Gran Bahia Principe Cayo Levantado Brides?

[StephG2013]

Originally Posted by Peach 

 

Oh no!

I am glad that things turned out okay for you, but what a nightmare!

When is your wedding date, out of curiosity?

 

I am really worried now. We are travelling with Air Canada... They are the ONLY ones that come from Calgary. None of us live in Calgary, it is just the closest airport... still hours away. So it is REALLY our only option. WestJet sometimes goes, but we do not know yet. So we booked with Air Canada. Now I am worried.

I hope it is okay. I will keep my fingers crossed.

 

 

 

 Hi Peach!

 

It has been crazy but i'm feeling much better now! My wedding date is now January 14th, 2013. I'm sorry didn't mean to make you worry! Just be aware...I think it also really depends on how you're doing your bookings. I had planned on sending out my invites with the price of the package on them and then having everyone book together as part of a group. Air canada however would only hold my quote for 30 days so either way it wouldn't have worked very well since I couldn't finish my invites until i had the price and my invites would take a few days to go out and then people would have less than a month to reserve their space. Thats just a minor thing on top of the other things they messed up on.

 

Have you already book your trip with them? Has your whole group booked? If i had to go with Air Canada i would probably just have everyone book on their own rather than go the group route becuase it was way too complicated for me with them. I would however recommend they book early! Air Canada only buys up a few rooms and in the case with me they ran out of the Superior rooms. I was surprised as we are still 6 months away! They can request more rooms from the hotel but their is no guarantee.They actually did get more rooms from the hotel but at that point i was way too fed up with them. I would double check online for flights as West Jet just last weekend released their flights to Samana so they may have some new stuff up, Air Canada may have changed their flight times as well.

[Peach]

Originally Posted by StephG2013 

 

 Hi Peach!

 

It has been crazy but i'm feeling much better now! My wedding date is now January 14th, 2013. I'm sorry didn't mean to make you worry! Just be aware...I think it also really depends on how you're doing your bookings. I had planned on sending out my invites with the price of the package on them and then having everyone book together as part of a group. Air canada however would only hold my quote for 30 days so either way it wouldn't have worked very well since I couldn't finish my invites until i had the price and my invites would take a few days to go out and then people would have less than a month to reserve their space. Thats just a minor thing on top of the other things they messed up on.

 

Have you already book your trip with them? Has your whole group booked? If i had to go with Air Canada i would probably just have everyone book on their own rather than go the group route becuase it was way too complicated for me with them. I would however recommend they book early! Air Canada only buys up a few rooms and in the case with me they ran out of the Superior rooms. I was surprised as we are still 6 months away! They can request more rooms from the hotel but their is no guarantee.They actually did get more rooms from the hotel but at that point i was way too fed up with them. I would double check online for flights as West Jet just last weekend released their flights to Samana so they may have some new stuff up, Air Canada may have changed their flight times as well.

 

 

We are doing a group with them, yes, and put deposits down for 10 people (well, us and 8 others), which was the minimum group number. This is part of our gift to the first people who book... namely, FI's family and our bridal party.

So I REALLY don't want to lose those deposits.

 

I did know that they can run out of Superior Rooms. I am not super worried about that, since FI and I are upgrading, and we are not expecting a large number of guests to come... we are guessing 15-20, including us. We are also travelling in the off season. 

 

Oh I really hope everything works out... but I am glad that we have a travel agent, so we don't have to worry about this stuff so much on our own!

 

I am so glad that you found a way for yours to work! Whew! Sigh of relief, right?

[StephG2013]

Originally Posted by Peach 

 

 

 

We are doing a group with them, yes, and put deposits down for 10 people (well, us and 8 others), which was the minimum group number. This is part of our gift to the first people who book... namely, FI's family and our bridal party.

So I REALLY don't want to lose those deposits.

