# Need Mexico Suggestions for Dec 2013



## Quimby4 (Jan 1, 2013)

Hello Tuggers,

I sit here in S. Calif, freezing...This has been a very cold Christmas vacation so I am thinking that next year I would like to be somewhere warm after Christmas for a week.  (yes, I read the reviews

I am looking at a Mexican resort that has a great beach for 10-13 year olds, maybe some snorkeling.  

We have a pool at home, so the *beach condition* would be the priority.
Warm water would be great! (we love Maui)

Prefer not an AI.  
Safety is a concern so, a secure resort.
Maybe walking distance to restaurants or ?

Do you have any suggestions?


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## Phydeaux (Jan 1, 2013)

Royal Sands, Cancun. Rent a villa from a member, and the AI is optional, not mandatory. Rentals galore right here on Tug.


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## bjones9942 (Jan 1, 2013)

Mazatlan - PB Mazatlan, Inn at Mazatlan, El Cid Morrow for the higher end and Costa de Oro, Royal Villas for mid-range places to stay.  PBEB and RIU don't have as nice a beach and are a tad isolated.

Were I 10 - 13 again, I'd enjoy the pools @ the Costa de Oro and Royal Villas as they have interesting features (Costa de Oro has a waterfall and Royal Villas has a small water slide).

You're within walking distance to many different eating establishments from any of these resorts.  And Mazatlan is a city with tourist attractions, not a tourist attraction with a city.  Lots of things to see and do (el mercado Pino Suarez is fun).

You're as safe in Mazatlan as any other city of it's size anywhere else.

Can't directly comment on the ocean temp at that time of year as I go in mid-July.


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## Quimby4 (Jan 1, 2013)

I prefer to exchange with II, not rent, I have plenty of units to trade 
What about resorts Riviera Maya, really with the beach being the key factor.?
When I was in PV in Feb a few years ago, the water was cold...burr..
Ixatapa, Club Intrawest?


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## pjrose (Jan 1, 2013)

Royal Mayan*, Royal Caribbean, or Royal Islander.  Lots of kids their age, good beach, five restaurants, great service, family friendly, and no AI.  

*I'm not sure what the end date is for the Mayan


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## ilene13 (Jan 1, 2013)

I would agree with pjrose.  Some of the beaches in the Mayan Riviera are not that nice.  The beach at the Royal Haciendas is nice but the one at the Grand Luxxe is awful.  So be careful.


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## Passepartout (Jan 1, 2013)

The Caribbean is simply warmer at any time of year than the Pacific. It's shallower and doesn't circulate as much. So if beach activities in January are the goal, then look East, young man. There are some swimmable beaches along the W. coast of Mexico, but they just don't hold up to the sugar-white beaches and warm water of Yucatan.


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## Phydeaux (Jan 1, 2013)

Passepartout said:


> The Caribbean is simply warmer at any time of year than the Pacific. It's shallower and doesn't circulate as much. So if beach activities in January are the goal, then look East, young man. There are some swimmable beaches along the W. coast of Mexico, but they just don't hold up to the sugar-white beaches and warm water of Yucatan.



And just as important, the turquoise blue water. Absolutely beautiful.


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## pjrose (Jan 1, 2013)

Phydeaux said:


> And just as important, the turquoise blue water. Absolutely beautiful.



Turquoise but also completely clear.  You can see your toes, and you won't feel weird creepy stuff twining around your feet (shudder).  And the sand is cool and white and soft.


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## Passepartout (Jan 1, 2013)

Phydeaux said:


> And just as important, the turquoise blue water. Absolutely beautiful.



The water is actually clear. It's the water that absorbs almost all wavelengths of light except blue, and against the white sand, it _appears_ blue when it really isn't. Still beautiful for sure.


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## pjrose (Jan 1, 2013)

Passepartout said:


> The water is actually clear. It's the water that absorbs almost all wavelengths of light except blue, and against the white sand, it _appears_ blue when it really isn't. Still beautiful for sure.



So the green-appearing Atlantic is because the sand is darker, more brownish?


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## buceo (Jan 1, 2013)

pjrose said:


> So the green-appearing Atlantic is because the sand is darker, more brownish?


