MZO return made the national news!

The return of flights from Canada to Manzanillo de Cuba on Dec. 6, 2023, made the national news in Cuba! 

Although the Sunwing flight from Toronto was supposed to arrive first, a delay in departure meant that the Montreal flight had that honor instead. Nonetheless, there was great fanfare for both planes at both the Sierra Maestra Airport and the Marea del Portillo resort complex. At the airport, we were greeted by numerous resort staff members and musicians, as well as dancers on stilts and otherwise. The return of tourists to the province was truly a joyful celebration!

Here are some Facebook posts by my friend Juanita Noryis Perdomo Larezada, a Cuban journalist, and a selection of the photos she shared. [NOTE: She posted in Spanish but the following is the English translation provided by Facebook. Although the grammar may not be perfect in the translation, I'm confident that Juanita's Spanish is impeccable.] 

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FIRST POST:

December 6th, 2023. A lot of excitement is hosted at the Marea del Portillo Hotels & Resorts CUBA resort - Farallón and it's not for less. After four years of being "inactive," this charming tourist product from Cubanacan Hoteles is about to restart its operations.

The flight from Toronto should land at Sierra Maestra Airport in Manzanillo at about 2:35 pm, the passenger claimed on Facebook Jenny Cressman. According to her, the plane was delayed a bit, but they maintained the same joy of arriving at the resort that many Canadians consider their second home.

The longing for that magical setting is about to end, at least for the two flights out of Toronto and Montreal.

Huge happiness is also enjoyed by the workers of the complex, who return to their jobs, after a long wait. Congratulations also to Manzanillo airport managers and employees. Thank you, in addition, to Canada, for continuing to love Cuba, and especially to Lessner Gomez Cuba Tourism Advisor in Toronto.

Luck is thrown out. May this second half be better than the success of before 2019. Let quality be the best host.

If tourism wins, we all win, it's not mouth, it's common sense. Ministerio de Turismo de Cuba.

 

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SECOND POST: 

Tourism is back to Pilon. Canada arrived on the wings of Sunwing, the airline that brings the most vacationers to Cuba. This is a big event for a small village in the province of Granma. Tourism is life, livelihood, culture, tradition there. It's also the return of tourists who love Marea del Portillo Hotels & Resorts CUBA like their own family.

The joy is immense for workers, visitors and town. Tourism is oxygen for Pilón, and it is, also, encounter, hug. I share the happiness of the Tidal people... At last, tourism became a customer, hopefully forever. Ministerio de Turismo de Cuba Cubanacan Hoteles Nancy Virgen Estrada Milanes Lessner Gomez.

 

[Some photos were provided by Bayamo Radio.]

 

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SELECTED PHOTOS FROM BOTH POSTS: 

I recognize several people from the resort staff, even if only from the back! The tourists in these photos are probably from the Montreal flight. 

The Farallón del Caribe hotel looked glorious! Although I usually stay in the beach-level Marea section, it was nice to be so graciously accommodated in the Farallón for a change.

  

Here's to a bright and beautiful 2024!

Good morning Cubita bella! This is one of numerous lovely sunrises I saw from my room on the 4th floor of the Farallón del Caribe Hotel (part of the Marea del Portillo resort complex) when I was there Dec. 6-20, 2023. It was great to finally be back at my "second home," along with my 28-person group! 

 

I've been working on my trip report – sorting photos and thoughts – but I won't likely be able to send it out until next year! In other words, I hope to finish it tomorrow. Before posting it here, I will send it out to my JennicaCuba email list. If you want to have it delivered to your inbox when it's hot off the presses, so to speak, you can sign up under the "Contact" tab.

 

Cheery cheers!

XO

J

Please stand by for my trip report

FULL CUBA TRIP REPORT COMING SOON! Meanwhile, here's a teaser...

To everyone who signed my petition to reopen Club Amigo Marea del Portillo and booked trips beginning on Dec. 6: WE DID IT!!! The resort opened with great fanfare and made the national news in Cuba. The legacy of Celia Sánchez continues; she's the one who advised Fidel Castro that a hotel should be located on the uniquely beautiful Marea del Portillo bay, where she loved to fish when she lived in Pilón. The resort quickly became a key employer in the region and, now, it is once again. Returning staff and new people are happy to be able to work, and that makes me happy too.

In my observation during my Dec. 6-20 stay, everyone at the resort worked very hard to provide a wonderful holiday experience for their guests. The Farallón hotel was absolutely gorgeous and the Marea section is coming along nicely. During the first week, Marea hotel rooms were being used as soon as they were ready for occupancy. Renovation and construction continues on some things but, most importantly, the resort is finally operating, for the first season since early 2020.

