Showing posts with label Caribbean. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Caribbean. Show all posts

November 04, 2024

Punta Cana Highlights 2024


This is my more informal companion post to my recent review of the RIU Palace Bavaro resort in Punta Cana where I talk about my experiences within this resort. I planned for this to be more of a relaxing vacation for me, as I did not partake in many excursions outside the resort. In fact, I only left the resort once during my trip for “shopping”, which meant an impromptu trip to KFC. Regardless, there are things on this trip that I would like to share.

October 28, 2024

Resort Review: RIU Palace Bavaro


I stayed for seven days at the RIU Palace Bavaro, which is an all-inclusive resort recently renovated for 2024. The RIU Palace hotels offer more of a luxury and relaxation touch compared to their Classic hotels, but RIU advertises that this resort has something for the whole family. The RIU Palace Bavaro is part of a compound of RIU resorts in the area (that also includes the RIU Palace Macao, RIU Bambu, and the RIU Palace Punta Cana).

August 19, 2019

Party Boat Fun Along The North Coast Of Jamaica


On our last day in Jamaica before we flew back to Canada, we spent the day on a large catamaran sailing along the north coast of Jamaica while knocking back large gulps of rum. This experience was the highlight of my Jamaica trip, and I would encourage everyone who is able to drink copious amounts of alcohol on a small boat.

August 05, 2019

Falling Off A Trampoline At Margaritaville: Ocho Rios


One morning, while I was lazily walking around the lobby of the Grand Bahia Principe Jamaica resort looking for breakfast, one of the members of our group, who were going to go to a private beach for the day, quickly approached me. I only had five minutes to grab my belongings while the rest of the group waited for me in the minibuses, and we set off in search of a private beach to enjoy the water.

July 29, 2019

Why Is The Water Glowing Blue Around Me?


On my only nighttime excursion in Jamaica, my group and I went to Falmouth to go experience swimming in the Luminous Lagoon. The Luminous Lagoon is one of the few places in the world where in the nighttime, disturbances in the water (such as swimming or the movement of water boats) will cause microscopic plankton and organisms to emit a glowing blue light. This excursion was certainly unique in its experience, and I was glad to be a part of it.

July 15, 2019

Paying My Respects To The Legend: The Bob Marley Nine Mile Tour


While vacationing in Jamaica, I had the opportunity to go to the village of Nine Mile, in the heart of the country. The village of Nine Mile is the final resting place of Bob Marley, the man who changed the world through his music, vision, and his message of peace and love. In my younger, more quick-tempered days, Bob Marley's music was a source of therapy, as it would put me in a state of calmness and tranquility. It was only right for me that whenever I would go to Jamaica for whatever reason, I would make a trip to his resting place and pay my respects.

July 08, 2019

All About The Views In The Bahamas


Our last stop on our cruise on-board the MSC Seaside is Nassau, Bahamas. Nassau is a popular port where many cruise ships dock, and so the town regularly entertains many tourists on a daily basis. I have not been to the Bahamas since I was a high school student, and frankly, I cannot remember what I did the last time I was here. So, this felt like a brand new experience for me.

July 01, 2019

Tequila Tasting (Round 2) In Cozumel, Mexico


As we sail on our voyage aboard the MSC Seaside, our next destination was the island of Cozumel in Mexico. Although most of the island is still underdeveloped, the island has seen an explosion in tourism because the island is a popular port of call for cruise ships. When you disembark your ship and walk down the port, you enter a massive shopping mall filled with shops selling tacky souvenirs and other goods. Cozumel is a place that has a similar feeling to going to Las Vegas or Niagara Falls, where the town and your experience walking around the town feels manufactured and devoid of any authenticity.

June 26, 2019

The Service At The Grand Bahia Principe Jamaica Resort


When I wrote my review on the Grand Bahia Principe Jamaica resort, I stated that I was going to write a separate post on the service that members of my wedding party and myself received. The provided service to us during our stay had to be some of the worst service we have received in our lives. I have been involved in, and witnessed several incidents and altercations that have disappointed me on how the Grand Bahia staff and management handled each situation.

