I need some help with my travel decisions!!!

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kelleygirl

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Hello everyone,

This is my first time posting on this website, so Hi :)

I am traveling to the Dominican Republic for the 2nd time on April 30. Last year, I traveled during Easter (my 1st mistake) and I booked the trip through Expedia (my 2nd mistake). I had a great time at the Barcelo Capella (despite getting 2nd degree burns 3 days into the week) but will never book a vacation package through a travel agent (online or off) again. I booked the hotel through the barcelo website (this year I am staying at the Colonia Tropical). I have not booked my airfare as of yet, because I do not know if it is going to go down in price.

As of right now, the AA quoted price from JFK to SDQ round trip departing 4/30 and returning 5/7 is $358.55 per person. I looked a little more into the flight times that I am interested in and there are at least 150 available seats per flight, with nearly 3 weeks to go before take off...

Does anyone know if the airlines tend to lower their fares as they get closer to the flight date if the tickets don't sell? What is usually the cut-off, what do you reccomend I do??? I am planning on purchasing the tickets this weekend because I don't want to gamble with the price going up and I am not too sure if it is going to go down.

Another question (sorry this is so long-- I have a lot to say :)). I have also checked flights to STI via Jet Blue. The prices are a lot cheaper than flying AA to SDQ. How long does it take to get from STI to Juan Dolio/San Pedro de Macoris? Am I just better off spending the extra money and flying into SDQ?

Please help in any way you can!!

Thanks :)
Kelley :eek:
 
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ricktoronto

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That price is pretty good so don't expect much. Also the seatmaps do not show sold tickets just unbooked seats, and there is a HUGE difference on AA. Ask yourself this: Is maybe $20 later worth nothing later?

Since you failed to say what much cheaper is for JetBlue that decision to go from STI to where you are really going depends on the savings but I bet it is less than $100 and the trip will be a pain in the a_s_s frankly.
 
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jrzyguy

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May 5, 2004
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also kelly...be carefull about jet blue...the list GREAT prices....but then add on the taxes if you continue to book your ticket. Just try selecting a flight and choose next.

it sound like you are going on VACATION....so treat it as such!
 
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kelleygirl

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Thanks for the help guys, I appreciate it... I did check the Jet Blue pricing, and it is the same as Continental from Newark to STI. I think that it comes to something like $521.10 for 2 roundtrip tickets, but the flight times are strange and I guess it's not really worth it to stress myself out trying to get from Santiago to Juan Dolio.
 
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ricktoronto

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A tip for you from someone who travels quite evidently a lot more than you is: if you are flying from A to B buy a ticket to B and not , C or D or Z. And waiting for the last shoe to drop on a fare can mean you go barefoot with no flight at all.
 
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kelleygirl

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ricktoronto said:
A tip for you from someone who travels quite evidently a lot more than you is: if you are flying from A to B buy a ticket to B and not , C or D or Z. And waiting for the last shoe to drop on a fare can mean you go barefoot with no flight at all.
Click to expand...

Thanks, that's good advice. (I guess it is a little obvious that I don't travel that often. This trip in April is only my 3rd out of the country!!!) :)
 
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Escott

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Jan 14, 2002
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kelleygirl said:
Thanks for the help guys, I appreciate it... I did check the Jet Blue pricing, and it is the same as Continental from Newark to STI. I think that it comes to something like $521.10 for 2 roundtrip tickets, but the flight times are strange and I guess it's not really worth it to stress myself out trying to get from Santiago to Juan Dolio.
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Stressed? Hell what is wrong with getting in at 2:45 am, getting out of customs at 3:30 and then trying to make your way in a difficult country 3 hours? Piece of cake. Like the other guy said, for a threesome I will pick you up with a bottle of champagne and deliver you.
 
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ricktoronto

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kelleygirl said:
(I guess it is a little obvious that I don't travel that often. This trip in April is only my 3rd out of the country!!!) :)
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No...way...girlfriend! You're kidding! Cool!

You want to have a major league pain in the heinie (your bum) try navigating around unfamiliar territory in another language in the wee hours to save bupkus (that's a little). Since the most you can save using a different flight is $360 (if the flight was free) and $360 is peanuts you cannot save all that much to make all the bother worth it. That's the straight dope.