Other colors can come from a variety of particulates in the water, good ones like phytoplankton or bad ones like pollutants.  Here's an ocean color link and one sentence pasted in:
"So, the ocean over regions with high concentrations of phytoplankton will appear as certain shades, from blue-green to green, depending upon the type and density of the phytoplankton population there."

and to the OP, I agree that one of the Tri Royals sounds perfect.  The whole area is very safe too.


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## Passepartout (Jan 1, 2013)

pjrose said:


> So the green-appearing Atlantic is because the sand is darker, more brownish?



Yup, and more organic stuff suspended in it. Like envy.


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## gnorth16 (Jan 2, 2013)

Cancun beaches were swimable with some great waves.  My 11 year old loved it and my daughter liked the shells that came up on shore. There were days that the red flags were up, but we moved 200m down the beach and only the caution yellows were out. 

 I'm not sure what a Marriott would pull, but check out WLR in II.  December is slow and you might find something great.  We would do the exact same trip again next year but committed to Cabo for Xmas before our Cancun trip.


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## Phydeaux (Jan 2, 2013)

What I meant was this: 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	





Not this:


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## Quimby4 (Jan 2, 2013)

Phydeaux said:


> What I meant was this:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Wow, that looks great!
Where is this picture?

Great points about the pacific vs Yucatan. Thanks everyone!


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## Phydeaux (Jan 2, 2013)

Top photo is Cancun, bottom is Puerto Vallarta.


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## mikenk (Jan 3, 2013)

Phydeaux said:


> Top photo is Cancun, bottom is Puerto Vallarta.



Nice pics. Yep, the water is definitely prettier on that coast, but the second location is more appealing to me visually - something about those mountains. 

Mike


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## Phydeaux (Jan 3, 2013)

mikenk said:


> Nice pics. Yep, the water is definitely prettier on that coast, but the second location is more appealing to me visually - something about those mountains.
> 
> Mike



Looks like a rather large city situated on the ocean to me. And when we were there, that's the impression we had during our stay. The PV 'charm' that others speak of never struck my family or me. One and done. But of course, to each their own.


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## mikenk (Jan 3, 2013)

Phydeaux said:


> Looks like a rather large city situated on the ocean to me. And when we were there, that's the impression we had during our stay. The PV 'charm' that others speak of never struck my family or I. One and done. But of course, to each their own.



Actually, we stay in Nuevo Vallarta: not in the bustle of the city but easy to go into for a couple of afternoons and nights (great restaurants). The view from Nuevo across the river and bay into PV is really pretty - with the mountains in the background. From Nuevo, we also go into Bucerias- much smaller then PV but also great restaurants. We also enjoy trips into the mountains. Actually, the little town of Nuevo is developing nicely being surrounded by many large resorts.

Another possible option for the OP is Cabo area. We actually prefer San Jose del Cabo. Water is bluer than PV area if that is major criteria. Great fishing and golf.

That's what makes Mexico so nice - lots of variety for different tastes.

Mike


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## rifleman69 (Jan 3, 2013)

PV's bay is massively polluted, one of the reasons the water looks "dirtier" than most other beaches, even on the US coast.


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## blackjack (Jan 3, 2013)

The tri-royals are definitely a good option.  you can try also Westin Lagunamar as well if you prefer more modern units.  No AI there.  Has some units available for December the last time I checked.  Close to La Isla Mall and not far from Plaza Kukulkan mall either.  I feel quite safe in Cancun.


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## pianodinosaur (Jan 3, 2013)

We have had an excellent experience at The Royal Islander.  The tri-Royals are perhaps the best exchange in Cancun.  DW will be going to The Royal Cancun in late May 2013 with her mother and sister using an II AC.  If you are trading with RCI, Fiesta Americana is in a very good location and we had a good time there as well.  If the OP cannot get a good exchange, he can redeem Marriott Rewards to stay at The JW Marriott.  The hotel is fantastic.


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## Harvey and Lin (Jan 4, 2013)

Try Royal Hacienda in Playa Del Carmen.


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## pjrose (Jan 4, 2013)

Harvey and Lin said:


> Try Royal Hacienda in Playa Del Carmen.



