A few questions about Barcelo' Maya Resorts

[daystarmike]

I have a daughter graduating high school and my wife and I have decided to take her on a trip, with her 15 year old sister to the maya riviera. After reading the posts(specifically Shammy) we are sold on the Barcelo' Maya. I have a few questions.
1. What is the difference in access to the resort ammenities between the Maya Beach, and the Colonial or Tropical?
2. My 15 year old does not qualify as a child, but is not going to be consuming alcohol. Do I need to book the resort directly to get a discounted, non-alcohol plan(do these exist?)?
3. We had penciled in to leave in the first two weeks of June(my daughter graduates June 1) and stay for a week. In pricing the trip through websites(cheapcarribbean, funjet, etc.), last week the cost was around $1000pp. This week the same dates are running around $1200pp. What happened? I am expecting to spend a significant amount of money, but if given the choice between giving the resort an extra $800 or being able to use it on off property stuff, I would choose the later. Do I need to change my dates to leave later? Is it going to get more, or possibly less, expensive if I wait a month?
Thanks in advance for any help.
Mike

[Shammy]

Originally Posted by daystarmike

I have a daughter graduating high school and my wife and I have decided to take her on a trip, with her 15 year old sister to the maya riviera. After reading the posts(specifically Shammy) we are sold on the Barcelo' Maya. I have a few questions.
1. What is the difference in access to the resort ammenities between the Maya Beach, and the Colonial or Tropical?

If you stay on the Beach side, you can not use the air conditioned buffets on the Tropical or Colonial side at all, and you can't use their ala cartes unless you pay a $15/pp upcharge. If you stay 7 nights, you get only 2 ala carte meals per stay. If you stay less than 7 nights, you get only 1. You can use all the pools, either of the theaters, all the bars, and all the beachside/poolside lunch/snack restaurants however.

If you stay on the Tropical/Colonial side, you ave full use of the entire resort - no restrictions. For a 7 night stay, you get 4 ala carte visits, less than 7 nights you get 2.

The rooms are nicer on the Tropical/Colonial side too - in the respect that they're newer and all rooms have a couch that can be used as a twin bed.

Originally Posted by daystarmike

2. My 15 year old does not qualify as a child, but is not going to be consuming alcohol. Do I need to book the resort directly to get a discounted, non-alcohol plan(do these exist?)?

Does not exist. He is an adult no matter where you book the trip (direct, tour operator, etc). There will be no discount just because he drinks no alcohol. There are plenty of adults who don't drink as well, and a 15 year old boy probably eats plenty enough to justify his adult price. I know my 14 year old does!

Originally Posted by daystarmike

We had penciled in to leave in the first two weeks of June(my daughter graduates June 1) and stay for a week. In pricing the trip through websites(cheapcarribbean, funjet, etc.), last week the cost was around $1000pp. This week the same dates are running around $1200pp. What happened? I am expecting to spend a significant amount of money, but if given the choice between giving the resort an extra $800 or being able to use it on off property stuff, I would choose the later. Do I need to change my dates to leave later? Is it going to get more, or possibly less, expensive if I wait a month?

I can't say but if you had airfare included in those price quotes, my guess is the airfare went up. This happens ALL the time - airfare is rarely stable and it can and will change, sometimes more than once per day. The resort probably isn't charging you more money, the airline you're using is. You can try changing your dates because airfares vary from day to day - with weekend departures typically being more expensive that Mon-Wed departures. Don't push the trip ahead too much though because as you go through the month of June, prices will start to go up, and late June, July and August are high season at the AI resorts. Not AS high as winter, but higher than late April, May and early June.

Absolutely no way for me to tell you where the price of your trip is headed in the future. It might go up, it might go down. You need to keep checking over and over and over until you see a price you can live with. On another note - if you take Funjet's insurance, it's also a low price guarantee that if the price of the exact same trip goes down after you book, you are entitled to a refund of the difference. But again- you still have to keep checking, it's not gonna go down automatically.

[ithecactiguy]

My wife and I went with a large group to Barcelo last summer. One couple stayed at Colonial and the rest of us at Beach.
When we heard the tales of them eating in air conditioned restaurants, we were a bit jealous
The resort is fantastic though and there is plenty to do as it is HUGE.

[daystarmike]

I appreciate your input. We have booked the Maya Beach, because it was almost $900 less than the Colonial/Tropical for a group of 4. Interesting how the travel industry works. We have had our TA book through WorryFreeVacations at just over $3600 w/airfare from Dallas. Funjet was $500 more for the same trip, but only $280 to upgrade to the Colonial/Tropical as opposed to the $800 difference through WFV. I think I would have paid the $280 had that been the difference through WFV. We figured we could find a couple of real nice restaraunts for 2 nights, either in town or paying the upgrade fee for the Colonial/Tropical. With an extra $200 pp to spend on these meals, we should be able to eat well.
Thanks again
mike

[DnB]

Originally Posted by ithecactiguy

My wife and I went with a large group to Barcelo last summer. One couple stayed at Colonial and the rest of us at Beach.
When we heard the tales of them eating in air conditioned restaurants, we were a bit jealous
The resort is fantastic though and there is plenty to do as it is HUGE.

Don't let ithecactiguy make you doubt your choice If we had stayed at the Colonial, He wouldn't have had the perfectly located room right next to mine at the end of the building facing the ocean!!!! Of course it wasn't much fun watching him sweat while we were all eating.

I think our entire group would highly recommend this resort for anyone interested. In fact, I've referred it to a friend that will be taking her 18 year old daughter for their graduation trip. (5) moms with their (5) eighteen year old daughters. What dates did you book for?

[daystarmike]

We are arriving on June 8th and will be there 7 nights. We are traveling with some friends who have two boys the same ages as our girls(but it is OK, because I live in Texas and own a gun ), and they went two years ago and stayed at the Xpu-Ha resort. They had a great time and have raised my expectations to a level that is probably unreachable. I have also thought of checking on the upgrade cost when we get there. My HS graduate has expressed a small concern about not going with her friends, but I have told her that it should be a great opportunity to meet people from all over the world(I hope I am being truthful).
My wife is very impressed at the count of moms going with your friends. I keep trying to explain to my daughter that I do not plan on babysitting her, but I want to be available if she needs me. I'll be the one on the beach with the little umbrella drink.

[Bottoms Up]

We'll be there at the same time with two teenagers (17 daughter and 16 son). We'll save a beach chair for ya!

[ithecactiguy]

HAHA, Too Funny DnB!
He is right, it was awesome, sweat and all. Kudo's to our TA in training a.k.a. DnB!