bringing another couple Do's and Don'ts ???

[ironranger]

Need some advice from folks that brought another couple with them for the first time. We want to make sure that they enjoy it as much as we did our first time, however we came by ourselves the first time and had to learn how everything work at CN. I should add that its my wifes best friend of 25+yrs and her husband.

thanks

ironranger

[rhallva]

Once long ago we were the 'other couple' and joined another coupleat a resort
they loved and we had not visited before. They tried to help us by showing us everything, telling us what restaurants were best for certain meals, what was good to do at different times of the day. They signed us all up for things to do, they make dinner reservations, etc... We appreciated their intent and efforts, but we didn't enjoy the resorts as much as I thought we would. We realized that we did not really get a chance to 'discover' the resort on our own.
We had a couple of close friends join us at CN last time, and have done this before wiht other friends joining us at other resorts. We never approach it with an actual plan, but what we end up doing is this.
We make sure that the other couple has plenty of space to discover the resort for themselves. In other words, we don't tell them any more than we have to about the place. We don't plan to spend every minute togetherl, nor to eat every meal together. Just like our first time we give them the space to enjoy that part of the experience too. We tend to plan to meet for dinner, but we encourage them to have a romantic dinner without us if they choose. We don't always plan to have other meals together (even though that may end up happening). Just make sure you and they have the time and space to discover the many wonderful things at the resort and it will make the time you do spend together better. Your milage may vary.
Respect and good travels!

[Chris]

Did the same thing last year as a surprise for my wife. Her best friend of nearly 40 yrs and her husband joined us at SweptAway last October. I knew for months that they were joining us, my wife didn't know until they showed up at the resort. But I had decided that the best way to handle the situation is to spend as much time as we anted to sped together, but to give them their space to explore, take the tours and so on for a few days, then spring the secret spots on them.

We had a great time!

[Northern gal]

Make sure you keep time to spend "just the two of you". Part of the magic of Couples is the way you can reconnect with the one you love. While it is nice to spend time with others, it is pure magic when you experience all that Couples has to offer with just the one you love. We find it is very important to make sure we don't spend all of our time with friends.

[kycrazies]

Other than the normal warnings, i woujld let them learn on their own. I always think that they will enjoy it as much as you did the first time if you let them experience things at their own pace. If they want to eat together, sit together, stay up late together, dive together and basically do everything together all day long, then that's fine. But they also need to do their own thing and at their own pace...all couples are different.
The normal warnings I would offer would just be:
-Bring a lot of small bills for tips while traveling (you know no one has change)
-Pace yourself on day 1 (VERY IMPORTANT)
-Don't miss the Booze Cruise
-Relax and enjoy...no stress allowed about anything. Things happen on Jamaican time sometimes...
-Enjoy the nighly entertainment

[smroot]

When we take another couple we tell them to ask if there are questions, of course we have been talking about the place for years. We make certain they know that they can hang with us or go off on their own and then let them know when and or where we are going to eat if we run into them. Most the time, that is the only time we spend together is at Dinner time that is planned, other then that we seem to run into each other on the beach or at one of the other eating venues as our schedules and interests are pretty much the same, kind of like best friends. I always say that you are free to do what you want, when you want after all it is as much your vacation as ours but we will not be upset spending some time with you. Works great for us.

[Mainecat]

Need some advice from folks that brought another couple with them for the first time. We want to make sure that they enjoy it as much as we did our first time, however we came by ourselves the first time and had to learn how everything work at CN. I should add that its my wifes best friend of 25+yrs and her husband.

thanks

ironranger

No worry we took 4 other couples with us back to CN. All had a great time and all have been back to many other Couples.
No problem and no worry mon

[jgsaks]

15 years ago we renewed our vows at CTI for our 25th. Anniversary. Of the 20 couples that accompanied us for our party we only asked two things: 1)Attend our renewal ceremony. 2)Attend our renewal dinner. The rest of the time they did whatever they wanted. We frequently saw them but never planned anything for them. We often did activities together(Dunns River. golf, etc.)but it was mostly coincidental. Out of the 20 couples, six were new to "Couples"(CTI) and have been back many times on their own.

[columbo]

I am selfish, when our children were growing up we took no one but them on vacation, no friends, relatives or in laws, just our family, now for the last ten years or so my wife and I vacation basically the same just us, as our children have their own families now and they vacation as families, they invite us sometimes and we go, but our vacations as a couple are just that, no friends or any one else, I can see them the other 350 days of the year. Just a different perspective than some!!!

[Stacie & Chris]

My future in-laws will be joining us at CSA in less than 2 weeks, for our weddingmoon. I provided them with links to look at on the website (activities, excursions, etc). I let them know what dinners we already have planned and let them know they can join us, if they'd like (except for our private dinner on the beach the night after the wedding, of course). I looked through the activities schedule and suggested one activity (basket weaving) that I thought my mother in law would love (but linked the schedule for her).

We have traveled together before, so we know we are compatible. We tend to plan get-togethers around meals or activities (snorkeling, cameraman cruise...etc). I really don't see us hanging out with them at the beach, pool, bar unless we just happen to run into them.