Cancun
MP Wedding Review: When it
This is a review of:
Moon Palace Golf & Spa Resort All Inclusive
Detailed Ratings
Accommodation Value:
4.0
Communication:
3.0
General Location:
4.0
Wedding Sites:
4.0
Wedding Value:
4.0
Pros: beautiful grounds, lots to do, good food, warm pool and beach water
Cons: slow service, resort credits, bride & groom poor room experience
I would first like to thank all the ladies on the forums for all their help and indispensible wealth of information during my planning process. I am deeply appreciative of all the reviews and answers to my questions. That said, I am paying it forward by giving the most realistic review that I can about my entire experience. I am hoping that my review will help other brides realize the positives and negatives about having a destination wedding and having it at Moon Palace specifically. I also wanted to add that at no time during my stay at Moon Palace did I feel unsafe. I was more worried about the weather, to be very honest. Food and water quality are just fine.
This is us. We are a young interracial couple and whatever first impressions come with it. Our experience was littered with disappointment based on the way we look (as you will read in my review) despite having 11 years of history together.
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/image/id/886584/width/262/height/424[/img]
[b]Moon Palace Golf & Spa Resort[/b]
[b]Fact Sheet[/b]
Room Block: Nizuc (1 family stayed in Sunrise)
Our Room: 6716 and then 6724 (Ballena building) Ocean View
Wedding Date: Wednesday June 20[sup]th[/sup], 201
Ceremony: Tucan Beach @ 5pm
Cocktail Hour: Tucan Terrace @ 6pm – 7pm
Reception Dinner: El Caribeno @ 7:30pm
Miami Coordinator: Janina Mendoza, then Lily Sanchez, then Joannis Roadon
On-site Coordinator: Teresa (originally Kalena)
Wedding Package: Complimentary (Secular Civil Service)
Judge: Maria Del Pilar Ferrer Osorio
Guest Count: 24
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/content/type/61/id/158389/width/500/height/1000[/img]
[b]Weather (Grade not applicable... but it sucked)[/b]
It rained 1/5 days during our stay at Moon Palace but 4/5 days right after during our honeymoon. Locals said that the rainy season came early this year =( It rained for about 50% of our trip so we will be having a honeymoon do-over. The weather contributed to about 30% of my overall stress level. We got married on the beach and it was fairly windy (but not unmanageable). The negatives of the wind: I wore a cathedral veil which DID get blown around and annoyed me a little bit but it made for nice photos. The positives of the wind: it is quite humid there so whenever you’re sitting at an open-air restaurant the breeze is quite a welcome feeling. Where there is wind, there are no bugs. However, some of us did get bitten while we were waiting for the shuttle bus or hiding out of the rain (no wind areas). USUALLY during the rain lasted about an hour or so. There were a total of two major storms while we were there that lasted over 24hours totalling about 5/10 solid days of rain.
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/image/id/884993/width/600/height/450[/img]
[b]Airport Transfer: Olympus Tours B+[/b]
Once we get past the people trying to get our attention inside the airport, Olympus Tours met us holding a giant heart shaped sign with our first names on it. Tell your guests to be careful here. Sometimes the people inside will call out “Olympus Tours” even if they are not from it. We just went outside and met with the actual Olympus Tours guys with the orange shirt (with logo) and khaki pants). Our guests knew this ahead of time (our travel agent put it in the travel booklet) and they got through fine as well. We didn’t get any special transportation as I have read that some other bride got (which is fine). We rode in a white van with plenty of luggage space and A/C.
Olympus Tours also transferred us from Moon Palace to our honeymoon at Le Blanc free of charge. Our family did not have any problems with booking departure pick-up with them. I WILL say that they did not get full marks because some of their representatives were leaving messages on our room phone constantly. They would ask why we booked a tour with someone else, saying they had a family to feed etc. I deleted the message but was not pleased with being harassed during my wedding.
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/image/id/885002/width/600/height/450[/img]
[b]Resort Overall: B+[/b]
Moon Palace has fairly large grounds but it is not an unwalkable distance. There is a lobby-to-lobby air-conditioned shuttle bus that comes every 15 minutes and it only takes a few minutes to get to the next lobby. It is very convenient. Other times, my husband and I “hailed” a golf cart, asked them if they could take us to ____ and hopped on. LOADS of fun!! I loved the golf carts! The resort is a great size for hiding from family members when you want alone time or convenient when you need to meet up at specific “landmarks” or lobbies. They have many restaurants to try (we couldn’t try them all in our 5 day stay) and activities to do here! One of the first things we noticed is the beautiful wildlife. The birds’ calls, the pelicans, the iguanas roaming the ground (mostly on the Grand side), and the few stray cats were a pleasant sight.
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/image/id/885141/width/600/height/450[/img]
Sunrise: lively, fun, entertainment, big, beautiful, noisy, families, conventions (think downtown nightlife feel)
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/image/id/885139/width/450/height/600[/img]
Nizuc: calm, centrally located, better room views then both Sunrise and Grand (think uptown/suburban life feel)
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/image/id/885082/width/600/height/450[/img]
Grand: very quiet, intimate, get-away for relaxation, adults only (think spa feel)
We chose to stay in Nizuc because it was centrally located between Grand and Sunrise. When we felt like partying, we could go to Sunrise, when we felt like we wanted to escape Grand was also accessible. Nizuc itself was a very good “base camp”. If I stayed at Moon Palace again, we could consider staying at Nizuc or Sunrise. Grand was way too removed and quiet for us (we’d likely get bored).
In addition for those getting married, you can ask and the front desk will let you know the room numbers of your guests. However, it was quite frustrating at times to find people because they kept telling us they couldn’t find one of our guest who was at the resort for 3 days already... It was frustrating.
[b]Dealing with the Miami Office: D[/b]
I know I don’t really need to mark this as many people at Moon Palace have told me they are doing away with the Miami Office. I just wanted to say that in general, Janina was the most help out of all the coordinators. Lily was non-existent, and Joannis was kind of absent-minded. If I wasn’t on the ball, Joannis would have charged me an extra $300. After reading other bride experiences, I also heard that there were fraudulent credit card charges coming from the Miami office, and some brides had connected that experience with Joannis. So when she asked for payment, I simply ignored her knowing that anything could just be charged to my room after I got there. If it weren’t for Janina, the mark would have been an absolute F.
[b]Check-in: A[/b]
Once we arrived at the Nizuc lobby, we were greeted with cold towels, a flower and champagne. Though we were told that we must arrive by 1pm, we did not get our room until just after 3pm (this is the same experience most of my guests had). They held our baggage while we ate at El Managlar (restaurant reviews later in this post). I remember many brides praising Perla at the front desk. She was very kind though nothing above and beyond. I am fairly happy with my experience with her. However, I did notice that another couple (in their 30s and Caucasian) who arrived shortly after us got their room right away.
[url="http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/image/id/885007/width/600/height/450"]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/image/id/885007/width/600/height/450[/url]
[b]Rooms Experience: C+[/b]
[b]Room Quality (Layout, finishes, view): A-[/b]
We were originally put into room 6716 (Ballena building) which was an “Oceanview” room. It was on the second floor and the palm trees obscured my view of the ocean. All I saw in that room was people by the pool. We asked for a room upgrade and was told that there are no rooms available. Our guests arrived the following day and several of them had much better rooms than my husband and I. One of our friends even had a room directly above us! Some of my guests had towel animals etc but we had nothing. We had to ask constantly and were constantly told that there was no availability (complete lie, really). After my breaking point the third day in (when all the stress cumulated together) that’s when they FINALLY moved us to the upper floor beside our friends. The view was MUCH nicer. But that being said, I don’t think I had unfair expectations, as the couple getting married I was HIGHLY disappointed by this part of the resort’s accommodations. We were only able to move rooms two days before the wedding. In addition, my entire family was spread out. Our room block was pretty much non-existent and we were put all over the place.
The rooms themselves were very clean. The first room we were in had a random hanger wire on the floor. It was a good thing I saw it before someone stepped on the tip in bare feet. The sink in our second room was clogged and the shower door didn’t fully close. At that point, I was pretty tired of complaining so I didn’t even bother asking for it to get fixed or to be moved anymore. I didn’t hear of anyone having anything stolen, the safe was a great asset. There is also an IPOD dock in each room.
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/image/id/885029/width/450/height/600[/img]
The jacuzzi was great BUT the instructions were pointless quote “fill the tub to the required height before turning on the jets”... we didn’t know what the required height was. At Le Blanc, the instructions specifically say “at least 2 inches above the jets before you turn them on”. So Moon Palace needs to revamp their jacuzzi instructional card.
Also, the rooms are quite ... moist due to the humidity (I think) and the beds are a little damp. I thought this was normal but I’ve stayed in Miami before right by the ocean and their beds were always dry? I am not sure... it wasn’t uncomfortable but it did make us feel pretty clammy every day. The A/C in the room is also very strong (even on the lowest setting it kind of blasts in your face). My advice is to just turn up the temperature... or leave it off for the night after you’ve cooled down the room.
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/image/id/885009/width/600/height/450[/img]
[b]Service: A[/b]
The bellboys, bartenders, waiters, maids and other service staff were all incredible. Everyone greets you with a smile and “Hola!” I was very pleased. I was less pleased with the reservations (resort credits staff), front desk staff and the speed of service with larger groups. At some points it was downright snail paced.
[b]Spa:[/b] I did not get a chance to use the spa (located at the gold course) during my stay. =( I heard it was VERY beautiful there and until I hear feedback from my friends, I can’t comment on this, really.
[b]Salon (Mani/Pedi): B- (resort credits)[/b]
My husband and I did our mani/pedi here. We weren’t together because it was an individual service. It was only okay. I had a French mani/pedi and I would say the quality is okay, my nails for some reason felt grainy afterwards but it looked good. She massaged my neck (sort of) to get me comfortable but it really was more like tapping on the shoulder because she put a neck weight/warmer on me. My husband got a little bit of a scalp massage but it only lasted about 30 seconds. Both of us felt like we had to initiate conversation the whole time with our salon workers. Not sure if we’d do this again.