Great resort, but OP said prefer not AI.  Also the priority is the beach....IMHO, much better at Tris or Sands ( though sands is AI).


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## post-it (Jan 4, 2013)

Phydeaux said:


> What I meant was this:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Without a doubt I would stay at one of the Tri-Royals.  Both stays here were outstanding.  Our last stay this past summer we took our kids.  We arrived at night and when our kids woke up the next morning and saw this view their expressions were priceless.


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## Harvey and Lin (Jan 4, 2013)

I was thinking of the Royal Hacienda (the one that is a Royal resort) in Playa del Carmen. Maybe I'm slightly off on the name. But we've stayed there and it is a lovely resort.


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## pjrose (Jan 4, 2013)

Harvey and Lin said:


> I was thinking of the Royal Hacienda (the one that is a Royal resort) in Playa del Carmen. Maybe I'm slightly off on the name. But we've stayed there and it is a lovely resort.



That's the right name, and you're right, it is definitely lovely!  I was just thinking that since the OP was stressing beach and didn't want AI, that it might not fit the bill.

I prefer the beaches of the Royals (and other resorts) in Cancun to the beach at the Royal Haciendas.  At first I liked the idea of the RH having a shallow reef right there for snorkeling, but I find it very awkward because the coral precludes standing up.  If you go a bit farther out where you can actually swim, it is often chopped up by boats.  Not to dismiss that beach or resort - they ARE lovely - but if my priority were a really good beach/ocean vacation, I'd go for the Cancun water instead, waist to shoulder deep waaaaayyyy out, some surf but generally quite swimmable, clear and reasonably warm.  

Others who have experienced both, what say you to the beach/water at the RH vs the Tris and Sands?


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## Phydeaux (Jan 5, 2013)

pjrose said:


> That's the right name, and you're right, it is definitely lovely!  I was just thinking that *since the OP was stressing beach and didn't want AI, that it might not fit the bill*.
> 
> *I prefer the beaches of the Royals (and other resorts) in Cancun to the beach at the Royal Haciendas*.  At first I liked the idea of the RH having a shallow reef right there for snorkeling, but I find it very awkward because the coral precludes standing up.  If you go a bit farther out where you can actually swim, it is often chopped up by boats.  Not to dismiss that beach or resort - they ARE lovely - but *if my priority were a really good beach/ocean vacation, I'd go for the Cancun water instead*, waist to shoulder deep waaaaayyyy out, some surf but generally quite swimmable, clear and reasonably warm.
> 
> Others who have experienced both, what say you to the beach/water at the RH vs the Tris and Sands?



I'm with you Rose. Since the OP originally mentioned walking distance to restaurants, and great beach with kids in tow, I suggested Royal Sands. RS fits that bill quite well. Having said that, to forgo the AI thing if they exchange in, I would also suggest one of the tri-Royals. We are members of both the RM & RH, and I agree that the beach of RH isn't that favorable to snorkeling. I once saw a huge tiger ray and LARGE amberjack, but most years the snorkeling is ho hum. (Feb/March). 

Young people (and those of us young at heart) really enjoy the crystal turquoise blue clear water and crashing waves in Cancun as opposed to the tranquil water at the Royal Hacienda. And the water isn't the beautiful turquoise blue either. Nor are there restaurants within walking distance. I'm not counting the on-site restaurants.


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## Quimby4 (Jan 10, 2013)

Wow, thank you for all of the great suggestions!
It sounds like the Tri -Royals (mayan, isl, & Carrib) are the best fit for us.
And maybe the Westin lagunamar.

Just out of curiosity, does anyone know how much the AI add ons are at the Sands and others? Just trying to see if doing the AI might be a consideration.  The only time we did AI was for our Honeymoon in Cozumel and loved it.


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## pjrose (Jan 10, 2013)

All the AI info for the Royals is available here:
http://www.royalresorts.com/packages/default.asp
and under the FAQ tab at the same link.

