ROYAL PLAYA DEL CARMEN BRIDES: were kids allowed for the day? ...and other questions

[lexibride]

Any past Royal brides - I got married May 15th and have yet to receive my english translated marriage license. Has anyone else received theirs yet?  I've sent a lot of emails but I'm getting no response back.

[oceanbreeze]

Hi!

 

Thanks so much for that info!  It is super helpful.  I would love your TAs info.  Could you please send it to me via email (I read something about us not being allowed to give ta info within the posts .  My email is [email protected].

 

Thanks!!!!

[Lisa DSO]

 

Jess and Natalie, 

 

I'm sorry you are stressed :-(. I will keep you both in my prayers.

 

Running Bride,

 

Elsa got back to me and said that the lights under the tables are included for beach receptions and she sent me a nice pic. I had to giggle though because when I asked about the lighted pathway, she quoted me 100 dollars for that. ROFL! I have never seen that charge before  but what can you do?

 

[JenniferSSV]

...

[RunningBride24]

Thanks Lisa!

 

???LOL me neither! I didn't see the added $100 for the lighted walkway......strange.... Great pic though!
 

Originally Posted by Lisa DSO 

 

Jess and Natalie, 

 

I'm sorry you are stressed :-(. I will keep you both in my prayers.

 

Running Bride,

 

Elsa got back to me and said that the lights under the tables are included for beach receptions and she sent me a nice pic. I had to giggle though because when I asked about the lighted pathway, she quoted me 100 dollars for that. ROFL! I have never seen that charge before  but what can you do?

 

[Natalie79]

Thanks Lisa!!  Great pic...I can't believe they want $100 for putting some candles out, crazy!

Originally Posted by RunningBride24 

Thanks Lisa!

 

???LOL me neither! I didn't see the added $100 for the lighted walkway......strange.... Great pic though!
 

 

[jesmcan]

"We do have agents assisting each other when one is away on vacation and also during the weekends. I emailed Jess several times on the weekend while Jill was on a much deserved vacation discussing the situation. I urged her to be patient as the suppliers worked out the details  to find the best solution for her and each of her guests."

 

Which by the way I had to be the one to contact Jennifer because no one from Sand N Sun ever contacted us to inform us this had even happened. We found out from our guests who were booked by Expedia and later through the news. I was told that everyone was blind sided by this whole thing and even the suppliers had to been contacted by Mexicana. So your telling me Expedia knew but you did'nt? As a travel agency they should be the first to know. The best solution was never found. If we would have been all told to dispute our charges right away that weekend we could have been on new flights that were a lot less costly than by the time everyone booked the following two weeks.

 

"When the whole Mexicana issue happened she called me right away and had new flights already prepared for us." If Jenny's TA was able to do this there should be no reason why the same thing could not have happened for us. Four days later when we were quoted for new flights they were far more expensive than what I was finding. So in the end our guests found better deals themselves by not going through the TA.

 

"This does produce a middle man in an unfortunate situation such as this as we need to refer to see how each of the flights were processed so that we could properly advise each client. We did have an issue with one supplier providing conflicting information to Jill on how some of the flights were booked and therefore how the client should proceed. I am addressing that with this supplier as this is not acceptable and has caused much stress to the bride."

 

This bride as you guys know was me. Though this may be being addressed with the supplier nothing ever came of it for me and my guests. We still all ended up paying almost $200 more per person because of this misinformation because by the time we got the right information flight prices had soared. Even if a middle man is involved as a travel agency you should have first knowledge of how the flights were processed, itineraries on hand, all the information that pertains to that clients travel arrangements.

 

Part of the whole mess was my guests could not dispute charges right away because their banks could not see the break down of flights and the TA could not give us the correct information. So all our guests along with FI and I spent countless hours trying to figure out the numbers so everyone would dispute just the flight charges. As I said I have never worked with a travel agency before however things like knowing what date charges were made on, the break down of charges and what card was used should be information that is on hand to every travel agent.

 

"We have never promised that we would be able to take care of issues instantaneously, it’s impossible and would depend on the situation. To properly do a job does take time"

 

No one asked for anything to be taken care of instantaneously, but with in 48 hours should have been more than enough time. Instead it has taken weeks to resolve this. If other brides who used other travel agents and for my guests who used on line booking sites were able to get this resolved within 24 hours I don't understand why the same could not be done for us. Again based on my experience since the suppliers (middle man) apparently are the reason behind all the problems and Sand N Sun Vacations works and operates this way save yourself the stress and aggravation and don't use them.

 

My biggest #1 mistake is I did not do the research the way Jenny did, and look how great her results were. I went based off the fact that other brides on BDW had used Sand N Sun Vacations, that at the time they were the main travel agency for BDW, so I automatically went with them.

 

For those looking now for a TA these are the questions I would ask:

 

- Do you work with suppliers? ( I am currently working on getting my honeymoon booked and have found several travel agency's that do not work with third parties)

- Are they registered under ASTA ( American Society of Travel Agents)

- Do they work from home or have an actual office? ( I feel like there is more accountability and professionalism when there is an actual office so in case an agent is not available there is someone else there to take your call)

- Are they available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week? (When the whole Mexicana situation happened since Jill was away on vacation I had not actually been given someone else to contact in the event of anything happening. I luckily just had Jennifers e-mail. I have found several travel agency's that operate 7 days a week and have a 24 hour hot line in case of emergency's)

- Ask if you find a better price will they match it and will they guarantee to book you at the price even if it changes 4 hours later? (This was one of the most frusterating parts about our experience. Often it took the TA at least a day to book everyone so I would get an e-mail saying the flight went up another $80 should I still put it through?) I found so far 4 travel agency's that promise to match the price and whatever it is when I send them the documents to support that price match.

- Ask if there are any perks for booking so many people, an upgrade in room or flight, private transportation etc. (I am currently helping a friend book her destination wedding in St. Thomas and she told me that a few travel agency's that she is looking into actually give the bride and groom $25 for everyone room that books through them and another offered an upgrade in room by two levels if they booked 10 ocean view rooms with them)

- Ask to see a contract first and read it from top to bottom every word! ask them about travel insurance and if it will cover bankrupcy, hurricanes, canceled flights, the resort going out of business etc.

 

I hope this helps and I am ready to hear about good positive experiences. After all isn't that what we are all here for? To find the best of the best in the destination wedding industry

[ChicagoBride2011]

Hi ladies, just caught up on all the new posts.  Sorry to hear about TA isssues, I hope everything works out for everyone!

I'm currently working with Sand n Sun Vacation and have no complaints.  Jill has been great to work with and my guests that booked through her have had postive things to say as well. Sorry to hear that others feel differently.

[Lisa DSO]

For those of you with the Luxury package, what is the difference between the included video package and the sunrise package from their video listing?

 

I pulled this from the website:

 

Professional photographer during the ceremony includes 24 color photos in a CD, video services during the ceremony including a DVD

 

so is that a separate photographer and videographer?

[jesmcan]

Lisa when I had looked into this I was told that yes it meant a photographer and videographer

Originally Posted by Lisa DSO 

For those of you with the Luxury package, what is the difference between the included video package and the sunrise package from their video listing?

 

I pulled this from the website:

 

Professional photographer during the ceremony includes 24 color photos in a CD, video services during the ceremony including a DVD

 

so is that a separate photographer and videographer?