heemstrar1

I too reserved the la barcaza for my June 2013 wedding. The changes are making me nervous. I found this post on here and thought you guys may find it helpful. Let me know if you find out any more information...ahh! Hi ladies!! We live & document weddings here on the island and are so disappointed with the recent changes that have come with the new ownership. Daniel seems like a nice guy, but he has very limited knowledge of the wedding industry or an understanding of what brides' wants & needs are. Here are a few things to watch out for and a few insights, from my perspective of both a photographer AND a recent bride: - miscommunication regarding travel time: our couple was told that it would take 30 minutes to get from Dreams Punta Cana to the pick-up location … in reality, it took over an hour. As a result, by the time we got on the boat, it was getting dark fast. There was very little time for pictures and the guests had to swim in the dark. - the main entertainer there, Jorge, is an absolute gem and gets the party started. Make sure he's there for your wedding! - cups for beverages are beaten up old hard plastic - they should really invest into something more appropriate for a wedding, it's the little things that make a big difference - the decor is very poor, if there at all. Bring your own decorations or better yet, hire a decorator. - personally, I was mortified by the plastic furniture. Ask for the wooden tables & chair, they are much more classy. - food: the seafood dinner pales in comparison to the one served under Flori's management. The portions are smaller and quality is worse, it's obvious they are trying to cut corners to cut down on costs. - most disturbing: the 'host' overseeing everything on the boat was Daniel's father, a man who speaks very little English and is extremely confrontational and rude. He knows nothing about customer service and shouldn't be dealing with clients. At all. Aside from being a terrible bartender, he embarrassed us in front of guests when we inquired about potentially changing our order; was confrontational and dismissive with our awesome couple when it came to a question of overtime (because the whole reception was shifted because of their mistake in the first place). Our couple was SO amazing, generous & laid-back - we all made the most of it! But … I would recommend Jellyfish over La Barcaza any day. It is, however, a good idea for a thank-you dinner for your guests before your wedding day. I really hope they get it together and improve - because there is such tremendous potential there…