Airmiles Armchair Chatter

[marcyleecorgan]

... yeah the Airmiles have been scarce, haven't they? We finally had to go grocery shopping, couldn't push it any longer, and Safeway still hasn't updated their coupons for January on the AM website... so very basic AM earned this month! Like 2

 

[bababear_50]

Honey I'm Home! And I love my bed so much!!!!!
Brief trip report---3.5 star resort--Cuba
passable food,,sick three days--probably too many mojitos or water ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
bed was awful ,,,,,,,,,,,,awful...............awful----2 inch spring mattress,,frame actually crashed and broke on day 4,,woke up in agony every morning.
water leaking and a lot of mold in bathroom and in sleep area........................
sand flea bites all over my body
bath towels the size of hand towels
two nice clean pools but not heated
daily temp only 15-20
wall air conditioner --but it leaked inside the room
we were cold many nights and the only blankets they had looked like something my grandma used to own
Havanah --I found boring,with few shops to buy anything
No snorkeling because the red flag was posted up the whole time we were there due to weather.
Air transat definitely over rated this place.should be a 1-2.rating.
Felt like I went on the worst camping trip of my life..........................

I will definitely be looking for a 5 star for next year and not in Cuba.
And I need a "Hot Tub"

Now back to airmiling
Hugs Mel

 

[alohamom]

awww welcome home Mel! I wish it had been better...

 

[bababear_50]

awww welcome home Mel! I wish it had been better...

Thanks Hon
.......I do have Disney in two months .......This trip made me consider buying some more DVC points....

 

[Donald - my hero]

OH no Mel, that sucks!! I know how much you were looking forward to getting away and had high hopes of it being at least acceptable!! Hard to pay money for that type of experience and not even have decent weather. You did miss a wickedly cold deep-freeze but have come home just in time for a massive dumping of snow this weekend. We're also in the midst of a serious AM drought but our StB miles should post soon.


We are still playing around with where we might go and I was not overly comfortable with Cuba to begin with and your report does nothing for alleviating that :O We are hotel snobs and fear staying outside of North America will be difficult. I wish we could wait until we are able to go back to Disney but we need a break before that time ...

 

[bababear_50]

OH no Mel, that sucks!! I know how much you were looking forward to getting away and had high hopes of it being at least acceptable!! Hard to pay money for that type of experience and not even have decent weather. You did miss a wickedly cold deep-freeze but have come home just in time for a massive dumping of snow this weekend. We're also in the midst of a serious AM drought but our StB miles should post soon.


We are still playing around with where we might go and I was not overly comfortable with Cuba to begin with and your report does nothing for alleviating that :O We are hotel snobs and fear staying outside of North America will be difficult. I wish we could wait until we are able to go back to Disney but we need a break before that time ...

Hi Hon
I feel so guilty going to Disney right now,,,,,,ok how to write this without it being political???
Hmmmmm
My darling daughter inlaw is an angel--such a free spirited, talented , animal loving gifted kind girl.............
She is probably more Canadian than me and Loves Disney as much as I do ,lol,,she was born in India but has live as a Canadian citizen here for 20 something years. Let's just say since " Mr. *****" came into head of a certain white house her experience at the airport has NOT been good. Everyone I know ( family and friends) are boycotting Disney until lets say maybe "Oprah" comes to stay at the white house.
Ok ..I hope I explained that well enough.
Hugs Mel

P.S.
missing the deep freeze was great!!!

 

[Pumpkin1172]

I will definitely be looking for a 5 star for next year and not in Cuba.

I'm sorry your trip was not as planned. It really sucks having weather like that when your wanting a break from cold wintery conditions.
My sister had went to Cuba. They were lucky...her boyfriend's sister is a travel agent and found them a great place to go. But the 4-5 Start we find in other countries ( even Mexico ) are NOT even close to what we are used to. I'm sure your disappointed with your experience there. I think things will only get better there in the coming years...but it will take time to get some things up to expectations of what we want and are used to receiving from other destinations. I'm glad you have another trip planned. You know what to expect with that one. So with this craptastic trip you will have an extra great time in Disney!!!!