_EXCHANGER RATE
Non-members of Royal Resorts who are exchanging into The Royal Sands or The Royal Haciendas through an International Exchange company must purchase the REFINE All-Inclusive Package for the duration of their stay and have the following rates:

Adults 18 years or older = $105 USD per person per day
Kids 13 - 17 years old = $75 USD per person per day
Kids 4 - 12 years old = $50 USD per person per day
Kids 0 - 3 years old = No Charge_


AI is optional (and slightly less expensive) if you rent from a member - the actual owner of that unit/week.  
Be SURE the person is the actual member/owner of the interval, not a travel agency, wholesaler, etc.  You will find ads from members on the sites below.  Once financial arrangements are taken care of, the member requests that the Royals issue an "Owner Loan Confirmation" to the renter.  (Be sure they do that....if they instead have the Royals issue a "Guest Certificate" I'm not sure the AI will still be optional.)

http://tug2.com/timesharemarketplace/, 
http://www.omcancun.com, 
http://mytimesharevacations.com./, 
http://www.redweek.com, and 
http://www.myresortnetwork.com/


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## Quimby4 (Jan 10, 2013)

pjrose said:


> All the AI info for the Royals is available here:
> http://www.royalresorts.com/packages/default.asp
> and under the FAQ tab at the same link.
> 
> ...



Thank you!
$335 per day for my family is wayyy too much.
I would rather just cook food in the room and eat one meal out per day, saving likely $200 per day.
Thx again!


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## Larry (Jan 10, 2013)

Just another option to the Royals which were nice ( We stayed at the Royal Mayan and what was the Club Internationale before it was renovated) we loved the Westin Lagunamar in Cancun. I thought it was more upscale than the Royal Mayan by far and those Westin Heavenly beds beat the Mayan hard as a rock bed that we had when we stayed there a few years ago. 

Don't take this the wrong way and we had a great time at the Royal Mayan it just didn't really compare to the Westin Lagunamar IMHO.


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## pjrose (Jan 10, 2013)

Quimby4 said:


> Thank you!
> $335 per day for my family is wayyy too much.
> I would rather just cook food in the room and eat one meal out per day, saving likely $200 per day.
> Thx again!



I'm with you.
We make good use of the "Express" takeout/delivery service which is available at the Tris, Sands, and Haciendas.  You can get salads, soup, mexican rice, guacamole, salsa, ribs, chicken, pizza, etc....prices are reasonable (more than WalMart, less than eating in a restaurant).  For example, we'll get a roast chicken and salad and Mexican rice for dinner one night, then the next night the leftovers become fajitas with the addition of some tortillas and beans and an onion from the mini market that is in each of the Royal Resorts, and then the bones and some veggies become soup.   

We find it much more relaxing to do light cooking like this in the villa than going out.  We save a lot, plus we're at the best location - our own private terrace overlooking the Caribbean Sea!


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## Phydeaux (Jan 10, 2013)

We really look forward to our Sunday ritual of heading downtown with our shopping list. We love doing this! 

A stop at our favorite stores in Mercado 23, fresh squeezed orange juice served in a bag there, lunch there, we buy our produce there. Then walk around downtown for a while before walking over to Comercial Mexicana for the remainder of our groceries. Fresh everything! We enjoy leisurely meals in our villa, with no time constraints or schedules. I do more of the cooking (not the norm) although my wife never minds cooking either. We prefer most meals in our villa because I can enjoy a cigar on the patio with a glass of wine, we can listen to music and have a fresh, delicious meal.

In all seriousness, for the price RR is charging for AI packages, you could easily hire a local resident as your personal chef using your full kitchen, and probably still have a lot of money to spare.


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## Quimby4 (Jan 10, 2013)

Larry said:


> Just another option to the Royals which were nice ( We stayed at the Royal Mayan and what was the Club Internationale before it was renovated) we loved the Westin Lagunamar in Cancun. I thought it was more upscale than the Royal Mayan by far and those Westin Heavenly beds beat the Mayan hard as a rock bed that we had when we stayed there a few years ago.
> 
> Don't take this the wrong way and we had a great time at the Royal Mayan it just didn't really compare to the Westin Lagunamar IMHO.



