Thursday, November 06, 2014

Travel Headlines News


AMResorts welcomed the 447-suite Dreams Las Mareas Costa Rico on Monday in the country's Guanacaste region. The all-inclusive property sits 90 minutes from the airport in Liberia and close to two major national parks. It offers eight restaurants, five bars, several pools, kids and teen clubs, and other guest services.

AMResorts also opened the 35-suite Zoetry Villa Rolandi Isla Mujeres Cancun this past weekend. The former Villa Rolandi property offers a Thalasso spa with a natural saltwater pool, a private marina, and other features.

The famed 44-suite Malliouhana luxury resort in Anguilla is now open again, after being closed for three years for a complete overhaul. It's now an Auberge Resorts property. (In other news, the island's Cap Juluca resort re-opened last weekend for the winter season after repairing slight damage from a recent tropical storm, and the resort says there was no erosion on the nearby beach.)

The airport in Punta Cana (D.R.) opened Terminal B (its second terminal) this past weekend. The new facility features 50 check-in counters, a food court, a Champagne bar, a designated smoking area, and other services.

The owners of the 98-room Capella Pedregal in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, took over the property Monday, expelling the Capella Hotel Group managers on site. The property has been closed to fix damage from Hurricane Odile in mid-September. It's been renamed the Resort at Pedregal, but Capella Hotel Group plans to mount a legal fight to regain control of the hotel.

Princess Cruises christened the 3,560-passenger ship "Regal Princess" in a ceremony that featured the six original cast members of the TV show "Love Boat" as the vessel's godparents and a record-breaking 51 Champagne bottles being smashed against its hull for good luck (50 bottles for the line's 50th anniversary, plus one more for the future).

Carnival Corp. says it will introduce a new long-range broadband wireless Internet network on all of the ships across its nine brands that's 10 times faster than the current system. The rollout should be done by the end of 2016.

The Linq Hotel & Casino opened last week in Las Vegas. Formerly the Quad Resort & Casino, the property underwent a complete overhaul to appeal to "the under 40 crowd."

Signature Vacations reintroduced its Los Cabos packages from nine Canadian gateways, as more hotels there have reopened and repaired recent hurricane damage.

For more information, please contact your honeymoon and destination wedding specialists at www.romanticplanet.ca 


Monday, November 03, 2014

Dreams Las Mareas Costa Rica Debutes

On November 1st, first guests Maximo Rodriguez and Yaniriam Campos joined in celebrating the resort's official opening.

Located on the beautiful Playa El Jobo, Dreams Las Mareas Costa Rica is set on a shimmering white sand beach amidst a lush, tropical jungle. Built to achieve the highly coveted LEED certification, this 447-suite eco-friendly resort features a contemporary design, inviting couples and couples with children to enjoy all the benefits of the brand’s Unlimited-Luxury® experience, including: elegant suites featuring 24-hour room service, daily refreshed mini-bars and Jacuzzi tubs in every room; 24-hour concierge services; eight gourmet restaurants, with five á la carte dining options, a buffet, a grill and a café; five bars and lounges serving international fare and top-shelf spirits; complete day and evening activities program and adventures for every age and interest; and access to the Explorer’s Club for kids with supervised fun and a Core Zone Teens Club with activities and social events.

Resort amenities also include the largest pool (44,000 sq. ft.) in the Guanacaste resort region, “La Cascada” water slide, kids pool and steaming whirlpool; non-motorized water sports; a state-of-the-art fitness center; and a daily activities center. The Dreams Spa by Pevonia offers a sublime atmosphere offering 10 therapy cabins for a variety of treatments, and a hydrotherapy circuit. The resort boasts a beautiful wedding gazebo and numerous reception spaces, making this an idyllic resort for destination weddings.
 
In addition, Dreams Las Mareas offers Unlimited Connectivity which allows guests free app-to-app calling, access to event/activity schedules, local destination information, and the ability to create a user profile to schedule spa treatments, excursions and directly contact resort staff.

Dreams Las Mareas is located on the northern coast of Guanacaste, approximately 1.5 hours from Liberia International Airport. This sanctuary for couples, families and singles is close to both Guanacaste and Santa Rosa National Parks, offering guests access to a variety of outdoor and nature activities that Costa Rica is known for.

As a part of AMResorts’ commitment to maintaining sustainability, Dreams Las Mareas was built to achieve the highly coveted LEED certification. The resort is being built with recycled resources, and upon opening ecological practices such as water and light-saving techniques will be utilized on a daily basis. The LEED organization will evaluate the resort six months after opening.

For your honeymoon or destination wedding quote, please contact the experts at Romantic Planet Vacations;  1-866-247-8123 or inquiries@romanticplanet.ca

Sunday, October 26, 2014

Why Use A Travel Agent

Why Use a Travel Agent?

It’s a really good and valid question, and to be honest, sometimes the answer might actually be that you don’t need one! But we’ll come back to that.

Most travel agents now prefer the title travel consultant or similar. Why? It has a lot to do with the advantages they offer today. Still, with all the websites, deal finders, mobile travel apps, and online services, a lot of people ask: why use a travel consultant?

It’s not hard to do it yourself. It might even be fun! Or, it could turn into a huge disaster. Below are a few points to consider before clicking the BUY button or tapping yourself into a nonrefundable corner.

