crown for some sort of competition, a Spanish version of New York-New York or really loud bands. The entertainment usually wouldn't start till after 10:00 which I guess was done to cater to the young party people.
The bartenders were not very good and never seemed to mix a drink the same way twice or have any options for drinks - only Ron (rum) . The bartenders at the Sirenis would give you some options like vodka or Cafe liquor drinks when they weren't too busy but at the Coral, it was pretty much just Ron and beer.
The a-la cart restaurants seemed to get better reviews from other people we talked to. We went to make reservations on Wednesday AM and could only get reservations at the Italian for Friday and Chinese for Saturday at that time. Again in the Italian restaurant my husband ordered a Crisp Bacon and Mush room pizza but it came with Chicken instead of the Crisp Bacon - not sure where the bacon was. Others aid the Mediterranean restaurant was quite good.
The Rancho - beach restaurant was quite good once we located it. The staff tried to keep the birds at bay around the serving tables but that was a bit tough in the open atmosphere. hamburgers weren't too bad and never did manage to get to either beach restaurant when they actually had hot dogs left. ( they did however have boiled wieners at breakfast one day and they were quite good.)
The food - I am sure you hear much about this. The food had quite a bit to be desired and many people had issues with it. The food at the dining room and food were a bit better at the Sirens than at the Coral. The dining room was smaller, better set up and the cooks seemed to care about the presentation a bit more. They however did not have a toaster for breakfast. The eggs and omelets were great but there was no bacon (ever) and the sausage was always floating in some type of sauce. I am not a fussy eater like my husband but never did find a sausage that I could actually swallow. The Fruits and Breads/Pastries were great at both buffets. They did try to make pancakes but they were heavy, cooked on a grill for about 20 minutes and yet were raw in the middle - not sure about this recipe. The lack of bacon surprised me since everyone said there would be lots of chicken and pork. The pork at every meal was deli ham, there were some thin over cooked pork chops at one dinner, we did have beef at one meal as well but it was very tough and then raw on the inside. At breakfast the only busy person was the 1 cook making the eggs. While the pasta cook was not busy at breakfast so I think in order to serve better they could have eliminated the pasta in the morning and had 2 people cooking eggs. Most everything was chicken which was usually done quite nicely but sometimes unidentifiable in the mixed trays. The buffet was always a challenge because there were no labels to tell you what was in the steam table trays. It was pretty much a guessing game and try some at your table and waste it. Some of the combinations of meats, vegetables and beans appeared they had been mixed from the left overs from the previous day ????. The salad buffet were quite nice when they had lettuce. Some days they would just have shredded cabbage and carrots for the salad base. The pasta cook at both restaurants were good but only the one at the Sirenis would have parmesan cheese to add in.
I know that CUBA is not where you want to go for the food but a few suggestions. Label the trays - even just in Spanish and the traveler can figure out what it is. Have the butter by the bread and toaster rather than by the grill cooking the eggs where you have to interrupt the line up to get at the butter. A small coffee pot on the tables, a few more American dish options like bacon.
The availability of a money exchanger at the hotel was very nice and we were pleased that while we were there, both the Sirenis and Coral set up dial-up internet stations for the patrons. It was just too bad that sometimes other travelers would download picture for a whole hour while you just wanted to send a quick note home. (I think some people don't quite understand sharing and how dial-up works.)
I would recommend this holiday to anyone who likes to go on trips - all the people we talked to who went on the excursions had wonderful reviews.
We went on the Havana trip and it was well worth the money.
I know this is a lengthy response but hope it helps in understanding the Cuba experience.
March 2009
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Arenas Blancas, Cuba
My biggest concern was the weather and it turned out to be absolutely gorgeous. We are not avid travellers so we don't have a lot of places to compare to. We also do not need top of the line accommodations. The looks and cleanliness of the resort was satisfactory for us. I can't complain about that.
However what was upsetting was the fact that we did not have hot water for 5 days. Even this itself was not that big of a deal because the water wasn't super ice cold but we did have kids. We even confronted the hotel desk on at least 3 different times and they kept saying the next day it would be fixed. Apparently a water pump went on our wing of the resort hotel.
The last day though is what really upset us. As you know,you have to check out of the room at noon. They allowed us to store our luggage which was great because we didn't leave until 9:30 p.m. They also allow you use of a hospitality room so you can shower etc before you leave. We again confronted the main desk 3 times for towels and never ended up getting them. We even spoke with the manager and got zero response. We had to use the cotton sheets on the bed to dry off. After our family was freshened up,we again approached the front desk to tell them our concerns, absolutely nothing was done. The manager would not come and speak with us. So in this respect I think the service was very brutle and some of the people are not that friendly. Would I ever stay at this resort again? Never. After paying $4000, I think this hotel should compensate us somehow.