[b]Salon (Wedding Hair): A (resort credits)[/b]
My hair appointment took a total of 50 minutes. I had Julia in the Nizuc salon. I told Julia that I wanted an updo for the ceremony/cocktail (about 2 hours) and then I wanted it down. There was a bit of translation confusion as another lady had to explain to her what I wanted. I brought some inspiration photos which helped. Tips for brides: bring a max of 4 images. Narrow it down before you go because it will overwhelm your hairdresser. My updo held up 70% - 80% at the end of cocktail hour (about 6 hours of standing in the humidity and then the wind). I do recommend getting your hair done by the salon because they know how to make hair stay in that kind of climate.
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/content/type/61/id/158364/width/500/height/1000[/img]
[b]Pools: A+[/b]
[b]Beach: A-[/b]
Sunrise: HUGE pools. I wish I spent more time at the Sunrise pool exploring. But this place is very packed so usually all the umbrella huts are taken. Music is played in the area.
This photo is not even REMOTELY close to how big the scope of the pool is.
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/image/id/885013/width/600/height/450[/img]
Nizuc: Two main pools at are very similar. This is a quieter area. If you prefer to hang out with a group of friends to talk more than party, this is the place to go. Music is played in the area.
[color=#0000ff](No photo).[/color]
Grand: The infinity pool here does not have a great view of the ocean; most of it is trees. That said - it’s very serene. I didn’t see any groups at this pool, more couples and singles hanging out on their own just relaxing BY the pool rather than IN the pool. I did not here any music here.
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/image/id/885015/width/600/height/450[/img]
Beach: Many people say the beach here isn’t great but I think it is completely relative to what you think is “great”. At Le Blanc, the water is very blue, but the sand is not as soft (full of broken seashells). At Moon Palace, the water is blue far off, there is seaweed on all the beaches we went to, but the sand is SUPER soft.
The water in BOTH the pools and the ocean are very warm this time of year. I get cold very quickly and did not complain in the slightest about the water temperature. Also note that towel service ends at 6pm. Most people are out of the pools by then.
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/image/id/885017/width/600/height/450[/img]
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I saw “Tucan Guy” who walked around putting the tucan on people’s shoulders and taking photos at Nizuc. Saw him from across the pool so didn’t get a chance to get a photo with the Tucan. I was so sad because I never saw him again during my stay. =(
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/image/id/885023/width/600/height/450[/img]
[b]Wedding Coordinator: Teresa B+[/b]
After talking to Joannis for weeks through e-mail, I was told I would be forwarded to Kalena. I was incredibly excited to have her as many brides have said great things. When I arrived, I was told on the spot that it was Kalena’s last day. It would’ve been nice for someone to let me know before-hand. I requested Valeria or Claudia... and I was given Teresa. She was very sweet and I tried to hide my disappointment in Moon Palace for this mess up. Teresa did a good job (no complaints at all). At the wedding coordinator meeting, I gave all my items to her and Teresa waived the set-up fee (which was very kind though I really did not have much to set up at all). The meeting lasted just over an hour. I came organized so I just reconfirmed everything with her (ceremony, cocktail, reception and honeymoon breakfast). I brought my items and files including my dress and his suit to be steamed.
On the day of, I wanted my bouquet a little earlier for photos (they were planning to give me the bouquet 15 minutes before the ceremony). After requesting the bouquet at around 2:30, Teresa brought them to me around 4:00. She was present during the ceremony and cocktail hour. I asked if I would see her at the reception dinner, she said yes, but never came.
At cocktail, I asked my bridesmaids to remind Teresa to bring things up to our suite (just steps away). Teresa said she would take them back to her office instead. So I just had my bridesmaids take things back up to my room. Before we checked out the next day, we stopped by to tip Teresa... she said "Oh, I have to go get your things from the restaurant." To which I replied, "It's okay, we already picked everything up last night". Since she didn't show up, I simply asked my bridesmaids to bring out things. I was disappointed by how often I would have to keep on top of things.
Teresa had also confirmed 3 tables of 8 and a sweetheart table for the reception as well as confirming that any guests who did not like the seafood menu I chose could always go to the buffet in the restaurant to get food. Neither of these things came to fruition. I got two tables of 12 and the manager reprimanded one of my guests for taking her kids to get some dessert for dinner. In addition, because guests were NOT seated according to our plan, we are still dealing with issues after the wedding at home. I was not very happy with how this was handled.
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/image/id/885025/width/600/height/450[/img]
[b]Dress/Suit steaming: A[/b]
I heard that there is usually a rank smell coming from the steamed items. So I put my nose up to my dress the second I got it. There [i]is[/i] a smell, but it wasn’t completely noticeable unless you stick your face right up to it. I gave the dress and suit to my coordinator for steaming on the Sunday. It was Tuesday and I still hadn’t heard anything so I called to ask. The dress was finally delivered to my room the night before the wedding. You can’t use the resort credits for this. It cost $60 for my wedding dress and $42 for the groom’s suit. Bring extra clothes and underwear!! Laundry is expensive (cheapest is $3 per panty).
[b]Blood Work: A+[/b]
It was quick and easy with no bruising at all. We had our blood draw at the Wedding Coordinator office. For both of us, it totalled maybe 10 minutes. We did not get to know the results. I guess if you don’t hear anything, it’s good news.
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/image/id/885027/width/450/height/600[/img]
[b]Rehearsal:[/b] It rained right before our rehearsal (lasting about 30 minutes phew!). There was a beach chuppah already set up so we used that to do our run-through. We didn’t have a coordinator there and I only brought my music on IPOD. But this was definitely a MUST DO. It helped people visualize where to go and what to do on the day of. Thanks to this quick 15 minute rehearsal, the wedding day went by so smoothly! I really recommend that all brides do this with their bridal party the day before! One thing I wish I brought was a pair of speakers so that everyone in my bridal party could hear the music.
[b]Rehearsal Dinner @ Los Caporales[/b]
[b]Food Quality: A-[/b]
[b]Service: C+[/b]
[b]Overall Experience: D[/b]
An absolute nightmare. We ended up waiting hours to be seated. Granted we had a large group, but my husband went down early as well as my cousin to get seats at 6:30. They were told that they could not get these seats until the entire party was there. We peeked our heads in and there was space to get us started, but they did not choose to do it that way. Our party was not actually seated until almost 10:00pm. This was incredibly frustrating for us. We had small kids that were getting hungry and their parents just ended up taking them next door to Arrecifes for dinner. My husband said that at least the manager at Los Caporales was more willing to accommodate us. Apparently the manager at Arrecifes was a complete jerk. So we waited to be seated at Los Caporales as originally planned. Once we got in, service was SO SLOW. It took almost an hour to serve one table... and by the time the second table was served, the first table had finished their entire meal already.
One thing I did notice, at all restaurants the table with older guests are served first (which I am kind of glad they did). The stuffed peppers, and the salsa with the tortilla chips were very good. We all tried to make the best of this experience, but it could have gone a lot smoother had they simply began to seat the party when there was space to begin with at 6:30. Everyone had to stand/sit outside the restaurant for hours (including the kids!) You’d think a resort that deals with multiple weddings on a daily basis would have figured out how to work with large groups!
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/content/type/61/id/158365/width/500/height/1000[/img]
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/content/type/61/id/158366/width/500/height/1000[/img]
[b]Wedding Day[/b]
Logistics: The groom stayed with his friend’s at Sunrise all day so that we wouldn’t bump into each other. I stayed in Nizuc. In the morning, I met my girls down at El Manglar for breakfast. I sat on the beach to relax until noon. It was very calming. I was excited but completely composed and ready to get married!!
Below is my actual wedding day timeline (I absolutely HATE being late and rushed... but that’s exactly what happened completely out of my control). =( My ceremony was at 5pm.
12pm – Hair (resort credits)
1pm – Make-up and bridesmaids get ready (my ladies were about an hour late which was frustrating). Get ready photos.
([b]Room service lunch: B+) [/b]We ordered room service for lunch. (Thai Salad and a shrimp cocktail. Was okay, nothing spectacular). Called to ask about my wedding bouquet to be delivered.
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/image/id/885033/width/600/height/450[/img]
3:00pm – I asked my Maid of Honor to check on the ceremony site. She came back to tell me that nothing was set up!! I called Teresa right away. They said that Zuniga sets up about half an hour before... I was not happy about this.
3:15pm – Our photographers were supposed to have gone over by 2:30 so we ran an hour behind.
3:40pm – Around the corner photos just outside Arrecifes restaurant. My husband and I exchanged gifts/letters. I was SO excited just to see his hand peeking from around the wall! A must do for those not doing first looks! I actually bumped into Teresa on her way to give me the bouquet too.
[color=#0000ff](We added in the brooches.)[/color]
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/content/type/61/id/158367/width/500/height/1000[/img]
4:30pm – We rushed in some photos of the ladies only. I was kind of sad about this. I was hoping we’d be able to find some places for nice bridal portraits.
4:45pm – Teresa arrived in a golf cart to take my girls to the ceremony. The horse & carriage were right behind her. I was FREAKING out! The carriage took us RIGHT BY the ceremony where my fiancé was standing at the time. I don’t understand why he didn’t take us around or even stop when I asked him to. I had to pull up the carriage hood and put the bouquet in front of my face. My guests told my fiancé not to look but I was still mortified. And even as we were going by in the carriage, they were STILL SETTING UP the chuppah at 4:45! I was incredibly nervous about it getting done on time.
[b]Wedding Ceremony and Cocktail Hour[/b]
5:00pm – After being together for 11 years, I didn’t think that I would be so overwhelmed by emotions. I was totally calm in the carriage right before the ceremony... but as we got closer and I could hear the music on the beach, I started to cry. By the time I was walking down the aisle, I was bawling and so was my husband. I think the wedding ceremony was truly the best part of the day!!
The ceremony did end up being set-up perfectly and the music cues were timed perfectly. However, apparently Teresa kept trying to hurry the bridal party down the aisle (contrary to how we rehearsed it) so it was my bad for not updating her on how I wanted the pacing to go (but I can’t think of everything! LOL and until I see the video, I can’t really say how good/bad it was). I only knew that when I was walking down the aisle, it was perfect. I studied countless wedding videos at Moon Palace and my estimation of two songs for the signing was exactly right!