I would love to get into the Westin Lagunamar but I dont have a Starwood so not sure.  I do have a pending request for April 2014 (changed to Spring Break instead of Xmas 2014), using a 1 BR Marriott gold week.  I also requested the Tri-Royal so we'll see if anything matches


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## Quimby4 (Jan 10, 2013)

pjrose said:


> I'm with you.
> We make good use of the "Express" takeout/delivery service which is available at the Tris, Sands, and Haciendas.  You can get salads, soup, mexican rice, guacamole, salsa, ribs, chicken, pizza, etc....prices are reasonable (more than WalMart, less than eating in a restaurant).  For example, we'll get a roast chicken and salad and Mexican rice for dinner one night, then the next night the leftovers become fajitas with the addition of some tortillas and beans and an onion from the mini market that is in each of the Royal Resorts, and then the bones and some veggies become soup.
> 
> We find it much more relaxing to do light cooking like this in the villa than going out.  We save a lot, plus we're at the best location - our own private terrace overlooking the Caribbean Sea!



That sounds perfect for us! Is the Express take out through one of the Tris Restaurants?


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## Quimby4 (Jan 10, 2013)

Phydeaux said:


> We really look forward to our Sunday ritual of heading downtown with our shopping list. We love doing this!
> 
> A stop at our favorite stores in Mercado 23, fresh squeezed orange juice served in a bag there, lunch there, we buy our produce there. Then walk around downtown for a while before walking over to Comercial Mexicana for the remainder of our groceries. Fresh everything! We enjoy leisurely meals in our villa, with no time constraints or schedules. I do more of the cooking (not the norm) although my wife never minds cooking either. We prefer most meals in our villa because I can enjoy a cigar on the patio with a glass of wine, we can listen to music and have a fresh, delicious meal.
> 
> In all seriousness, for the price RR is charging for AI packages, you could easily hire a local resident as your personal chef using your full kitchen, and probably still have a lot of money to spare.


OJ, served in a bag? huh, sounds interesting..
So you must feel safe walking around downtown then? 
We have really only traveled to Hawaii with our kids and never to Cancun.  We would like them to experience the Mexican culture and shops/vendors so going downtown sounds great! Plus grocery shopping too


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## pjrose (Jan 10, 2013)

Quimby4 said:


> That sounds perfect for us! Is the Express take out through one of the Tris Restaurants?



Yes, Express is on the south side of the Royal Caribbean Tradewinds restaurant, and in the Veranda at the Sands and in the main restaurant (forgot the name) at the Haciendas.  Since the Royal Caribbean is in the center of the Tri-Royals, it's convenient to all three.  They also do delivery - no extra charge, but of course tip the delivery person 

I'm with Phydeaux, too - shopping in town is an adventure and the produce is generally really good.  Other options, though less of an adventure, are WalMart and Costco.  Both have huge selections, and most of the prices are somewhat less than at the Royal Resorts' minimarkets (one in each resort).  The minimarkets are pretty well stocked and have just about everything you'll need except fresh meat and fish; they do have frozen, and there's the chicken and ribs at the Express.  Here's a partial list of what they carry:  http://www.royalresorts.com/app/cybermall/kitchen_stuffers.aspx - note that Mexican brands (often not listed on this site but in the store) will be just as good but a lot cheaper than the American brands. 

If anyone goes deep sea fishing (can be arranged at the resort), your catch will be cleaned and iced, and can be taken to any of the restaurants at the resort (Royals for sure, probably other places too but I'm not sure about that), and they will cook and serve it for you.  At the Royals it comes out to about $6 per person for your fish to be cooked three ways (e.g. blackened, grilled, fried) and served with salad and potato or rice. 

For shopping, you can add a grocery store stop onto your airport transportation (if using Cancun Valet or USA Transfers), for about $30 for an hour (plus extra tip).  We did that one year when we brought three teenagers with us.  We were familiar with the layout of the store, divided our list and sent each person or pair off with part of the list, and still it took a bit over an hour and I don't think we saved more than maybe $20 over the minimarket price.  Your mileage may vary 

It was nice, though, to have plenty of teenager-friendly chips, sodas, and the like.  (All those are available at the minimarkets in the resorts as well.)

And to add to Phydeaux's suggestion and your questions, yes, safe (but I'd stay with the kids), and fun to see more of the local area than you would just at a resort or at WalMart.  If you're going to do this, you might want to ask those who are experienced with Mercado 23 for detailed suggestions - where, how to get there, bargaining, etc.