Anyways it was really a nice time. The food is very distasteful as we were already prepared for. Plus there is not a 24 hour snack bar as described on the net. This was disappointing. Room 4514 met our standards.
March 2009
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Dominican Republic
Blau natura park with sunwing
We had a wonderful vacation. The only problem was with Air Canada Vacations (ACV). Looking back it worked out for the better.
Before we left for Punta Cana, I E-Mailed Natura Park requesting a specific room. They we able to accomodate our request.
Initially I was not sure about Sunwing. Comparing our previous trips with ACV, Signature and Sunquest, we felt that Sunwing was the best.
The flight, flight service, tranfers were excellent.
February 2010
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Excellence Punta Cana
It was the best vacation we have ever had.
The Excellence is definitely a 5 star, from the welcome with a cold wet facecloth and glass of champagne to all the special events planned during our stay.
The service was impeccable. The only complaint we have is that we have no complaints.
Our room was great. Clean. Turndown service nightly with flower petals on the bed and chocolates.
The beach was great. Nothing was shabby. The grounds were amazing. I could go on and on.
We are going to go back next and stay at the Excellence.
We met many Canadian, American and British couples who have been there over 7 times. Now that says something.
February 2010
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Punta Cana-Blau Natura Park, Dominican Republic
First the positive on Natura Park resort in Punta Cana. The buffet was awesome. There was a very good selection every meal of the day. The service was friendly and professional. The bars were fantastic, lots of fun, very entertaining and great service,never had to wait too long. The beach was beautiful, lots of chairs and shaded areas any time we went down. The pool was never too full and was always clean in and around it. The grounds were very beautiful and relaxing, we really liked the areas that were covered with vegetation, the fish,birds,and scenery were all very nice. The rooms were nice and the maid service was top notch. The nitely entertainment was the best, a different show every night with members of the audience participating every evening. The steak a la carte above average, I don't remember Dominican beef that good. We were there for the relaxation, but if we wanted to there was tons of excursions available.
Now the bad. The air conditioning was basically a fan, We changed rooms once with no improvement and met nobody that had air conditioning. The fridges did a very poor job, as my first one was not even plugged in. When I tried to plug it in I found the receptacle was removed from the wall. The second rooms were not much different as the fridges all had a bad odour like an unplugged fridge with the door closed for weeks. The seafood and Italian a la cartes were really bad, the buffet was 10 times as good as these.We actually left the seafood before even finishing as the food was making me ill.
We lost power for awhile and lost water twice for quite a while. The seaweed was quite bad a couple of days as they seem to clean the other resorts first. Some seaweed is quite understandable but a foot high all across before they clean any is excess. Language seemed really a barrier when asking for help but was quite good when they wanted something, but again this was expected. The brochure listed the AI included beach volleyball but the net was set up on the beach for 1/2 an hour per day right on the beach were people where sunning. When the 1/2 hour was over the net came down an soccer was played in the same spot. The AI water sports were only AI after you paid $25.00 for lessons. The 1 hour free scuba lessons were only available if you paid for the certification first. We were on a budget this year so we went with the best price we saw.
We would not recommend this resort for any more than we paid. Next time we will book in a newer resort with real A/C.
February 2010
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Carabella, Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
The Carabela was lovely. The resort was picturesque and the pool was beautiful. The ocean was amazing the sand was soft and white, and the water magnificent azure. It was windy while we were there and so the beach was quite cool though.
We had some difficulty with the food...but coming from Canada, we are fortunate to have only the best here. Dominican Republic's food is just not as good as ours. If you can't eat fish selections are quite limited.
There was a show each night but the players were quite amateur.
I was disappointed in the Nolitours rep. i found him rude and told him so.
I had several questions about our shuttle to the airport on leaving day.
He answered one question and walked away while I continued speaking.
I thought that he must be busy so I left and came back the next day.
He walked away from me again. I stopped him and told him that I think that it's rude to walk away while someone is trying to speak to you.
He yelled and told me that he is very busy and doesn't have time.
I told him that I'll be brief but I need to know where flight delays are posted.
we were never invited to an orientation so our return information was never confirmed.
I need to confirm that we are registered to be picked up.
He was very rude. while answering my questions he continued to yell about his schedule. Again I told him that he is rude...and I walked away.
I hope that he doesn't treat everyone like this.
In all, it was a great holiday.
We both got the relaxation that we were looking for.
Service was great.
The Air Conditioner in our room was amazing (broken AC seems to be a common complaint)
Jamaica
Palladium Lady Hamilton
We had wonderful weather, much warmer than Mexico, but a month later too. We always end up comparing any other resort to the Barcelo Maya, our regular, all time favourite. By the amount of small maintenance issues that we saw, such as cracked concrete on steps and sidewalks, chipped paint, etc, I had guessed the resort was ten or fifteen years old, but it is in fact only two years old. The room that we were booked into had some issues, like no bedding, so they offered us a room overlooking the pool and ocean. The view was spectacular with it being a third floor room. However, and a big however, the air conditioning was non existent. After three calls to the maintenance dept, we were informed that the air conditioning system is not like ours. Cold water, not refrigerant, is sent to the buildings and flows across the coils, cooling the air. The rooms on the main floor were very cool, on the second floor the AC was passable, but by the time the water gets to the top floor, it is no longer cool. We slept on top of the sheets every night.