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/content/type/61/id/158369/width/500/height/1000[/img]
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/content/type/61/id/158370/width/500/height/1000[/img]
[b](Offciant: A-) [/b]The officiant stood with her back towards the guests (I had asked for her to stand traditionally but I’m not going to be picky, just noting this). Overall, she was great. Interestingly enough, she pronounced all my family’s Asian-unique names correctly but my mother-in-law’s English name incorrectly.
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/image/id/885037/width/600/height/400[/img]
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/image/id/885135/width/600/height/400[/img]
[b](Resort Sound Technician & Ceremony Music Player: A)[/b] There was a mic and sound system available for us to say our own vows. You can hear the music perfectly from the carriage (not to worry, brides!) and you can hear the ceremony just fine. I had one song that I asked them to play during guests seating, so they just looped that. We did a civil ceremony which means we had to ink our thumbs for thumbprinting. They gave you a tissue after but it wasn’t a wet nap so our thumbs were still black all night. So be careful not to touch your face/gown or ask your bridal party to bring a wet nap or something. The toasting champagne was delicious. I am pretty sure it’s not the standard one because it tasted quite sweet to me!
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/image/id/885039/width/600/height/400[/img]
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/content/type/61/id/158371/width/500/height/1000[/img]
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5:25pm – First dance on the beach. It was difficult to do anything except a “high school roundabout” in the sand but it was pretty fun. I’m glad we did this. Our song was 3:48 seconds but it felt like a long time since we were only going around in circles. =) I got dizzy; so once it was over, my new husband literally swept me of my feet to bring me back to the aisle runner.
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/content/type/61/id/158372/width/500/height/1000[/img]
5:30pm – Group photos! I am SO glad that I penciled this in BEFORE cocktail hour. I knew that everyone would be dying to snap a picture with us and with each other and they definitely made the most of this time. Be ready to smile for a LONG time here!! =D We started into our bridal portraits for about and hour and was able to join the last half of our cocktail hour.
6:00pm – Cocktail hour on Tucan Terrace. I went with everyone’s recommendation and chose the Superior h'orderves. I am SO HAPPY that I did. SEVERAL GUESTS (including myself) said that it was the best food they tasted all trip. I so wished they could bring this to dinner... it was delicious!! In addition, we had a Mexican trio and TOTALLY LOVED IT. Everyone enjoyed the live music and I was so grateful that we were both able to spend some time at our own cocktail hour.
[b](Cocktail Hour Superior H’orderves A+)[/b]
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/content/type/61/id/158373/width/500/height/1000[/img]
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/content/type/61/id/158374/width/500/height/1000[/img]
[b](Mexican Trio A+)[/b]
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/content/type/61/id/158376/width/500/height/1000[/img]
7:00pm – I ran back to our room so that I could put my hair down and touch up before heading to the reception dinner.
[b]Wedding Reception Dinner[/b]
7:30pm – Our reception dinner was held in El Caribeno. The restaurant was thankfully air conditioned and the ambiance was great. We did NOT get the correct number of tables which caused me a great deal of inconvenience (there is a reason why there is a seating chart). We are still dealing with guest issues after the wedding because certain people were placed together. In addition, one of the tables used for the sweetheart was a little crooked. =/ The cake table was fine. My seating chart made no sense because of the incorrect table set-up. Despite this, most of my guests had a great time in conversation with each other as my new husband and I spent some alone time (finally) eating our dinner. Definitely do the sweetheart table!!
[b]Dinner Menu: B[/b]
We had to choose a set menu for our guests.
[b]Mixed Seafood Ceviche – typical ceviche 4/5[/b]
[b]Squid and Mango Salad – delicious! 5/5[/b]
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/image/id/885046/width/600/height/450[/img]
[b]Saffron Mussel Cream Soup delicious 5/5[/b]
[b]Mahi Mahi Fish – dry 3/5[/b]
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/image/id/885048/width/600/height/450[/img]
[b]Cream Brule – undercooked 2/5[/b]
I was quite disappointed in the quality of the main dish and dessert at the reception dinner. I was really looking forward to indulging in one of my favourite things, seafood! The cocktail hour food was SO much better. However, I did not hear any guest complaints, so I don’t think it was that bad.
The restaurant was playing music and it was pretty loud so it was difficult to do speeches. I had anticipated this so we didn’t ask anyone to do speeches and my husband and I kept our thank-yous short and sweet!
It began to rain a little after the reception so we caught a golf cart back to our rooms. Many of the older guests were tired so they headed back to their rooms to sleep. My friends hung out together... and we, well... did what married people did and just spent the night together in wedded bliss! =) We filled up the Jacuzzi and ordered some champagne (took about 40 minutes to arrive).
NOTE: Their champagne and sparkling wine are EXACTLY the same. It’s called Dubois. This is used at all Palace Resorts (including Le Blanc). I didn’t really like it. Whatever champagne they used after the wedding was very sweet (but I was not able to catch the name of it).
[b]Wedding Cake: D+[/b]
I wanted a cheesecake and was expecting something soft and moist. It was hard and WAYYY to sweet. So sweet, in fact, I was crunching on sugar granules as I chewed. The cake itself looked disappointing. I wasn’t expecting anything grand, just what I saw in the photo during the wedding coordinator meeting. However, the ribbon wasn’t even gold... it was just yellow. I had maybe ... two bites and left the rest. The only thing good about the cake? After your first cut, the staff will slice and serve the rest for you. We also did not get forks, we asked and were given spoons. Oh well.
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/image/id/885050/width/450/height/600[/img]
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/image/id/885052/width/600/height/450[/img]
[b]Day After[/b]
[b]Honeymoon Breakfast: F[/b]
It was pouring rain the day after. Also, we did not get our honeymoon breakfast AT ALL. We waited until 9 so we totally missed the good-bye breakfast. My husband and I rushed down to the lobby for a hurried breakfast and to say bye to the guests that were departing that day before they got on the shuttle back to the airport. I was still in a celebratory mood so I did not let that bother me at the time, but I am still kind of irked now that we got shafted yet again.
We had our trash the dress scheduled today, but couldn’t do it because of the rain. This was a storm that lasted over 24 hours. We ended up rescheduling our trash the dress for the following Monday. (And to spare you the details, it basically stormed that day too... so not trash the dress photos at all).
[b]Restaurants[/b]
[b]Sunrise Section[/b]
[b]La Gondola (Italian): A[/b]
My husband and I loved having breakfast here as did our guests. Eggs, waffles, pancakes are all made fresh verses other restaurants that serve buffet eggs or pancakes. They have a fajita stand as well. Never tried lunch or dinner.
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/image/id/885054/width/450/height/600[/img]
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[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/image/id/885056/width/600/height/450[/img]
[b]Bugambilias (Mexican): B[/b]
We all thought this was Italian for some reason. Dinner here was fairly good. They had a good pasta station. Service was good. Again quite average but they were able to accommodate a large group. Never tried breakfast or lunch. You can see the buffet in the background of this photo.
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/image/id/885122/width/600/height/450[/img]
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/image/id/885060/width/600/height/450[/img]
[b]Mo-Mo-No-Ha-Na (Asian): N/A[/b]
Didn’t try this at all... in fact I don’t ever recall seeing this place?!
[b]Palapa Fragata (Seafood): A-[/b]
Dinner a-la-carte despite being told that it was a buffet for some reason. Food was delicious especially the salmon carpaccio. This is an open air restaurant so it got really hot and humid. Many guests stepped outside to enjoy the ocean breeze. They gave us grief for two large tables of 10 and part of my extended family had to sit at the other end of the restaurant even though it was completely empty. As you can see in the photo below. Service was slow even though we were the only ones there (took about an hour to serve us). Breakfast not offered, never tried lunch.
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/image/id/885062/width/600/height/450[/img]
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/image/id/885064/width/600/height/450[/img]
[b]Palapa Barracuda (Steakhouse): B-[/b]
We had lunch in this open air restaurant. It wasn’t too hot, nice views. Their side dishes were very good, particularly the white wine buttered fish and rice. Main dishes like steak or chicken were incredibly dry.
Never tried breakfast or dinner.
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/image/id/885072/width/600/height/450[/img]
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/image/id/885074/width/600/height/450[/img]
[b]Los Colompios (Pool Bar): A[/b]
A swim up bar with swings located in the middle of the pool area. It is open late for partiers. Drinks were okay (bartenders made them strong). Great music and vibe for relaxing. We hung out to around midnight.
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/image/id/885076/width/600/height/450[/img]
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/image/id/885078/width/600/height/450[/img]
[b]Andromeda Disco: N/A[/b]
Didn’t try this at all... in fact I don’t ever recall seeing this place?!
[b]Games Room & Sports Bar: N/A[/b]
We stopped by to use the computers for like 5 minutes. Seemed okay. I heard some of our guests came here to watch the soccer game.
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/image/id/885124/width/600/height/450[/img]
[b]Lobby Entertainment: N/A[/b]
Personally did not experience, but always something happening every night as I passed by. Guests said they liked it.
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/image/id/885080/width/600/height/450[/img]
[b]Nizuc Section[/b]
[b]El Manglar (Italian): B[/b]
Breakfast and lunch buffet here is okay, quite average. We ate here often because of it’s convenient location in the Nizuc lobby. Never tried dinner.
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/image/id/885084/width/600/height/450[/img]
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[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/image/id/885090/width/600/height/450[/img]
[b]Los Caporales (Mexican): A-[/b]
See our rehearsal dinner review. Breakfast and Lunch not offered.
[b]Arrecifes (Brazilian): A[/b]
For meat lovers! Most of the meat was cooked well. Pork was very dry though. As many others have said, the salad bar is only okay. Seating for 4 was very fast. Good service and service speed. Breakfast not available, never had lunch.
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/image/id/885092/width/450/height/600[/img]
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/image/id/885094/width/600/height/450[/img]
[b]Palapa Delfines (poolside bar/grill and swim-up): A (drinks only)[/b]
Jose and Gabriel make the best drinks here!! I love sweet drinks that can’t taste much alcohol. If you’re like me, try the Pina Colada, Blue Hawaiian, Blue Lagoon and Melon Sour. Didn’t get the chance to eat here.
