Is it all worth it?

[aperkins]

Yes... you are making an excellent choice. We have been to Couples 7 times (have experienced all four Couples resort), and are booked for a second trip this year and scheduled already for 2012. We have also stayed at another A/I couples only resort with a higher pricing and fewer inclusions. There are a number of other options that may cost less initially that are A/I adult only, but will not be as inclusive as Couples -- that's one of the things that makes the difference.

And from a cost/budget standpoint, we find that CSS is the lowest cost and one of our favorites. Our other favorite is CSA and also love CN. You can not go wrong with any one of the four Couples locations -- they are just different which make it nice for us as we like variety and thus rotate between the resorts.

Bottom line -- YES you have made a perfect choice.

Thanks for the positive feedback

[vicster]

There should only need to be a one word answer to this thread........ ABSOLUTELY!!!!!

[Pamela]

Since it's your first trip, you need to arrive with the correct mindset, and that involves becoming familiar with "Jamaica time." Nothing happens quickly. If you request something at breakfast (e.g., soy milk), don't expect it to arrive for 15 minutes at least (and sometimes not until you've finished your breakfast). Jamaica time can be frustrating, but if you're prepared for it and resolve just to relax (you're on vacation after all), it won't be too bothersome. We've stayed at all four Couples resorts for a total of 18 trips, and we just accept it and resolve not to let anything ruin our vacation.

[aperkins]

I'm so glad to see all of these responses! I'm just like you aperkins, I have always been the type to second-guess myself on vacation choices. We will be at CN August 11-16 celebrating our 20th anniversary. We've never been to Jamaica, nor a Couples Resort, but from everything I've read, it looks like we are going to have a great time!

See you there!

We are spending a lot of money and I'm going by my gut feeling this is THE place to be.

[aperkins]

I love how positive you all are! aperkins

[aurxdoc05]

The one bad thing about having gone to a Couples resort...you never want to go anywhere else on vacation. On the other hand, you never have to worry about finding the perfect vacation spot again! Your hardest choice when you are planning your next trip (and I feel certain that there will be a next trip) will be whether to return to your first choice or try another Couples resort! You have chosen the perfect romantic getaway and will undoubtedly get more than your money's worth!

[harleygirl]

I have not been to other AI before but I can tell you we will probably never try them after going to Couples. We just returned from CTI on our first ever trip out of the US or to an AI resort of any kind. It was our 20th anniversary so we decided to do something different. Our travel agent turned us on to Couples and we decided to try CTI this time because it seemed smaller and had a private beach and beautiful views of the ocean from anywhere! Trust me, you will not be disappointed. We had a wonderful trip and were amazed at how great the staff were as well as the resort itself. You cannot want for anything that they did not accomodate although we didn't really need anything else. The staff bent over backward to help you and make sure your stay was top notch. And when they say no tips they mean it so no need to worry about anything. We thought we would do a lot of the activities and we did some but we fell in love with laying about the beach and the pools napping and being lazy so we really didn't get to everything we thought we would. We are already planning our next trip and thinking about trying another Couples on the Negril side but it will be hard because we loved CTI so much. I was very worried like you before and kept wondering if we had made the right decision but we certainly did!!! It just doesn't get any better than this!

[Anthony Utley]

My only hope for you is that you have seen all the other resorts you wanted to because once you stay at a Couples resort you will not look anywhere else. My wife and I found CTI 13 years ago and fell in love. We have stayed at other AI resorts in Jamaica but none of them lives up to the Couples standard. And I believe it does not matter which Couples you choose, the level service will be the same. When CTI was closed for renovations and we switched to CSS, we were so upset that we were going to miss CTI that year that we almost did not go at all. Lucky for us, we did go. And CSS did a wonderful job helping us almost forget that CTI was closed. Our hearts will always be at CTI, after 13 years they are almost like family, but if it ever becomes neccessary to stay somewhere else we would not hesitate to pick any one of the other Couples Resorts.

[KCKev]

In all honestly, it will be completely your opinion if the money you spent was worth it. Only you can judge the investment of your hard earned dollars.