 

[hdrolfe]

Thanks Mel for your feedback. I had been looking at maybe doing an AI next winter instead of a cruise, the price is much cheaper, but I'm not sure it's worth the risk. I feel like on a cruise ship I know what to expect in terms of food, and accommodations, even though the cabins are small. Of course no one can control or predict the weather. I hope you enjoy Disney when you go.

 

[bababear_50]

I'm sorry your trip was not as planned. It really sucks having weather like that when your wanting a break from cold wintery conditions.
My sister had went to Cuba. They were lucky...her boyfriend's sister is a travel agent and found them a great place to go. But the 4-5 Start we find in other countries ( even Mexico ) are NOT even close to what we are used to. I'm sure your disappointed with your experience there. I think things will only get better there in the coming years...but it will take time to get some things up to expectations of what we want and are used to receiving from other destinations. I'm glad you have another trip planned. You know what to expect with that one. So with this craptastic trip you will have an extra great time in Disney!!!!

Hi Hon
Yep I definitely know what to expect at Disney. My first trip to Florida with my sons was to a 1 pineapple (3 star) motel and lets just say we have become a bit more selective.lol.
I have stayed in a 4-5 star Cuba resort in Cayo Cocoa Cuba before and they at least had half decent beds with no mould and water leaks--I think this place may have been hit hard by the recent Hurricanes.
I have been to Mexico many times (7) and always had a great experience.
Ah well on to planning the next trip,,
Hugs to you
Mel

 

[bababear_50]

Thanks Mel for your feedback. I had been looking at maybe doing an AI next winter instead of a cruise, the price is much cheaper, but I'm not sure it's worth the risk. I feel like on a cruise ship I know what to expect in terms of food, and accommodations, even though the cabins are small. Of course no one can control or predict the weather. I hope you enjoy Disney when you go.

I'd go cruise Hon
We are considering it,,
Hugs Mel

 

[Donald - my hero]

Ok need some help sorting out my account gang ... some miles posted that are confusing to the Duck

The Airmiles shop??? Uhm, will i already have the miles for a booking i made with Hotel .com even though we haven't stayed yet -- it's the correct amount for that --(and if so i will need to remember to do this every time!!) or from one of my transactions connected with StB but none of those have 10 bonus miles connected
The 2 posting for Sobeys ... i shopped at that location 2 times, once on Nov 25th using the chocolate bar coupon(still not credited but it's 20 miles, correct?), once on Dec 23rd to use cash miles to get miles and those 95 posted fine. Then we can further confuse the Duck with THESE miles

I'm pretty sure they are the use cash miles coupons from StB but why twice for Sobeys???

I have the second set of miles on the other card as well.

 

[Aladora]

Hi Hon
Yep I definitely know what to expect at Disney. My first trip to Florida with my sons was to a 1 pineapple (3 star) motel and lets just say we have become a bit more selective.lol.
I have stayed in a 4-5 star Cuba resort in Cayo Cocoa Cuba before and they at least had half decent beds with no mould and water leaks--I think this place may have been hit hard by the recent Hurricanes.
I have been to Mexico many times (7) and always had a great experience.
Ah well on to planning the next trip,,
Hugs to you
Mel

Mel, when you have gone to Mexico, did you stay at AIs? We're heading there over March break and I've booked us into an AI in Playa del Carmen along with 3 excursions.

 

[ottawamom]

O
View attachment 293412
I'm pretty sure they are the use cash miles coupons from StB but why twice for Sobeys???

I have the second set of miles on the other card as well.

I only did that promotion once on DS card and his AM posted +25 (twice). Some glitch in their system somehow. Thank the AM Gods and move on.

 

[kerreyn]

@Donald - my hero , @bababear_50 and anyone else who may be interested in a get away - my hubby and I went to Riviera Maya Dec. 28/16 - Jan. 4/17. We stayed at the Iberostar Grand Paraiso. To say the hotel is a 5 star is an understatement. Anything we could have wanted was taken care of, we wanted for nothing the entire week. Believe it or not, you can have lobster for breakfast, lunch and dinner if you were so inclined. It's an all-inclusive, even the 'specialty' restaurants were included.

The Iberostar has five hotels in the Paraiso complex, with the Grand being adults only. Also, guests of the Grand can access all 5 resorts and their respective restaurants, pools and other amenities, but only Grand guests can use the Grand facilities/amentities, etc.

