Sophie & Mike

We hope everyone has enjoyed viewing our website and signing our guestbook.  We will be posting any changes or new information on this page from here on for your ease.  Please check back regularly for new updates as this page will become more important as the date gets closer.

The wedding party will be spending Wedding Eve in Havana.  If anyone is interested in spending the night there too, the room rate is approximately $125 CAN.  Let me know if you would like us to reserve a room for you.

I will post the excat hotel we'll be staying at once we have the reservations.  It will  be in old Havana as the church is there.  I think our options are between Hotel Raquel, The Comodador and Hotel Valencia.

We spoke with Marcia and she will be emailing everyone's tickets to them once she receives them.  You can then print your tickets off and bring them with you to the airport.

If you would prefer to have your tickets mailed to you, please contact Marcia and let her know.

She said that ticktets are issued approximately 3 weeks prior to departure.  Keep an eye out for them around the beginning of May.

Thanks to Marcia yet again, Nolitours is offering a discount for preassigned seats.  If a minimum of 10 people preassign their seats the rate will be $10.50 per person.   Otherwise it will be the regular $15.  This is for the regular seats only.  Take a look at the Air Transat site for seat types.  

For those of you that have already started packing, like me (Sophie), here is the CATSA list of what's allowed in your carry-on... 

http://www.catsa-acsta.gc.ca/english/travel_voyage/list.shtml#makeupandtoiletry

Please note that you must check in your straitjackets, crossbows, hatchets, and grenade-shaped perfume bottles.  Please also note that your Piñatas are illegal.   

Below is the link to Air Transat and your luggage allowance for weight etc...

http://www.airtransat.ca/en/4_6.asp

We are allowed 20 kg for our checked baggage and 10 kg for our carry on baggage.  The link below will give you the dimensions and more specific information with respect to your luggage...

http://www.airtransat.ca/en/4_6_1.asp 

** if you are over in your weight the charge is $10 per kilogram!**  

If you would like to prepay for your seats then here is the link for that...

http://www.airtransat.ca/en/4_1.asp

You will note that the bulkhead and emergency exit seats are $35 to prebook.  If you haven't flown before, this is because they have the most leg room on the plane (in economy) so I guess you could say they are the best seats on the plane in economy.  You can prepay for them or get to the airport really early to select them.

I just wanted to share the official Sirenis song which I found on the web.  Enjoy.....LOL

http://www.sirenishotels.com/sounds/sirenis_english.mp3

 

On a serious note, for those guests that have not or will not book through Marcia, please let us know as soon as possible your flight number, tour company, and date of arrival as the resort needs this information in order to include you in the festivities.

 

A couple of other little tidbits I have learned along the way...

1) there is a daily charge for your room safe, its about 1.50 CUC per day.  They will try to charge you for the safe at the end of the week even if you don't use it, stand firm and tell them you didn't use it.

2)  book the a la carte restaurants for the week THE VERY NEXT MORNING ie Monday morning.  They book up fast!  You only get 2 reservations for your stay but I have heard of people getting more with a little palm greasing *wink, wink, nudge, nudge*  The Japanese from what I hear is the best and books up really fast.  The French restaurant and steak house are also getting good reviews.

3) bring ketchup and/or peanut butter if those items are important to you.  The resort has ketchup but usually sucks and there is no peanut butter in Cuba.

FLIGHT TIMES ARE IN!!!!!

Depart Toronto

Sunday, May 17th - 1:30pm        Arrive at Varadero: 4:55pm

Just a quick reminder that final payments are due March 17th (60 days before departure).  Please contact Marcia to let her know how you would like to make that payment.

Also, we've had some discussions with guests regarding attire for the wedding.  Please don't wear suits and ties.  It's going to be hot!  We suggest a nice linen outfit for the wedding.  H&M generally has great linen clothes. 

Women:  a cute little sundress or a linen outfit will be fine.

Men: If it makes you feel more comfortable, Mike's wedding outfit will be dress pants and a linen top.  It'll be too hot for a suit.

 

2 months away and 35 people going down!!!

P.S.  if there are any couples or families out there who will not be making use of the 1 suitcase per person, ummm can you let us know!?

As you may know the group rate has now come and gone.  Mike and I are overwhelmed that 27 people have confirmed their trips and will be joining us in celebrating our very special day.  Thank you one and all! We are going to have an amazing trip together!!!

For those that are still interested in joining us, and we know you're out there, as of right now there are two options for you....

1)  book the trip on your own; or

2) book the trip through Marcia, if she gets another 10 people interested she can obtain another group rate

Those of you that have booked already through Marcia, your final payments are due March 17th.  Marcia should be contacting you to arrange final payment.  If she doesn't, give us a call.

It is now more important than ever for everyone, booked or not yet booked, to keep checking in on this page on a weekly basis as flight plans are still subject to change.  We will also be posting the flight times here once they become available.

Start packing your SPF's we're just under 3 months away!!!

For those of our guests that have booked with the group, our flight dates have changed back to Sunday May 17th to Sunday May 24th.

This is the 3rd change and probably not that last.  We're starting to think its best not to make any plans the weekend of our departure, if at all possible.

Hopefully when this is all said and done we'll remember which day we need to be at the airport. sheesh

 

We will post flight times on this page as soon as they become available.  We are told this should be around mid March.

We will now be staying at the...

Sirenis La Salina.

The Sirenis is a newer hotel with 8 restaurants, 2 pools and 7 bars including a swim up cave bar and an all-day coffee bar. 

We depart from Toronto on Saturday, May 16th and return Saturday, May 23rd.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding the changes please do not hesitate to contact either one of us.  See you in less than 4 months!!

http://www.sirenishotels.com/hotel_characteristics.php?&id=29&lang=en