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

You have to read the fine print on these deals (not really fine print – really straight forward but you have to read it). With Sunwing, if you book, you must register within 7 days of booking to be eligible for the Price Drop Guarantee. If you don’t register you won’t be able to make a claim. Also, it only applies up to 28 days before departure date. Therefore, if leaving on Dec 27th, you’d need to find a better price by Nov 29th.

I tend to agree with the articles mentioned above. If I was close enough to the couple to even attend their destination wedding I would absolutely give them a wedding gift, the same as if the wedding was at home. I wouldn’t factor in the cost of my travel to the wedding. After all, I’m still getting a vacation out of it.

All inclusive to Cuba is coming in at the same price.

We’re looking to go the first or second week of May so I think we’d miss all the closures.

I’m still on the fence. Thinking Paradisus Rio De Oro again or back to Akumal Beach Resort in Mexico which has recently been renovated to a 4+ resort. Neither is what I’d call a good price but I figure a good deal at either of these is rare. Air Transat is going to charge us $720.00 total to upgrade to Club Class this year though to Mexico. Last year it was only $600.00. After seeing the lines in the Cancun Airport, both coming and going, there’s no way I’d fly there without Club Class.

Not sure you’ll get a wireless connection through the water though.

I suppose it depends on your expectations. If I saved for years to be able to take this one trip then I might be more prone to insist that all goes smoothly. However frequent travellers can just chalk up problems to a learning experience and start planning the next trip.

I take whatever comes and let it slide. AI vacations are basically bargain basement, cattle class travelling so there’s bound to be things go wrong. If we have a really late flight home I always book an additional night separately directly with the hotel and I always allow for at least one day off when I get back before I have to return to work in case of delays. As for food, I can survive quite nicely on bread, cheese and fruit.

Thanks. I remember seeing that glass bottomed boat. However, we like to snorkel 2 or 3 times a day for at least an hour or so each time so we’re definitely looking for snorkelling from shore.

The Colonial Cayo Coco was originally part of Club Tryp Cayo Coco and it operated as one resort when we were there in 2000 & 2001, the Colonial side and the Club side with access to both.

The last time I was in Cayo Coco they were just starting to pour the cement for the buildings for the new "El Senador".

Out first trip to Cuba was to Cayo Coco over 15 years ago and we haven’t been back since 2001. Thinking I’d like to go back again. However snorkelling has become a big part of our vacations. Is there anywhere we could snorkel from the beach and see anything other than sand?

The taxes are higher in the example above because, in the last two scenarios, the return flight is after May 1st. The departure tax of 25 CUC’s is included in those two.

He was likening a wedding to a Time Share, not saying the trip was a time share.

They don’t necessarily have to fill the planes. They’ve certainly shown in the past they have no issues with changing or combining flights to different destinations in order to fly full. It’s more cost effective for them to stop in Cuba on their way to Jamaica, etc. then to send 2 half full flights to each destination. Selling half a plane at rock bottom prices doesn’t help their already slim margin.

I know exactly what you’re saying. AI trips have gotten so cheap the last 6 or 7 years any price we’ve paid lately has been considered a bargain. We paid way more in 2000 for our family of 4 to Tryp then we would today. To me if I’m looking for a decent price, anything under $1,500 is a fair price.

Best way to break the ketchup habit is to have a chemist friend do an analysis and run you through the lab results. Worked for us!

Most people do not choose foods based on lab results. If all processed foods were labelled with lab results I think it might surprise people but not change their habits. As for ketchup, been eating it 54 years and not dead yet.

Problem with the dollar tanking now is that all our manufacturing is gone and we have to buy everything in US$. Wait a few months you’re going to see the price of everything rise.

I will often travel in shorts (but never sandals) on the way home because it’s usually such a long day in a hot climate but winter gear is always stored in my carry-on which stays right at my feet.

As an all-inclusive traveller who pays for the bulk of the trip in Canadian dollars the exchange rate for the CUC’s is so negligible we hardly even give it a thought.

Bought our first set of hand made dominoes at Tryp Cayo Coco one rainy January in 2000 when my son was 5. They were a lifesaver. He loved playing and he and my husband would spend all afternoon in the lobby playing with other people.

Regarding checking for delays, I always use the hotel computer before we leave for the airport to see if the plane that’s on its way down has departed and is on time. At least then I know if there will be a wait at the airport.