The food was wonderful, and the service was always warm and friendly. The main beach was rocky and by the time you ran out of sand you were only up to your waist. There were a couple of smaller beaches to the west end of the resort that were a little better.
Overall I would give the resort a four star rating, and if it were not for the quality of the restaurants, probably a three star rating. The value for what we paid was acceptable, but if I had paid two thousand dollars each I would be terribly upset. Our problem is that we have been spoiled by the Barcelo Maya, and especially the Palace. Everything, except the weather, has always been absolutely perfect, every single time. Every ice machine works, every blade of grass is manicured, and the beach sand goes out as far as you can imagine.
February 2010
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Sandals Dunn River
We had a lovely vacation in Jamaica. We enjoyed the hotel, the people and the country, not to mention the fabulous weather.
The Sandals resort was top notch and we were impressed with their facility and the management. Compared to previous resorts, the Sandals Dunn’s River has very organized management and the staff is knowledgeable and friendly. The food in every restaurant on the complex was very good and the ability to change it up a bit by going to the other Sandals resort was a bonus and added variety to the meal selections.
All in all, if you are recommending the Dunn’s River resort to your clients, we would say that it is a bit smaller and more intimate than the larger complex, which translates into a resort that would appeal to travelers wanting more privacy.
February 2010
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Beaches Boscabel Jamaica
The trip was AWESOME! We all had a great time. The weather was perfect, the food was very good, the entertainment and activities exceeded my expectations. I would definitely go back – once we get some more money……
February 2010
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Gran Bahia Principe, Montego Bay
Out trip was WONDERFUL! We requested an ocean view and are pleased to say that we were overlooking not only the ocean but also the pool. Fabulous to sit and look at over morning coffee.
We highly recommend this resort....great food, beautiful location and extremely well-designed.
February 2010
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Starfish Trelawny - Jamaica
We had so much fun. The hotel was nice and the beach was great. The food was good there was lots of fruit and salads always something to eat. The people at the hotel were very friendly and there were shows every night. Extra trips to go off the resort were quite expensive but we did manage to take a few. The weather was amazing during the time that we went.
September 2009
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Grand Bahia Principe Jamaica
The trip was absolutely fantastic. We had one of the best times ever. This was actually the first trip that we had been on that I did not want to come home. Being out at the pool by 6:00 in the morning and swimming by 7:00 was great. The weather everyday was 30 plus, fantastic hotel, service, food, and the people were sooo friendly. We did one catamaran tour over to Dunn's River Falls which was also a great day but with having only a week there we just wanted to lay by the pool and relax, and that's exactly what we did.
We are already planning to try Ochos Rios next year. We only went there from our day trip and did not have time to check it out but it looked like a happening place to be, so we figure why not!!
Both flights were great. Even left early from Winnipeg by a few minutes, no line up at the airport, here or there. It is almost scary when things turn out so well.
April 2009
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Riu Negril, Jamaica
Everything on our trip went very well. Mostly, the weather was very good. It drizzled while we were at Cucacoa and it was too windy to dock at St.Kitts. We were disapointed about St. Kitts as it was one of the islands we had not been to before and were looking forward to seeing it.
Everything on the ship was excellent, food, service, entertainment , etc.
March 2009
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Riu Negril, Jamaica (through Sunquest)
Our trip was fantastic!!!! The resort was just beautiful, the food was awesome (gained 6 pounds) , the staff was exceptional. I highly recommend this resort. We had great weather and we did 4 excursions that were all very good. (the excursions were a bit more pricey than other Caribbean islands) Duns River Falls, Dolphin Cove, Zip line, Shopping in Negril. We felt very safe at all times ( I had heard rumors that it wasn't that safe) mind you we didn't go off on our own either. It was a great vacation, we are all tanned and sad that we had to leave Jamaica so soon (two weeks flew by)
February 2009
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Riu Negril, Jamaica
We had an amazing time in Negril, Jamaica!
The staff at the Riu are so laid back and friendly, and everybody speaks English which makes everything a little easier. The resort is comfortable and nicely laid out so you never have to walk too far. There was lots of room and you never felt crowded, but I wonder if it was because they were not fully booked given the economic situation lately. The buffets were very nice with good foot and lots of variety. And, the weather was near perfect all week. I think there was one overnight rainfall.
