Vacation by Cathy

30/10/2023

Reach out to me to help you find and book your ideal Sunwing vacation, with big summer savings!!

16/11/2022

07/10/2022

If you want to take advantage of the Air Canada Vacation weekend sale, PM me with your request and I'll be happy to help you find a great deal on your next vacation!!

03/10/2022

https://fincarosablanca.com/en/blog/best-season-to-visit-costa-rica-rainy-season/

Why Rainy Season is the Best Time to Visit Costa Rica? Because Costa Ricas Winter is truly a special time of year.

28/09/2022

Years and Years of good luck if you like page

15/09/2022

Yay Cancun!! https://thecancunsun.com/playa-del-carmen-and-tulum-set-new-tourist-records/?fbclid=IwAR2h9RHJjcacvUEMNhIi0UfAugkiShZ2luQ31O0B9xm7b1ILH9PzhDKCf3s

Playa del Carmen and Tulum received 822 thousand vacationers this summer, reaching one of the highest occupancy rates across Mexico.

02/06/2022

Lesley G.
Kaleden, Canada
🌠🌠🌠🌠🌠

6/1/2022
Cathy Byrnes was amazing in helping us...

Cathy Byrnes was amazing in helping us put together our special day, COVID made things more complicated and delayed the event. She worked diligently with me to secure the location and ensure all details were covered off. She was very professional and went above and beyond not only with us but, our group answering a lot of questions and helping with changes along the way. Cathy, you made our day amazing and we thank you for your hard work and care. We highly recommend her and Destination weddings take care of all your arrangements, amazing job and an absolute professional.

https://www.yelp.com/biz/destination-weddings-wayland

Cathy Byrnes Vacation

03/05/2022

I think I just get all the best clients!!!

My first brave Wedding Group to travel in 2022. I had 2 in January. Here is my 5 star review from Bryce and Mary Kate. I'm overwhelmed by their words of appreciation.

"We used Destination Weddings to plan our nuptials in Cancun and would HIGHLY recommend. Cathy Byrnes was our planning specialist and she was absolutely incredible. Planning a destination wedding during a pandemic, amidst constantly changing travel restrictions, airlines cancelling and changing flight itinerary etc is no easy task. We can’t imagine how overwhelming it would have been to try and support all of friends and family with booking their trip without Cathy’s professional help. Cathy is an excellent communicator, very prompt on email responses and was exceptional in helping guests that had special travel requests. For our wedding she dealt with Canadian, American and European guests and was able make everyone’s travel arrangements easy and seamless. She also acted as a great conduit between us and the hotel and assisted us greatly with communicating with our wedding planner, at the Grand Palladium resort. One of our guests had issues at check in (no reservation in the hotel system) and called Cathy, very late in the evening, and Cathy immediately resolved the situation with the hotel. She became a very trusted point of contact for us and our guests and we owe her a lot of gratitude for playing a huge role in helping us pull off our dream wedding in Mexico becoming a reality. If you are considering a larger group destination wedding, you are in great hands with Cathy Byrnes!"
If you would like to work with me to plan YOUR dream Destination Wedding, email me at [email protected] or text at 226-499-7760. MK Mercado Cathy Byrnes Vacation

21/04/2022

16/04/2022

Watching ”Cleaner” with Samuel Jackson on Netflix.

07/10/2021

UPDATED: PLEASE READ AGAIN!

For those of you planning to travel, I did a little write up of my recent experience. My FIRST travel since COVID!! Let me know if you have any questions.

My 2021 travel!

Mexico currently does not require a negative COVID test for entry. This was a work trip with colleagues and it was suggested that we get one to put all of the group at ease and to save hassles in case random testing, or our test to return home, ended up an asymptomatic positive by chance. It seemed like a good idea so I went to Shoppers to get a rapid antigen test. I had the negative result in 15 minutes and it only cost $40. This is a test for travel purposes.

You have to fill out this form within 12 hours of travel to Mexico.
https://www.vuelaseguro.com/home

Also, you can fill out your tourist card on arrival. Some airlines will give it to you on the plane. I find it easiest to do it online and print it before I go. https://www.cancunairport.com/tourist-card.html

FYI, if you are not symptomatic, had exposure or any other valid reason to be eligible for a test, you will have to pay for your Covid test. Antigen is $40 at Shoppers and the PCR test is currently around $200.00

MAKE AN APPOINTMENT!! My first travel I was able to do walk in at Shoppers. Now you need an appointment and I'm having a hard time getting one!!

