Sept. 6 Wedding Update
Only 59 days to go!
1. CONTACT INFO. Maury/Mimi, Ray/Margaret – please email me your mobile phone numbers.
2. FLIGHT SCHEDULE. If you haven’t done so, please send your travel itinerary to Marc (for on-site planning) and Skyler Rentz srentz@applelg.net 800-815-9000 ext. 4278. Skyler is our new Guest Coordinator, replacing Asina, and will schedule your included ground transportation.
3. NEW RESORT SCHEDULE. Please contact me if you have special dietary preferences for the wedding dinner. See the schedule on our web site for times, locations, and dress for meals and events.
4. GROUP MESSAGING. Reminder – a few of you haven’t joined GroupMe mobile group messaging, which we’re using for wedding guest planning and communications at the resort. Join now!
Marc
marc@freed.one
(972) 200-3490
Wedding site: http://marcandlu.us
Schedule
Enjoy the resort food, beach, pools, water sports, tennis, and activities! Come for a long weekend or vacation for longer. The schedule below is for a Friday arrival and Monday departure.
Hungry between scheduled meals? Grab a quick bite at the buffet if open, visit Coco Café (open 24 hours), or call room service. It’s all included. For more, see Jade Now resort dining & drinks.
GroupMe messaging will be used for on-site instructions and anyone joining us sooner or later.
Friday Nov 2
- Allow up to 3 hours after flight arrival for customs, baggage, and group shuttle to resort. Send us a note on GroupMe when you arrive!
- TBD. Lunch @ Carnival International Buffet. Casual dress & notes [1]
- 3 pm. Check-in. If you get in early and your room isn’t yet ready, enjoy everything the resort has to offer. Feel free to change in our room if needed.
- 7:45. Drinks @ Timeout Outdoor Lobby Bar
- 8 pm (or when table ready). Dinner @ Mercure (French). Celebrate Janet Freedman’s 80th Birthday! [2]
Saturday Nov 3
- 9 am. Breakfast @ Carnival International Buffet [1]
-
2 pm. Lunch @ Castaways (Sandwiches & Gourmet Favorites) [1]
- 7:45. Drinks @ Timeout Outdoor Lobby Bar
- 8 pm (or when table ready). Dinner @ Capers (Italian). Casual elegance dress & notes [2]
Sunday Nov 4
- 9 am. Breakfast @ Carnival International Buffet [1]
- 12:30 pm. Wedding seating and music at Pergola overlooking the water outside of Carnival Buffet.
- 1 pm. Wedding ceremony starts, followed by cake and champagne.
- Afterward Lunch @ Carnival International Buffet
- 8 pm. Dinner @ Spice (Asian) Pavilion. [2]
Monday Nov 5
- 9 am. Breakfast @ Carnival International Buffet [1]
- 11 am. Checkout. If your shuttle doesn’t leave until later, you can still stay and enjoy the resort, including lunch.
Notes
- [1] Casual. Dress Minimum: Bermudas (long shorts or Capri pants), sneakers/tennis shoes and sandals are required. Ladies must wear a bathing suit wrap or cover-up. No sleeveless shirts for men.
- [2] Casual Elegance. Dress Minimum: Sneakers/tennis shoes or sandals and dress shirts with short sleeves or shirts are required. Long pants are required for men. No sleeveless shirts or flip-flops allowed.
Top tips to prepare for and have a great all-inclusive resort stay!
Here are a few tips for a great trip.
Before you leave
- Please tip even though it’s not necessary since it’s an all-inclusive resort. The service staff works hard, earns little, and often has an extremely long commute to get to work. The staff appreciates it and will typically provide even better service. For a long weekend trip like the wedding, get 20 dollar bills at your local bank before you leave for housekeeping, bartenders, and drink and meal servers. I’ll take care of servers at our group meals.
- Don’t forget the suntan lotion. Even though it’s not summer you can still get a nasty sunburn.
- Get essentials at home. The resort gift shop price are loco! Plan ahead and shop at Amazon and your favorite stores so you can pack items you’ll need like bathing suit, sandals, suntan lotion, a book, etc.