1. Experience. Think about what you do for a living. For nearly every profession, you can find a website, video, or app that gives potential customers a way to do it themselves. With a little help from the Internet you can fix your car, build cabinets, replace plumbing, write wills, draft contracts, cut hair, make clothes, buy shoes, do accounting, buy stock, cook, bake, and let’s not forget edit videos and touch-up photos.

Finding instructions or tools is not the problem. Doing it RIGHT is the issue. If you put the wrong screw in the wall, it’s no big deal. If you put your family in the wrong resort, it’s a much bigger deal. It becomes even bigger if something goes wrong.

Most people deal with planning a vacation once or twice a year. Travel consultants deal with it all day, every day and many have been doing it for years. Their livelihood fully depends on using their knowledge and experience to craft a vacation you’ll love so much that you’ll keep coming back for more.

Websites and apps with advertising-driven, biased offerings are counting on your own lack of experience to push you to options that will earn them the most profit. Your satisfaction is not part of the display algorithm.

2. Real Deals. Have you ever wondered why some cruises, resorts, or hotels seem to have cheaper deals on some websites? There’s always a reason. Sometimes, it’s a good reason. Sometimes, it’s a very bad reason that you won’t know about until you arrive and it’s too late. There’s always a reason, and a great price is not always a good deal.

For example, every hotel has “undesirable” rooms they have trouble filling. Smaller rooms in noisy areas, rooms that haven’t been renovated lately, or those that overlook the dumpsters are always cheaper than nice ones in quiet areas with good views.

Websites are perfect for liquidating those rooms at bargain rates. Unfortunately, these so-called deals rarely mention things like smelly carpet or noise. It’s also no coincidence that many require full payment upon booking and are nonrefundable.

Even the most beautiful cruise ship has cabins they have trouble selling. The ones directly under the dance floor of the all-night disco, or the ones near the anchor chain that bangs against the side of the ship are just two examples. There are plenty of hard-to-sell cabins that are perfect for online deals.

To be fair, sometimes you can get lucky online! Sometimes the deals are real and worth the risk. Sometimes.

Travel consultants know the legitimate deals from the come-ons. They’ve been trained to uncover the reason behind the bargain. They understand travel lingo, know what to look for and most importantly: they know what to avoid.

3. Transparency. With websites and apps, you may not know what you’ll actually be paying! Many hotels add nightly “resort fees” of $25 to $50 on top of the discounted rate apps and websites display. Of course, you won’t know about them until you check out. Even rental cars can end up costing double the online rate once extra charges like airport fees, taxes, surcharges and such have been added.

Travel consultants know these little details. They make sure you are never unpleasantly surprised. You’ll always know exactly what you’ll be paying and what you’ll get for it.

4. Options. When you buy a cruise or vacation package online, you’ll almost always be required to pay for the entire trip up-front. Did you know that travel consultants offer another option? Usually they can hold the space for you for a small deposit of around $150 to $200. Final payment is not due until between 30 to 60 days prior to departure. In many cases, you can change your plans or cancel entirely prior to final payment!

In addition to the payment options, travel consultants can research and suggest alternatives to what you may have requested. While “Resort A” may be wonderful, its website will never tell you that “Resort B” has a nicer beach or better rates, or that that its own casino is closed for loud and dusty renovations.

5. Advice and Connections. Travel consultants offer something you’ll never find online or in an app: professional advice. Online, every resort or cruise is made to look beautiful and appealing. But, it’s no bargain if you end up regretting the trip. The main reason to use a travel consultant is to make sure you never waste a penny on a vacation you won’t truly enjoy.

There’s one more thing you’ll only get from a travel consultant: relationships. They have real one-to-one personal relationships with travel suppliers that can fix things should something happen to go wrong.

If a travel app messes up your reservations, you’re on your own. But with a travel consultant – you’ll have an advocate on your side with connections. In other words: a human who cares. To the machines, you’re nothing but their data.

Also, you might have heard that some travel consultants charge fees for their professional service. Like other skilled advisors, the best often do. But fees don’t mean you’ll always pay more. In fact, they’re likely to save you more than you ever imagined.

When You Don’t Need a Travel Consultant

It’s true. Sometimes you might not need a travel consultant. If you’re willing to take some risks, and not be concerned if something goes wrong, you might get lucky with the apps and websites. Many people do. Travel consultants just prefer not to gamble.

by Nolan Burris, Chief Visioneer, Future Proof Travel Solutions

Sunday, September 07, 2014

Transat offers The Distinctive Collection

Romantic Planet Vacations and Transat Holidays is proud to offer the Distinction Collection, an outstanding line of renowned resorts providing even more inclusions, so you can escape the ordinary and enjoy the honeymoon, vacation or destination wedding that you've ever dreamed of.

Located on the finest beaches in Cuba, Mexico, the Dominican Republic and Jamaica, these resorts welcome guests with a refreshing cocktail and a cold towel as soon as they get to the hotel, as well as a bottle of wine, rum or tequila in the room for an earlier start to their vacation celebration. Accommodations are equipped with a mini-bar restocked daily with water, soft drinks and more, as well as a complimentary safe and beach towels, bathrobes and slippers. Roundtrip transfers between the airport and the resort, golf or spa discounts, the services of concierge, unlimited select international drinks, additional a la carte dinners at a selection of gourmet restaurants, turn down service & nightly entertainment.

