Catalonia Riviera Maya - booking w/ kids?

[lindalou]

Hillari,

I can get two regular rooms for a total of $2256, but only from the Cat website (that's booking as 4 adults, rather than 3 adults and one child, which for whatever reason is more expensive). The price on the cat website for the regular rooms is just so much cheaper than apple, etc.

One suite for 2 adults on the Cat website is $1436, but one suite with 3 adults and one child is $2580, so I guess that I could book two suites ! Their pricing for children is just bizarre, at least at the Cat website. Other than that, the cheapest suite price I have found is $2664 at Apple.

I really appreciate your suggestions!
Linda

[hillari]

Hi,
I remember trying to book directly on their website and we got wierd stuff too.
If you can get two suites, wow, that would be great. I just think the suite would be nice, we like having the drinks and the bottled water. but we have not been to this resort, so i'm just reading what other people say.
as you know, with all this cold yukky weather, mexico is looking good. it is even too cold to enjoy skiing right now. but maybe on the weekend it will warm up.

[TAPPY]

Our good friends who book the Cat the same time we do book 2 regular rooms (they have two teenagers) - but they call the hotel and book directly as they want the rooms to be side by side, and I dont know if you can do that on the website.

[travmagic]

Originally Posted by sleeperbee

Sorry, I didn't know you were a Travel Agent. And I'm positive there are some good ones out there. You sound like you truly aprreciate and care about your customers.

We've just had some "less that desirable" experiences several years back (pre-internet), and subsequently have studied up on things and have become quite adept in putting together our own trips.


- Another agent who was actually offended that we inquired about a "wilder than usual" resort in Jamaica. "Our clientele is rarely interested in such places. I'm positive you'd prefer a cruise." Other questions about alcoholic beverages were treated with the same disdain.

I, too, remember being treated like scum of the earth when I went into a local agency in my town and told them I was on a budget. She actually put her nose up when I requested a property that I new was reasonable.
Now that I am a travel agent, I treat all my clients equally. I understand what it is like to have limited funds to spend on a vacation.
As Shammy said, there are good agents and bad, just like any other profession.

[rcher54]

I too would opt on the suite. You must understand that many rooms have 1 king instead of 2 twins. There really is no order for them holding rooms with twin beds and you might end up with king beds. If you book a suite you will get exactly what is offered. Just my opinion.

[Juanito]

Speaking of Trailer Trash, hey, Sleeperbee: I'm going skiing at Brighton this weekend.

Are pretty much all AI's in the Riviera Maya (2 words which usually inspire a blank stare when you mention them to a Utah travel agent) going to have Rollaway beds?

Or do only certain AI's have rollaway beds?

I did a search, and most of the posts about rollaway beds seem to be from 2005 and earlier.

Can I be sure of being able to order rollaway beds no matter where we end up or should I save room in my luggage for air mattresses?

[Shammy]

Originally Posted by lindalou

Thanks to everyone for your help. I have looked around some more, on the web, called a travel agent, called worryfree vacations, etc. Here are my options (6 nights, 3/31/08 to 4/6/08):

Book on Cat website, 2 regular rooms: $2256 total
Book on Cat website, 1 suite: $2580
Apple vacations, 1 regular room: $2116
WorryFree vacations, 1 regular room: $2293
Travel Agent, 1 regular room: $2415

That TA rate baffles me, where did that come from? Way out of line, fer shame I say! There's that TA good apple/bad apple thing again, someone didn't do much research!

Because curiosity now has the better of me , this is how I see it.......

1 regular room = $1,842 without transfers / $1,978 with transfers
(this is with a company who has transfers as an option - but for the price of their transfers, you could skip including them and go private!)

2 regular rooms = $2,192 without transfers / $2,328 with transfers

1 suite = $2,569

2 suites = $3,070
(the company that offers the lowest price for the suites includes transfers and they can't be taken off)

I don't think it's necessary to consider two suites, they're pretty big and one would have nore than enough room. If it's just for sleeping arrangements, I'd just request a rollaway bed, and let one kid have the sofa bed and the other the roll away, while mom and dad enjoy the king!

[Shammy]

Originally Posted by Juanito

Are pretty much all AI's in the Riviera Maya (2 words which usually inspire a blank stare when you mention them to a Utah travel agent) going to have Rollaway beds?

Or do only certain AI's have rollaway beds?

Not all AI resorts have roll away beds and even when they do offer them, they are on a first come/first serve basis. However, I have never known a client to request a roll away and not get one - they must all have enough?

[Juanito]

Thanks, Shammy!

[sleeperbee]

I gotta add this to the thread...

I e-mailed Shammy a trip/quote request this afternoon and I had an answer within 90 minutes. She was up-front and clear with me on all my trip questions and in a very concise and professional manner concerning all costs involved, including insurance and transfers.

Wow...
I guess my opinion on professional travel agents has changed!!! Excellent service, and this from a fellow sales professional.

Merry Christmas.

S'Bee

[TAPPY]

Originally Posted by sleeperbee

I gotta add this to the thread...

I e-mailed Shammy a trip/quote request this afternoon and I had an answer within 90 minutes. She was up-front and clear with me on all my trip questions and in a very concise and professional manner concerning all costs involved, including insurance and transfers.

Wow...
I guess my opinion on professional travel agents has changed!!! Excellent service, and this from a fellow sales professional.

Merry Christmas.

S'Bee

I have used Shams for all of my trips and she is the best !!!!
(and I dont even have to drive in traffic to go to her office)

[Shammy]

Originally Posted by TAPPY

I have used Shams for all of my trips and she is the best !!!!
(and I dont even have to drive in traffic to go to her office)

But you should some day!

[Shammy]

Originally Posted by sleeperbee

I gotta add this to the thread...

I e-mailed Shammy a trip/quote request this afternoon and I had an answer within 90 minutes. She was up-front and clear with me on all my trip questions and in a very concise and professional manner concerning all costs involved, including insurance and transfers.

Wow...
I guess my opinion on professional travel agents has changed!!! Excellent service, and this from a fellow sales professional.

Merry Christmas.

S'Bee

That's sweet of you to say...thanks!

[Loafster]

I don't know what I would with out my Travel Agent she has never steered me wrong and was there to help when the hurricane came and had to rearrange plans and that was before she was my agent, This is what they do Travel they no whats best and can help you find exactly what you want. We love our agent.

[getoutofsnow]

8 of us stayed at the Catalonia two years ago. I think we booked with Funjet or Apple. Last year we booked through a hotel (not Cat - Barcelo Tucancun) and didn't have to put down a deposit which worried us. When we checked in, the charges were higher because they were charging Mexican exchange or something. I would try to go through Bookit or another travel site. Our trip at the Cat was great and our trip at Tucancun was great as well. We are not picky travelers - sun, drinks, and a pool are about all we ask for - we can always find something to eat but have had no problems in our 7 years of traveling.