- Consider arriving early. While check-in isn’t until 3pm, it’s ok to arrive earlier. You can beat the crowd that waits until later in the day. While your room may not be ready, it’s an opportunity to get your bearings, relax, enjoy a drink, or meet us for lunch. There are restrooms where you can change for the pool or beach or you’re welcome to use our room.
On your trip. View the Now Jade resort page.
- Turn off your phone’s cellular/radio network to avoid Mexico roaming charges if not included in your mobile service plan.
- Avoid the timeshares. You’ll be greeted by timeshare sellers and other ‘helpers’ after you arrive in the airport in Mexico. Ignore them and proceed outside the terminal to find your shuttle service.
- Now Jade Check-in. During the check-in process you may be greeted by someone who wants to give you a presentation in exchange for resort coupons. Yeah, it’s their own timeshare sell. The coupons won’t be useful unless you’re already planning on their high-priced spa or other services. Not recommended. JUST SAY NO.
- Electrical. Power outlets are US standard 110V.
- Water. Tap water at the resort is ok to drink.
- Wifi. The resort features free wifi throughout. That said, the normal hotel caveats apply – it’s slow (especially compared to your home wifi) and there may be occasional dead zones and outages. You should be able to access text messages, email, and apps. But real-time video may be a bit much.
- Phone calls. Wifi enables phone calls. So you don’t have to worry about adding international calling, expensive roaming or buying a SIM card and minutes. You have various options to make and receive calls from the US.
- The resort’s own Unlimited Connectivity app.
- Most major US cell phone providers (at least AT&T and Sprint) now include wifi calling.
- Communications apps like Skype.
- Now Jade shops. There are a few shops in the resort for beachwear and clothing, personal care, gifts, & sundry goods, jewelry, and the spa. They’re expensive but you won’t be stranded if you forget something at home.
- Your room will have a safe. It’s a good place for your passport, substantial money, etc.
- It’s a beach. The beach at Now Jade is on an old coral bed. Depending on the year and storms, there may be rocks under the water and a lot of seaweed. You may want to consider water shoes. Typically the south (to your right) part of the beach is better for sand. Seaweed can be a problem in the Yucatan. It wasn’t a problem when we were there late Fall.
- Beach sellers. At Now Jade just past the north side of the property (to your left), there are vendors for massages ($40 last time we were there) and hang gliding. There are some sellers as well who walk the public beach. It’s not too bad but they are there. Again, just politely say No. Now Jade has a few evenings where local vendors are invited to set up and sell their wares.
- Activities. For some, a lounge next to the beach with a drink in your hand is all you need. But for others – well, me – there are also more active activities. Here are some ideas.
- What vacation would be complete without a beach jog?
- There is beach volleyball at 4pm.
- Kayaks are available for a jaunt with the fishes.
- The roof of the lobby offers tennis and basketball (equipment through the concierge).
- The gym is decent-sized, though some machines weren’t working when I last there.
- Sadly there is no daily yoga. But I’m happy to lead bodyweight workouts from 7 to 30 minutes. These typically are high-intensity but can easily be adapted to match your level of fitness.
Food & Beverage. All are included.
- Take it easy on the liquor. The drinks are free and intentionally light on alcohol so you can enjoy them all day long. That said, just because you can doesn’t mean you should. 😉
- Premium liquor. Now Jade features top shelf liquor. The catch – you have to ask for it! Check with your bartender or server for the brands they carry.
Restaurant & Bar hours/dress code. The restaurants, including the buffet, are all excellent. There’s always someplace open.
- Room service. 24 hours.
- Coco Café. 6 a.m. – 10 p.m., late night bites: 11 p.m. – 7 a.m. It’s a delightful stop throughout the day outside meals, especially early in the morning or late at night, for quality coffee or tea, ice cream, and other treats!