Experience all this and more when staying at the following resorts:

• Bahia Principe Royal Golden Ocean Sapphire Club
• Iberostar Star Class Palace Crystal Club
• Marival Grand Section Palladium Imperial Club
• Melia Elegance Club Paradisus Emerald Club
• Occidental Preference Club Sirenis Le Mirage

If you book your stay with any of these resorts through Romantic Planet Vacations by September 30, 2014, you will also receive these additional benefits:

• Complimentary Option Plus
• $100 per person deposit
• A travel voucher of $50 per person for your next vacation

Contact your Certified Specialist today!

Inquiries@romanticplanet.ca or

1-866-247-8123
Romantic Planet Vacations

Saturday, June 28, 2014

The Destination Wedding Planning Process #Infographic

Friday, June 27, 2014

New and Noteworthy in the world of #Destinationwedding and #Honeymoons

Sugar Bay Resort & Spa, St. Thomas
AMResorts will take over the 294-room Sugar Bay Resort & Spa in St. Thomas next Tuesday, rebranding it as the Dreams Sugar Bay St. Thomas Resort & Spa in November after several months of renovations that will include guestroom upgrades.


Riu Hotels & Resorts unveiled new menu options at its themed restaurants at the Riu Palace locations in Cabo San Lucas, Cancun, Playa del Carmen, the Riviera Maya, and the Riviera Nayarit. The changes include almost 100 new dishes, giving guests six main course choices (up from four).

The One&Only Hayman Island private island resort in Australia's Great Barrier Reef region will open after a huge makeover, including a redesigned "pool wing" that's now all suite.

Air Canada Vacations will roll out new nonstop flights on January 1st, 2015 between Montreal and Curacao, with introductory package prices on the route when you book by July 31, 2014.

The Jewel Runaway Bay Beach & Golf Resort in Jamaica will add a beachfront water park in December with water slides, raft rides, a "lazy river," a dining plaza with a bar, and other amenities.

The 1,600-room SLS Las Vegas Hotel & Casino will open ahead of schedule (Aug 23) rather than Labor Day). It will be the first brand-new Strip resort to open in almost five years.

The 124-room Capella Marigot Bay Resort and Marina in St. Lucia will re-open officially on August 15th, (after a "soft opening" next month) with new suites, restaurants, health and wellness facilities, a cigar bar, and a "rum cave." (It's the former Discovery at Marigot Bay property.)

Investors announced plans to resurrect the Moulin Rouge Casino and Resort in Las Vegas on a 15-acre site in the city's downtown district. The former Moulin Rouge property was known for being one of America's first racially integrated casinos.

Azul Fives Resort, Mayan Riviera
Transat Holidays rolled out a groups promotion at the Azul Fives Hotels in Mexico's Riviera Maya region, with $300 discounts per couple and lower minimum deposits ($100, not $250), plus agent benefits, when you book by June 30th for travel Nov 1 - April 30, 2015. (Starting Nov 1st, Azul Fives will only be bookable in Canada through Transat Holidays.)

Air Transat began its new Prague packages this week, with Tuesday flights from both Montreal and Toronto set to run through Oct 7th.

For more information and to request your free Destination Wedding or Honeymoon Quote, please contact the experts at Romantic Planet Vacations www.romanticplanet.ca 1-866-247-8123 or inquiries@romanticplanet.ca







Friday, June 20, 2014

Moon Palace to open in Jamaica

Palace Resorts acquires Sunset Jamaica Grande

By Gay Nagle Myers, Travel Weekly

Palace Resorts will assume ownership of the 730-room Sunset Jamaica Grande in Ocho Rios, Jamaica, on July 7, and will close it on Sept. 1 for renovations.

The resort will reopen as the Moon Palace Jamaica Grande in early 2015.

"When we designed our strategic five-year growth plan, we listed several destinations as priorities, and Jamaica was at the top of that list," said Gibran Chapur, executive vice president for Palace Resorts.

"We believe Jamaica is the most important tourism destination in the Caribbean, and we found the Sunset Jamaica Grande to be the perfect opportunity for us to enter this market."

Palace Resorts currently owns and operates seven properties in Mexico, including the Moon Palace Golf & Spa Resort, Cancun.

Sunset Resorts has three other properties in Jamaica: two in Montego Bay and one in Negril.

Friday, June 13, 2014

Forever Starts in Barbados: How to score free travel and a wedding for bride-to-be

Canadian brides fly, stay and wed for free in Barbados!

In the competitive market of destination weddings, the Barbados Tourism Authority has just come up with the cleverest promotion to bring more brides to Barbados - by offering them free trips!

Photo provided by The Barbados Tourism Authority
For the first fifty brides from Canada who book and register their group to Barbados with Romantic Planet Vacations from now until May next year for travel Sept 1, 2014 to December 15, 2015, they will receive complimentary airfare (valued up to CAD$1000), complimentary accommodations at select hotels in Barbados, and a complimentary wedding package. Now that's a bargain!

Flights are available with Air Canada or Westjet to Barbados from most cities across Canada with a connection in Toronto. Most people buy a full travel package to include accommodations, airport transfers and airfare, all of which can be arranged with group travel and destination wedding specialists, Romantic Planet Vacations. 

Romantic Planet Vacations has been serving destination wedding brides and grooms and their wedding groups since 2004 and will be celebrating their tenth anniversary this November. All of their agents are certified Honeymoon and Destination Wedding Specialists and all have been trained in the Barbado's Tourism Authority's 'Barbados Elite Club' making them exclusive leaders in travel experiences to Barbados.