[b]Palapa Pelicanos (poolside sushi and swim-up): B (drinks only)[/b]
Drinks here were not as good as Palapa Delfines. Didn’t get the chance to eat here.
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/image/id/885096/width/600/height/450[/img]
[b]Sweets & Coffee: A-[/b]
Like a regular coffee shop. Nothing special. It’s nice and quiet since there are not many people here. Food drink quality is average. Good service.
[b]Lobby Enterntainment: A-[/b]
Fire dancers were great to watch. Everyone loved them. The belly dancers show was WAY too long and very boring when they grabbed about 10 ladies from the audience and had each lady solo dance for about 5 minutes each. I was very thankful that at least this was here for people who were waiting to be seated at Los Caporales. Drinks at this bar were okay, made a little strong.
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/content/type/61/id/158378/width/500/height/1000[/img]
[b]Grand Section[/b]
[b]Los Tacos: A[/b]
Tacos are good, other menu items are only okay. Good service and peaceful atmosphere. Drinks are kind of strong. Only tried this for lunch.
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/image/id/885100/width/600/height/450[/img]
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/image/id/885137/width/600/height/450[/img]
[b]El Caribeno: N/A[/b]
We only had the set menu for our reception dinner so did not get to fully experience this restaurant.
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/image/id/885102/width/600/height/450[/img]
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/image/id/885104/width/600/height/450[/img]
[b]Golf Course Section[/b]
[b]La Trattoria: N/A[/b]
Did not get the chance to try this restaurant.
[b]Bambu: N/A[/b]
Did not get the chance to try this restaurant.
[b]Resort Credits: D[/b]
One of the most frustrating parts of our destination wedding was spending resort credits. No matter how prepared I thought I was going to Cancun, be ready to spend up to an hour at a time dealing with bookings/reservations of things to spend your credits on. It was incredibly difficult to use the credits during the 5 day stay. The best things to use them on are tours & activities. They have a binder full of things you can do, but the majority of them are NOT resort credit applicable. Some will ask you to endure a 90 minute timeshare presentation in order to get a specific tour for free. It really is up to you and what you think is “worth it”, but we thought it was a complete waste of time and didn’t bother.
We tried to use credits for a room upgrade but that proved near impossible as we were constantly told that nothing was available (despite knowing otherwise). You can use your credits for salon/spa but those run out pretty quickly. Also be aware that there is now a cap on the number of credits you can use for the dolphin swim (ugh). You can use up to $100 credits on cigars, $100 on tequila, $100 on sunglasses, $100 on a pair of running shoes and $100 on silver. None of those include taxes and all the prices of sunglasses and silver are over $100 anyway. It was hardly worth it.
A few times, the reservations people would tell you that something is “full” or that there are “no openings at the salon or spa”. It was a flat out lie. We would go directly to the salon/spa and they were able to book us on the spot using our resort credits.
English isn’t your family’s first language? Prepare to spend more time translating or seeing them walk into the timeshare presentation trap.
We wanted to book a group tour (of 22) to Chichen Itza. I asked about it online 5 weeks prior and was told that I had to wait closer to the date. I inquired again 2 weeks prior to departure and told I would have to book for the group once I got there. I inquired when we got to Moon Palace and then was told I could only book for my husband and I, and that or group had to book individually by room. They assured me there was still plenty of space. When my family went to book, they were told it was full. I was going to have a conniption. All my guests were looking forward to this trip and the booking process had been nothing but a giant headache. After almost 3 HOURS of teeth-grinding, they were able to book another bus. It wasn’t private or anything, there were other people booked to see Chichen Itza anyway. I was so caught up in this mess I had forgotten to eat lunch that day.
My guests were able to use the majority of their credits but many still have a chunk left over. My husband and I left Moon Palace with $900+ credits unspent. This was definitely a priority review I wanted to make the second I returned.
[b]Tours & Activities[/b]
[b]Chichen Itza: B (used resort credits)[/b]
Everyone agreed this was a great one time experience to see the ruins but none of us would probably ever do it again. It is a FULL day (meet at 8:30am and return at 7pm). The bus ride on the way there is about 4 hours (you stop for shopping and lunch) and then a solid 3 hour bus ride back. Chichen Itza is 125 miles from Cancun. The shopping was just so-so (you can haggle but the prices really aren’t that much better than in the city). The buffet lunch was held in an open air location. The food quality was okay but I was little perturbed by all the flies around the food... so I didn’t really eat very much. When we got to Chichen Itza, the guided tour was INCREDILBY long and boring. It was sad because I very much wanted to learn about the history but there was just TOO MUCH history. The majority of us wandered off to explore. There is no climbing on the ruins except one of the very small ones in the back. I work flip-flop sandals to this and I was fine. There are some rocky pathways but they weren’t unmanageable and my sandals were not damaged or worn down. Also, I was perfectly fine but one of my friends got bit up by mosquitoes so you might want to bring some repellant. And definitely bring water!! Otherwise you have to buy it.
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/image/id/885106/width/600/height/450[/img]
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[b]Parasailing and Sea-doing: A- (Not applicable with resort credits. Free with 90min timeshare presentation)[/b]
My family did this and said it lasted about 30 minutes each. They wished both were longer activities, especially seeing how long they had to sit through the timeshare presentation. You get wet with both so watch out with cameras and cell-phones!!
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/image/id/885112/width/600/height/450[/img]
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[b]Jungle Tour: A- (used resort credits)[/b]
* We did these during our honeymoon stay at Le Blanc, but it identically available if you stay at Moon Palace.
Aquatwister is fun (group speedboat ride) but it is cold so DO NOT do it on a cooler day. It will also wash off sunscreen so make sure you reapply it right after before you go snorkeling. For the Jungle Tour, you are in the sun for 3 solid hours! Make sure you apply and re-apply sunscreen!! My husband forgot to put some on his knees thinking it was covered by his shorts, but got severely burnt when he was riding the sea-do. The fish and coral reef was beautiful. Visibility is about 10 – 15ft. Guides sprinkle some fish food so that the fish will come up closer to tourists. We got seaweed in our sea-do motor on the way back so the guide had to come back for us. They will provide all the snorkel gear you need. Just make sure to eat a little because this activity lasted about 3 – 4 hours. Ladies, put your hair up because it will get in the way! They will give you a locker with key if you leave your room key with them. I was not pleased with the fact that there were ants inside the lockers though. It was a hassle to get them off my bag and clothing afterward.
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/image/id/885116/width/600/height/448[/img]
[b]Premium Dolphin Swim: A- (used resort credits but be aware that there is a recent “limit” on how much you can spend on this)[/b]
* We did these during our honeymoon stay at Le Blanc, but it identically available if you stay at Moon Palace.
Transportation is not included. We were told that the Wet n Wild bus comes back every 20 minutes or so. We waited about an hour and still nothing. In the end, we had to take a cab. Most charge $25 one way to get there but we managed to get a good deal at $12USD one way. The Dolphinarium was fun, trainers seem to really care about the Dolphins and talked a little about each one. I would’ve liked a longer time with the dolphins and to learn more about their personalities or something. They DO NOT ALLOW cameras of any kind... and then they also charge $30 per photo. You can purchase a locker by paying $8USD upfront and upon key return, they will give you back $5USD (however they did this in pesos).
[b]MUSA with diving lesson: A (Not applicable with resort credits) $100 per person[/b]
* We did these during our honeymoon stay at Le Blanc, but it identically available if you stay at Moon Palace.
The diving lesson went well. Instructor said I had perfected the skill but since I have a sensitive sinus, the pressure doing down hurt my ears. She said the normal person equalizes every 3 – 5 ft descending, but I would have to do it after every foot. It took me about 5 minutes to go down 10 ft!! Scuba diving is not hard at all though!! However, if you are sensitive to pressure in the ears like me, don’t fret! Once I got into the ocean, it only took me about a minute to get down 30 ft! The pressure in the ocean is different than in the pool. It was MUCH easier for me to do it in the sea. Definitely try it but know your limit. My husband did perfectly fine in the pool but in the ocean, he took longer to equalize the pressure. However, the guides were rough with the men, so they tried to just pull him down because he was taking longer than others. When my husband told me this, I was not happy about it and promised to do a review of it so that others will be aware. If the guides are rushing you at all, make sure to be assertive. Don’t try to “suck it up” because those are your ears inside your head you are putting at risk!! The tour itself was a lot of fun. It was incredibly beautiful! We saw a lot of marine life and the coral reef. I was disappointed that we only ended up seeing TWO statues. I thought the statues were all together, but they were not. Be prepared for this. ALSO remember not to hyperventilate. Pace yourself; because some people had low air in their tank, we had to come up early. We had 4 exposures left in our underwater camera there was unused. The lesson was about 1 hour. The ride out to Isla Mujeres is about 40 minutes one way. The dive itself lasted about 40 minutes. So in total, we started the day at 7:30am and didn’t get back to the resort until almost 3pm.
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/image/id/885118/width/600/height/448[/img]
[b]Item Prices[/b]
Here are some popular items we saw and their prices.
Disaposable Underwater Camera ($20 - $25) * best to buy at home
Banana Boat 60SPF Waterproof Sunscreen ($25) * stock up! For a 10 day stay, we should’ve brought 3 cans at least.
Large Sombrero ($15 - $20)
Large Coloured Maracas ($1 - $2, though someone tried to sell it for $15 and I had to laugh)
Large Pack of 3 Habanera Hot Sauce ($4 - $7)
Magnets ($1 - $3)
Mayan Calander ($20, from Chichen Itza or Tulum tour)
Tequila ($15 - $30)
Mescala Worm Tequila ($18 for a large bottle)
Jungle Tour Photos - $15 each
Dolphin Swim Photos - $30 each print or $70 for all on CD
MUSA Scuba Photos – no individual prints, $40 for 4, $65 for all on CD, your first descent photo free
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/image/id/885120/width/600/height/450[/img]
[b]Vendors[/b]
[b]AquaWorld: C[/b]
We confirmed with the resort that even though it was raining, the Jungle Tour was not cancelled. So AquaWorld (who runs it) picked us up and dropped us off on location. Once we got there, our group was told that half of the Jungle Tour was cancelled (saying no snorkeling but we could still go on the Aquatwister). I asked if we get refunded any credits. They said no. I asked to reschedule and the AquaWorld worker told us we could always do it two days later. I agreed and told him to reschedule us. He said he couldn’t and that I’d have to do it at my resort. When I asked about getting back to the resort, he essentially smiled at me and told me we’d have to walk, bus or taxi back unless we
This is us. We are a young interracial couple and whatever first impressions come with it. Our experience was littered with disappointment based on the way we look (as you will read in my review) despite having 11 years of history together.
