For those that really know me (btw I hate when people say that), I am an avid traveler, minus a pandemic. I usually hop on a plane at least once a month. COVID changed my norm real real quick, I traveled a total of 5 times in 2020, once pre-pandemic to Charlotte for a bachelorette party, Atlanta in July and then Mexico twice and Las Vegas in November. I went to Puerto Vallarta for a week (see previous blog post), and then a couples’ trip to Cancun 3 weeks later. Needless to say I was sitting on ready for a trip.
National Holiday
I consider my birthday, February 23rd, a national holiday. Ask anyone of my friends, each year I send out a multi-day itinerary of events for my birthday, but as much as I travel I like to be at home on my birthday, surrounded by my friends and family. However, with a nagging need to travel, I decided I am going out of the country for my birthday. This decision came on a Tuesday exactly 6 weeks before my birthday, so I knew if I wanted some people to come with bae and I, I needed something that wasn’t going to break the bank, because final payment was due NOW! I settled on ole faithful Cancun. Now bae and I love Breathless resort outside of Cancun and could go over and over and over again, but we had been there with friends, and we weren’t sure if they would want to go back so, I put my travel agent hat on to look for a good alternative.
In October for our couples’ trip to Cancun we stayed at Secrets The Vine in Cancun, I was not impressed, not sure if it was due to the COVID restrictions, but bae and I longed for Breathless the entire time. I did not want that experience again, so I looked high and low for a place that would suit our taste. I landed on Planet Hollywood Cancun Adult Scene. The resort had not opened yet, it opened January 29th. As a travel agent I was a little nervous, resorts have growing pains in the beginning and are notorious for delaying their opening date. Planet Hollywood had delayed their opening date a few times already due to COVID, so I was more confident that it would open on time…this time. I was willing to endure the growing pains, plus the price was RIGHT! So 6 weeks to the day before my birthday I sent a text to some friends who I knew could be flexible in a short notice and were willing to travel in COVID. That same night I had a total of 3 rooms booked, and I was content with that, by Sunday the entire group of 10 was booked. My friends are the real MVPS! Like when I think about it I get emotional that they wanted to drop some coins to travel with me for my birthday in such a short amount of time.
DOOMS DAY
Then literally the next Tuesday after I text my friends, my phone was blowing up at work with notifications, but I was super busy so did not get a chance to take a look. I got home and realized that the CDC had made new requirements that required a negative COVID test to come back to the United States. The reason I had been to Mexico twice, back to back, and was willing to go back, was there were no COVID travel restrictions. Mexico does not require you to COVID test before travel or to to leave Mexico, and the US had no requirements to get back. I felt safer in Mexico than some places I had been at home with the COVID protocols. Then this testing bombshell!
As many may or may not know by day I am a pharmacist at an outpatient pharmacy located in a hospital. My hospital was one of the hardest hit hospitals with COVID patients in St. Louis County, at one point we had 100% COVID admissions in our hospital. Taking all of that into account, I have NEVER had a COVID scare, so if I had to test to come back home, that would be my very first COVID test and I was terrified. However, as a healthcare worker by the end of January I was fully vaccinated and I just knew that would carry weight. The CDC encouraged us to get vaccinated, but basically said we don’t care, you will still need a negative test, even if you are vaccinated. Therefore, I told my creaux let’s all get tested before to know we are safe going to Mexico, and pray we stay that way. I also got an antibody test 2 weeks before we left, which was 2 weeks after my last COVID vaccine just to make sure I had built immunity. Armed with positive antibodies, 2 COVID vaccines, a negative COVID test and a lot of prayer I set off for my birthday trip. Now you know it couldn’t be that easy, we had a false positive in the group, who then tested negative twice the same day, THE DRAMA!
Off to Paradise
I opted for 1st class again this trip and this time it was not for COVID, I was being bougie! Bae and I had plenty of trip credits from trips we did not take in 2020 and I was like its my birthday I want the BEST! I canceled our Southwest tickets and booked first class on American Airlines!!! Bae got us N-95 masks to ensure we were safe. I sipped mimosas on the way to Mexico, bae had blood marys. We landed in Mexico with no issues and a little tipsy. There was no line for customs and we whisked right through. I ordered my customary margarita at the bar outside of the airport and then off to our accommodations at Planet Hollywood Adult Scene.
The resort took COVID serious, they took temperatures as we got out of our transportation, they took temperatures before entering every restaurant. This was a stark difference than Secrets The Vine. Secrets took our temperature upon entering the resort, but made it clear we can mix mingle with no mask around the resort, which made me very uncomfortable. Planet Hollywood preferred you to have your masks when entering restaurants and in the closed buildings. All workers had on masks, but most of them lifted up their masks to talk to you, which defeats the purpose entirely.
Answering the Call
Many Mexican resorts answered the call about COVID testing for those traveling back to the US quickly and setup protocols to offer complimentary testing. Planet Hollywood put out their policy within 2 days of the CDC requirements and offered complimentary testing and complimentary insurance. The insurance was a bit confusing to understand, but what we think it did, was reimburse you if you were positive and had to stay in Mexico. Planet Hollywood would offer you a discounted stay and the insurance would reimburse you for the costs of the stay. The insurance also offered medical assistance, if needed.
It was recommended to schedule the COVID test the day you arrive, but we were ready to drink so yeah that got pushed to the next day. Two people out of our group scheduled the day we arrived and were scheduled to test on that Friday. The rest of us losers went to schedule the next day and they scheduled us all on Saturday. My test was super easy, I saw the swab, but did not feel a thing. We were told test results would be emailed by 5pm and we could pick up physical results after 5pm. 5pm came and went with no results, at this point I am thinking if someone was positive they would have came to find us by now, or be waiting at our rooms. I went and got our results about 8pm and they were emailed about 8:30pm. ALL NEGATIVE! THANK GOD!!!
What I love about American Airlines is they already have an app called VeriFly that you upload your test results and 5 minutes later they tell you if the results are approved. Once we got to the airport and checked in, the agent looked at the Verifly results and we were good to go without showing our physical results. Our group were on various airlines, Southwest, Spirit, and Delta, they required the printed results, but their process was easy as well, they looked at the results, imputed something in the computer and you are good to go.
Flying in Style
Now on our flight back we had the Boeing 787-9 aircraft which their first class has these cool pods, like the ones were the seat lays completely flat. I was sad because I woke up with my stomach doing dances, so alcohol was out of the question for me. I got a ginger ale and a cheese plate, laid my seat almost flat and counted sheep.
Overall, the trip was a success. I had one of the most memorable birthdays with some amazing people. Planet Hollywood had some issues being a new resort, but they did not skimp on COVID protocols and we felt safe most of the time. I will warn you not to wear a swimsuit that says “Birthday Slay”, it gets you the obvious birthday attention, but it also gets you random hugs from strangers, which was really not ok pre-COVID, but for sure not ok in COVID and before your negative test to get back home. This trip put my anxiety at rest and now I am ready to travel. Jamaica up next!
Divas Travels Adventures 