As long as the wedding group books a minimum of ten rooms for four nights, the bride qualifies for all of the benefits. The participating hotels are;

Photo provided by the Barbados Tourism Authority
1.    Sugar Cane Club
2.    The Crane Residential Resort
3.    Turtle Beach Resort
4.    Crystal Cove
5.    Tamarind
6.    Colony Club
7.    The House
8.    Bougainvillea Beach Resort
9.    Island Inn
10.  Mango Bay
11.  Accra Beach Hotel & Spa
12.  Ocean Two Resort and Residences
13.  Sea Breeze
14.  South Gap
15.  Little Arches


And if that's not enough, the participating hotels are throwing in a free wedding! This includes;

o Officiant’s Fees/ Minister’s Fees
o Transport to Registry Office to obtain marriage license
o Bottle of Sparkling Wine for Ceremony
o Wedding Cake
o Decorated wedding area/arch
o Bridal bouquet
o Groom boutonniere
o Recorded Music


To obtain your free discounted group quote today to Barbados, please contact the specialists at Romantic Planet Vacations at 1-866-247-8123 or inquiries@romanticplanet.ca and they'll be happy to get you on your way. All you need is the groom! 

For more information, please visit;
http://www.romanticplanet.ca/BarbadosForever.html 

Monday, May 26, 2014

Honeymoon like Kim Kardashian and Kayne West



So you may not have the same honeymoon budget as Kim Kardashian and Kayne West do but it doesn't mean you can't still travel like them.

After exchanging their vows in an over-the-top ceremony at Florence's 16th-century Forte di Belvedere, Italy on Saturday, May 24, the newlywed couple Kim Kardashian and Kayne West, headed off to Castlemartyr Resort in the Cork woodlands of Ireland to enjoy their five-day honeymoon.


The 103 bedrooms and suites at The Castlemartyr 5-star Resort boasts lavish views of ornate gardens, parklands and lakes. The property has a 10-room treatment spa, a fitness studio, a Ron Kirby designed golf course, four restaurants, and 800-year-old castle ruins. The 18th century classic manor was originally built by the Knights Templar under Richard Earl De Clare, also known as Strongbow. 

Even though the famous Kardashian and West couple may have forked out upwards of US$67,000 a night to stay in the luxurious Presidential Suite, you can still have the same experience at the same resort a fraction of the price. Romantic Planet Vacations, specialists in destination weddings and honeymoons, is offering the standard double deluxe room for 4 nights from only around US$900 in total. Or upgrade from there and live like a lord and lady of the manor in one of the four exclusive suit residences located in the heart of the manor from only around US$2500 for 4 nights in the Grand Suite category. 

The resort is nestled in 220 acres of parklands and nature with an abundance of wildlife and gardens. You can take a walk with "Earl" and "Countess", Irish Setter dogs and residents of Castlemartyr Resort. You can also hire a car and drive through the nearny city of Cork and the countryside to visit the many ancient and historic sites that Ireland has to offer. Perhaps you want to impress your new wife or husband with your archery and laser clay pigeon shooting skills or go for a bike ride, horseback ride or carriage ride throughout the grounds. In evening, hang out at the Knight Bar, the center of activity at the resort. 

Regardless of what you do or don't do at Castlemartyr Resort, Romantic Planet Vacations has made it easy to honeymoon like the Kardashians......in style.

For more information on this or other unique and romantic honeymoon options to Ireland and Europe, please contact Romantic Planet Vacations at 1-866-247-8124 or inquiries@romanticplanet.ca

By: Laurie Keith
Romantic Planet Vacations

www.romanticplanet.ca

@KimKardashian @kanyewest @TourismIreland @romanticplanet @CastlemartyrRes #kimye #kimyewedding #kimyehoneymoon

Monday, May 12, 2014

News from Mayan Riviera and Cancun

The 144-suite Generations Riviera Maya held its official grand opening this past Monday in Mexico. The resort (sitting near El Dorado Casitas Royale) offers four dining venues, two bars, a kids club, and other guest services.

The Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya held its official grand opening a day earlier in Mexico. The 1,264-room resort boasts nine restaurants, eight bars and lounges, kids and teen clubs, a Rock Spa facility, and other amenities.

AMResorts will rebrand the existing Grand Oasis Viva resort in Mexico as the 441-room Dreams Sands Cancun Resort & Spa in September. The property will offer eight restaurants, six bars, a kids club, two pools, a Dreams Spa, and other amenities.

On Nov. 8, Cirque du Soleil will open a new year-round show in the 600-seat Vidanta Theater in Mexico's Riviera Maya region (near the Grand Mayan resort). The 70-minute show will run eight times each week.

Excellence Group Luxury Hotels & Resorts (which operates the Excellent and Beloved Hotels brands) announced a new brand called Finest Resorts. The first property will be the 450-suite Finest Playa Mujeres opening next April near Cancun. The Finest brand will be an all-inclusive mix between the adults-only Excellence and the spa-focused Beloved - open to all ages but with 20 percent of the suites reserved for couples.

Contact www.romanticplanet.ca for your expert travel advice on your upcoming honeymoon or destination wedding.

