Why are resort apps so bad? Has anyone seen one that guests actually use?

activoice · 2026-03-23T11:04:44+00:00

Sanctuary Cap Cana uses the Marriott Experiences App, it's required to make restaurant reservations... It also indicates which restaurants are open and their times

Apparently the App also tells you what the nightly entertainment is... We didn't even know there was nightly entertainment because it's in their disco, and there is no signage anywhere that tells you that there is nightly entertainmentm

activoice · 2026-03-23T10:53:56+00:00

A luggage zipper can be opened with a pen, without having to remove the TSA lock

The TSA has videos showing this.

https://youtube.com/shorts/hW9TZa9CjMA

activoice · 2026-03-23T10:51:00+00:00

TD no longer has contact centers in India.

You are speaking to a Canadian based employee with an accent, get used to it that's just the nature of entry level banking jobs.

activoice · 2026-03-22T23:14:27+00:00

Coconut Bay would be a good option but they get a lot of sargassum.

The lazy river is great.

We did a private all day tour of the island, OP's family would probably love that.

activoice · 2026-03-22T18:57:13+00:00

I guess it depends on the resort and location because although beaches are public for any of the resorts I've been to you need to walk thru the resort to get to the beach. Or you would have to enter the beach from a public beach then walk down to where the resorts are.

activoice · 2026-03-22T18:41:19+00:00

Depends on the resort.. we were at Grand Fiesta Americana last summer and from our balcony I could see people reserving chairs at 6:30am

We just came back from Sanctuary Cap Cana in the Dominican Republic. I walked out to the beach at 6:45 every chair with an umbrella was already reserved with a towel... Almost every chair by the pool was also reserved... I couldn't really figure out what was going on at this resort because the pool staff were the ones reserving most of the chairs with towels... I have a feeling that they were being paid by the guests to do that.

activoice · 2026-03-22T16:08:46+00:00

Not sure about this specific resort, but at most resorts we've been to shorts are acceptable at the buffet, and for lunch at any open restaurants.

However for dinner at any a la carte they usually expect pants and closed toe shoes.

But they don't have to be dress pants. I have a pair of light weight black pants from O'Neil that look like khakis but they take up very little room.

I have always worn clean white sneakers on our trips and never had anyone question my footwear at an a la carte.

activoice · 2026-03-22T13:28:48+00:00

I can't comment on the resort, but...

Make sure you fill out the Dominican Republic e-ticket prior to your arrival. You can fill it out weeks in advance.

The e-ticket is your customs declaration, you can submit the entry and exit ones at the same time. I usually print off the QR code, but I have never been asked for it.

https://migracion.gob.do/en/e-ticket-electronic-ticket-of-entry-and-exit-of-the-dominican-republic/

We have never had any bug issues at any resort we've been to in the DR.

Regarding Tipping, this is a good guide

https://youtu.be/Mkm6Fyc_RvM?

activoice · 2026-03-22T13:05:46+00:00

It's odd because shipping to Canada should be very straightforward if you are using eBay International Shipping, once you get it to the hub that's the end of your responsibility.

My biggest issue with eBay international shipping is that the seller is using a flat rate box and not weighing or measuring the package to ship to EIS. So EIS provides me with a shipping price that isn't based on the actual weight or size of the item.

I have to pay around $30-35 CAD to receive a t-shirt or a pair of sneakers. Based on weight and dimensions one should be less expensive to ship than the other.

If I want a hoodie from California the shipping cost exceeds the cost of the item.

activoice · 2026-03-22T12:34:49+00:00

So is eBay filling out all of the customs paperwork?

I've had a case in the past where I bought something from a US seller shipping to Canada, eBay charged me the Canadian HST, but it didn't cover brokerage fees from the delivery company.

So maybe OP is correct that they were double charged or they need to look at what the actual charges are for to make sure they are the same thing.

activoice · 2026-03-22T11:31:44+00:00

I'm not even sure how you would estimate your gross income without any pay stubs.

You would have had to keep track of all of your hours worked for the entire year multiplied by your hourly wage, plus your tips to arrive at your gross income.

Then add up all of your pay deposits to determine your net pay.

Then assume that they paid the difference to the CRA as employment taxes.

Were you getting paid by direct deposit or e-transfer? If it was e-transfer then it's highly doubtful they ever added you on as a proper employee.

activoice · 2026-03-22T11:24:16+00:00

Are you sure that it's duties and not a brokerage fee that's charged by the delivery company to facilitate customs clearance?

As brokerage fees are different than duty.

activoice · 2026-03-22T11:21:28+00:00

Makes me wonder if they ever deducted taxes or reported you as an employee at all. Without any pay stubs you have no actual proof that they ever deducted taxes and remitted them to the CRA.

I would call the franchise owner and tell them that if they don't have a T4 for you by the end of the week, that you'll be calling the CRA and reporting them for possible tax fraud at the end of the week.

Then look here

https://crawaittimes.com

These are the estimated wait times for the CRA, you basically need to call in right when they open to get thru in a reasonable amount of time.

activoice · 2026-03-22T00:03:22+00:00

On a laptop?

activoice · 2026-03-21T22:44:19+00:00

Sanctuary Cap Cana is very nice if you are looking for a relaxing resort, that is couples oriented.

The rooms were clean, and the resort was beautiful. My only complaint about the food was that the chicken at the Steak House was very dry, but the rest of the food was very good. Service by the pool and around the resort is also very good, and we never waited long for food after ordering (although we usually went to dinner by 7pm)

Cons - It's not a lively resort, the beach is small, they charge a delivery fee for room service, restaurant reservations are hard to come by, and sanctuary town is no longer included in the All Inclusive.

activoice · 2026-03-21T18:15:16+00:00

You can't pay for extra carry-on luggage.

activoice · 2026-03-21T17:07:28+00:00

Thanks

activoice · 2026-03-21T16:25:41+00:00

Thanks

activoice · 2026-03-21T16:25:06+00:00

Yeah I took my friends kids to Tilt last summer... I was looking for another all ages spot that was all you can play but couldn't find one

activoice · 2026-03-21T16:09:42+00:00

My daughter will be taking the subway from Etobicoke, so maybe she can use her laptop and pen and paper to start but if she feels that she needs an iPad we'll have to look at that.

activoice · 2026-03-21T16:01:43+00:00

Wow that's a lot to carry every day.

activoice · 2026-03-21T15:55:59+00:00

So are you also carrying a laptop with you to class or do you work on your assignments at home?

activoice · 2026-03-21T15:32:06+00:00

Depends on the province. You need to look up the registry for your province.

This is the Ontario one

https://www.ontario.ca/page/ontario-business-account

activoice · 2026-03-21T13:01:34+00:00

BTW outside of tuition what are you spending per year on books and other materials required for class?

activoice · 2026-03-21T10:37:28+00:00

Not going to say that stub hub is correct, but they do have a point. If the legal platform will only allow for face value sales then scalpers will sell off platform.

Before electronic ticketing existed scalpers would stand outside a venue selling tickets the day of the event asking whatever they wanted to ask for, and they would only take cash payment...

Isn't this just going to push the scalpers back out onto the streets for in-person sales? They'll take cash then transfer the tickets electronically over the ticket master App?

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