# Plan Complete - Aruba, Panama and Cancun



## dioxide45 (Jul 22, 2012)

We just completed booking a trip that includes Aruba, Panama and Cancun with short stints in New York and Houston for spring 2013. We booked an open jaw flight to Aruba with a return from Cancun with cash. We had to wait a while to book the connection between because we were waiting for credit card bonus points to post to DWs United MileagePlus account. That happened yesterday and we were able to book our flight from Aruba to Cancun (through Panama) on Copa Airlines. Cost was only 10,000 miles each for a flight that would have cost $1,200 between us.

We are big Hard Rock Café fans and actually booked a flight with an overnight layover in Panama City so we can spend a night at the Hard Rock Hotel and a visit to the café there. Not sure what else we will get to see in Panama since our flight gets in at 2:40pm.

We did the same thing for the beginning and end of the trip also. We booked an overnight in Newark and a long layover in Houston. Our plan is to hit the two Hard Rock Cafés in New York during our Newark layover and rent a car in Houston with plans to hit the one there. Just not sure about the Houston driving/traffic.

So in all we should hit a total of 8 Hard Rock Cafés/Hotels on this trip; New York Cafe, Yankee Stadium Cafe, Aruba, Panama Hotel, Panama Café, Cancun Hotel, Cancun Café, and Houston Cafe. Of those we have only been to two of them.

Our stay also includes one week at the Marriott Surf Club in Aruba and another at the Westin Lagunamar in Cancun. Can't wait!


----------



## GregT (Jul 22, 2012)

Dioxide,

That sounds like a great trip -- enjoy it!!!

If you ever visit the Hard Rock Cafe in San Diego, please let me know and I'll join you!   Good planning on that one, 2013 shaping up as a great travel year for you...

Best,

Greg


----------



## dioxide45 (Jul 22, 2012)

GregT said:


> Dioxide,
> 
> That sounds like a great trip -- enjoy it!!!
> 
> ...



Greg,

We had panned a trip to NCV a couple of years ago and were planning to hit all the cafe's in that vicinity, but we ended up not going and reexchanged in to Ocean Pointe. If we ever get around to a trip to SoCal, I will be sure to let you know.


----------



## am1 (Jul 22, 2012)

When you get to Panama its possible you head straight for the canal.  It could be an hour from PTY to the locks but you will be there when the big ships are going through.  Not sure if you can bring your luggage through security.  You could have the taxi driver stay with the luggage.   Not likely to be stolen.


----------



## dioxide45 (Jul 24, 2012)

am1 said:


> When you get to Panama its possible you head straight for the canal.  It could be an hour from PTY to the locks but you will be there when the big ships are going through.  Not sure if you can bring your luggage through security.  You could have the taxi driver stay with the luggage.   Not likely to be stolen.



Good to know. Still not sure what we will do other than the Hard Rock Hotel and Café. We won't have much time but probably could get the lochs in. We have looked in to myfriendmario, but haven't checked on any pricing yet for transfers that include a short tour.


----------



## GrayFal (Jul 24, 2012)

dioxide45 said:


> Our stay also includes one week at the Marriott Surf Club in Aruba and another at the Westin Lagunamar in Cancun. Can't wait!


Two of my favorite TSs - be in touch for restaurant suggestions - Lagunamar is right across from La Isla Mall which has great restaurant options.
And Aruba - YUM!


----------



## dioxide45 (Aug 5, 2012)

GrayFal said:


> Two of my favorite TSs - be in touch for restaurant suggestions - Lagunamar is right across from La Isla Mall which has great restaurant options.
> And Aruba - YUM!



We have been to Aruba and Cancun before, back in 2011. Though we never visited the La Isla Mall on our trip to Cancun. It will be nice to have it so close by. We plan on checking out a lot of the great restaurants.


----------



## dioxide45 (Apr 13, 2013)

We ended up scheduling a tour in Panama through MyFriendMario. We will visit Old Panama ruins, Modern part of the City, Panama Colonial, and Coastway Amador. $50pp. Should make for a fun day followed by our night at the Hard Rock Hotel and visit to the Cafe.


----------



## dioxide45 (Nov 22, 2013)

*Next Year's Plan (2014)*

We have planned a similar trip to this for 2014. Same weeks, just instead of Aruba, we are using a Marriott 7 night hotel certificate to stay at the Marriott in Curacao followed by a week in Cancun. This time we have friends flying in to meet us in Cancun. Should be another great vacation.


----------