Thursday, May 08, 2014

Self-Guided Europe River Cruise Experience Perfect for Young (or young at heart) Travelers

So here's the scoop. You love the idea of cruising and bus tours but cringe at the thought of being stuck aboard a ship or bus full of blue hairs and fighting over bingo dabbers. You want to explore Europe but let's face it, you don't have the time, nor desire, to backpack it. You want the best of both worlds - an organized trip where you won't miss out on any of the great wonders, but you also want the freedom to anchor for a few more days at a place you love.

Like Lewis and Clark, Alexander Mackenzie, and Jacques Cartier, we know that some of the best routes to explore worldwide are by river, hence the massive and growing popularity of river cruising now in Europe. This is certainly a viable option for you, except, their big river cruise-lines have a strict itinerary to adhere to. What do you think Cartier would have done if his ship was set to go North, instead of West to discover the St. Lawrence River. On your big ship river cruise, there will be no stopping at Marmande, a little village in France 
for the Wine and Cheese Festival. Nope, you can't stop at that little cafe overlooking the square to watch the sunset because the ship is leaving at 5:00 PM and no way can they navigate narrow channels to get you to that hidden medieval castle. Oh, and heaven for bid if you want to stay up past 10:00 PM to enjoy some music and look at the stars on top deck while the other cruising patrons are already fast asleep.

So what is the young explorer in you to do? The answer, gather up your friends or family and rent your own river boat! 


The newest, and most exciting travel product now available to Canadians is hiring a little barge, yacht, house-boat, fishing boat - whatever you name it, and be your own captain, your own Alexander Mackenzie! Included in the hire, you will receive hands-on instructions to how to run the equipment, maps and suggested itineraries so you can go and explore the rivers and canals of France, Germany, Holland, Italy, Ireland, and/or Poland entirely on your own. There are even circuits that are recommended for nature, gastronomy, swimming, heritage and cultural/urban. Fishing from your boat is no problem for those fishing enthusiasts, or for those who want to catch and cook their own dinner. Another great feature is that you can also rent bikes for the duration of your stay and store them on-board. Then when you port, you can further explore the country-side, town or city. It's like bringing your own home with you wherever you go!

Destination Wedding Planner, Laurie Keith, of Romantic Planet Vacations, had her wedding in Mexico last year and hasn't yet planned her own honeymoon. For a well-traveled couple who's been-there-done-that, renting their own river boat in Europe this summer is now their top choice.

The cost of renting your very own river boat depends greatly on the size of the boat itself, where, and the duration of stay but most are less expensive than European hotel stays and definitely less than the large river cruise-lines. A small river boat for two people for 7 days from Burgundy to Loire for example, is only about CAD$600 per person in September!

Please contact Romantic Planet Vacations at inquiries@romanticplanet.ca or 1-866-247-8123 www.romanticplanet.ca for more information.



Monday, May 05, 2014

The Haven: Norwegian Freestyle Cruising Like You've Never Cruised Before





If you thought that cruiselines have already outdone themselves, you haven't seen anything yet. Introducing The Haven, by Norwegian Cruiselines. 

Hidden away at the top of the ship is an exclusive enclave with our most luxurious, well-appointed and spacious accommodations. Not only will you have access to all the ship has to offer, you’ll enjoy the personal service of a 24-hour butler and concierge throughout your entire stay. On top of that, complete privacy and tranquility are just steps away on a private sundeck reserved exclusively for guests of The Haven. It’s like having your own ship within a ship, all of which makes for a vacation you’ll never forget. 


Available exclusively on Norwegian Breakaway, Norwegian Epic, Norwegian Jewel, Norwegian Gem, Norwegian Jade and Norwegian Pearl, Norwegian Getaway and Norwegian Escape (coming in 2015).

The average cost of The Haven luxurious cabin is about $1000 per night.

Contact Romantic Planet Vacations, your travel specialists in romantic luxurious escapes at 1-866-247-8123, inquiries@romanticplanet.ca or visit their Luxury Travel Collection web-site at http://www.romanticplanet.ca/luxurytravel/ for more details.  



Thursday, May 01, 2014

The Pros and Cons of a No-kid Destination Wedding

As with any parent, we should know that you cannot stand in between them and their children, unless you want a raging mamma-bear attack you. So why do brides try?

As destination wedding specialists, Romantic Planet Vacations gets approached by about five to ten destination weddings brides and grooms a year who want to put the ban on having kids attend their destination weddings, which means, if you want to bring your kids, you're simply not invited.

There is certainly an appeal of having your destination wedding at a luxurious adult-only 5-star resort on the tropical beaches of paradise, minus the screams and cries of little minions running around. These resort properties, such as El Dorado Resorts, Secrets Resorts, Excellence Resorts, Couples Resorts and Sandals Resorts cater to such a market. The restaurants have mature and gourmet menus and no high-chairs, the pools are peaceful and calm with no prospects of unexpected pool splashes in your margarita, and the beaches are relaxing and clean from the clutter of little beach toys. The rooms are romantic, emphasizing king-sized beds, open shower plans, and unobstructed view balconies. There are no kids clubs and no kids pools. Everything is for the enjoyment of adults....only. 

But what do you do if you have one wedding guest who has a child and must bring them? Do you change your destination wedding plans just for that one person or surely the resort will make an exception so to get your big destination wedding group business. Or will they?