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/image/id/886584/width/262/height/424[/img]
[b]Moon Palace Golf & Spa Resort[/b]
[b]Fact Sheet[/b]
Room Block: Nizuc (1 family stayed in Sunrise)
Our Room: 6716 and then 6724 (Ballena building) Ocean View
Wedding Date: Wednesday June 20[sup]th[/sup], 201
Ceremony: Tucan Beach @ 5pm
Cocktail Hour: Tucan Terrace @ 6pm – 7pm
Reception Dinner: El Caribeno @ 7:30pm
Miami Coordinator: Janina Mendoza, then Lily Sanchez, then Joannis Roadon
On-site Coordinator: Teresa (originally Kalena)
Wedding Package: Complimentary (Secular Civil Service)
Judge: Maria Del Pilar Ferrer Osorio
Guest Count: 24
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/content/type/61/id/158389/width/500/height/1000[/img]
[b]Weather (Grade not applicable... but it sucked)[/b]
It rained 1/5 days during our stay at Moon Palace but 4/5 days right after during our honeymoon. Locals said that the rainy season came early this year =( It rained for about 50% of our trip so we will be having a honeymoon do-over. The weather contributed to about 30% of my overall stress level. We got married on the beach and it was fairly windy (but not unmanageable). The negatives of the wind: I wore a cathedral veil which DID get blown around and annoyed me a little bit but it made for nice photos. The positives of the wind: it is quite humid there so whenever you’re sitting at an open-air restaurant the breeze is quite a welcome feeling. Where there is wind, there are no bugs. However, some of us did get bitten while we were waiting for the shuttle bus or hiding out of the rain (no wind areas). USUALLY during the rain lasted about an hour or so. There were a total of two major storms while we were there that lasted over 24hours totalling about 5/10 solid days of rain.
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/image/id/884993/width/600/height/450[/img]
[b]Airport Transfer: Olympus Tours B+[/b]
Once we get past the people trying to get our attention inside the airport, Olympus Tours met us holding a giant heart shaped sign with our first names on it. Tell your guests to be careful here. Sometimes the people inside will call out “Olympus Tours” even if they are not from it. We just went outside and met with the actual Olympus Tours guys with the orange shirt (with logo) and khaki pants). Our guests knew this ahead of time (our travel agent put it in the travel booklet) and they got through fine as well. We didn’t get any special transportation as I have read that some other bride got (which is fine). We rode in a white van with plenty of luggage space and A/C.
Olympus Tours also transferred us from Moon Palace to our honeymoon at Le Blanc free of charge. Our family did not have any problems with booking departure pick-up with them. I WILL say that they did not get full marks because some of their representatives were leaving messages on our room phone constantly. They would ask why we booked a tour with someone else, saying they had a family to feed etc. I deleted the message but was not pleased with being harassed during my wedding.
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/image/id/885002/width/600/height/450[/img]
[b]Resort Overall: B+[/b]
Moon Palace has fairly large grounds but it is not an unwalkable distance. There is a lobby-to-lobby air-conditioned shuttle bus that comes every 15 minutes and it only takes a few minutes to get to the next lobby. It is very convenient. Other times, my husband and I “hailed” a golf cart, asked them if they could take us to ____ and hopped on. LOADS of fun!! I loved the golf carts! The resort is a great size for hiding from family members when you want alone time or convenient when you need to meet up at specific “landmarks” or lobbies. They have many restaurants to try (we couldn’t try them all in our 5 day stay) and activities to do here! One of the first things we noticed is the beautiful wildlife. The birds’ calls, the pelicans, the iguanas roaming the ground (mostly on the Grand side), and the few stray cats were a pleasant sight.
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/image/id/885141/width/600/height/450[/img]
Sunrise: lively, fun, entertainment, big, beautiful, noisy, families, conventions (think downtown nightlife feel)
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/image/id/885139/width/450/height/600[/img]
Nizuc: calm, centrally located, better room views then both Sunrise and Grand (think uptown/suburban life feel)
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/image/id/885082/width/600/height/450[/img]
Grand: very quiet, intimate, get-away for relaxation, adults only (think spa feel)
We chose to stay in Nizuc because it was centrally located between Grand and Sunrise. When we felt like partying, we could go to Sunrise, when we felt like we wanted to escape Grand was also accessible. Nizuc itself was a very good “base camp”. If I stayed at Moon Palace again, we could consider staying at Nizuc or Sunrise. Grand was way too removed and quiet for us (we’d likely get bored).
In addition for those getting married, you can ask and the front desk will let you know the room numbers of your guests. However, it was quite frustrating at times to find people because they kept telling us they couldn’t find one of our guest who was at the resort for 3 days already... It was frustrating.
[b]Dealing with the Miami Office: D[/b]
I know I don’t really need to mark this as many people at Moon Palace have told me they are doing away with the Miami Office. I just wanted to say that in general, Janina was the most help out of all the coordinators. Lily was non-existent, and Joannis was kind of absent-minded. If I wasn’t on the ball, Joannis would have charged me an extra $300. After reading other bride experiences, I also heard that there were fraudulent credit card charges coming from the Miami office, and some brides had connected that experience with Joannis. So when she asked for payment, I simply ignored her knowing that anything could just be charged to my room after I got there. If it weren’t for Janina, the mark would have been an absolute F.
[b]Check-in: A[/b]
Once we arrived at the Nizuc lobby, we were greeted with cold towels, a flower and champagne. Though we were told that we must arrive by 1pm, we did not get our room until just after 3pm (this is the same experience most of my guests had). They held our baggage while we ate at El Managlar (restaurant reviews later in this post). I remember many brides praising Perla at the front desk. She was very kind though nothing above and beyond. I am fairly happy with my experience with her. However, I did notice that another couple (in their 30s and Caucasian) who arrived shortly after us got their room right away.
[url="http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/image/id/885007/width/600/height/450"]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/image/id/885007/width/600/height/450[/url]
[b]Rooms Experience: C+[/b]
[b]Room Quality (Layout, finishes, view): A-[/b]
We were originally put into room 6716 (Ballena building) which was an “Oceanview” room. It was on the second floor and the palm trees obscured my view of the ocean. All I saw in that room was people by the pool. We asked for a room upgrade and was told that there are no rooms available. Our guests arrived the following day and several of them had much better rooms than my husband and I. One of our friends even had a room directly above us! Some of my guests had towel animals etc but we had nothing. We had to ask constantly and were constantly told that there was no availability (complete lie, really). After my breaking point the third day in (when all the stress cumulated together) that’s when they FINALLY moved us to the upper floor beside our friends. The view was MUCH nicer. But that being said, I don’t think I had unfair expectations, as the couple getting married I was HIGHLY disappointed by this part of the resort’s accommodations. We were only able to move rooms two days before the wedding. In addition, my entire family was spread out. Our room block was pretty much non-existent and we were put all over the place.
The rooms themselves were very clean. The first room we were in had a random hanger wire on the floor. It was a good thing I saw it before someone stepped on the tip in bare feet. The sink in our second room was clogged and the shower door didn’t fully close. At that point, I was pretty tired of complaining so I didn’t even bother asking for it to get fixed or to be moved anymore. I didn’t hear of anyone having anything stolen, the safe was a great asset. There is also an IPOD dock in each room.
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/image/id/885029/width/450/height/600[/img]
The jacuzzi was great BUT the instructions were pointless quote “fill the tub to the required height before turning on the jets”... we didn’t know what the required height was. At Le Blanc, the instructions specifically say “at least 2 inches above the jets before you turn them on”. So Moon Palace needs to revamp their jacuzzi instructional card.
Also, the rooms are quite ... moist due to the humidity (I think) and the beds are a little damp. I thought this was normal but I’ve stayed in Miami before right by the ocean and their beds were always dry? I am not sure... it wasn’t uncomfortable but it did make us feel pretty clammy every day. The A/C in the room is also very strong (even on the lowest setting it kind of blasts in your face). My advice is to just turn up the temperature... or leave it off for the night after you’ve cooled down the room.
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/image/id/885009/width/600/height/450[/img]
[b]Service: A[/b]
The bellboys, bartenders, waiters, maids and other service staff were all incredible. Everyone greets you with a smile and “Hola!” I was very pleased. I was less pleased with the reservations (resort credits staff), front desk staff and the speed of service with larger groups. At some points it was downright snail paced.
[b]Spa:[/b] I did not get a chance to use the spa (located at the gold course) during my stay. =( I heard it was VERY beautiful there and until I hear feedback from my friends, I can’t comment on this, really.
[b]Salon (Mani/Pedi): B- (resort credits)[/b]
My husband and I did our mani/pedi here. We weren’t together because it was an individual service. It was only okay. I had a French mani/pedi and I would say the quality is okay, my nails for some reason felt grainy afterwards but it looked good. She massaged my neck (sort of) to get me comfortable but it really was more like tapping on the shoulder because she put a neck weight/warmer on me. My husband got a little bit of a scalp massage but it only lasted about 30 seconds. Both of us felt like we had to initiate conversation the whole time with our salon workers. Not sure if we’d do this again.
[b]Salon (Wedding Hair): A (resort credits)[/b]
My hair appointment took a total of 50 minutes. I had Julia in the Nizuc salon. I told Julia that I wanted an updo for the ceremony/cocktail (about 2 hours) and then I wanted it down. There was a bit of translation confusion as another lady had to explain to her what I wanted. I brought some inspiration photos which helped. Tips for brides: bring a max of 4 images. Narrow it down before you go because it will overwhelm your hairdresser. My updo held up 70% - 80% at the end of cocktail hour (about 6 hours of standing in the humidity and then the wind). I do recommend getting your hair done by the salon because they know how to make hair stay in that kind of climate.
