My ex and I use to go to Cancun together twice a year, before she became the ex of course... We had a great time, but we worked on very different schedules. We'd go out every night around 11pm with either friends or a group from the hotel. We'd make it back to the hotel around 3:30-4:00am to meet with all the other couples who had to drop a "tanner" off. We'd have a burger and a beer or two, and then go our seperate ways. The tanners would head to the rooms, as they needed to be up at 7:00am for breakfast and be ready to get the early sun. The other half of us would get back out there and try and make it back for breakfast... after breakfast, we'd head off to bed for a while, and then meet the tanners around lunch. One or two nights per week, I'd have to go to a "romantic" dinner, which was almost as bad as being forced to go to dinner during playoffs, as you spend the entire dinner wondering what you're missing. As for the card, I use to get it every trip. If we signed up to one tour or went out for dinner once, it paid for itself. Even if we were a group of 12, if we had the card, we saved. For the most part, I go AI so I don't have to run tabs at different bars every day. When I'm on vacation, I like to drink. Even if I didn't ever eat at the resort, I would still come out ahead just on booze with an AI plan. That doesn't include the cost associated with the convenience factor. I rarely eat dinner at the resort. Last trip was the first time I've eaten at the BBG buffet in over 7 visits. I use to get the card, as it helped motivate to try different restaurants, instead of just going to the same two all the time. Now that I've tried a few restaurants, and know where I want to go most of the time, I don't order the card anymore. I still think that for most tourists, who haven't really visited Cancun outside of their resort but want to, the card is a good way to go. It only adds $15 to the cost of your trip, and it can give you some great ideas on where to spend an evening.
I do the same, not only for the city I live in, but for the (US) cities that I visit. I'm not sure it saves me any money (although it has that appearance), because (like most everyone else, I'm sure) I buy more and more-expensive as a result of having it. What Waste said in his note above is critical though, I think, and one of the main reasons I buy these. It does give you an idea of what is where - a perspective that you might otherwise not get. As you said, the economics are secondary (although that's not how it started out). It also (this is important to me anyway) tells you who wants more customers and is willing to go the extra mile to get them. Usually an Entertainment advertiser will go through more to make sure that the money they just allowed to fall off the table (when you use the coupon or card) results in a highly positive experience so that eventually they can get it back. (Which I fully understand, respect, and enjoy when dining at their establishment.) These are one of the times when I'm so happy that this isn't video. The tanner tale was great prose and the quote above speaks for itself. I haven't laughed that hard for a number of days now.... You need to let me know if you're ever going to make it down over the Xmas or NYears holiday. All of that aside - you never did (or I didn't understand it) say why they're not going to let you fly anymore...?
Doesn't mean you're right. You are entitled to your opinion and I am entitled to mine. Doesn't mean one of us ir right an the other is wrong. It's a matter of preference. I gave an answer and stand by it. The card can be good for AI people and non AI of you are going to use.
I tend to agree with Karan. I use to frequent BBG and would always buy the card simply cause it was so cheap and always paid for itself after one use. The critical question to ask is "do you plan on having any meals away from the resort?" If not, it's not worth getting. If so, you'll break even on the first meal out. I personally get tired of the buffet food after about 3 days cause it's the same old tired stuff over and over & you only get so many coupons to the specialty restaurants. But like someone else mentioned, it's only $15 freakin dollars! Even if you don't use it, that amount of money lost ain't gonna break the bank. Michelle
I normally visit DR, Jamaica or Vegas for New Years. Come to think of it, I don't think I've ever been in Mexico for New Years. Now with the addition of Baby Waste, New Years was spent at a house party this year... Next Year's plan is to book his daycare so we can at least go out. I don't see a remote New Years destination in my future for another 3, maybe 4 years. The not flying anymore is an inside joke. My party starts before I even make it to the airport. As I normally book the 6:00-6:30am flight, my usual routine is to take my suitcase to work in the morning, then take it with me to Happy Hour, then to whatever bars we go to that night. Leave the last bar at 3:30am, suitcase in hand, for the airport. My friends laugh and tell me I'm getting to old to keep it up. I tell them as long as I'm alive, they should expect no less from me. One argued that as I get older, I'll have less bladder control, and probably won't be able to hold it while strapped to my seat during take-off, which if happens to often, will result in me not being able to fly anymore. Instead of saying until I'm old and start pissing myself, I just say while I'm still allowed to fly.
I say get it if We stay AI and EP and have gotten the card the last 4 times. We love Lorito Joes, My place and Seahorse. We're not worried about how much we save but we do save a bunch. Try to meet the delivery guy in the lobby tho. He had to return twice because the front desk said it never came. Hmmm, interesting :roll: I called Brant and met the delivery in about 20 minutes. Very helpful and unserstanding. That's customer service. 8 more weeks and we will have card in hand. Jimmy
Re: I say get it if Never even thought of that angle... Which of the Card places were you able to get to deliver and still honor the card?
Ouch! You may not be too old yet, but if you live that way much longer, I think you may get there as quickly as humanly possible.
You know, I never said that AI and the Card were incompatible. I said that they would be unlikely to get a good answer in this forum - and one of the 3 reasons was that so many people here frequent BBG, which happens to be both AI (as well as somewhat clannish, which I did not mention, but would not be favorable for using cards unless all of one's 'group' were to feel like going to the same place on the Card at the same time). Even though some really good answers came out of this discussion (so gladly I was wrong about that), the answer ("it's only $15 so why ask") really falls along the lines of what I was expecting and predicting.
Delivery When I mentioned "delivery guy" I ment the guy that delivers the card. The card that mysterously never arrived, twice :shock: Jimmy
