While we were in Punta Cana last month, we met a lovely couple from upstate NY. Recently retired, they wanted to save some money on this vacation. They got a "special" rate of $220 per night (plus taxes) from the Riu Palace Punta Cana and booked it for 7 nights directly. They searched the internet for decent airfare and found the best prices on USA 3000 from Newark. This is the same airline that Apple Vacations uses for it's clients out of Newark.
They booked transfers separately and as Laura put it, they were petrified that they would be robbed, beaten and left in a ditch on the side of the road in Punta Cana, but of course, that didn't happen and they arrived safely.
We had dinner with them on Saturday evening in the gourment (and it was excellent) restaurant and then in the Steakhouse on Sunday evening. Our flight home on USA 3000 was Monday morning and we arrived back in Newark safe and sound.
Knowing that their flight was on Friday, I email the pictures we took on Sunday- 2 days after their return (or what should have been their return).
The email response was quite a surprise.
Their return transfer showed up promptly at 8:45 AM for the drive back to the airport. Upon arriving at the airport, they were told the airport was closed due to a mishap on the runway. There were no other flights available that day. Actually the next day that USA 3000 might be able to get them back to Newark was on Monday- 3 days later!
The clients who were on the same flight but booked through Apple Vacations had a longer transfer (to La Romana) but were home Friday afternoon. Apple just arranged for their clients to get on a USA 3000 flight from La Romana instead of Punta Cana.
Because Laura and her husband didn't book through Apple Vacations, they were never informed of any issues with the airport (it really wasn't the airline's fault but really the airport's problem). Now they needed to get back to the hotel- another fee for the car to take them back. They also needed to find another flight home sooner than Monday as they were running out of medication.
The hotel gave them back the same room (again at the rate of $220 per night plus taxes) and the search started. They were able to get on American to JFK (in NYC) on Saturday for a modest fee of $450 per person- a total of $900. The cab from JFK to Newark (where their car was parked) was another $75.
In total their cheapie vacation ended up costing them another $1200 for the 1 day delay. Of course, they had no trip insurance to cover the cost. They booked on line.
Morale of the story- don't leave your vacation to chance.
Book with a Vacation & Cruise Specialist.
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