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/content/type/61/id/158364/width/500/height/1000[/img]
[b]Pools: A+[/b]
[b]Beach: A-[/b]
Sunrise: HUGE pools. I wish I spent more time at the Sunrise pool exploring. But this place is very packed so usually all the umbrella huts are taken. Music is played in the area.
This photo is not even REMOTELY close to how big the scope of the pool is.
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/image/id/885013/width/600/height/450[/img]
Nizuc: Two main pools at are very similar. This is a quieter area. If you prefer to hang out with a group of friends to talk more than party, this is the place to go. Music is played in the area.
[color=#0000ff](No photo).[/color]
Grand: The infinity pool here does not have a great view of the ocean; most of it is trees. That said - it’s very serene. I didn’t see any groups at this pool, more couples and singles hanging out on their own just relaxing BY the pool rather than IN the pool. I did not here any music here.
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/image/id/885015/width/600/height/450[/img]
Beach: Many people say the beach here isn’t great but I think it is completely relative to what you think is “great”. At Le Blanc, the water is very blue, but the sand is not as soft (full of broken seashells). At Moon Palace, the water is blue far off, there is seaweed on all the beaches we went to, but the sand is SUPER soft.
The water in BOTH the pools and the ocean are very warm this time of year. I get cold very quickly and did not complain in the slightest about the water temperature. Also note that towel service ends at 6pm. Most people are out of the pools by then.
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/image/id/885017/width/600/height/450[/img]
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/image/id/885019/width/600/height/450[/img]
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/image/id/885021/width/600/height/450[/img]
I saw “Tucan Guy” who walked around putting the tucan on people’s shoulders and taking photos at Nizuc. Saw him from across the pool so didn’t get a chance to get a photo with the Tucan. I was so sad because I never saw him again during my stay. =(
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/image/id/885023/width/600/height/450[/img]
[b]Wedding Coordinator: Teresa B+[/b]
After talking to Joannis for weeks through e-mail, I was told I would be forwarded to Kalena. I was incredibly excited to have her as many brides have said great things. When I arrived, I was told on the spot that it was Kalena’s last day. It would’ve been nice for someone to let me know before-hand. I requested Valeria or Claudia... and I was given Teresa. She was very sweet and I tried to hide my disappointment in Moon Palace for this mess up. Teresa did a good job (no complaints at all). At the wedding coordinator meeting, I gave all my items to her and Teresa waived the set-up fee (which was very kind though I really did not have much to set up at all). The meeting lasted just over an hour. I came organized so I just reconfirmed everything with her (ceremony, cocktail, reception and honeymoon breakfast). I brought my items and files including my dress and his suit to be steamed.
On the day of, I wanted my bouquet a little earlier for photos (they were planning to give me the bouquet 15 minutes before the ceremony). After requesting the bouquet at around 2:30, Teresa brought them to me around 4:00. She was present during the ceremony and cocktail hour. I asked if I would see her at the reception dinner, she said yes, but never came.
At cocktail, I asked my bridesmaids to remind Teresa to bring things up to our suite (just steps away). Teresa said she would take them back to her office instead. So I just had my bridesmaids take things back up to my room. Before we checked out the next day, we stopped by to tip Teresa... she said "Oh, I have to go get your things from the restaurant." To which I replied, "It's okay, we already picked everything up last night". Since she didn't show up, I simply asked my bridesmaids to bring out things. I was disappointed by how often I would have to keep on top of things.
Teresa had also confirmed 3 tables of 8 and a sweetheart table for the reception as well as confirming that any guests who did not like the seafood menu I chose could always go to the buffet in the restaurant to get food. Neither of these things came to fruition. I got two tables of 12 and the manager reprimanded one of my guests for taking her kids to get some dessert for dinner. In addition, because guests were NOT seated according to our plan, we are still dealing with issues after the wedding at home. I was not very happy with how this was handled.
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/image/id/885025/width/600/height/450[/img]
[b]Dress/Suit steaming: A[/b]
I heard that there is usually a rank smell coming from the steamed items. So I put my nose up to my dress the second I got it. There [i]is[/i] a smell, but it wasn’t completely noticeable unless you stick your face right up to it. I gave the dress and suit to my coordinator for steaming on the Sunday. It was Tuesday and I still hadn’t heard anything so I called to ask. The dress was finally delivered to my room the night before the wedding. You can’t use the resort credits for this. It cost $60 for my wedding dress and $42 for the groom’s suit. Bring extra clothes and underwear!! Laundry is expensive (cheapest is $3 per panty).
[b]Blood Work: A+[/b]
It was quick and easy with no bruising at all. We had our blood draw at the Wedding Coordinator office. For both of us, it totalled maybe 10 minutes. We did not get to know the results. I guess if you don’t hear anything, it’s good news.
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/image/id/885027/width/450/height/600[/img]
[b]Rehearsal:[/b] It rained right before our rehearsal (lasting about 30 minutes phew!). There was a beach chuppah already set up so we used that to do our run-through. We didn’t have a coordinator there and I only brought my music on IPOD. But this was definitely a MUST DO. It helped people visualize where to go and what to do on the day of. Thanks to this quick 15 minute rehearsal, the wedding day went by so smoothly! I really recommend that all brides do this with their bridal party the day before! One thing I wish I brought was a pair of speakers so that everyone in my bridal party could hear the music.
[b]Rehearsal Dinner @ Los Caporales[/b]
[b]Food Quality: A-[/b]
[b]Service: C+[/b]
[b]Overall Experience: D[/b]
An absolute nightmare. We ended up waiting hours to be seated. Granted we had a large group, but my husband went down early as well as my cousin to get seats at 6:30. They were told that they could not get these seats until the entire party was there. We peeked our heads in and there was space to get us started, but they did not choose to do it that way. Our party was not actually seated until almost 10:00pm. This was incredibly frustrating for us. We had small kids that were getting hungry and their parents just ended up taking them next door to Arrecifes for dinner. My husband said that at least the manager at Los Caporales was more willing to accommodate us. Apparently the manager at Arrecifes was a complete jerk. So we waited to be seated at Los Caporales as originally planned. Once we got in, service was SO SLOW. It took almost an hour to serve one table... and by the time the second table was served, the first table had finished their entire meal already.
One thing I did notice, at all restaurants the table with older guests are served first (which I am kind of glad they did). The stuffed peppers, and the salsa with the tortilla chips were very good. We all tried to make the best of this experience, but it could have gone a lot smoother had they simply began to seat the party when there was space to begin with at 6:30. Everyone had to stand/sit outside the restaurant for hours (including the kids!) You’d think a resort that deals with multiple weddings on a daily basis would have figured out how to work with large groups!
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/content/type/61/id/158365/width/500/height/1000[/img]
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/content/type/61/id/158366/width/500/height/1000[/img]
[b]Wedding Day[/b]
Logistics: The groom stayed with his friend’s at Sunrise all day so that we wouldn’t bump into each other. I stayed in Nizuc. In the morning, I met my girls down at El Manglar for breakfast. I sat on the beach to relax until noon. It was very calming. I was excited but completely composed and ready to get married!!
Below is my actual wedding day timeline (I absolutely HATE being late and rushed... but that’s exactly what happened completely out of my control). =( My ceremony was at 5pm.
12pm – Hair (resort credits)
1pm – Make-up and bridesmaids get ready (my ladies were about an hour late which was frustrating). Get ready photos.
([b]Room service lunch: B+) [/b]We ordered room service for lunch. (Thai Salad and a shrimp cocktail. Was okay, nothing spectacular). Called to ask about my wedding bouquet to be delivered.
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/image/id/885033/width/600/height/450[/img]
3:00pm – I asked my Maid of Honor to check on the ceremony site. She came back to tell me that nothing was set up!! I called Teresa right away. They said that Zuniga sets up about half an hour before... I was not happy about this.
3:15pm – Our photographers were supposed to have gone over by 2:30 so we ran an hour behind.
3:40pm – Around the corner photos just outside Arrecifes restaurant. My husband and I exchanged gifts/letters. I was SO excited just to see his hand peeking from around the wall! A must do for those not doing first looks! I actually bumped into Teresa on her way to give me the bouquet too.
[color=#0000ff](We added in the brooches.)[/color]
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/content/type/61/id/158367/width/500/height/1000[/img]
4:30pm – We rushed in some photos of the ladies only. I was kind of sad about this. I was hoping we’d be able to find some places for nice bridal portraits.
4:45pm – Teresa arrived in a golf cart to take my girls to the ceremony. The horse & carriage were right behind her. I was FREAKING out! The carriage took us RIGHT BY the ceremony where my fiancé was standing at the time. I don’t understand why he didn’t take us around or even stop when I asked him to. I had to pull up the carriage hood and put the bouquet in front of my face. My guests told my fiancé not to look but I was still mortified. And even as we were going by in the carriage, they were STILL SETTING UP the chuppah at 4:45! I was incredibly nervous about it getting done on time.
[b]Wedding Ceremony and Cocktail Hour[/b]
5:00pm – After being together for 11 years, I didn’t think that I would be so overwhelmed by emotions. I was totally calm in the carriage right before the ceremony... but as we got closer and I could hear the music on the beach, I started to cry. By the time I was walking down the aisle, I was bawling and so was my husband. I think the wedding ceremony was truly the best part of the day!!
The ceremony did end up being set-up perfectly and the music cues were timed perfectly. However, apparently Teresa kept trying to hurry the bridal party down the aisle (contrary to how we rehearsed it) so it was my bad for not updating her on how I wanted the pacing to go (but I can’t think of everything! LOL and until I see the video, I can’t really say how good/bad it was). I only knew that when I was walking down the aisle, it was perfect. I studied countless wedding videos at Moon Palace and my estimation of two songs for the signing was exactly right!
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/content/type/61/id/158369/width/500/height/1000[/img]
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/content/type/61/id/158370/width/500/height/1000[/img]
[b](Offciant: A-) [/b]The officiant stood with her back towards the guests (I had asked for her to stand traditionally but I’m not going to be picky, just noting this). Overall, she was great. Interestingly enough, she pronounced all my family’s Asian-unique names correctly but my mother-in-law’s English name incorrectly.