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## Phydeaux (Jan 12, 2013)

Quimby4 said:


> *OJ, served in a bag? huh, sounds interesting*..
> So you must feel safe walking around downtown then?
> We have really only traveled to Hawaii with our kids and never to Cancun.  We would like them to experience the Mexican culture and shops/vendors so going downtown sounds great! Plus grocery shopping too



Yup. They've devised a clever method of wrapping the juice in a bag, and incorporating a drinking straw. It's fresh squeezed, and I've never had any better anywhere.

*Not to be confused with bags of blood*:





*For whatever ails you*:





*Just one of the vendors*:





*We just don't have enough power, Jim!!: *






Yup, I'm bored. I've been home with the flu for 9 days!!


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## Phydeaux (Jan 12, 2013)

Oh, and here's a shot of our 2nd Talavera sink we purchased in Mex:






So sorry to go off topic. But, as mentioned, I'm bored, and thought it would be a fun distraction. And, counting down the days until we return for 2 weeks! Getting close now!


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## Quimby4 (Jan 12, 2013)

Phydeaux said:


> Oh, and here's a shot of our 2nd Talavera sink we purchased in Mex:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I love the pics! Your sink is beautiful!
Feel better, I'm sorry you have the flu


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## Phydeaux (Jan 13, 2013)

Thank you! We receive favorable comments on our sinks - we don't see these often in Wisconsin  

Here's our other one:


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## pjrose (Jan 13, 2013)

One year we brought back a lot of tiles, which we used to surround the fireplace.  It was so pretty!  We moved, so alas no pictures.


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## taffy19 (Jan 13, 2013)

Really nice.  


Phydeaux said:


> Thank you! We receive favorable comments on our sinks - we don't see these often in Wisconsin
> 
> Here's our other one:


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## MLR (Mar 14, 2013)

*Didn't see a thing for the Royals when we looked to book for 2014*

Loved the Royal Mayan in April 2012 - but it is no longer available on RCI - at least I didn't see ANY Royals come up in my searches. Maybe it was wrong time of year. 

Checked just now and saw a 2Br for May 2013 at the Royal Caribbean. So, maybe they are just scarce. But when I clicked on the link that said 'AI not required' it disappeared. So, I am afraid that trading into any of the Royals NOW requires AI purchase - therefore, we are heading to The Grand Mayan with their less than ideal beach. :0)


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## pjrose (Mar 14, 2013)

MLR said:


> Loved the Royal Mayan in April 2012 - but it is no longer available on RCI - at least I didn't see ANY Royals come up in my searches. Maybe it was wrong time of year.
> 
> Checked just now and saw a 2Br for May 2013 at the Royal Caribbean. So, maybe they are just scarce. But when I clicked on the link that said 'AI not required' it disappeared. So, I am afraid that trading into any of the Royals NOW requires AI purchase - therefore, we are heading to The Grand Mayan with their less than ideal beach. :0)



AI has NOT yet been introduced at the other Royals, and no firm plans or date have been announced.  You would be fine with trading into the Royal Caribbean, Royal Islander, Royal Mayan, or Royal Cancun, without AI.


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## MLR (Mar 19, 2013)

pjrose said:


> AI has NOT yet been introduced at the other Royals, and no firm plans or date have been announced.  You would be fine with trading into the Royal Caribbean, Royal Islander, Royal Mayan, or Royal Cancun, without AI.



ARE YOU SURE? That may be true if you OWN there - but when we traded in at The Royal Mayan in April 2012 we were told SEVERAL times by people 'behind the desk' that they were going AI right away - I think by the end of the year and that the other Royals would soon follow. 

If you OWN or rent from an OWNER - that is not the case - you still have the option of not going AI - but if you trade in - at least at the R. Mayan - you will pay the AI. 

That is why the unit disappeard from my search on RCI once I chose "AI Not Required.''

I just searched a minute ago and found NOTHING available at ANY of the Royals except The Royal Sunset and it is not one of the 'Tri Royals.' 

Any other TRADERS out there who have traded in to the Royals in 2013 without paying the AI fees? Not renters - but RCI traders?  Let me know - cuz I am curious why we were told over and over again.............


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