Please be sure to check the entry requirement of the country you are traveling to. You will need to give proof on departure that you have fulfilled the requirements of the country you are traveling to.

My experience at Toronto Pearson (YYZ) was smooth and uneventful. I checked in online 24 hours before travel as usual so only had to use the kiosk to print my bag tags. I had my printed Vaccination Receipts and my negative Covid test just in case, but didn’t need to show them. I can’t tell you what it will be like on any other given day, but the day that I traveled had the usual line-ups and wait times. I have heard that other days are unusually busy and the tour operators are all advising that you arrive 3 hours early for International travel instead of the 2 hours we used to advise.

At the departure gate, WestJet asked that you stay in your seat until your boarding zone was called. They had marks for appropriate distancing, checked boarding passes, handed out disinfectant wipes and wore masks at all times.

My arrival at Mexico was fast and uneventful. Pretty much the usual except that everyone was wearing masks and they did have hand sanitizer everywhere and markings for distancing.

The resort experience was great and put me very much at ease. When we were shown to our rooms there was a tag to show this is the first entry since sanitizing. Staff were all wearing masks at all times and offering hand sanitizer whenever we entered a restaurant. The tables were a good distance from each other in the restaurants and, at the buffet, we pointed to what we wanted and it was served onto our plates with tongs. All restaurants had QR codes to scan with your phone for menus instead of physical menus to avoid unnecessary contact with shared surfaces. I can’t speak to any resorts other than the ones that I stayed at, so this can differ from one to another. Please go on the website of the resort that you are going to visit and check the Covid Protocols.

I stayed at two resorts. At one most guests were not wearing masks as the moved about the resort but were respectful of distance. The other asked that guests wore masks and pretty much everyone did as they moved about the resort. Guests removed masks when they sat at the table or when they entered the pool.

The resorts I visited were very proactive in helping to arrange my Covid test for my return to Canada and in making sure the timing was right. Again, the costs of the PCR tests can vary from one resort to another. They were more expensive when this first started but I have noticed many resorts have dropped the rates. I paid $38.00 USD at Majestic Elegance. I have seen rates up to $150.00.

I did my ArriveCAN application 2 days before my return, once I had my negative result. I did find it a bit confusing because it asked if I had a negative PCR test but did not ask me to upload it. It also continued with questions regarding whether I had a quarantine plan in place. This threw me off since I am double vaccinated and have a negative PCR test so would not be required to quarantine. I couldn’t manage to get any support online or on the phone so I just continued on answering the questions and got my entry authorization number at the end. I got the hotel concierge to print it for me and carried it with me along with my passport, my negative PCR test and my vaccination receipts. PLEASE BE SURE that you have pdf copies of BOTH of your vaccination receipts, 1st and 2nd. ArriveCAN asks you to upload both of them.

At the Cancun airport, I was required to show my proof of ArriveCAN to check-in. You can show it on your phone or a paper copy. I had to scan a QR code that they had posted and answer the usual covid questions in my phone and show a confirmation number of that to enter security. Everything went smoothly. The airline handed out disinfectant wipes and everyone was required to wear masks at all times, except when actively eating and drinking.

My arrival in Pearson was again, smooth and fast. I have Nexus so I checked in on the Nexus kiosk, got my printout, presented that along with my ArriveCAN and negative Covid PCR test to the immigration officer and was on my merry way.

21/09/2021

Tomorrow will be my first trip to Mexico since 2019. I'm super excited to be going back to the country I love!! https://www.karismahotels.com/el-dorado-spa-resorts/maroma

Experience a luxurious, relaxing vacation at El Dorado Maroma in Cancun with swim up suites and your own private pool. Find out more and reserve your stay!

05/05/2021

Happy Travel Agent Day to all of my wonderful colleagues! And a BIG thank you to all of my clients for making my job fun and rewarding! Even in these troubled times and through cancellations, Future Travel Credits, Insurance battles and missing your vacations and weddings, you all made me feel appreciated! 🥰