- Specialty restaurants. 5:30 p.m. – 11 p.m. Dress code Casual Elegance – Sneakers/tennis shoes or sandals and dress shirts with short sleeves or shirts are required. Long pants are required for men. No sleeveless shirts or flip-flops allowed.
- Castaways. Lunch: 11 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. Dress code Casual (see Carnival below).
- Carnival International Buffet. Breakfast: 7 a.m. – 11 a.m. Lunch: 12:30 p.m. – 4 p.m. Dinner: 6 p.m. – 10 p.m. Casual – Bermudas (long shorts or Capri pants), sneakers/tennis shoes and sandals are required. Ladies must wear a bathing suit wrap or cover-up. No sleeveless shirts for men.
- Main and preferred pool grills. Lunch: 12 p.m. – 4 p.m.
- Bars. Some are open as late as 1 a.m.
Weddings make me ‘appy
There are two mobile apps you’ll want to download and set up. We’ll start using GroupMe soon. Please take a few minutes to read below and get it set up over the next week.
GroupMe
GroupMe is a mobile messaging app that we’re using for wedding guest planning and communications at the resort. GroupMe uses wifi, which is provided throughout the resort.
A GroupMe wedding group has been set up that you’ve been invited to. GroupMe will be used for meal and activity notification and location and other news. You can use the app to let us know if your flight is delayed, when you arrive at the resort, where you are, etc.
Kiss me, you fool! Whether you want a kiss or to just say hello, you can also use GroupMe to directly (privately) send a message to another group member.
GroupMe has a lot of nifty features. But they’re not always easily found. Do take some time to tap, review, and customize all icons and settings.
Tips
Installation/Set up
- I assume you would just use this for the wedding. So I recommend limiting access – such as to your Contacts – during set up.
- In the GroupMe app go to Settings. Make sure SMS message delivery is OFF (so it’s using wifi).
- The wedding group should display on your screen when started. If it doesn’t, then you may have set it up with a different phone or email than I used to add you. Please contact me and let me know what phone/email you used.
There are 3 types of group settings in the mobile app.
- Tap the 3 dots in the upper right
- Tap the group icon (Marc & Lu kissing)
- Tap the group icon and then Settings at the bottom. Scroll to the bottom when you depart Mexico if you’d like to tap to leave the message group.
Get lost or want to share your location? The resort isn’t THAT large. Still, if you do, GroupMe has you covered. From the wedding group, select the paperclip icon (Android) or the + plus icon in the chat window. Select the location teardrop icon. Select your Current Location. Enter an optional message and Send.
AMResorts Unlimited Connectivity
Unlimited Connectivity is the Now Jade resort app. Some info like the resort map can be accessed now. But much of it requires you to register after check-in on-site to work. Features:
Get Connected
Free Wi-Fi and free international calling to the U.S., Canada and local landlines – no need for roaming data costs!
Get Assistance
Book spa appointments, plan romantic dinners, contact staff members, make special requests, and more.
Get Informed
Check the resort map, restaurant times, menu offerings, facility schedules, activities calendar and more.
Get Local
View regional maps, request transportation, and plan local excursions.
Flight Itinerary Tips for the Resort
Here are a few tips to help you in your flight scheduling and wedding planning for your arrival and departure in Cancun, Mexico. The beach resort is about an hour south of Cancun and 40 minutes south of the airport.
Arrival
Check-in is 3pm.
Leave up to 3 hours time from arrival at the airport to arrival at the resort to allow for deplaning, baggage, customs, finding, check-in, and waiting for your Amstar shuttle, and shared shuttle trip time.
Consider arriving before check-in. Wouldn’t you rather spend more of the day at the resort than your home? You can beat the crowd that waits until later in the day. No wristbands are required. So even though your room may not be ready, you can fully enjoy the resort. Check your bags, tour the resort, relax, and enjoy a drink. Plus we’re planning a late lunch for Friday arrivals.
Departure
Check-out is 11am.
Shuttle pick-up time will be about 3 hours before your flight leaves. Don’t be late! Leave enough time to pack and check out as the shuttle can only wait a few minutes.