Yes, they had plenty of food but, also yes, they temporarily ran out of some things on occasion. There are supply chain issues all over Cuba. During my December visit, a few items came and went but I never left the table hungry. The baker and pastry chef at the Farallón must be particularly commended for all the excellent, tempting creations!

I will provide a more comprehensive trip report soon. This report will include information about what plans are afoot at the resort for the remainder of the season and beyond. First, as always, my JennicaCuba updates will go to only those on my email list. If you want to sign up for that, please visit my website's "Contact" page. http://www.jennicacuba.com/p/activities.html

While you wait, please enjoy the sunrise from my bedroom window on the 4th floor of the Farallón hotel. 

~ Jenny

NEW prices for Dec. 13 Marea group!

I now have new & improved prices!!! (see UPDATE below)

It has been a bit of a challenge to get prices for my proposed Dec. 13 group trip to Marea del Portillo. Let's just say technology is not my friend these days – neither my own nor Sunwing's. They "upgraded" their website and there have been a few bumps in the road. Anyway, the prices are good, so let's go!

NEW DEADLINE: 10 people need to sign up by Oct. 10 for this group to fly. 

If you've received an email from me about this trip, please respond a.s.a.p. to let me know if you want to go or not. If you haven't received my email but want to go, contact me immediately! [jennicacuba@gmail.com]

To book, I need a photo of your passport and your contact information (phone number, email and mailing address) and, of course, your credit card data for the payment. Since we are so close to the deadline, FULL payment is required. 

Please note that, if you have to cancel, you will receive a voucher for the full payment, as long as you have Sunwing's Worry Free cancellation insurance. For $50, you can cancel up to three days before the trip leaves.

I will already be at Marea del Portillo, so this group will meet me there!

~ Jenny 

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UPDATED PRICES: This poster shows some of the revised prices, which are slightly better in most categories than the rates I had been quoted originally. 

Scroll down for a list of more options, flying out of both Toronto and Montreal, for one week or two. If you want to stay longer, just ask & I'll get a rate!

 

Hey there! 

 

I'm working on getting good prices for a trip going to Marea del Portillo, Cuba, on Dec. 13. I'll be there already with another group! 

 

I will need 10 people to make this group fly. Send me an email (jennicacuba@gmail.com), if you're interested. 

 

~ Jenny

I'm ready to book a Dec. 6 group trip!

I finally have the prices for a group trip to Marea del Portillo, departing from Toronto on Dec. 6 – let's go! They're a bit better than what is now showing on the Sunwing website. Here's a summary of my rates:

Dec. 6-13 (7 nights)
MAREA HOTEL
Single = $988 (not shared)
Double = $938/person
Triple = $918/person
CABAÑA
Single = $1038 (not shared)
Double = $978/person
Triple = $948/person

Dec. 6-20 (14 nights) - Please call for current prices!
MAREA HOTEL
Single = $1328 (not shared)
Double = $1218/person
Triple = $1168/person
CABAÑA
Single = $1418 (not shared)
Double = $1288/person
Triple = $1248/person

These prices include all taxes/fees, one free checked bag (23 kg/50 lbs.) per person, one personal item aboard the plane and transfers (transportation to/from the resort and the Manzanillo de Cuba airport). I also have prices for children and Jr. Suites in the Marea Hotel but, keep in mind, there are only a few suites! The Farallón Hotel is not yet open.

I can add Sunwing insurance for the first 10 people requesting it; if you want this, let me know when you book. Please note that Sunwing's "Worry Free" insurance allows you to cancel up to 3 days prior to the flight but the current policy is this: if YOU cancel, you will receive a voucher; if THEY cancel, you will receive a refund in the same form as your original payment (i.e., the refund would be applied to your credit card, if that's what you paid with).

I am eager to stay at "our second home" once again! I visited in March, when it was open for day use, and I was very impressed with the renovations. I'm sure you'll agree that it looks incredible! It will be wonderful to see many of the same smiling faces at Marea del Portillo – both staff and guests. I think it's safe to say that hugs will abound.

If/when you're ready to book or have any questions, the best way to contact me is by email: jennicacuba@gmail.com.

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July 16 UPDATE:

Sunwing says I've sold all the seats I was allocated for 2 weeks at the originally advertised prices. Now, I have to contact them and request additional seats for anyone wishing to stay longer than 1 week. So far, my 1-week prices remain the same as what I was quoted! 

 

We need to be committed on Dec. 6

Now that we've entered July, the heat of summer seems to be upon us. Happy Canada Day or Independence Day, depending on which celebratory date you may feel an affinity for, if either. Perhaps I should just say Happy July!

Does the heat of July remind you of anything? If you said "Cuba," we're on the same wavelength! My mind has been full of Cuba more than usual of late because I've been talking to some Sunwing executives about Club Amigo Marea del Portillo, which is serviced solely by Sunwing via the Manzanillo de Cuba airport (MZO). As you may know, both the resort and airport have not been opened since early 2020, at the onset of the COVID pandemic. 

