Recent posts by Canuks | Debbie's Caribbean Resort Reviews Forums

Okay not until next November but might be going to a destination wedding at Grand Sirenis Maya Riviera. Any chance someone here has been there and can offer any room advice as the website as soon as you look at some of the room categories it flip to Grand Palladium? Are they 2 different resorts or one with 2 different section names?

not always great deals if there are fewer and fewer carriers…….

wasn’t iggy …….just wondering…..as it is not per-say a Cuba change, but a U.S.A. banking & insurance change

While I am not promoting it’s use……. but for years now American banking institutions would not trade with Cuba so U.S. based credit cards and U.S.D. were either not accepted or carried a surcharge….. Has this altered? Does anyone know? I will still carry CDN $’s and use CUC’s …. but just something I thought about this morning with all the recent changes and thought some of our more recent travellers might know.

…… And to add to that U.S based Insurance agencies and their coverage while in Cuba …… has this hanged also????

I like the property best PCV between these two. it is a bit smaller and there are very well kept grounds with PCV – not so much grounds at SLM. Never stayed at SLM but next door at PRDO so have only passed through but have stayed 2 x’s at Costa Verde and it is very nice. If you are a diver the dive centre is closer to PCV as the original one at SLM is closed …if that matters

Such a wonderful group of people ~ and fun cast of characters to share a Saturday with. It was followed with great meal after, THANK You!!!

The reason we enjoy the Holguin area is for the easier access to mainland sites.

We love PRDO but also have had a great vacation twice at Playa Costa Verde – which meets most if not all of your criteria(s). You have been there before but that was 14 years ago in ’01 so maybe time to go back as it is much more ‘budget’ friendly than PRDO

….. and how do you know when you were away how long was the power out and is it safe to eat the stuff in your freezer?A tip from our local Hydro Company For cottagers or people when they go away on vacation and are not really aware when the power goes out how long it has been off.

Get a small container of water and put it in the freezer. Once it is frozen, put a coin on top. If you go away on vacation and your hydro goes out long enough that the ice starts to melt, when you come home if the coin is no longer on top then most likely your food that was frozen also thawed and is not good to eat.

the beaches are nice and depending where you stay it can be very lush. We happen to be very fond of Holguin area because of it diversity.

I am looking for someone who can take down a letter for me to PRDO over the summer.
Many thanks if you can

if it was going directly to the Cubans great….but no I fear someone else will be lining their pockets with the revenue

I too was sad I missed this one – but thank you to all who make this and this loads possible. So much work before during and after these days.

would like to know if anyone has bought this…… wonderful photos

Nice….maybe the winner could make their choice. Very wonderful thought

I am looking for someone can take a letter to a friend at PRDO. Anyone going in the near future and would take a letter down for us?

And you still have a great outlook on life and a great scene of humour;
amazing story!

Thank you to sund0g for fully reading the contest rules – An award should go for thatWell I could share mine …… BUT if Terry chimes in with a few of his I would pay to hear some of his tales …. also Rainbow as ha few "good" stories.Out tale is one of a new traveller in Jamaica 24 years ago in 1991. We were staying at a high end resort near Montego Bay and took the cab from the resort into town to do some shopping. ….. For the seasoned traveller they now probably know the punchline to this story…….. but as Canadians we assumed that all these friendly people were there to be helpful. we learned a lesson that has stayed with us through all our travels, and lucky for us it only cost us a few dollars.So…..we arrived in town looking for a camera, George the driver dropped us near to the duty free camera shop and said he would wait for us. We toured a few shops then this young , casually dressed fellow came up to us said "Hi" as a friend would and then said "you remember me don’t you? I work around the pool at your resort "(he used the resort’s name)…."what’s ya’ dooin’ here?" To be kind and courteous back we told him we were looking for a camera….He said he could take us not far away to a place that had better prices. Soon after we started walking a fellow joined us and he introduced him as his buddy. Off we went one street off the very groomed Tourist presented area. For me my eye as a photographer was going wild seeing all the kids in the street, all the shadows & the misc …."not seen in Canada" areas. My partner on the other hand was getting more and more concerned. We emerged back in the prettier part of town, and we had not gone that far away…..we actually could still see the shopping area where the driver had dropped us. We went into the camera shop and indeed did find the camera at a slightly better price. The walk back to our driver was the newbie traveller’s lesson of the day. The initial fellow stood in front of us and asked for money for his services to take us to the camera shop and he would take the money for his friend who had run off. We gave him $40.00 for the pair and as we walked back the other fellow, the larger fellow came out from nowhere , blocked our way back and asked for his money. We kindly said we had given it to is friend…… his tone changed and now the experienced changed to a lesson. He said forcefully he wanted his money and that his friend would not give him anything. We did and walked briskly back to our driver.Lessons: * Drivers from one resort are easily identified as are the ‘marks’ for the con* Know your area well enough if you venture off as a new traveller to know how to safely get back* sometimes a deal is not really a ‘deal’ (in the end the camera cost us slightly more than the original)* do not be fooled by the "I know you …..you do remember me? do you not?" line as a traveller it is a con of putting you in a defensive position.

* if uncertain take your travel bands off. They can be red flags.