We booked the package through Air Transat, so I know you can use your AM travel certificates for it, which is good, because the price per person is pretty steep. My 50th is in March 2019, and we're taking the 'kids' (28 & 25 by then) and their respective partners with us either to the Grand, or to Greece, depending on where everyone is at budget wise by that time. That's what I'll be saving air miles for from now until then.

 

[bababear_50]

Mel, when you have gone to Mexico, did you stay at AIs? We're heading there over March break and I've booked us into an AI in Playa del Carmen along with 3 excursions.

Hi Hon
I am not sure what AI means (just googled it and it says Artificial Intelligence)lol lol
Airbnb???
I know two of my sons are headed to Mexico in two weeks and they are staying in that area and just booked a special day snorkeling adventure. I will ask my son when he gets home where they are staying ,,,Playa del Carmen rings a bell.
I have stayed in Cancun, Manzanillo, and Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.
My dad also lived in Pharr Texas 15 minutes from the USA/Mexican border/Progreso.
I bet you guys are going to have a BLAST!
Hugs Mel

 

[bababear_50]

@Donald - my hero , @bababear_50 and anyone else who may be interested in a get away - my hubby and I went to Riviera Maya Dec. 28/16 - Jan. 4/17. We stayed at the Iberostar Grand Paraiso. To say the hotel is a 5 star is an understatement. Anything we could have wanted was taken care of, we wanted for nothing the entire week. Believe it or not, you can have lobster for breakfast, lunch and dinner if you were so inclined. It's an all-inclusive, even the 'specialty' restaurants were included.

The Iberostar has five hotels in the Paraiso complex, with the Grand being adults only. Also, guests of the Grand can access all 5 resorts and their respective restaurants, pools and other amenities, but only Grand guests can use the Grand facilities/amentities, etc.

We booked the package through Air Transat, so I know you can use your AM travel certificates for it, which is good, because the price per person is pretty steep. My 50th is in March 2019, and we're taking the 'kids' (28 & 25 by then) and their respective partners with us either to the Grand, or to Greece, depending on where everyone is at budget wise by that time. That's what I'll be saving air miles for from now until then.

Ohhhhh
This sounds so good!!
Now I will have to look up all of this information,,thanks for sharing your experience Hon.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riviera_Maya
https://www.transat.com/en-CA/South...s/Iberostar-Grand-Hotel-Paraiso?opentab=video
Darn shellfish allergy--BUT eating lobster for breakfast sounds so GOOD!!
Hugs Mel

 

[Aladora]

Hi Hon
I am not sure what AI means (just googled it and it says Artificial Intelligence)lol lol
Airbnb???
I know two of my sons are headed to Mexico in two weeks and they are staying in that area and just booked a special day snorkeling adventure. I will ask my son when he gets home where they are staying ,,,Playa del Carmen rings a bell.
I have stayed in Cancun, Manzanillo, and Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.
My dad also lived in Pharr Texas 15 minutes from the USA/Mexican border/Progreso.
I bet you guys are going to have a BLAST!
Hugs Mel

Lol, sorry. All Inclusive. Playa del Carmen is south of Cancun.

 

[juniorbugman]

I am not sure what AI means (just googled it and it says Artificial Intelligence)lol lol

I think that it may mean All Inclusive

 

[bababear_50]

OK now I feel like such an uneducated dip......lol lol
All Inclusive --yes we have always stayed ***AI*** in Mexico,,lol
Hugs Mel

 

[Donald - my hero]

Hi Hon
I feel so guilty going to Disney right now,,,,,,ok how to write this without it being political???
Hmmmmm
My darling daughter inlaw is an angel--such a free spirited, talented , animal loving gifted kind girl.............
She is probably more Canadian than me and Loves Disney as much as I do ,lol,,she was born in India but has live as a Canadian citizen here for 20 something years. Let's just say since " Mr. *****" came into head of a certain white house her experience at the airport has NOT been good. Everyone I know ( family and friends) are boycotting Disney until lets say maybe "Oprah" comes to stay at the white house.
Ok ..I hope I explained that well enough.
Hugs Mel

P.S.
missing the deep freeze was great!!!

Read you loud & clear and pretty sure you know where we stand as well