A few months ago, a long-time repeat guest of Marea del Portillo spurred me to launch a petition pushing Sunwing (and others) to open this resort. We received a reasonable number of signatures but I didn't feel that was enough. So, when I had the opportunity, I tracked down a few people in person.

As a travel agent, I was the recipient of a mass invitation to an event in late May called "Sunwing Loves Cuba." I jumped on it. And, it was worth the drive to Toronto. I wantonly introduced myself to a woman I'd had an email chat with a couple of years ago about my novel Cuban Kisses, which is set in a fictionalized version of Marea del Portillo. She'd been intrigued and was quite pleased to receive a signed copy of the book, as well as a copy of my petition. 

Okay, she may not have been pleased about receiving the petition but I think it's safe to say she wasn't displeased because, later in the evening, she introduced me to an executive from the Cuban Tourist Board. This woman also received a copy of the petition and my "elevator pitch" about the importance of opening the resort. That led to an unexpected turn of events!

I'm somewhere in that illustrious crowd! (Two points for anyone who can find me.)

The Cuban woman apparently passed my petition on to her boss and he, in turn, gave it to a Sunwing executive who was higher on the ladder than the one I'd given my book to. And, to my everlasting surprise, that dude called me a few days later. We had a nice chat.

We subsequently exchanged a small volley of emails and he called me a second time but, in the end, I was graciously redirected to a couple of other Sunwingers. The upshot is this: Sunwing is committed to flying to MZO this winter BUT there must be enough bookings to make it viable. In other words, if people don't take the requisite leap of faith and book trips to Marea del Portillo, it won't open. 

The first Sunwing guy quite candidly told me that, when this destination was made available after travel to Cuba was re-opened, only about six people booked. Yikes! That's plenty for some Cessnas but nowhere near what you'd need to make it feasible for a Boeing 737 to land at MZO. I get it. People are apprehensive, so they don't want to book until the resort is open but, if there aren't enough bookings, the resort will NOT open. It's sort of a Catch-22 situation. 

During my conversations with the Sunwing executives, we discussed ways to encourage bookings and promote the resort more effectively, including the need to change some photos on their website. That should happen soon – perhaps by the time you're reading this! To check, click here – https://www.sunwing.ca/en/destinations/cuba/manzanillo-de-cuba/#hotels. (They have already removed the link to a video promoting Manzanillo de Mexico!)

Sunwing executives Eric, Deana and Dave at the May 24 event in Toronto. 

 

As well, I proposed offering "humanitarian groups" that would transport suitcases of medical supplies provided by an organization called "Not Just Tourists" (NJT). This concept didn't fly with Sunwing, so I will try to put together my own flock of "suitcase shepherds," much as I once did with suitcases full of clothing. This time, I will work with NJT to supply suitcases packed with vital medical items (bandages, antiseptics, scalpels, wound care kits, IV kits, needles, etc.). For more information about them, please visit their website – https://njt.net/. 

FYI – anyone can take an NJT suitcase! Although humanitarian suitcases are no longer free on Sunwing, when you book a flight/hotel package, you are entitled to a free checked bag. Therefore, I would suggest that, if you book "double accommodation," you and your roommate can pack together, sharing one free suitcase; then, the second free checked bag you two are entitled to could be the NJT suitcase. Keep that in mind as you think about booking!

I'm thinking about booking, so I've been working on getting a group quote. It should have happened by the end of the past week but it seems that my request got caught in the crush leading up to the July holiday weekend. I received some of the prices but not all of them. I'm waiting impatiently for the rest. When I have them all, I'll announce my rates for a group going to Marea del Portillo on Dec. 6 for one or two weeks, departing from Toronto. (It may also be possible to fly out of Montreal, or stay longer than two weeks.)

Meanwhile, if you prefer, you can put your own group together! You can do that by calling the Sunwing groups department or contacting your favorite travel agent. (Don't worry, I won't be upset if it's not me.) In reviewing my conversations with my new friends at Sunwing, it would seem that promoting group bookings may be part of the solution. To get a group rate, you need to have a minimum of 10 people booked. If we have 10 groups of 10, I think we'll be flying! Why not plan a family reunion or a getaway with your pals?

I'm targeting Dec. 6 because, once the resort opens, it will remain open in the new year – hopefully, into April. Sunwing is committed to flying there this winter; let's show them we're committed to going there!

Please note: I fully understand that some people are committed to Marea del Portillo but are simply not be able to book a trip at this time. Don't stress about it! Just do what you can to promote the resort and encourage others. There is power in positive thinking and optimism. The MZO runway is being resurfaced and the road to the resort is next. Let's go home!

~ Keep smiling, Jenny