June 24, 2019

Resort Review: Grand Bahia Principe Jamaica


I stayed for a week at the four-star Grand Bahia Principe Jamaica resort in Runaway Bay in order for myself to attend a wedding. I stayed at the Luxury Bahia Principe Akumal last year, so I figured that this resort would be a scaled-down experience for me. I kept my expectations low for this resort. Here is my review:

June 17, 2019

Swimming With Stingrays In The Cayman Islands


Our next stop on our voyage aboard the MSC Seaside were the Cayman Islands, for which I have never been. On my day in the Cayman Islands, I was going to do something remarkable and swim with the stingrays. Going into the trip, I hoped that I would not be too freaked out when a stingray brushes up along my leg, but I also realized that swimming with stingrays would be a once in a lifetime opportunity for me.

June 06, 2019

Exploring Dunn's River Falls in Jamaica


On my trip aboard the MSC Seaside, the first country that we stopped in was Jamaica. We had a pre-scheduled excursion to go to Dunn's River Falls, which is a popular waterfall and attraction for tourists to go to in the Ocho Rios area. Going into the trip, I have seen pictures from people I knew in front of the falls detailing how wonderful the falls were. Finally, I was able to see it for myself.

June 03, 2019

MSC Seaside Highlights


The MSC Seaside is one the newest cruise ships patrolling the Caribbean with excited curious guests, and I was one of those guests. Although I gave the ship a less-than-favorable review, there were still positives that I would like to share on this post. I would like to talk about all of my favorite places and things to do among the MSC Seaside.

May 27, 2019

Cruise Ship Review: MSC Seaside


I came back from my stay aboard the MSC Seaside, a technology-driven cruise ship for sailing around the Caribbean, in an attempt to penetrate the North American cruise ship market. MSC is a European cruise line, and the company is hoping to bring some European influence to North America through the MSC Seaside, the first MSC ship built specifically for sailing around North America. We sailed with the Bella experience, which is the basic package for sailing on the ship. You can upgrade your package for a fee.

October 22, 2016

Resort Review: Be Live Collection Marien


It is about time I do another one of these hotel/resort reviews. I recently came back from my vacation in the Dominican Republic and stayed at the Be Live Collection Marien, which is a 5-star resort in the Costa Dorada area of Puerto Plata. Here is the review:

Check-In

Because there were a lot of us (around 40 people) coming in at once, the check-in process was a bit slow with a lot of waiting. While we were waiting, staff would bring us welcome drinks, which was nice and made the check-in experience a bit more bearable. After we were done, the bellhops handled our luggage and we took a golf cart to our rooms.

Rating: 6.5/10

Rooms

The room was quite big and spacious, which was a surprise for me. The beds were okay to sleep on, as well. The room came with standard amenities such as a TV, phone, iron, bottle opener, and a coffee machine. In addition, regularly stocked water, soft drinks, and beer were inside our mini fridge. There was also a safe in the closet, but you had to pay to use it, which was disappointing. All rooms had an air conditioner, which was great, but there was always a lot of moisture in the air, which created condensation and made everything a bit wet, including the bed sheets. Some guests had to change the bed sheets because of it.

Rating: 6.5/10

Random Note: There was no bible in the nightstand drawer, which I thought was weird.

Bathroom

Bathroom was also quite spacious along with the standard sink, shower, and toilet. Turning on the shower was a pain, and I needed help from the staff for trying to get the water to come from the showerhead. When it did, there was hardly any water pressure, and the water would randomly fluctuate between hot and cold constantly. Room service would constantly forget to exchange used towels for new towels in the bathroom.

Rating: 5.5/10

Food

Note: I am a vegetarian. My review of the food may not reflect those who are not vegetarians.

There are three places to get food at this resort. The main place to get food was the large dining room, which was a buffet-style restaurant that served breakfast, lunch, and dinner. There is a wide range of food for people of all dietary needs to enjoy for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The food was not terrible, but it was not outstanding either. It was simply edible, nothing more.

In addition, there is a snack bar that serves fast-food grub on the times when the main buffet restaurant is closed. It is also the late-night spot to get food as well. The food tastes the same as the buffet restaurant. The good thing is that there is also a drinks bar as well, where you can get drinks well into the night. There is also a TV so you can watch soccer and baseball games there as well.

