Thursday, January 24, 2013

Trip review - Excellence Playa Mujeres


Hi Kim,

I wanted to give you some more detailed feedback on our trip to the Excellence Playa Mujeres now that things have slowed down a bit...

.  When we arrived at the Excellence, they greeted us with a cool towel and a delicious fruity champagne beverage...it was the perfect way to start the trip!  We were then taken to the Excellence Club lounge where we checked in.  This process also went smoothly and our room was ready to go, so we were taken directly to our room in Building 9.

Room - We absolutely loved our room!  It was spacious, beautiful and I cannot say enough about the bathroom (and the amazing shower!).  We really liked being in Building 9, which was convenient to the pools and all of the restaurants.  We had our own pool as part of the Excellence Club, but didn't use it very much since the sun was only really "sunning" the area in the morning.  I loved the balcony and that it had a table with chairs along with a lounge bed.  The maid service was really good - they cleaned it in the late-morning, right around dinner time, and then we got turn-down service at night.  They offered a pillow menu, and we read that we could get a pillow top for the bed.  We didn't do this, but probably would if we went back again for added comfort. 


Pool/Beach/Grounds - The resort was about 80% capacity when we were there, and we were always able to find lounge chairs without too much of an issue.  They were very comfortable and the towel service/drink service was very good.  It was pretty windy the week we were there, and one day the sea had a lot of seaweed in it.  But other than that, we were able to go in it.  The pools were a little chilly, but definitely swimmable.  The resort grounds were gorgeous and there were always people making sure it stayed that way.  They were constantly doing work on the tiles on the sidewalk...unfortunately, they started working around our building around 7:30 am for a few mornings so those were early days!

Spa - We did the couples massage that was included in our honeymoon package and the hydrotherapy treatment early on in our trip.  We loved the spa so much that we decided to go back and get a full massage with a facial.  Excellent service at the spa and the prices weren't too bad.  Definitely recommend doing a hydrotherapy treatment...it was unlike anything I've ever done before.

Excellence Club - We loved having the extra perks as part of the Excellence Club.  The lounge always had really good food/drinks throughout the day and was a great place to have a snack.  We worked with the concierges a couple of times to schedule a few things, including our trip to Chitchen Itza, and they were always really nice and helpful.  The upgraded mini-bar and the petit fours at night in our room were really enjoyable as well.

Entertainment - They had live music during some of the afternoons and each evening around the property.  Each night they had a show that started around 9:00 or 9:30 in the theater.  Some of them were a little cheesy, but we thought they were entertaining and a fun way to end the night.  Our favorite shows included the Michael Jackson tribute and the Madonna show.  They also had an Argentinian guitar player (Gustavo de la Cruz) there a couple of nights, who played mainstream music and was really good.

Overall, our trip was amazing and we were so glad we chose this resort.  We would definitely recommend it to others and would love to go back again in the future. It was a wonderful honeymoon - thank you so much for all of your help in making it happen!  Hope you had a great weekend!

- Sara

Thursday, January 17, 2013

Mexico was AMAZING and the resort was AMAZING! We do not have hardly any complaints! From getting off the airplane, finding Lomas very quickly and being the first to be dropped off, it was a breeze. The resort was in tip-top shape...waaaaaay waaaaay nicer and more developed that what the website or photos capture. Those photos must have been taken in the resort's early stages when the vegetation was still maturing because the plants, trees and flowers were just gorgeous.
I think our favorite part of the vacation was the food! El Dorado Royale has several very large greenhouses on the property where they grow most of their fresh produce that is served at the resort- and you could tell while eating it just how fresh it was. I loved that part about it a lot, but I also loved that it was all a la carte. There were 2 restaurants that had breakfast buffets, but you were still given a menu to order off of if you preferred. The rest of the restaurants were all a la carte style so every single meal felt like a true 5-course dining experience....if you have "foodies" wanting to book something, this is the place! The staff was wonderful, activities were plentiful and fun and the nightly entertainment was surprisingly really, really, really impressive. I'd been to a few all-inclusives in Playa del Carmen and Cozumel before where the entertainment was sub-par and kinda lousy; the entertainment at this resort, though, was really cool! Circus Night might as well have had Cirque du Soleil performers because they were that good. There was a fire show and drumline that was super neat and the singers were very talented. All in all: wonderful vacation. We also feel like it was the PERFECT balance of getting away, recharging, resting and then ready when the time came to come home and hit the ground running. No Mexico blues after getting home, just an exciting vacation to tell everyone about! Thank you SOOOO much. We are so appreciative of everything and really felt like we didn't have one thing to worry about because you had done it all. Blessings, Lauren

Thursday, January 10, 2013


Weddings, Wedding Venues3D Cruise and Travel, Best Travel Agents in Austin - 2013 Bride's Choice Award Winner

We are excited to announce 3D Cruise and Travel has won this prestigious award, as determined by reviews from past clients. WeddingWire Bride's Choice Awards™ 2013 recognizes the top five percent of Wedding Professionals nationwide.

Thursday, January 3, 2013

How to Travel Peacefully with Your Friends
We usually spend time with friends in three or four hour blocks, going to dinner and the movies or watching a football game. So when friends decide to travel together, they're suddenly faced with each other's whims, needs and preferences 24/7, which sometimes causes enough friction to sabotage the vacation. Here are some tips on how to make sure that friends remain friendly while traveling.
Discuss Your Differences Before You Go
When planning the trip, openly discuss your travel styles. Some travelers plan every minute, while others prefer to wander. Some stay only in city centers, while others roam the countryside for a taste of rural life. Some like to relax throughout the day at cafes and parks, while others jam as much as they can into every day so that they don't miss a thing. Some prefer trains, while others like buses. If your travel mate's style differs from yours, find an amicable compromise in the planning stages in order to prevent any conflicts while at the destination. 
Separate and Share
Plan to do separate activities once or twice during the trip, promising to meet up for dinner to share your experiences. The perfect time to play apart is during a cruise where each of you chooses a different shore excursion for that day. Come nighttime, you'll be trading wild tales over cocktails about your divergent adventures.
Consider Energy Levels
If you know your friends well enough to plan an international trip with them, then you should have a pretty good idea about their overall energy level. Are they peppy in the morning and sluggish in the afternoon? Are they notorious night owls ready to prowl the streets? Would they be able to race up a mountain path or would they need several breaks? Take these into consideration when planning your adventure.
Agree on the Budget
Have a frank talk before you go about how much you intend to spend, how frequently you want to eat at fancy restaurants and other activities that will cost money.
Keep Talking
The key tip to peacefully traveling with your friends is keeping the lines of communications open. Always express your opinions and ask for theirs in return. Only by knowing what both parties like and dislike will you be able to find a common ground.