And if you're cute, and I bet you are, not the best time of night to travel all alone.

And you know travelling on the ground 3 hours or more to save even $200 (and I bet it is not that much on JetB with the taxes and so forth) will quickly be discovered to be a false savings, as time on the beach for that tan is money, honey.
 
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riravaga

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Jet Blue flights are early in the morning, so is not convinient for you to go to Santiago. You can try on Delta, they have good fares, better than American. Guess United had opened flights to SDQ.
 
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ricktoronto

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riravaga said:
Jet Blue flights are early in the morning, so is not convinient for you to go to Santiago. You can try on Delta, they have good fares, better than American. Guess United had opened flights to SDQ.
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It is also not convenient regardless of time since her dstination is Juan Dolio not Santiago or even somewhere north. United would have very long delays as well as they don't fly to the DR.
 
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purefolie

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American airlines

I booked a flight with American Airlines 20 days before my departure (for April19th), and the airplane was nearly empty. I paid 359.75$CAN from Montreal to Puerto Plata, with a stop at JFK. The day after I booked my flight, the price was 75$ more! And now as the seats are going, the prices continue to increase.
So don't wait too long!!! If the price is okay for you, then buy it!
Mel
 
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RonS

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Oct 18, 2004
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The bottom line is that the one hundred dollars or so you might save traveling Jet Blue is truly not worth the hassle. The inconvenience in the time of departure and arrival in the DR, coupled with the three hour trip from Santiago to Santo Domingo and Juan Dilio, just underscores the good sense of arriving at SDI. Besides, you're on vacation, why be stressed! Spend some of that time you save hassle-free on the beach!
 
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ricktoronto

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I couldn't have said it better myself. Hey.......wait a minute , I did say that myself.
 
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Paulino

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Correct airport code

RonS said:
The bottom line is that the one hundred dollars or so you might save traveling Jet Blue is truly not worth the hassle. The inconvenience in the time of departure and arrival in the DR, coupled with the three hour trip from Santiago to Santo Domingo and Juan Dilio, just underscores the good sense of arriving at SDI. Besides, you're on vacation, why be stressed! Spend some of that time you save hassle-free on the beach!
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Just for the record, Santo Domingo/Las Americas International is SDQ, not SDI (if we're talking strict airport codes, that is). We wouldn't want the girl to book a ticket to Saidor, Papua New Guinea, would we? :))
 
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kelleygirl

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Got the tix...

Just in case anyone is wondering, I bought the tix last night on AA.com, $717.10 for 2 rt tix from JFK to SDQ. I also booked a transfer with Rafel Silva (dominicantaxi.com) for $30 each way.

I'm getting some feedback on the lesbian hangout thing, so I'll keep you all posted as I know you're anxiously waiting :) Oh- and sorry guys, no threesomes, I'll be down there with my boyfriend...

Oh, and while I'm posting, I have one last question that I can't seem to find the answer to elsewhere. I live in the US and have Verizon Wireless as my cell phone carrier. My phone is the Motorola V710. Will I have the ability to use it in the DR?? Last year when I was there I had AT&T Wireless and it automatically switched to Orange because it was on a GSM frequency. Is my phone automatically going to switch to Codetel since I have a CDMA frequency? If not, what steps do I need to take and should I notify Verizon??

Thanks for everyone's advice on everything else!!!
 
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Dominican_Titan

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kelleygirl said:
Just in case anyone is wondering, I bought the tix last night on AA.com, $717.10 for 2 rt tix from JFK to SDQ. I also booked a transfer with Rafel Silva (dominicantaxi.com) for $30 each way.

I'm getting some feedback on the lesbian hangout thing, so I'll keep you all posted as I know you're anxiously waiting :) Oh- and sorry guys, no threesomes, I'll be down there with my boyfriend...

Oh, and while I'm posting, I have one last question that I can't seem to find the answer to elsewhere. I live in the US and have Verizon Wireless as my cell phone carrier. My phone is the Motorola V710. Will I have the ability to use it in the DR?? Last year when I was there I had AT&T Wireless and it automatically switched to Orange because it was on a GSM frequency. Is my phone automatically going to switch to Codetel since I have a CDMA frequency? If not, what steps do I need to take and should I notify Verizon??

