Barcelo Bavaro Palace Deluxe

[natalieblev]

Thanks Sunny! thats what I was thinking...and so glad i dont have to spend money on that! I wish they would just have a package that included everything. I feel like if you get the "best" one you should get use of the best chairs, plates, etc. But oh well! Thanks again. 

 

Trivera not to butt in but I just went over this with my ta and they said that you must speak up and say you want your upgrade.  It can only be in category style, not rooms.  So like the Jr. Suite Deluxe has category 1, 2 and 3 basically speaking of amenities and location.  But reserving the deluxe and then hoping to be moved into the Jr. Suite does not happen.  Sucks!! I really thought I was paying for an actual upgrade in my package. 

[cocoHolly]

I was told by Marlene that it is not up to her if you get upgraded - that's all decided at check in depending on availability. If anyone in here has a time and date confirmation for a civil ceremony could you e-mail it to me at [email protected] ? I am getting married with a civil ceremony on December 12, and I keep being told the time on the ceremony wont be decided on until about 2 weeks prior to the actual date. But all you ladies seem to know your times already and you're getting married in 2013...so I am sooo confused/frustrated!! Any help or advice would be appreciated here!!

[sunny55143]

Marlene doesn't do anything related to your room upgrades.

 

When we checked in for our Jr Suite, we were told there were no upgrades available - we specifically asked for Club Premium.  The guy at the front desk said that the Jr Suite is usually what couples get upgraded to, from either Golf Rooms or Superiors - whatever that lowest level is.  So we took our Jr Suite and thought that was it.

 

The next day, Jeff's parents were getting in so we decided to try to front desk again since we were meeting them in the lobby.  We thought that since it was Sunday a lot of people might be checking out of their CP rooms.  They still told us that there was nothing available for CP but they could upgrade us to an Oceanview Jr Suite (we just had a plain old Jr Suite).  They offered to send up a bellhop to help us switch rooms but we said give us 30 minutes since Jeff's parents were about to get there.  When they arrived, they insisted that we take their CP Oceanfront Jr Suite.  The front desk, however, could not understand this arrangement, since we still hadn't switched our original rooms and apparently this was new territory for them.  So the 4 of us just switched rooms on our own without really telling the resort - his parents' names were still attached to the CP room and they had the CP bracelets, and our names were still associated with the regular Oceanview room. 

 

About halfway through the week, Jeff's mom finally convinced Club Premium to give us bracelets so we would get all of the non-room amenities like using their CP front desk, better booze for drinks (supposedly), free Wi-fi, etc.  

 

So, in the end, we sorta did get upgraded.  But you have to take care of it on your own and it's based on availability.  It was weird that they wouldn't let you just pay an extra fee per day on top of your room fee to get the bracelet.  They insisted on having certain rooms set aside as Club Premium.  I guess maybe it made it easier for the free room service associated with it?  There was a convention going on the week of our wedding so I'm assuming why the rooms were hard to come by.  Anyway, that is the story of our multiple rooms!

[teena84]

Thanks for your responses, Natalie and Disazaja.  When did you guys start telling them where you want your ceremony and reception to be held?  The last interaction I had with Susana was Friday, where she asked if I wanted to reserve my request date, and I responded with yes, and asked her to send confirmation/deposit info.  It's end of day now and I still haven't heard back from her yet.  I hope she send some sort of response for a peace of mind between now and confirmation..

 

Coco - maybe it's because you're doing a civil ceremony, that's why it's taking longer to get the time of your wedding day?  Don't quote me, I'm just guessing.  Whatever the reason is, it looks like all of you ladies here have been doing a pretty awesome job relieving each other of stress one way or another by being supportive, understanding, and sharing.  So far, from everything I've read from everyone, I think I believe Sunny have made it pretty clear that it all seems so stressful now, but once we get down there, it will be all be worth it, and I believe that.

 

Thanks Sunny for being so informative of everything =)

 

 

 

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[teena84]

So I was just reading up on their barceloweddings.com website, and it says that you need to be in DR for 72 hours prior to wedding day.  Does anyone know if this is 3 business days?  I really hope not, because I'm suppose to land there on Friday (not sure what time yet), and the wedding day is suppose to be on the following Tuesday.

 

Sunny - what day did you get there, and what day was your wedding?

[natalieblev]

Hey tenna

To answer some of your questions- It is business days.  Saturday counts, but not Sunday, I believe.  (And also if they have any "holidays" during that time they do not count either.) I would just let Marlene know when you are planning on coming in and double check that Tuesday is still okay, but I think since Saturday is included you should be fine.

 

Also I requested my ceremony and reception location BEFORE I would agree to make a deposit.  I mainly did this because I was open to change my date if I had to be married on the beach. I did not want any beach location and as there is only two garden locations and sometimes four weddings going on at once, I wanted to lock in one of those sites or else change the time I would be coming.  Same with the reception because I didnt want to get stuck paying for a beach reception.  So I just did it beforehand.  But I am sure once you do make the deposit she will prompt you on that if she hasnt yet and since it is early I am sure you will be able to get the location you want.

 

Coco - maybe there is something going on that day because that is just so odd that she wont give you a time.  The only thing I would know to do is press her for exactly why.  I am using a family member who is a preacher to marry us so I dont require a judge or even anyone to be available for my wedding so maybe that had a little to do with it? I am not sure as i just thought they would give a time to everyone. That is just weird and I am sure a pain to try to plan anything around that! 

[natalieblev]

I should say also that it is a symbolic wedding I am having...getting married here in the states, so that I think is probably a big difference.

[cocoHolly]

Hey ladies,

 

This is the response I got from Marlene when I asked her why they could not give me a time for the wedding:

 

please advised that de time of your wedding do not depend on me or the hotel, before booking and confirmed your wedding we clearly advised on this. your wedding will be confirmed by December 2012 by the judge agenda.

I don’t know if your friends told you that in Punta Cana area we only have 1 judge for allll the hotels, so as you can undertand he is a very busy guy.

What we have for sure is that we will married you on your date but we don’t know the time yet.

So yea this is really frustarting. I am going to be soooo mad if they make me get married at 11am...what are we supposed to do all day when the dinner doesn't happen for 7 more hours ay 6:30...

The symbolic weddings can happen at anytime which is why if you are having one of those you get the time confirmed. What I am trying to figure out is if any ladies in here are having a civil ceremony like me and has their time confirmed!!!

[sunny55143]

teena,

 

We got in a week before our wedding, the Saturday before.  We wanted to make sure we had a few days to get organized so that when our guests started arriving on Tuesday, we could focus on hanging out with them and not trying to tie up last minute details.  

 

I've heard that it's really only the resorts that want you to be there 72 business hours (3 days) before the wedding.  But, as natalie said, Saturday counts.  Apparently it's not a DR rule, the resorts just want to make sure that they can get all your paperwork together and that there is enough time to meet with you and plan everything out.  I would just make sure with Marlene that your arrival is okay.  Just be aware that they are usually swamped with weddings on Saturdays and don't work on Sundays so unless you can meet with her on Friday when you get in, your meeting might be pushed to the day before the wedding.

 

 

 

That does seem strange that you guys are having trouble confirming your times.  We also had a civil ceremony with the super popular judge but Marlene gave us a time right off the bat, which was at least 6 months before.  A lot more people must be flocking to Punta Cana to get married now.  Seems strange that they wouldn't get someone else to help perform weddings.

[cocoHolly]

Oh Sunny - could you give me or e-mail ([email protected]) your full name, and the date and time you got married...this way I can use it in my email when I ask why some people know their times but they won't tell me!!!