There was a situation recently that the bride and groom were getting married a second time around. It was going to be a small wedding and they preferred to get married at a Sandals adult-only resort in St. Lucia. In this particular case, the bride had a 17 year old daughter and the rest of the ten passengers were adults. The team at Romantic Planet Vacations contacted the General Manager at the Sandals property, the sales rep for Sandals, their boss and their boss's boss, and all said there was NO exception on their adult-only rule. The group ended up having to book at a 4 star family-friendly resort in St. Lucia instead and although the wedding was incredible, the bride returned feeling a little unfulfilled. And this is the case with most, if not all, adult-only resorts. If they make one exception, they have to make more and then they will lose the whole concept of the adult-only theme in the first place, so in most cases, they do not, even if it means turning away a whole wedding group. 

What about the option of having those guests with kids stay off-property at another resort? In this case, the adults can come to your resort for the wedding itself, at approximately US$100 per person day-pass rate, but the children must stay away. Knowing today's moms, they don't like the idea of leaving their children alone, even at a supervised kids club, let alone in a foreign country at a foreign resort while their celebrating elsewhere. In most cases, it just doesn't happen. 

However, when you work with a destination wedding travel specialist like Romantic Planet Vacations, they take great pride in being able to utilize their expertise, knowledge, training and experience from over the last nine years of serving destination weddings, to find the right solution to meet your needs and that of your wedding guests. 

Take the case of Natasha and Will, married in Jamaica in February 2013. The bride had been dreaming of an adult-only resort for their destination wedding years before even getting engaged. Under all circumstances, it absolutely had to be a luxury adult only resort for their destination wedding. It was their first and only wedding so it was going to be done right. All plans were in place, engagement ring on the finger, and all guests onboard and excited. Then, her only brother had a child. Although thrilled to have a brand new nephew, she was in turmoil on what to do with her wedding plans as her brother's presence was a must. As a solution, Romantic Planet Vacations found the perfect resort to cater to their needs. The Iberostar Rosehall complex, near Montego Bay, consists of a 5-star adult-only section (The Grand), a 4.5
star family friendly section (The Suites) and a 4 star budget-conscious family-friendly section (The Beach). Although the family-friendly section guests could not enter the adult-only section, the guests from the adult-only section could visit the family-friendly sections, and hence, could also enjoy their vacation with her brother, wife and new nephew. Natasha's brother and wife got to attend the wedding in the adult-only section with the day-pass, while leaving their infant with the resort's babysitter for a couple of hours. The resort even provided them a beeper for that peace of mind and they were literally a 5 minute walk from their child. The bride got her wish of the dream wedding and stay at an adult-only property. Her brother attended the wedding. They visited with their family and friends throughout the resort complex and had a great time. Tragedy was averted.

But what if you want zero, none, zilch, no kids, at all, anywhere near your wedding or resort? What if you want adult fun with your friends and family without having them run off to spend time with their kids? You can certainly find a diplomatic way of advising "adults only" on your wedding invitation, but know that you do risk that these parent-guests will not attend at all. Without getting upset that they can't go, the best advice is to just walk around the bear and her cubs, to avoid an all-out fight. Let the parent-guests know that you do love their cute little cubs but this is your dream from when you were a child and emphasize that you understand fully if they can't make it. 

If you do have parent-guests that are able to make the trip as they have awesome babysitter grandparents at home, but they can't attend for the whole week, there is certainly the option to travel for a shorter duration. Your travel destination wedding specialists can find the airline and package that will cater to this need. At least in this case, they get a break too.

If you need a solution for the best resort to cater to your destination wedding needs, with or without kids, please feel free to contact Romantic Planet Vacations, specialists in destination weddings since 2004. They can be contacted at inquiries@romanticplanet.ca or www.romanticplanet.ca. They offer destination wedding packages to worldwide locales but cater to the all-inclusive places of Mexico, Jamaica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, St. Lucia, Bahamas, Antigua, Aruba, Barbados, Costa Rica, and Panama.






Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Sirenis Cocotal Beach Resort, Punta Cana JUNE SAVINGS!



Air Canada Vacations is pleased to now offer the Sirenis Cocotal Beach Resort Casino & Aquagames in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic!
 
Check out AMAZING all inclusive pricing for June departures from Toronto ..... only $439 per person + taxes (June 5, 6, 12, 13, 19), $868 per person incl. taxes from YUL (Jun 2, 9 & 16).
 
With 4.3 ratings out of 5 on tripadvisor, this fun-packed 4 star property is ideal for families as this offer includes FREE unlimited access to the Waterpark complete with multiple water slides, an on site casino, 10 restaurants & 9 bars AND the 1st child stays, plays and eats for FREE! 

The unique water park covers an area of 12.000 square metres and has the following services and features:
  •  Swimming pool in the central area of the park
  •  Restaurant area - grill, hamburgers and pizza
  •  10 metre high tower with 2 water tubes, 2 open toboggans, kamikaze and free fall twister
  •  aquaracer: 4 lane speed slides
  •  Themed Caribbean Pirates children’s area for 4-11yr olds with 10 children’s water slides and 4 splash barrels   
  •  Children’s area for 4-11 yr olds with water jets and sprinklers
  •  Children’s swimming pool for 2-4 yr olds with animal statues and water sprinkler
  •  Nursery

What about getting you and your friends and families to go? You just need a minimum of 10 passengers and you qualify for discounted group rates and possible free travel! 

