Moorea and Bora Bora Review

On behalf of a recently returned happy traveler...

Hi Debby!

We are back safe and sound!  The trip was AMAZING!!  I feel like we couldn't have done it without you and we wanted to thank you so much!  We have both already recommended you to several of our friends and our next trip we will definitely give you a call. 

Sorry this might be a bit much, but I just wrote everything I could remember!:    :-)

Now, for the trip itself, we actually got to the airport in LA early so we were able to upgrade to Business Class for an extra 900 bucks, which was well worth it!  Once we got to Tahiti we went to the Intercontinental, which had an AMAZING pool, but the rooms were just OK (which was fine because all we did was sleep since we got there so late). 

The next morning we hopped on a ferry which was only about 30 minutes and got to Moorea, we dropped off others at the other big resorts (Sofitel, Intercontinental, Pearl) and it was clear that we were at the nicest of the main hotels.  The Hilton in Moorea is small, we always felt like there were only 20 people there (which is nice!) and the bungalos were great.  The food was good, but not great as there was not much selection. 

If any other couples are interested in going, you should tell them to rent a car and explore for the day, the island itself is gorgeous!  A car rental from Alberts Tours was super easy (they picked us up from our hotel and it was only about 50 bucks for 4 hours) and it is so easy to drive around the island because there is really only one road that goes in a giant circle so it's difficult to get lost.  We also highly recommend a place called Eva Pearls if anyone asks about buying reputable black pearls.  The owner (Eva) is French and we read about her shop before going and we were not disappointed.  She really knows her stuff.  After that we went to a little place called Snack Mahana for lunch which is literally in a lady's backyard that looks out on the water and the food was fantastic.  It was a nice change from the hotel's food. 

Our tours that we went on: 
- Deep Sea Fishing:  We didn't catch anything, so it kind of felt like a long boat ride, but we met another couple on it that we are actually going to vacation again with so I suppose it was worth it.  The guide was American (he mentioned he was the only fishing guide on the island) and he wasn't mean or anything, he just wasn't the friendliest. 

- Safari 4x4 Tour:  On Moorea, I feel like this is a must.  Basically you sit in the back of a truck and they take you to the top peaks of the island (Magic Mountain and Mount Belvidere) it also takes you to a couple of other cool places around the island.  There is also the ATV version, but I think the 4x4 is better because there was lots of mud and dirt flying in the people's face that did the ATV version.  Plus some of the drives were kind of treacherous (45 degree inclines) to get to some of the lookouts. 

The guide was really, really nice and was very knowledgeable. 

-  Tiki Village:  I kind of got the impression this was a bit of a "tourist trap", it was nice, the food and the dancing were great, but before all of that they took your through a "tour" of all of the things that were for sale there.  Both the hotels in Bora Bora and Moorea had a similar show one night a week that I think would have been just as good. 

- Jetskiis (Bora Bora):  This was Andy's favorite part and I also really enjoyed it.  We were able to drive the entire way around the island and see all of it.  I'd highly recommend this one. 

After Moorea, we took a short flight to Bora Bora, once at the Bora Bora airport there was a Four Seasons boat to pick us up and boat us to the resort.  Bottom line, you can't beat the Four Seasons.  Hands down the favorite part of my trip.  I remember we were torn between the St. Regis and the Four Seasons, but we went to dinner at the St. Regis (which charged us an $80 transfer fee for a 3 minute boat ride) and it was clear in my opinion that the Four Seasons was on a whole other level of quality, so I think we made the right choice. 

A couple of nights we took the boat shuttle in to town to eat at both Bloody Mary's and La Villa Mahana.  First, La Villa Mahana was the best meal I have ever had in my entire life.  It ended up costing us about $600, but it was totally worth it in my opinion.  There are only 7 tables and it was a perfect setting.  Bloody Mary's was also really, really good, so much so that we considered going back on our last night.  Just a casual beach bar, that you walk in and select what you want to eat from the plates of fresh fish they caught that day.  It was delicious. 

Overall, it was a long travel, but I felt like the amount of time we went was perfect.  Moorea is the better island (as far as beauty), but Bora Bora's lagoon is second to none.  One day, we would love to go back, but I think we would go straight to Bora Bora just to cut on costs. 

Once again, thank you SO much for everything!  Please let either of us know if you have any other questions and I apologize for the essay!!  :-)

Jennifer 

Experience Adventure with Your Children

"Before you decided to start a family, you backpacked and slept in hammocks by the sea. Now you want to share that spirit of adventure with the family. Keep it alive with authentic and educational trips that reflect what’s important to parents—short travel times and the safety of group travel. Just because you’ve settled down and had kids doesn’t mean you have to stop having adventures. Wanderlust is genetic, so bring the kids along for the ride! We’ve scoured the globe in search of exciting experiences that fit the needs of travellers big and not-so-big alike. And unlike most things, travel is something you never grow out of; whether your kids are little or almost grown, we’ve got an adventure that’ll fit them (and you!) perfectly. " ~G Adventures.

From Europe, to Africa and Asia, to South America, 3D  Cruise and Travel can send you on a fantastic family adventure.  If you long for more family adventure than Disney, but want to know your children will have age appropriate activities and safety we can help you satisfy that desire.

A family adventure is about experiencing the world through your child's eyes.  It's about showing them that the world is big and they are a part of it.  Through the experience of a great family adventure your child may realize they want to work with animals, become a historian, climb Mt. Everest, or perhaps they discover through keeping a travel journal that being an author is in their future.

You have a limited time to experience the wonders of the world while your children are young, don't let the opportunity pass you by.

                                                                        

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

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

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.

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.

Plotting the Perfect Itinerary In life, there are pantsers and there are plotters. Pantsers like to live by the seat of their pants (hence the term ‘pantsers'), winging it as they go with the flow and see where the universe takes them. Plotters, on the other hand, plot out their tasks, their grocery lists, their errands and practically everything else in life, making sure they don't skip a thing. To plan the perfect travel itinerary, it helps to be a serious plotter (like most travel agents are). But to truly enjoy that well-plotted itinerary, you need to have a little pantser in you (like most travel agents do!). Here are three key tips to plotting the perfect, seamless itinerary: Give Yourself Time An overly-ambitious planner would schedule an event for every second of every day, creating an itinerary that maximizes time but leaves no room for error or even improvisational exploration. So prioritize your sightseeing, choose only those at the top of your list and give yourself plenty of time to get there and enjoy these fantastic sights. Also realize that there are many factors you cannot plan for—such as traffic, missed connections or local events that shut down streets—so the more room you leave in your daily schedule, the less stress you'll experience completing it. Include the Minor Details Most people think their itinerary consists only of flights and hotels. Not so. It should also include travel time to the airport and from the airport's parking lots to the terminal. And let's not forget travel from the destination airport to your hotel, time to eat during your trip, and time to leisurely catch a connecting flight if your first one is delayed. Only by thinking of all of these various factors will you be able to create a seamless itinerary. Add an Extra Day of Nothing Regardless of how well-planned your vacation is, everything changes once you arrive at your destination. You may become ill or need time to shop if your luggage is delayed. Maybe you learned on the flight over about an incredible new restaurant you want to try but didn't schedule. Or perhaps a storm douses your plans for an all-day outdoor activity. The best thing to do is add an extra day of nothing at the end of your schedule, which will give you a cushion to do the things you might have missed.