Thanks for everyone's advice on everything else!!!
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You probably wont have no problems with the phone since is no longer Codetel but Verizon. But then again they might not have the same thing going on as here in the U.S. I suggest you call verizon and let them clear that out for you. You wouldn't want to be charge 50 Cents Or More Per Minutes.
 
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ricktoronto

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Jan 9, 2002
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kelleygirl said:
Oh, and while I'm posting, I have one last question that I can't seem to find the answer to elsewhere. I live in the US and have Verizon Wireless as my cell phone carrier. My phone is the Motorola V710. Will I have the ability to use it in the DR?? Last year when I was there I had AT&T Wireless and it automatically switched to Orange because it was on a GSM frequency. Is my phone automatically going to switch to Codetel since I have a CDMA frequency? If not, what steps do I need to take and should I notify Verizon??

Thanks for everyone's advice on everything else!!!
Click to expand...

Unless you only plan to call a few mintues the roaming costs are horrendous no matter what you switch to - buy a cheap new phone in the $30 range (really they are that cheap) and use it with Orange cards and give it to a lesbian buddy (buddie?) when you go. You might may over $1 a minute to use the phone even locally.

Frankly for a week the hassle of having a phone shop recode your phone to make it local (which is the idea posted above) is not worth doing when you can buy one in 10 minutes - also if you are just calling home, vs. setting up 3-somes with the lesbian gals, use a calling shop in town where you can sit in a nice booth and pay on a meter for maybe 30 cents a minute to the US.
NB: Good job adding a supplementary question vs. a new thread.
 
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sweetdbt

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Sep 17, 2004
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kelleygirl said:
Oh, and while I'm posting, I have one last question that I can't seem to find the answer to elsewhere. I live in the US and have Verizon Wireless as my cell phone carrier. My phone is the Motorola V710. Will I have the ability to use it in the DR?? Last year when I was there I had AT&T Wireless and it automatically switched to Orange because it was on a GSM frequency. Is my phone automatically going to switch to Codetel since I have a CDMA frequency? If not, what steps do I need to take and should I notify Verizon??
Click to expand...

Your CDMA phone can be unlocked and activated with Verizon DR (formerly Codetel). The problem is, you will probably need to leave it in the shop a day or 2, and when you return, it won't work in the US without being worked on again. Your best bet is to bring an old, unlocked, CDMA phone to be activated with Verizon, or easier yet, buy a cheap Verizon or Orange phone with activation (about RD1000).
 
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kelleygirl

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Where can I go to get a phone from Orange?? I'm on the website and can't seem to find any type of e-commerce (besides, I wouldn't want it shipped to the US anyway). Are there any shops in or near the airport?? I'm not really going to be traveling the town or anything and since I've already booked the transfers the taxi service will be waiting for me at the airport I'm not going to have the ability to walk around (and who wants to with luggage anyway). Do any of the shops in Juan Dolio sell them or should I ask the driver to stop (for an extra tip of course) for a few minutes while en route to JD?

I'm just going to be using it to make a few calls to the US and will give the number to a few people in the US because it will be my birthday while I'm down there and they've all already asked me how they can get in contact with me...

thanks for the props rick :) I'm a fast learner...
 
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ricktoronto

Grande Pollo en Boca Chica
Jan 9, 2002
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kelleygirl said:
Where can I go to get a phone from Orange?? I'm on the website and can't seem to find any type of e-commerce (besides, I wouldn't want it shipped to the US anyway). Are there any shops in or near the airport?? I'm not really going to be traveling the town or anything and since I've already booked the transfers the taxi service will be waiting for me at the airport I'm not going to have the ability to walk around (and who wants to with luggage anyway). Do any of the shops in Juan Dolio sell them or should I ask the driver to stop (for an extra tip of course) for a few minutes while en route to JD?

I'm just going to be using it to make a few calls to the US and will give the number to a few people in the US because it will be my birthday while I'm down there and they've all already asked me how they can get in contact with me...

thanks for the props rick :) I'm a fast learner...
Click to expand...

It is hard not to find an Orange dealer, they are everywhere. If you can speak Spanish tell the driver to stop at Celular Caribe in Boca Chica - it is right at the junction of the highway (like 40 meters south towards town) you are on and the traffic light /Shell station in Boca Chica - in and out in a jiffy.
 
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