Consider leaving after check-out. Similar to your arrival, you can plan your return flight to give you time to leisurely check out, check your bags, and enjoy the resort and lunch.
Can’t Commit 5 Months in Advance?
All hope is not lost! We have a solution for guests who were unable to book our group reservation by the deadline date.
When you’re ready just head over to the Now Jade resort web site. Click to book the resort for Unlimited-Luxury + Airfare. I’ve confirmed that the package price is just about the same as our group price for the resort plus separately booked airfare. And the package does include roundtrip airport transfer.
One advantage is you don’t have to book the 3 night minimum for the group reservation. However that does defeat the purpose of spending time with us and enjoying a little tropical vacation when it’s getting cold!
The downside is room availability and pricing aren’t guaranteed. Plus you’ll have to pay for the full reservation at the time of the booking. I found rooms available today (July 12) at a comparable price. The resort will eventually be fully booked for the wedding weekend. So the sooner you can make a decision and book, the better.
Do let us know if you end up booking direct this way so we can include you in the wedding plans!
How to save checked bag fees
For those of us who aren’t flying Southwest and don’t have free checked bags through our airline rewards program or airline credit card (at least not for international travel to Mexico) …
The wedding is informal. So you don’t need to pack an extra bag just for a formal outfit you’ll only wear for a few hours. In fact one advantage of a resort vacation is you can pack light. How light you ask?
One bagging is the practice of using a single bag, often without wheels (horrors!) to maximize packing space. Bring your bag on the plane or check it at the ramp … and avoid the ridiculous checked bag fees that can be as much as $100 (Spirit Airlines, I’m looking at you.).
“Devotees wash their underwear in sinks, opine on the merits of various travel packs and ruthlessly whittle down their gear to carry as little as possible. Some extremely committed one-baggers even melt down deodorant into old lip balm containers to save room and weight.”
OK, you may not want to get that extreme. But if you’re just staying for a few nights it may be worth considering. Read more at The Best Packing Tips From One-Bag Travel Fanatics.
Passport or Library Card?
Travel to Mexico requires a passport. Be sure to apply for yours now if you don’t have one. You’ll need an original birth certificate and passport photo. Because No, you can’t fly internationally with just a library card.
Optimal air travel booking date is August 24!
I rechecked the optimal Mexico air travel booking date for the wedding. The site looks at millions of booked fares. It’s a few days shorter than last year at 70 days, which would be August 24 for a November 2 departure. It’s an average. So booking a couple weeks in either direction shouldn’t have a significant impact.
Of course price is just one factor. If your airport is small or there are few direct or connecting flights, you may want to book earlier to get the best routing in case desired seats quickly fill.
Forward your booking to Asina Softleigh asoftleigh@applelg.net at Apple Travel so she can set up your included round trip transfer.
Here is commentary from the article on Mexico.
Mexico/Central America
Mexico and Central America were quite similar to domestic U.S. flights (this has not always been the case in the past) – you can generally wait about 70 days out for the best fares to Mexico or Central American destinations. The airfares to our neighbors to the south are also trending slightly cheaper overall versus last year, translating to an average 3% savings on each ticket. December is the most expensive month, so get your Christmas beach vacation booked stat!
Prime Booking Window: 2 weeks to almost 6 months before departure
Best time to buy: About 70 days from your travel date
The average airfare: $489
Cheapest month to travel: September
Most expensive month to travel: December
Least expensive days of week to fly: Tuesday and Wednesday
Booking Deadline June 25th
sent via Evite
Folks, we want you to join us for a nice vacation (you earned it!) plus this little wedding thing. You’ll need to make a decision soon as the fabulous Jade Now Riviera Maya resort booking deadline is June 25. Your only commitment is $100 per person. You can wait until August to pay the balance and book your flights to Cancun.
Your booking includes our guaranteed low rates, roundtrip airport transfers, rooms near one another … sunshine, ocean, and wonderful weather … and, well, everything. This is all-inclusive!
Get more info and book now!
Marc and Lu's Wedding - November 4th 