Contact Romantic Planet Vacations for more details at inquiries@romanticplanet.ca or www.romanticplanet.ca

Wednesday, April 02, 2014

Sunwing Releases New and Exciting Flights from Western Canada

UPDATED! New Routes from Western Canada for Winter 2014/15
We have Grand Bahamas, Punta Cana and Liberia, Costa Rica added! 

For next year's winter season 2014/2015, Sunwing/Signature Vacations has just announced some exciting flight additions to it's family of chartered flights from Western Canada.

Punta Cana will now be offered from Vancouver, Calgary and Edmonton. With the Dominican Republic being a top destination for honeymooners and wedding groups, these new flights are a warm welcome to the industry. All flights depart and return on Mondays, which is perfect for those wedding guests from across Western Canada who want to travel on the same day. These flights start December 22nd, 2014 and end April 6th, 2015.

In Punta Cana there is an abundance of unique product, anchored by the Royalton Punta Cana and Memories Splash, both resorts getting great reviews and feedback, not to mention the Riu properties (including Adults Only) and the very popular Hard Rock Punta Cana Resort.

If you are looking for something more unique for your romantic getaway, we are totally excited to announce that Grand Bahamas Island will now be offered from Calgary starting Saturday November 15th, 2014! Here, the best resort options would be the Grand Lucaya Resort, which is a 4.5 star property offering EP and all-inclusive options. The discounted group rate for the inaugural flight including roundtrip airfare, transfers and 7-nights all-inclusive accommodations is $1748 + $230 tax per person! However, the Memories Grand Bahamas Beach and Casino Resort, also rated 4.5 star, is packaged at a stellar packaged group rate of only $1458 + $230 tax per person! These rates include a Fuel Promotion of $160 discount per person, that is offered by Sunwing/Signature Vacations but expires on April 8th, 2014. 

Grand Lucayan Resort, Grand Bahamas


For those traveling from Edmonton, you will be delighted to hear that you now have the option to travel to Costa Rica! These flights will operate on Sundays and our top favorites here are the RIU Guanacaste Resort and the new RIU Palace Costa Rica Resort. Both are located side by side on the most beautiful stretch of sandy beach. For those who want the newest flight and newest resort possible, why not consider the brand new 5-star Dreams Las Mareas Resort, the newest addition to the Dreams Resorts chain and coming to Costa Rica on November 1st, 2014!

The added value to these Sunwing flights are a welcome glass of free champagne for everyone on-board with a hot meal, leather seating, in-flight first run movies, and complimentary bride/groom upgrade to Elite Plus and access to the Plaza Premium Lounge when 10 passengers are traveling together to name a few.

For more information and to obtain a quote for your honeymoon, destination wedding or romantic getaway, please contact Romantic Planet Vacations at 1-866-247-8123 or inquiries@romanticplanet.ca

Friday, March 28, 2014

Look at the Maldives for the most affordable Over-water Bungalow Travel Option

Romantic Planet Vacations is pleased to present one of the lowest priced ALL-INCLUSIVE over-water bungalow packages from Toronto that is available in the world - the awe-inspiring Maldives!

The Maldives are located Southwest of Sri Lanka and about a 18.5 hour flight from Toronto, with a stopover somewhere in Europe or Dubai, depending on the airline. 

The country is made up of 26 major atolls. A small number of these atolls are inhabited and many are the ideal setting for exclusive island-resorts with over-water bungalows, not often found anywhere else in the world. This tropical oasis of white sandy beaches and swaying palm trees offer perfect shallow lagoons and coral reefs that are most ideal for snorkeling and the resorts themselves have an aura of romance seclusion and privacy, making them a perfect setting for a honeymoon or romantic getaway.

The Maldivians reply on fishing and tourism for their income. The are descended from an ethnic mix of Aryan, Negroid, Sinhalese, Dravidian, Arab, Portuguese and British cultures. After being under Muslim rule in the 12th century, control passed hands to Portugal then to Britain, and finally gained their independence in 1965. The majority of the people today are Sunni Muslims.  

The French Polynesia and the famous island of Bora Bora in the South Pacific, also offers over-water bungalow style accommodations. Bora Bora is only about a 13 hour flight from Toronto, with a stopover in Los Angeles. With Bora Bora however, the package costs can be considerably higher than the Maldives, reaching upwards of $1600 per night for an over-water bungalow. Although two entirely different cultures and destinations, you still can find a gorgeous tropical paradise at both. 

Aside from the cost, the biggest difference between the contenders of Bora Bora and the Maldives, is that most of the resorts in the Maldives offer an all-inclusive package to include meals and drinks, Bora Bora however, does not.

Romantic Planet Vacations has been specializing in honeymoons, destination weddings and romantic holidays worldwide since 2004. They are offering an introductory honeymoon package for 7-nights all-inclusive with airfare from Toronto at only CAD $3,950 per person. Please contact them at www.romanticplanet.ca or 1-866-247-8123 for more information. 

Friday, March 21, 2014

How to Appease your Destination Wedding Dreams but also your Guests' Budgets

What? You Won't Come to My Destination Wedding Because of the Cost?

The most common concern that we hear from destination wedding brides and grooms is that they want and deserve the beautiful 5-star all-inclusive dream luxury getaway but not often are the guests willing to pay for it. In my nine years experience serving destination wedding groups, my best advice for your options are;

SMALL WEDDING BUT DREAM COME TRUE - You can still have the destination wedding of your dreams at the resort and destination of your dreams, but it may be just be for a smaller group who want to be there and can afford it. The reality is not every person you invite will come to your destination wedding no matter how inexpensive it is so sometimes you just have to go with what's right for you. If you can be okay with this, then you're on your way to having your destination wedding dream come true. 

