Money in Punta Cana

[Bride Loving CJ]

That's a great idea!! Is it rude to ask guests to pay for their own excursions?

 

Originally Posted by jessyg20 

Bride Loving CJ-
Punta Cana is beautiful, you're guests will first only want to get in their bathing suites and enjoy the beach and pool, with a cocktails of course. Let them know bartenders love US Dollars!!!!!
You can always organize a group with an excursion agency to do some activities, if you have enough people negotiate to have you or your hubby/hubby to be go for free (heh heh we did). We did one group excursion, the buggy ride. It's a few hours but it was fun. They take you to a ranch where you're given a buggy (go kart lol), then you're taken to a natrual spring water cave, then you go to a beach where you get to watch the sunset. It was amazing!
Then you will have the crazy moments like the picture below, after the wedding and partying, 2am, no body, well the party people, didn't want to stop, so what better thing to do, go to the beach! lol
My intentions were to stay dry and enjoy my wedding night with my husband, but we decided to go for it!

[Bride Loving CJ]

Thanks for the great advice on the money!! That makes great sense!! I'll keep that in mind. That's invaluable advice! Thank you so much!

 

I agree that I prefer to stick to the tourist areas! I'm not the type to be venturing off. It's just that now I am not sure if everyone going is going to be at my resort so I'm fearful that I won't be able to arrange anything resonable for us to all do together. Initially, the plan was to have everyone at the same resort so we could do all the free (inclusive) stuff together but if everyone is at different places i don't know what I'll be able to plan or do. I'm so stressed about it.

 

 

Originally Posted by richarsd 

You can use US dollars or Dominican Pesos...you can usually convert your money at resort lobbies. Although US money is widely accepted, they prefer their own pesos for tips simply because they're not as traceable...meaning if you tip someone in US money, it's kinda obvious they got it through tips because only tourists use it. Most of the resorts will cut into the servers and maids tips and take a large percentage of it. If you give them pesos, they can just claim it as their own money and pocket it all (which is the intention is it not when you give someone a tip?). Also, they have to convert US dollars at the bank and the bank also takes a cut so again they lose even more. So if you want to tip in US money that's ok, just keep in mind that when you give them $1, they might get 25 cents. If you're shopping or whatnot, then using either currency doesn't make much difference.

 

As for things to do, there's tons!! I've been to Punta Cana twice and love it! The resorts always have lots going on if you're not the type to just spent 7 days on the beach. There's lots of companies that offer excursions to Saona Island on a catamaran, the jeep safari with bavaro Runners, historic tours of Santo Domingo, etc. Not sure what vacation carrier you've booked with (ex: Apple vacations, etc.) but they always have big info binders in the resort lobbies that list all of the extra excursions you can do or you can just arrnage it yourself...someone at the front desk could probably help. There's also some restaurants and shopping areas just beyond the resort compund...don't be too worried about going to explore them in the daytime as long as you stick to the main street. Higuey is the nearest town but it's like a 30 minute bus ride away from most resorts...I've never been there and have heard it's a bit sketchy so I think it's better to stick to the tourist areas.

[MilitaryMrs.s-to be]

 

Originally Posted by Bride Loving CJ 

Thanks! I sure hope so. I am so nervous. My TA just quit the agency and I think it's because she got married so she didn't need to work there anymore if you know what I mean. She is the one who recommended the nh-Royal Arena and it makes me wonder if she only persuaded me to have it there because that is where she had here's two weeks ago.
 

 

I'm sure it will be wonderful!  One of my friends got married there 2 weeks after me, and her pictures were really nice.  She used the resort photographer as well. Hope that makes you feel better
 

[BrideMichele]

Did anyone use Travellers Cheques? I am nervous about bringing up a lot of US cash...I will definitely bring lots of $1 for tipping though.

[MelissaApril2010]

It is not easy to use travellers cheques in Dominican, from my experiences. My now husband and i were married at the Gran Bahia in April 2010 and brought our money in the form of travellers cheques. The wedding staff said that we would have to go downtown to cash them ourselves and bring the cash back to pay for our wedding, or they could cash them for us but there would be an extra fee, which wasnt cheap.

We decided that the easiest way is to pay with our credit card. it worked out well though. We cashed the cheques when we got home and paid off our card...

[Bride Loving CJ]

Thanks!! That is indeed comforting!!

 

Originally Posted by MilitaryMrs.s-to be 

 

I'm sure it will be wonderful!  One of my friends got married there 2 weeks after me, and her pictures were really nice.  She used the resort photographer as well. Hope that makes you feel better
 

[richarsd]

I've never brought Traveller's Cheques. Only cash and credit cards. I normally only bring $100 cash when I go. That gives me more than enough money for tips (convert to lots of $1 bills) and maybe a few souvenirs. If I want to do an excursion, I pay with my credit card. I find there's not much you really need money for other than that.

[richarsd]

Don't be stressed out!! I have heard of a few brides who have arranged a whole excursion for the entire group AND even paid for all of it. I think the overwhelming majority of brides who arrange this don't pay for the guests to do though so you really should not feel obligated. My suggestion would be to offer it to the group as "optional" so if they can't afford or just aren't into it, they aren't feeling pressured to go. And that also takes the pressure off of you to pay for it.
 

Originally Posted by Bride Loving CJ 

Thanks for the great advice on the money!! That makes great sense!! I'll keep that in mind. That's invaluable advice! Thank you so much!

 

I agree that I prefer to stick to the tourist areas! I'm not the type to be venturing off. It's just that now I am not sure if everyone going is going to be at my resort so I'm fearful that I won't be able to arrange anything resonable for us to all do together. Initially, the plan was to have everyone at the same resort so we could do all the free (inclusive) stuff together but if everyone is at different places i don't know what I'll be able to plan or do. I'm so stressed about it.

 

 

 

[Bride Loving CJ]

Great!! That's just what I needed to hear!! I really don't think we can afford to pay for everyones excursions but I guess I wont get in a tussle untile I see how many people actually sign up to go. So far, it's just us, my parents, brother, and aunt so who needs. It might not even be that big of a deal for me. Thanks for your wonderful advice.

Originally Posted by richarsd 

Don't be stressed out!! I have heard of a few brides who have arranged a whole excursion for the entire group AND even paid for all of it. I think the overwhelming majority of brides who arrange this don't pay for the guests to do though so you really should not feel obligated. My suggestion would be to offer it to the group as "optional" so if they can't afford or just aren't into it, they aren't feeling pressured to go. And that also takes the pressure off of you to pay for it.
 

 

[Bride Loving CJ]

I dont have MUCH input here but I've never seen traveller's Cheques anywhere on the threads in the forum so that may not be one of the most popular ways to go.

 

Originally Posted by richarsd 

I've never brought Traveller's Cheques. Only cash and credit cards. I normally only bring $100 cash when I go. That gives me more than enough money for tips (convert to lots of $1 bills) and maybe a few souvenirs. If I want to do an excursion, I pay with my credit card. I find there's not much you really need money for other than that.