The other place to get food is to book a reservation to one of the three "a la carte" restaurants (Mexican, Brazilian, and Mediterranean). I went to the Mediterranean restaurant and it was marginally better than the food in the buffet/snack bar. It was the best food I had in the resort, but that is not saying much. To get the best food in the Dominican Republic, you need to travel outside the resort.

One more thing to mention. In the buffet and the snack bar, there are birds that fly around the tables where people are eating. I cannot confirm that they would pick at the food, but be careful.

Ratings:
Main Buffet, Snack Bar: 5/10
A la carte: 6/10

Shops/Vendors

There are some duty free shops on the resort, as well as some other shops, which sell souvenirs and other things for your stay. You will always get better deals outside the resort for souvenirs, as the things on the resort are a bit expensive.


Beach

The beach was nice and big. Staff would clean the beach every morning of trash and seaweed from the water. There are volleyball and soccer nets on the beach premises where people can play volleyball and soccer. There are many cabanas and beach chairs where guests can soak up the sun or get some shade. The water itself was a bit rough, as the undercurrent kept pulling me away from the shore. It would have been nice if there was a bar on the beach premises, but since all beaches are considered public in the Dominican Republic, that would not have been possible.

Rating: 7/10


Pool

There is one big pool at the center of the resort where a lot of the entertainment would take place. There are basketball nets, water polo nets, and a volleyball net in the pool, so you can play a number of sports in the water. There is no swim-up bar, but there is a pool bar on the premises where you can get your drinks and enter the pool with them. The pool was undoubtedly the best thing about the resort.

Rating: 7.5/10


Entertainment

There are theater shows that occur a few times a week after dinner at the theater next to the buffet restaurant. I did not watch a whole lot of the shows, but they seemed okay. The African show was entertaining; everything else ranged from okay to mediocre.

There are also some competitions that happen at the pool. Such events include mini golf, darts, and ping-pong. The staff try their best to energize the guests for the events, but I still thought it was a bit boring. I was bored of all the entertainment by the fourth day staying in the resort.

Rating: 3.5/10


Nightlife

There is a small disco in the lobby that mostly plays Spanish music. It starts playing around 9 pm and continues until 1 am. The good thing about the disco room is that the room is air conditioned, so that you do not sweat a lot while you dance. There is a bar in the room for drinks, as well as an outdoor patio if you need some fresh air. I wish there was more variety in the music, as all they really played was Spanish music. They played a little bit of hip-hop and reggae, but those tracks were rare.

Rating: 6/10

Note: There is a casino and another club just outside the resort that plays both Spanish and English music that caters to both locals and guests. Just remember to be careful when venturing outside the resort. Going with a big group helps with safety.

Internet

You are allowed 1 hour of free WiFi a day, and the WiFi is very slow. If you can handle going days without connecting to the internet, then it is best that you do so. If you really need to connect, then be prepared for major slowdowns.

Rating: 4/10

Activities Center

There are a couple of pool, ping-pong, and foosball tables just outside the pool. The pool table was missing pool balls and the cues were cracked. The ping-pong and foosball tables were okay though.

Rating: 5/10

Other Notes

- There is a gym on the resort. It looked clean and nice when I looked inside.

- There is a tennis court on the resort as well. It looked poorly maintained.

- There is a spa on the premises. You have to pay to use it, but from what I have heard, the services and experience is very relaxing. If you have some money left over before you leave, I would look into getting a massage. Apparently, you can also request a receipt and submit a claim to your insurance provider.

- Locals stay at the resort on the weekend, which can be a bit overwhelming and can make the resort a bit packed. I would recommend booking an excursion on the Friday or Saturday if you do not like the busyness of the resort on the weekend.

- Vendors would sometimes set up booths and desks full of souvenirs just outside the main buffet restaurant. They are very aggressive, so if you are not looking for souvenirs, it is best to just avoid the area altogether. There are also people walking around selling time-shares as well (unless you like talking to them).

Final Verdict

The Be Live Collection Marien has a nice beach and pool, and the rooms are not too bad, but you get bored of things to do inside the resort very quickly. The entertainment is lackluster. The locals that come here on the weekend, as well as the vendors make the experience a bit uncomfortable. I would not recommend this resort, as I believe there are better resort options in the Puerto Plata area. The only scenario where you may consider going here is if you are booking many excursions, so you can limit your time inside the resort.

Final Rating: 5/10