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/image/id/885037/width/600/height/400[/img]
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/image/id/885135/width/600/height/400[/img]
[b](Resort Sound Technician & Ceremony Music Player: A)[/b] There was a mic and sound system available for us to say our own vows. You can hear the music perfectly from the carriage (not to worry, brides!) and you can hear the ceremony just fine. I had one song that I asked them to play during guests seating, so they just looped that. We did a civil ceremony which means we had to ink our thumbs for thumbprinting. They gave you a tissue after but it wasn’t a wet nap so our thumbs were still black all night. So be careful not to touch your face/gown or ask your bridal party to bring a wet nap or something. The toasting champagne was delicious. I am pretty sure it’s not the standard one because it tasted quite sweet to me!
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/image/id/885039/width/600/height/400[/img]
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/content/type/61/id/158371/width/500/height/1000[/img]
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/content/type/61/id/158375/width/500/height/1000[/img]
5:25pm – First dance on the beach. It was difficult to do anything except a “high school roundabout” in the sand but it was pretty fun. I’m glad we did this. Our song was 3:48 seconds but it felt like a long time since we were only going around in circles. =) I got dizzy; so once it was over, my new husband literally swept me of my feet to bring me back to the aisle runner.
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/content/type/61/id/158372/width/500/height/1000[/img]
5:30pm – Group photos! I am SO glad that I penciled this in BEFORE cocktail hour. I knew that everyone would be dying to snap a picture with us and with each other and they definitely made the most of this time. Be ready to smile for a LONG time here!! =D We started into our bridal portraits for about and hour and was able to join the last half of our cocktail hour.
6:00pm – Cocktail hour on Tucan Terrace. I went with everyone’s recommendation and chose the Superior h'orderves. I am SO HAPPY that I did. SEVERAL GUESTS (including myself) said that it was the best food they tasted all trip. I so wished they could bring this to dinner... it was delicious!! In addition, we had a Mexican trio and TOTALLY LOVED IT. Everyone enjoyed the live music and I was so grateful that we were both able to spend some time at our own cocktail hour.
[b](Cocktail Hour Superior H’orderves A+)[/b]
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/content/type/61/id/158373/width/500/height/1000[/img]
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/content/type/61/id/158374/width/500/height/1000[/img]
[b](Mexican Trio A+)[/b]
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/content/type/61/id/158376/width/500/height/1000[/img]
7:00pm – I ran back to our room so that I could put my hair down and touch up before heading to the reception dinner.
[b]Wedding Reception Dinner[/b]
7:30pm – Our reception dinner was held in El Caribeno. The restaurant was thankfully air conditioned and the ambiance was great. We did NOT get the correct number of tables which caused me a great deal of inconvenience (there is a reason why there is a seating chart). We are still dealing with guest issues after the wedding because certain people were placed together. In addition, one of the tables used for the sweetheart was a little crooked. =/ The cake table was fine. My seating chart made no sense because of the incorrect table set-up. Despite this, most of my guests had a great time in conversation with each other as my new husband and I spent some alone time (finally) eating our dinner. Definitely do the sweetheart table!!
[b]Dinner Menu: B[/b]
We had to choose a set menu for our guests.
[b]Mixed Seafood Ceviche – typical ceviche 4/5[/b]
[b]Squid and Mango Salad – delicious! 5/5[/b]
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/image/id/885046/width/600/height/450[/img]
[b]Saffron Mussel Cream Soup delicious 5/5[/b]
[b]Mahi Mahi Fish – dry 3/5[/b]
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/image/id/885048/width/600/height/450[/img]
[b]Cream Brule – undercooked 2/5[/b]
I was quite disappointed in the quality of the main dish and dessert at the reception dinner. I was really looking forward to indulging in one of my favourite things, seafood! The cocktail hour food was SO much better. However, I did not hear any guest complaints, so I don’t think it was that bad.
The restaurant was playing music and it was pretty loud so it was difficult to do speeches. I had anticipated this so we didn’t ask anyone to do speeches and my husband and I kept our thank-yous short and sweet!
It began to rain a little after the reception so we caught a golf cart back to our rooms. Many of the older guests were tired so they headed back to their rooms to sleep. My friends hung out together... and we, well... did what married people did and just spent the night together in wedded bliss! =) We filled up the Jacuzzi and ordered some champagne (took about 40 minutes to arrive).
NOTE: Their champagne and sparkling wine are EXACTLY the same. It’s called Dubois. This is used at all Palace Resorts (including Le Blanc). I didn’t really like it. Whatever champagne they used after the wedding was very sweet (but I was not able to catch the name of it).
[b]Wedding Cake: D+[/b]
I wanted a cheesecake and was expecting something soft and moist. It was hard and WAYYY to sweet. So sweet, in fact, I was crunching on sugar granules as I chewed. The cake itself looked disappointing. I wasn’t expecting anything grand, just what I saw in the photo during the wedding coordinator meeting. However, the ribbon wasn’t even gold... it was just yellow. I had maybe ... two bites and left the rest. The only thing good about the cake? After your first cut, the staff will slice and serve the rest for you. We also did not get forks, we asked and were given spoons. Oh well.
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/image/id/885050/width/450/height/600[/img]
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[b]Day After[/b]
[b]Honeymoon Breakfast: F[/b]
It was pouring rain the day after. Also, we did not get our honeymoon breakfast AT ALL. We waited until 9 so we totally missed the good-bye breakfast. My husband and I rushed down to the lobby for a hurried breakfast and to say bye to the guests that were departing that day before they got on the shuttle back to the airport. I was still in a celebratory mood so I did not let that bother me at the time, but I am still kind of irked now that we got shafted yet again.
We had our trash the dress scheduled today, but couldn’t do it because of the rain. This was a storm that lasted over 24 hours. We ended up rescheduling our trash the dress for the following Monday. (And to spare you the details, it basically stormed that day too... so not trash the dress photos at all).
[b]Restaurants[/b]
[b]Sunrise Section[/b]
[b]La Gondola (Italian): A[/b]
My husband and I loved having breakfast here as did our guests. Eggs, waffles, pancakes are all made fresh verses other restaurants that serve buffet eggs or pancakes. They have a fajita stand as well. Never tried lunch or dinner.
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/image/id/885054/width/450/height/600[/img]
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[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/image/id/885056/width/600/height/450[/img]
[b]Bugambilias (Mexican): B[/b]
We all thought this was Italian for some reason. Dinner here was fairly good. They had a good pasta station. Service was good. Again quite average but they were able to accommodate a large group. Never tried breakfast or lunch. You can see the buffet in the background of this photo.
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/image/id/885122/width/600/height/450[/img]
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/image/id/885060/width/600/height/450[/img]
[b]Mo-Mo-No-Ha-Na (Asian): N/A[/b]
Didn’t try this at all... in fact I don’t ever recall seeing this place?!
[b]Palapa Fragata (Seafood): A-[/b]
Dinner a-la-carte despite being told that it was a buffet for some reason. Food was delicious especially the salmon carpaccio. This is an open air restaurant so it got really hot and humid. Many guests stepped outside to enjoy the ocean breeze. They gave us grief for two large tables of 10 and part of my extended family had to sit at the other end of the restaurant even though it was completely empty. As you can see in the photo below. Service was slow even though we were the only ones there (took about an hour to serve us). Breakfast not offered, never tried lunch.
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/image/id/885062/width/600/height/450[/img]
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/image/id/885064/width/600/height/450[/img]
[b]Palapa Barracuda (Steakhouse): B-[/b]
We had lunch in this open air restaurant. It wasn’t too hot, nice views. Their side dishes were very good, particularly the white wine buttered fish and rice. Main dishes like steak or chicken were incredibly dry.
Never tried breakfast or dinner.
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/image/id/885072/width/600/height/450[/img]
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/image/id/885074/width/600/height/450[/img]
[b]Los Colompios (Pool Bar): A[/b]
A swim up bar with swings located in the middle of the pool area. It is open late for partiers. Drinks were okay (bartenders made them strong). Great music and vibe for relaxing. We hung out to around midnight.
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/image/id/885076/width/600/height/450[/img]
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/image/id/885078/width/600/height/450[/img]
[b]Andromeda Disco: N/A[/b]
Didn’t try this at all... in fact I don’t ever recall seeing this place?!
[b]Games Room & Sports Bar: N/A[/b]
We stopped by to use the computers for like 5 minutes. Seemed okay. I heard some of our guests came here to watch the soccer game.
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/image/id/885124/width/600/height/450[/img]
[b]Lobby Entertainment: N/A[/b]
Personally did not experience, but always something happening every night as I passed by. Guests said they liked it.
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/image/id/885080/width/600/height/450[/img]
[b]Nizuc Section[/b]
[b]El Manglar (Italian): B[/b]
Breakfast and lunch buffet here is okay, quite average. We ate here often because of it’s convenient location in the Nizuc lobby. Never tried dinner.
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/image/id/885084/width/600/height/450[/img]
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[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/image/id/885090/width/600/height/450[/img]
[b]Los Caporales (Mexican): A-[/b]
See our rehearsal dinner review. Breakfast and Lunch not offered.
[b]Arrecifes (Brazilian): A[/b]
For meat lovers! Most of the meat was cooked well. Pork was very dry though. As many others have said, the salad bar is only okay. Seating for 4 was very fast. Good service and service speed. Breakfast not available, never had lunch.
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/image/id/885092/width/450/height/600[/img]
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/image/id/885094/width/600/height/450[/img]
[b]Palapa Delfines (poolside bar/grill and swim-up): A (drinks only)[/b]
Jose and Gabriel make the best drinks here!! I love sweet drinks that can’t taste much alcohol. If you’re like me, try the Pina Colada, Blue Hawaiian, Blue Lagoon and Melon Sour. Didn’t get the chance to eat here.
[b]Palapa Pelicanos (poolside sushi and swim-up): B (drinks only)[/b]
Drinks here were not as good as Palapa Delfines. Didn’t get the chance to eat here.
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/image/id/885096/width/600/height/450[/img]
[b]Sweets & Coffee: A-[/b]
Like a regular coffee shop. Nothing special. It’s nice and quiet since there are not many people here. Food drink quality is average. Good service.