 

I did know that they can run out of Superior Rooms. I am not super worried about that, since FI and I are upgrading, and we are not expecting a large number of guests to come... we are guessing 15-20, including us. We are also travelling in the off season. 

 

Oh I really hope everything works out... but I am glad that we have a travel agent, so we don't have to worry about this stuff so much on our own!

 

I am so glad that you found a way for yours to work! Whew! Sigh of relief, right?

Wow what a great gift!! I think you should be fine then. You already have quite a few rooms booked. We had nothing booked whatsoever with them. I would just recommend to your other travellers that they book early to be on the safe side.

 

Yes a travel agent is really helpful. Mine is deffinitely earning her commission right now with all the mess thats occured with the airlines. Big sigh of relief things are going to work out. I was so worried i was going to have to change my hotel .

[Peach]

Originally Posted by StephG2013 

 

Wow what a great gift!! I think you should be fine then. You already have quite a few rooms booked. We had nothing booked whatsoever with them. I would just recommend to your other travellers that they book early to be on the safe side.

 

Yes a travel agent is really helpful. Mine is deffinitely earning her commission right now with all the mess thats occured with the airlines. Big sigh of relief things are going to work out. I was so worried i was going to have to change my hotel .

 

It sounds like you have a great travel agent then!

Now that you can breathe the sigh of relief, what are you going to be working on / planning next?

[StephG2013]

Originally Posted by Peach 

 

 

It sounds like you have a great travel agent then!

Now that you can breathe the sigh of relief, what are you going to be working on / planning next?

 I just PM'd you. Thought we could share some tips!

[Peach]

Originally Posted by StephG2013 

 

 I just PM'd you. Thought we could share some tips!

Excellent! I got it and sent one right back!

[speidelk]

I am new to this thread, but I am VERY interested in a destination wedding in Dominican Republic.  I was wondering if anyone would be willing to send me some photos of their ceremony and/or reception? (Email: [email protected])  Gran Bahia's website does not show too many photos of weddings, or if they do, they reuse them between their resorts so I cannot tell what site to pick!  I am really looking for a ceremony location that is outdoors and off the beach like a garden/gazebo area with the ocean in the backdrop.  I saw some areas of Dominican have cliffs, that would also be another good option.  We are aiming for early 2014, but I'm hoping to pick a venue soon so I can hand off the rest to the coordinator and give our guest plenty of notice.  I appreciate any advice anyone can provide.  Thank you!

[Peach]

Out of curiosity, was anybody able to get their ceremony time set in advance? My photographer is wanting to know when he is making the trip down, and we need to know if we are getting him one night or two at the hotel. I have not been able to get ahold of the wedding coordinator (of course) so I was just wondering if they even give you a ceremony start time prior to arrival?

[speidelk]

Also, 

 

Does anyone know if guests staying outside the resort have to purchase a day pass to attend your wedding?  I am worried about people not wanting to pay the resort price, they may decide to stay at a hotel instead.  Also, I wonder if guests can stay at another GBP resort and still get into ours for the wedding?  Not sure if the wedding coordinator will get back to me on any of these questions (after reading your posts), so I'm posting it here.  Thanks again to anyone who can share their experience with me!

[Peach]

Originally Posted by speidelk 

 

Also, 

 

Does anyone know if guests staying outside the resort have to purchase a day pass to attend your wedding?  I am worried about people not wanting to pay the resort price, they may decide to stay at a hotel instead.  Also, I wonder if guests can stay at another GBP resort and still get into ours for the wedding?  Not sure if the wedding coordinator will get back to me on any of these questions (after reading your posts), so I'm posting it here.  Thanks again to anyone who can share their experience with me!

I believe that guests staying off-resort will need to pay a day pass. I am not sure about the transfer too, since you would have to do the water taxi to the island. Also not sure about guests staying at other GBP getting into the resort. I guess you are thinking Cayacoa? 

I am sure that day passes will be necessary for off-resort guests though if they are just at a random hotel on the mainland.