The beach area is very nice, with shady palms and lots of deck chairs. One of the nicest features of this resort is the location on a beautiful bay that makes it seem more like a large lake than an ocean shore. The water is usually quite calm which makes it great for watersports. The sunsets are spectacular and were very popular among the amateur photographers, kind of like a prairie sunset but there’s palm trees in the foreground! At night you can see the lights across the bay which really adds something to a midnight walk on the beach.
The Riu Palace Tropical Bay is also on the bay, a ten minute walk up the beach. Some of our group was actually staying there. It’s supposed to be a 5+ star, but other than some amenities like room service. I think the Riu Club Hotel where we stayed was a better place.
I think the resort tries to make you feel free to do whatever you want, within reason. There were very few signs saying ‘Do not…’, and we felt perfectly secure walking around the beach or anywhere on the resort at night. I think the national pastime in Jamaica is smoking ganga, which is widely available and considered ok on the resort.
But most of all, the big event went off without a hitch! They were married on the beach and everything was done exactly as they requested. The bride and groom did get a little stressed because they arrived Sunday, and the wedding coordinator didn’t meet with them until Wednesday, just two days before the wedding, but everything worked out just fine. They do so many weddings at this resort that I think they can handle anything on pretty short notice. After the wedding we had a sit-down dinner and dance at one of the restaurants. When that was done, we carried the party down to the beach, and ‘opened’ the beach bar ourselves, which closes at 6 PM.. One of our group talked to a desk clerk and got a box full of candles in jars, which we set out on the beach… all this and nobody in a uniform came by to tell us we couldn’t be there!
My only negative comment is that we were never sure who our tour operator was. We got information from Exclusive Holidays, Sunquest, and a few other operators and nobody was sure who we belonged to. We arrived Sunday, but nobody was there to greet us. The next day there was a flyer under the door from a company that I had never heard of before asking us to come to a presentation. I assumed it was just a sales job for a timeshare or some excursions so we ignored it, but it was actually an invitation to meet our tour rep. When it was time to leave, our tour rep told us that we had to have vouchers for the bus ride to the airport, and she actually was quite rude with us when we said we didn’t get anything. As it turned out, we didn’t need any papers to get on the bus. Anyway, I guess that’s what happens when you have to put together a mixed package like ours with people coming from various departures.
We took the whole group on a catamaran excursion, including snorkelling and a visit to Rick’s Café where some of the braver ones did the cliff dive. Other than the wedding ceremony, that was the only planned event for everyone that week, and it turned out perfectly. By they way, if anyone is asking about it, there are two operators that do the Rick’s Café tour. The Scuba Caribe company that takes care of the watersport rentals at the resort has a small boat that can take about 25 people, and another company has a larger boat that takes at least a 100. We went with the small boat, which is more fun for young people like our group, but anyone with mobility issues should go with the larger one.
Would I go back? Ya mon, no problem!
Thanks for all your help in getting our package together.
February 2009
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Riu Negril, Jamaica
Thank you very much for your thoughts. We have had a great time in Jamaica, there was absolutely nothing that could have been done better.
The wedding was wonderful and all of the attending family members and friends truly enjoyed themselves.
Once again thank you for your hard work in making this event extra special and flawless.
January 2009
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S t. Lucia
Sandals Grande, St. Lucia
The Sandals Grande was awesome!! We were definitely treated royally during our stay there. We enjoyed the food, the entertainment, the staff were superb, and the whole experience was not soon to be forgotten. The weather also was very nice, warm and sunny the whole week. We were very satisfied with our vacation.
January 2010
Sandals Grand St. Lucian, St Lucia
The trip was amazing and we did more than we expected. Zip-ling, sea kayaking, climbing Pigeon Point, golfing , snorkeling and of course lazing aroung the pool. The food at the resort and all the resorts, because we tried them all out, was exceptional. We recently went to another all inclusive in the Carribean and lost weight because the food was not up to standard. Who does that on holidays! The rooms were very comfortable. Unfortunately, I had a necklace taken from there. I know for sure that it was in our room and didn't put it away thinking ,oh well, I'll lock it up later. But there was no later. I thought maybe it got caught with the towels and asked lost and found, of course nothing was turned in.
All in all, the trip was wonderful.
March 2009
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Sandals Grand St. Lucian, St. Lucia
It was really great ..One of the best resorts i had ever been to ..The people were very friendly for an all inclusive ...I would definately go back on a heartbeat .. st lucia was fanastic think i might go again next year ...It is the best of all the islands i think .
March 2009
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Sandals Grand St. Lucian, St. Lucia
Sandals Grand St Lucian was really good. I would recommend this resort all the time.
February 2009
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Sandals Grand St. Lucian, St. Lucia
it was fantastic. You could not ask for more from a resort....extremely friendly and helpful staff....excellent food.. all kinds of activities and a great room with a great view. I think all the clients truly enjoyed the whole experience.
February 2009
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