I will say that for the $3900, for 7 nights at CSA, literally on the beach in our Verandah room (see pic), it was more than worth it, and I was nursing a broken ankle. Everything we did was worth our time, from the drink mixing classes, our snorkeling with boat captain "Mar-Lon", or the beach bar with Natasha or the Palms & Patois with Derick.

The food was excellent, the drinks well blended, and the service always with a smile.

A co-worker of mine went to a newer AI near Montego Bay a few weeks before my wife and I went to CSA. He hated his experience. For less days, he paid within $500 of our price, complained of the service, the drinks, the food and the resort as a whole.

Be ready to enjoy yourself, relax, let the stress of everyday life melt away. (And wear sunscreen :-D) Safe Travels and Enjoy!

[aperkins]

In all honestly, it will be completely your opinion if the money you spent was worth it. Only you can judge the investment of your hard earned dollars.

I will say that for the $3900, for 7 nights at CSA, literally on the beach in our Verandah room (see pic), it was more than worth it, and I was nursing a broken ankle. Everything we did was worth our time, from the drink mixing classes, our snorkeling with boat captain "Mar-Lon", or the beach bar with Natasha or the Palms & Patois with Derick.

The food was excellent, the drinks well blended, and the service always with a smile.

A co-worker of mine went to a newer AI near Montego Bay a few weeks before my wife and I went to CSA. He hated his experience. For less days, he paid within $500 of our price, complained of the service, the drinks, the food and the resort as a whole.

Be ready to enjoy yourself, relax, let the stress of everyday life melt away. (And wear sunscreen :-D) Safe Travels and Enjoy!

We'll we are paying just about what you paid. Just so you know. We went through (fruit)vacations.com, which we always use.

And you're right,our opinion will be up to me and my hubby. We have fun where ever we go! Sounds good!

[Fluffin]

@perkins.....is your price of $3900.00 including air for 7 days?

[Marnies]

Im just going to give everyone's comments a very big YUP!
Basically, you will be ruined for life once you go to Couples. Don't even bother looking at other islands or resorts because they just wont stack up to Couples and you will be p$^^$$^ off at yourselves for wasting vacation time.
We've been to "S", "B", and the old Jack Tar in the Bahamas many years ago. Nothing compares to Couples.
There are some things you can't put a price on that Couples gives you.
1) Your shoulders actually drop once you hit the property. Total relaxation.
2) They look after you, no worries. My parents vacation at Couples and Daddy uses a walker. They do everything they can to make sure Mom and Dad have a great time. They even arranged for a couple of large guys to carry my Dad to the Catamaran and get him on the boat. Best of all, I don't worry when they are at Couples like I do when they are at home!

[aperkins]

@perkins.....is your price of $3900.00 including air for 7 days?

Yes, Fluffin

[aperkins]

There are some things you can't put a price on that Couples gives you.
1) Your shoulders actually drop once you hit the property. Total relaxation.
2) They look after you, no worries.

I like the shoulders dropping. I hope to loose a few wrinkles too.

[Caligirl78]

We have been looking at "deals" for our trip next month and even though couples is a bit more than other islands we have decided to go with the SR. We stayed at Couples Negril 2 years ago for our honeymoon and were scheduled for SA last year, but due to work issues had to cancel, the same reason we haven't booked for August yet. I have a co-worker that has to have surgery to remove cancer and her Dr. will not tell her when they are going to schedule it, so here is hoping we get to go. I don't care what couples resort we end up at - we just felt that after going, and from what I have seen on this board and what our travel agent has said that the "deal" we were looking at for just a bit less would make our vacation a chore instead of a no worries vacation. Like they say, "once you go you know". I can't wait to return "home".

[randi&sherri]

couples is awesome and thats why the repeat business is so good!!!

[aperkins]

Thanks everyone for convincing me that it would have been worth it. My husband just had to have an emergency splenectomy due to a tick bite so we had to cancel our travel plans.

We did not have any travel insurance, but did get most of our money back except for the fee the airline socked us with ($150 pp) and the hotel cancellation fee. ($45 pp)

It would have been nice and it could have been worse. So Peace out and have some nature and a drink and think of us!