My recommendations if you decide to take this route, is decide on the dream destination, resort and approximate dates and commit to this. Then, let all of your guests know in advance that the approximate travel package rates for air, airport transfers and accommodations for a week are approximately;

Cuba, Mexico, Jamaica and the Dominican Republic (all-inclusive)....... under $2,000
Hawaii, St. Lucia, Antigua, Bahamas, and Barbados (AI or not AI).........under $2,500
Ireland, Scotland, Greece, Italy.........................................................$4,000-$7,000
Fiji, Thailand, Bora Bora...................................................................$5,000-$8,000 

These rates are per person, based on double occupancy. You can do this through Save-the-Dates or even a wedding web-site that provides your guests with enticing photographs and details about the holiday. Both of these tools are provided complimentary by Romantic Planet Vacations, travel specialist in Destination Weddings. For those guests who can make it, that's great news!  But for those who can't, there is no sense of loss on your end and no pressure on their end because you can certainly celebrate with them upon your return.   

In this case, I'd also recommend that you speak to everyone you would like to invite, not just those closest to you. You might be surprised as to actually how many just jump on board once you commit yourselves. Sometimes it just that one or two guests who complain about the costs but are making the most influence on your wedding decisions, but they shouldn't. This is ultimately your wedding, not theirs. With this decision, you will see that your parents, closest family member and friends will support and follow you with whatever destination, date or resort that you pick you, no matter where, when, or how much. They just want to be a part of your special occasion. You'll see. Once you commit, they will follow.

LARGER BUDGET-MINDED WEDDING BUT REQUIRES A CHANGE IN THE CRITERIA - Although most all-inclusive packages are under $2,000, Romantic Planet Vacations has many travel packages that are under $1500 including airfare, transfers and all-inclusive accommodations per person, and in rare cases, some even under $1200 per person. However, these are only possible with limited resort, dates, or destination options. If you would consider traveling in the summer or shoulder seasons like April/May or October/November, you could potentially save $200-$300 per person then traveling in the peak of winter. Also, a mid-week departure may save you and your guests about $50 per person than a weekend departure. Definitely try to avoid holiday travel dates like Christmas and Easter and even long weekends in order to save the most money. And even though you might have your heart set on that 5-star gourmet luxury adult-only all-inclusive resort, you could potentially save this for a second week honeymoon instead and book the wedding resort at a 4-star more affordable property for all. You can even upgrade to that oceanview or oceanfront room category to give you that 5-star feel. By changing only a half or one star in your criteria, you can save about $300-$500 per person. You'd still get the amazing beach, all the food/drinks you can imagine with the all-inclusive feature, great resort facilities with restaurants, bars, pools and more, clean, comfortable rooms and an incredible wedding in the most picturesque setting. 

Romantic Planet Vacations regularly posts many discounted group rates online at http://www.romanticplanet.ca/destinationweddingdeals.html. Here you can compare the rates with different dates, destinations and resorts to try and find the most suitable for your needs and that of your over-all group. 

When booking with a more budget-conscious package and more than a year in advance, the wedding groups statistically tends to be larger so if it is more important to you to have as many people attend, then you will need to be flexible and open your mind to other possible dream options.

SUPPLEMENT THE COSTS OR SHARE THE CREDITS - If however, you don't want to compromise on the resort, date or destinations but want as many people there as possible, there are still options to achieve both. One idea is that you can share your complimentary passenger credit with any or all of your guests. For example, if the package before tax was $1800 and the 11th adult was free, that's another $180 off x 10 adults! The complimentary passenger credit, if applicable, is provided to the bride and groom once everyone in the group reservation has paid in full. This credit and credit amount is always quoted prior to booking so will always have an idea of how much you will be receiving and thus, how much you are willing to share with your guests.

Alternatively, I've seen destination wedding brides and grooms in the past who've wanted the best of both worlds, allocate funds from their wedding budget to help supplement the cost of the trip for their guests. It's also a great idea for those parents who want to financially contribute to your wedding. Sit down and have a talk with them and discuss this option because many times they may want to find a way to contribute but don't really know how. If they, or you, have a contribution budget of $4,500 for example, to be used towards your wedding or trip, that would be another $150 off per person for a group of 30! 

If not for everyone in the group, you also have the option to just apply any supplements or credits of any value to anyone. This works best for those one of two guests who, as we discussed above, have a great influence on your wedding and are on such a tight budget. This can often be seen mostly with those in the wedding party for example. You want your best friend to be there at your side but perhaps she or he is still in school and struggling with the costs. Offering them $500 from your free passenger credits for being in your wedding party may be just the help they needed to make the decision to go. Now everyone can move forward to a great trip!

Of these three options, there's definitely a solution that is the best fit for you and your destination wedding. 

For more information on Romantic Planet Vacations, please visit www.romanticplanet.ca or contact our Certified Expert Destination Wedding Agents at 1-866-247-8123.

Laurie Keith
President
Romantic Planet Vacations
*Certified Destination Wedding Specialist
*Past Destination Wedding Bride
*Served almost 1,000 couples over the past 9 years