[b]Lobby Enterntainment: A-[/b]
Fire dancers were great to watch. Everyone loved them. The belly dancers show was WAY too long and very boring when they grabbed about 10 ladies from the audience and had each lady solo dance for about 5 minutes each. I was very thankful that at least this was here for people who were waiting to be seated at Los Caporales. Drinks at this bar were okay, made a little strong.
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/content/type/61/id/158378/width/500/height/1000[/img]
[b]Grand Section[/b]
[b]Los Tacos: A[/b]
Tacos are good, other menu items are only okay. Good service and peaceful atmosphere. Drinks are kind of strong. Only tried this for lunch.
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/image/id/885100/width/600/height/450[/img]
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/image/id/885137/width/600/height/450[/img]
[b]El Caribeno: N/A[/b]
We only had the set menu for our reception dinner so did not get to fully experience this restaurant.
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/image/id/885102/width/600/height/450[/img]
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/image/id/885104/width/600/height/450[/img]
[b]Golf Course Section[/b]
[b]La Trattoria: N/A[/b]
Did not get the chance to try this restaurant.
[b]Bambu: N/A[/b]
Did not get the chance to try this restaurant.
[b]Resort Credits: D[/b]
One of the most frustrating parts of our destination wedding was spending resort credits. No matter how prepared I thought I was going to Cancun, be ready to spend up to an hour at a time dealing with bookings/reservations of things to spend your credits on. It was incredibly difficult to use the credits during the 5 day stay. The best things to use them on are tours & activities. They have a binder full of things you can do, but the majority of them are NOT resort credit applicable. Some will ask you to endure a 90 minute timeshare presentation in order to get a specific tour for free. It really is up to you and what you think is “worth it”, but we thought it was a complete waste of time and didn’t bother.
We tried to use credits for a room upgrade but that proved near impossible as we were constantly told that nothing was available (despite knowing otherwise). You can use your credits for salon/spa but those run out pretty quickly. Also be aware that there is now a cap on the number of credits you can use for the dolphin swim (ugh). You can use up to $100 credits on cigars, $100 on tequila, $100 on sunglasses, $100 on a pair of running shoes and $100 on silver. None of those include taxes and all the prices of sunglasses and silver are over $100 anyway. It was hardly worth it.
A few times, the reservations people would tell you that something is “full” or that there are “no openings at the salon or spa”. It was a flat out lie. We would go directly to the salon/spa and they were able to book us on the spot using our resort credits.
English isn’t your family’s first language? Prepare to spend more time translating or seeing them walk into the timeshare presentation trap.
We wanted to book a group tour (of 22) to Chichen Itza. I asked about it online 5 weeks prior and was told that I had to wait closer to the date. I inquired again 2 weeks prior to departure and told I would have to book for the group once I got there. I inquired when we got to Moon Palace and then was told I could only book for my husband and I, and that or group had to book individually by room. They assured me there was still plenty of space. When my family went to book, they were told it was full. I was going to have a conniption. All my guests were looking forward to this trip and the booking process had been nothing but a giant headache. After almost 3 HOURS of teeth-grinding, they were able to book another bus. It wasn’t private or anything, there were other people booked to see Chichen Itza anyway. I was so caught up in this mess I had forgotten to eat lunch that day.
My guests were able to use the majority of their credits but many still have a chunk left over. My husband and I left Moon Palace with $900+ credits unspent. This was definitely a priority review I wanted to make the second I returned.
[b]Tours & Activities[/b]
[b]Chichen Itza: B (used resort credits)[/b]
Everyone agreed this was a great one time experience to see the ruins but none of us would probably ever do it again. It is a FULL day (meet at 8:30am and return at 7pm). The bus ride on the way there is about 4 hours (you stop for shopping and lunch) and then a solid 3 hour bus ride back. Chichen Itza is 125 miles from Cancun. The shopping was just so-so (you can haggle but the prices really aren’t that much better than in the city). The buffet lunch was held in an open air location. The food quality was okay but I was little perturbed by all the flies around the food... so I didn’t really eat very much. When we got to Chichen Itza, the guided tour was INCREDILBY long and boring. It was sad because I very much wanted to learn about the history but there was just TOO MUCH history. The majority of us wandered off to explore. There is no climbing on the ruins except one of the very small ones in the back. I work flip-flop sandals to this and I was fine. There are some rocky pathways but they weren’t unmanageable and my sandals were not damaged or worn down. Also, I was perfectly fine but one of my friends got bit up by mosquitoes so you might want to bring some repellant. And definitely bring water!! Otherwise you have to buy it.
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/image/id/885106/width/600/height/450[/img]
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/image/id/885108/width/600/height/450[/img]
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/image/id/885110/width/600/height/450[/img]
[b]Parasailing and Sea-doing: A- (Not applicable with resort credits. Free with 90min timeshare presentation)[/b]
My family did this and said it lasted about 30 minutes each. They wished both were longer activities, especially seeing how long they had to sit through the timeshare presentation. You get wet with both so watch out with cameras and cell-phones!!
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/image/id/885112/width/600/height/450[/img]
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/image/id/885114/width/600/height/450[/img]
[b]Jungle Tour: A- (used resort credits)[/b]
* We did these during our honeymoon stay at Le Blanc, but it identically available if you stay at Moon Palace.
Aquatwister is fun (group speedboat ride) but it is cold so DO NOT do it on a cooler day. It will also wash off sunscreen so make sure you reapply it right after before you go snorkeling. For the Jungle Tour, you are in the sun for 3 solid hours! Make sure you apply and re-apply sunscreen!! My husband forgot to put some on his knees thinking it was covered by his shorts, but got severely burnt when he was riding the sea-do. The fish and coral reef was beautiful. Visibility is about 10 – 15ft. Guides sprinkle some fish food so that the fish will come up closer to tourists. We got seaweed in our sea-do motor on the way back so the guide had to come back for us. They will provide all the snorkel gear you need. Just make sure to eat a little because this activity lasted about 3 – 4 hours. Ladies, put your hair up because it will get in the way! They will give you a locker with key if you leave your room key with them. I was not pleased with the fact that there were ants inside the lockers though. It was a hassle to get them off my bag and clothing afterward.
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/image/id/885116/width/600/height/448[/img]
[b]Premium Dolphin Swim: A- (used resort credits but be aware that there is a recent “limit” on how much you can spend on this)[/b]
* We did these during our honeymoon stay at Le Blanc, but it identically available if you stay at Moon Palace.
Transportation is not included. We were told that the Wet n Wild bus comes back every 20 minutes or so. We waited about an hour and still nothing. In the end, we had to take a cab. Most charge $25 one way to get there but we managed to get a good deal at $12USD one way. The Dolphinarium was fun, trainers seem to really care about the Dolphins and talked a little about each one. I would’ve liked a longer time with the dolphins and to learn more about their personalities or something. They DO NOT ALLOW cameras of any kind... and then they also charge $30 per photo. You can purchase a locker by paying $8USD upfront and upon key return, they will give you back $5USD (however they did this in pesos).
[b]MUSA with diving lesson: A (Not applicable with resort credits) $100 per person[/b]
* We did these during our honeymoon stay at Le Blanc, but it identically available if you stay at Moon Palace.
The diving lesson went well. Instructor said I had perfected the skill but since I have a sensitive sinus, the pressure doing down hurt my ears. She said the normal person equalizes every 3 – 5 ft descending, but I would have to do it after every foot. It took me about 5 minutes to go down 10 ft!! Scuba diving is not hard at all though!! However, if you are sensitive to pressure in the ears like me, don’t fret! Once I got into the ocean, it only took me about a minute to get down 30 ft! The pressure in the ocean is different than in the pool. It was MUCH easier for me to do it in the sea. Definitely try it but know your limit. My husband did perfectly fine in the pool but in the ocean, he took longer to equalize the pressure. However, the guides were rough with the men, so they tried to just pull him down because he was taking longer than others. When my husband told me this, I was not happy about it and promised to do a review of it so that others will be aware. If the guides are rushing you at all, make sure to be assertive. Don’t try to “suck it up” because those are your ears inside your head you are putting at risk!! The tour itself was a lot of fun. It was incredibly beautiful! We saw a lot of marine life and the coral reef. I was disappointed that we only ended up seeing TWO statues. I thought the statues were all together, but they were not. Be prepared for this. ALSO remember not to hyperventilate. Pace yourself; because some people had low air in their tank, we had to come up early. We had 4 exposures left in our underwater camera there was unused. The lesson was about 1 hour. The ride out to Isla Mujeres is about 40 minutes one way. The dive itself lasted about 40 minutes. So in total, we started the day at 7:30am and didn’t get back to the resort until almost 3pm.
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/image/id/885118/width/600/height/448[/img]
[b]Item Prices[/b]
Here are some popular items we saw and their prices.
Disaposable Underwater Camera ($20 - $25) * best to buy at home
Banana Boat 60SPF Waterproof Sunscreen ($25) * stock up! For a 10 day stay, we should’ve brought 3 cans at least.
Large Sombrero ($15 - $20)
Large Coloured Maracas ($1 - $2, though someone tried to sell it for $15 and I had to laugh)
Large Pack of 3 Habanera Hot Sauce ($4 - $7)
Magnets ($1 - $3)
Mayan Calander ($20, from Chichen Itza or Tulum tour)
Tequila ($15 - $30)
Mescala Worm Tequila ($18 for a large bottle)
Jungle Tour Photos - $15 each
Dolphin Swim Photos - $30 each print or $70 for all on CD
MUSA Scuba Photos – no individual prints, $40 for 4, $65 for all on CD, your first descent photo free
[img]http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/image/id/885120/width/600/height/450[/img]
[b]Vendors[/b]
[b]AquaWorld: C[/b]
We confirmed with the resort that even though it was raining, the Jungle Tour was not cancelled. So AquaWorld (who runs it) picked us up and dropped us off on location. Once we got there, our group was told that half of the Jungle Tour was cancelled (saying no snorkeling but we could still go on the Aquatwister). I asked if we get refunded any credits. They said no. I asked to reschedule and the AquaWorld worker told us we could always do it two days later. I agreed and told him to reschedule us. He said he couldn’t and that I’d have to do it at my resort. When I asked about getting back to the resort, he essentially smiled at me and told me we’d have to walk, bus or taxi back unless we
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