Travel style of Dominicans

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mariel

Dominisueca
Apr 7, 2004
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I was asked how Dominicans travel when they travel abroad, if they like roughing it, and I didn't know what to answer. Or rather, I wasn't too convinced of what I said: "with as much luxury as one can afford. Staying at good places (3 stars and up), taking taxis or renting cars (public transportation, no way!), eating good and if possible, arranging (excursions, for ex.) as much as possible beforehand". With that said, "roughing it" means different things for different people.

With the difficulty of getting visas aside, I'm looking for answers from people who live there, about how Dominicans travel. Are the young ones traveling like young Americans and Europeans: staying in hostels, booking accommodations on arrival, choosing a local tour, and so on or are they like "the older generation" that looks for an "all-inclusive"-like kind of vacation?

TIA

Moderator: feel free to move this thread to a better forum if you see it fit.
 
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Chirimoya

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Dec 9, 2002
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Most Dominicans I know who have travelled have not roughed it. They like going on cruises and organised trips, even the younger people.

There's no culture of budget backpacking between high school and university/late teens early twenties like there is in Europe/NA. There's something called "Europa en jeans" aimed at the younger age group but it's still much more structured and protected than the Eurorail/hitch-hiking/budget backpacking trips made by Europeans, North Americans, Australians and New Zealanders etc.

Maybe because the people who are able to travel, can afford not to rough it?
 
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mariel

Dominisueca
Apr 7, 2004
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So then I wasn't that far off.

I thought of "Europa en jeans" too and I wanted to do it for many years but we couldn't afford it and instead we decided to be "tourists in our own country".
 
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ExtremeR

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Mar 22, 2006
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Mariel, you gave the right answer. Dominicans don't travel a lot (at least the not-so rich ones) but when they do, is to treat themselves, we always try to stay at the better hotels (3 stars and up), eat the better food, buy the better clothes and get the best perfume. The not-so rich ones save the whole year to make this a reality. We even dress up to take the plane.
 
AlterEgo

AlterEgo

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Jan 9, 2009
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ExtremeR said:
We even dress up to take the plane.
Click to expand...

OMG that is so true! For the first 5-10 years of our marriage every time we'd go to Santo Domingo my husband would be in a sport jacket and tie, dress shoes, the whole 9-yards, and I'd be more comfort conscious. I guess he's been gringo-ized because now he travels in jeans and a button down shirt. No sneakers though because he says it's too much trouble to take them off for security. :squareeye

AE
 
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dv8

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Sep 27, 2006
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what does it mean "whole 9 yards"?

dominicans i know travel several times a year. no need to stay in hotels much as they have holiday homes in america. when in europe they do stay in good hotels but eat normal food (restaurants as well as KFC). cruise at least once a year. they seem to always travel in packs, when visiting asia my mother in law dragged several family members along. organized trips preferred.
younger people may stay with friends/family when travelling.
and hell yes, they dress up for a plane! whenever i go to europe (10 hours flight or so) my jaws drops at the sight of heavily made up women in dresses and very high heels. wtf?
 
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Chirimoya

Well-known member
Dec 9, 2002
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The whole nine yards ~ the Full Monty. Not in the sense of the film though, for which fellow airline passengers will be grateful ;). More like "the whole hog".

Clear as mud?
 
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dv8

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Sep 27, 2006
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is it like: captain of some silly ball game and chearleader had sex on the backseat of his dad's car?
 
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AZB

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Jan 2, 2002
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dv8 said:
what does it mean "whole 9 yards"?

dominicans i know travel several times a year. no need to stay in hotels much as they have holiday homes in america. when in europe they do stay in good hotels but eat normal food (restaurants as well as KFC). cruise at least once a year. they seem to always travel in packs, when visiting asia my mother in law dragged several family members along. organized trips preferred.
younger people may stay with friends/family when travelling.
and hell yes, they dress up for a plane! whenever i go to europe (10 hours flight or so) my jaws drops at the sight of heavily made up women in dresses and very high heels. wtf?
Click to expand...

Exactly as dv8 said.
AZB
 
AlterEgo

AlterEgo

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Jan 9, 2009
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The whole 9 yards is an American expression that is hard to put into words. It kind of means 'absolutely, totally, completely- everything that goes along with the subject' - in this case it means along with the sport jacket and tie he's wearing dress pants, dress socks, dress leather shoes, hair is freshly cut, freshly shaven, perfectly groomed,etc.

AE
 
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dv8

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Sep 27, 2006
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another detail about dominican travelling is that they seem to take their habits with them. i did mention before that my santo domingo flight from madrid was from a gate right opposite toilets. and sure anough whole floor was littered with used toilet paper.
 
Tamborista

Tamborista

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Apr 4, 2005
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dv8 said:
another detail about dominican travelling is that they seem to take their habits with them. i did mention before that my santo domingo flight from madrid was from a gate right opposite toilets. and sure anough whole floor was littered with used toilet paper.
Click to expand...

You are starting to sound like this guy that I know with the toilet paper obsession!;)
 
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el forastero

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Oct 25, 2009
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you forgot to mention that no matter how much or how little dominicanos can afford to travel, it will always be with 9 checked bags and 4 carry-on pieces as well......
 
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dv8

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Sep 27, 2006
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hell, yeah! when my mother in law and her mum come back from america suegro goes to the airport in a pick up. alone, because the back of the truck is not enough to hold all the luggage and they have to pile it up inside as well. :) :)
 
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amparocorp

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Aug 11, 2002
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i've noticed that when flying, dominicans think that rules don't apply to them. "one carry on" they think means, a carry on bag, plus huge pocketbook, plus something in a paper bag, and a laptop, and alcohol from the duty free shop. they think it's okay to manhandle anything you may have placed in the "overhead" so that they can jam their own junk in, damaging yours. my wife thinks that 50 lbs. per checked bag is really 60, "they won't say anything" she says, then we're opening suitcases on the floor of MIA taking stuff out. when the plane lands it's every man for himself because the guy on the back of the plane is going to knock down anyone that won't let him get off first. when boarding sit with your new friend, even though that is not your assigned seat. i'll never forget the flight attendant that had never been to SD before, as i was leaving the plane she turned to another flight attendant and said "if it's always like this i'm not coming here again".
 
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rsg

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Oct 21, 2008
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True Jet Blue Fact, The flights to the Dominican Republic have the highest rate of people missing their flights, and the most luggage then any other destinations. Many times the plane can not sell all the seats or allow people on stand by due to the weight of all the suitcases.
 
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ExtremeR

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Mar 22, 2006
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rsg said:
True Jet Blue Fact, The flights to the Dominican Republic have the highest rate of people missing their flights, and the most luggage then any other destinations. Many times the plane can not sell all the seats or allow people on stand by due to the weight of all the suitcases.
Click to expand...

Once in my way to the DR in Jet Blue I was forced to leave 4 jeans behind, I gave it to the airport employees, because my luggage was 10 pounds over between the 2 suitcases. Jetblue is really strict about cargo payload. If they could get a few A321 it would be great for the JFK-SDQ or STI route as it is bigger and can handle more payload.
 
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mariel

Dominisueca
Apr 7, 2004
514
6
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Hehehehe, thanks for the laughs and the info :) (and the fact about JB, an airline I considered flying on standby before).
 
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