Early arrival and late departure, anyone have experience?

[Samantha]

So excited. Booked trip # 7 to CN! Our flight will be arriving in MoBay at 9:45AM and our departure flight will be leaving at 7:50PM!

Anyone have experience arriving early at the resort early and with leaving late?

Oh, and the most important question.... Is the Beer just as good at the lounge at 10AM as it is at 3PM?


Thanks.

[rachlm927]

We have arrived at 945a last May and we arrived at resort about 12:15/12:30. Our room wasnt ready until about 2:30ish. They held our luggage while we ate, drank, went to beach.

[weewane]

I was there in Aug this past year and we arrived as well at the airport on the early morning flight in and arrived at CN at around noon, we did our check in paperwork and our room was ready so they took us on to the room. If your room is not ready they will take care of your bags, change into your suit and head to the pool bar and enjoy a few drinks till the room is ready. We also had a late flight out and did not leave CN till the afternoon and we had access to our room untill we left.

Ohh and yes the red stripe taste wonderful at 10 am, for that matter is taste wonderful no matter where you are on the island

[Amy]

Oh, and the most important question.... Is the Beer just as good at the lounge at 10AM as it is at 3PM?

It's even better!! Actually, to mix it up, I like to order a Shandy now and then - part beer, part Ting. So good!

As for arriving early and leaving late - score! You guys lucked out!! Just have your bathing suits and cover-ups handy for when you arrive in case your room isn't ready (though there is a good chance it will be). You can change in the lobby restroom, they will hold your bags, and you can head to the bar on your way to the beach For departing late, ask for late check-out (although it still won't be that late). Then just make sure to have a ziploc bag for your wet clothes since you'll want to be able to be in your bathing suit on your last day, and also have your clothes to change into handy so you can change before getting on the bus.

[redinthehead]

Our flights have gotten us to MBJ around 10:30 am the red stripe was cold and flowing. Once at the resort check in, make a few reservations, put on swimsuit go have lunch and start vacation. We return to lobby when we are ready to get ready for dinner around 5pm. Just put swim wear some place you can get to, or maybe even wear on the plane.

[lvgal]

Congratulations on the fabulous flight times!

I can comment on the early arrival...once our Air Jamaica flight arrived at 7am and we were to the resort by 9! Of course, our room wasn't ready but we changed into swimsuits and headed off to enjoy Day 1. I felt our suitcases were perfectly safe at the front desk area but I did keep computers, cameras, money and passports with me just in case. I think our room was ready around 2 or so.
We arrive at 9:45 in April also but it's usually a 2 hour process to get to the resort from the time you land so you'll be there in time for lunch and your room may or may not be ready. Have the swimsuits easily accessible.

Most importantly...beer is fabulous at 9:45 according to my husband. It's a wee bit early for me.

[smroot]

Shoot, when camping I usually have a beer in hand while fixing breakfast over the fire. My wife says the sound of the can being opened is her alarm clock, but she would appreciate it if I didn't open one till after 7am, she likes to sleep in a bit and I usually am up at 6 to start breakfast. Is that wrong?

[NSfolks]

Oh man I better see If we can change our time or we will have to leave at 6:45 am from the resort . I didn't realize that when we booked . 4 hrs is early !!!!!!!!

[POPO]

So excited. Booked trip # 7 to CN! Our flight will be arriving in MoBay at 9:45AM and our departure flight will be leaving at 7:50PM!

Anyone have experience arriving early at the resort early and with leaving late?

Oh, and the most important question.... Is the Beer just as good at the lounge at 10AM as it is at 3PM?


Thanks.

Hey Samantha,

What flight do you have that's getting there so early.

Thanks POPO

[NCGal]

These are great tips, to have your swimsuit accessible when arriving, and to have a plastic bag for wet suits when departing. I'm about to pull the trigger on buying our flights for the end of May, and was wondering how early arrivals and late departures were handled, so thanks!

[Bert]

We have arrived early and "no problem, mon". Being in central NJ, we are spoiled by having lots of airports to choose from (Newark, Kennedy, LaGuardia, Phili) - so we choose the one that can get us to MoBay the earliest (we have flown out of Newark and Phili...Kennedy this April). We pack bathing suits in carry-on, change in the Couples Lounge MoBay restroom, fly TimAir to Negril, leave our bags at the front desk and start our vacation. One time we were at the pool bar, drink in hand by 11:24 a.m.!

While I do understand the appeal of an adventure vacation, going new and exciting places...I LOVE the fact that we know CN so well now that vacation starts the moment we arrive. No need to learn where anything is or acclimate. I have told this story before (but I do tend to repeat myself )...

First time we went to Negril I was a little tense. We missed our Newark outbound flight because the "D" airline completely mismanaged their operation...hundreds of people missed their flight that morning. Then the "D" airline cancelled our connection from Atlanta to MoBay. Not only were they of no assistance in remedying the situation ("NO! THERE ARE NO OTHER CARRIERS GOING TO MONTEGO BAY! YOU ARE SPENDING THE NIGHT IN ATLANTA!"), when we did find a another carrier that day (AirTran), the "D" agent copped an attitude ("YOU CAN'T SWITCH CARRIERS IN THE MIDDLE OF A FLIGHT" "Correction...yes I can and I will."). Our bags got lost in the shuffle between airlines. We got to MoBay later than planned and TimAir wasn't able to fly us over to Negril. So I showed up in the lobby a little tense.

Someone greeted me with "Welcome home!" My cynical inner New Jersey was saying "spare me the nonsense (though nonsense wasn't the word I was thinking), I have never been here before, this is not home." Thankfully I thought better and politely responded "thank you." We ended up having a fine vacation once our bags caught up to us.

When we returned to Negril a year later, we were greeted with "Welcome home!" This time, the inner New Jersey immediately melted away and I thought "Ooooh, NOW I get it!" It has been home ever since. CN5 on April 11 (CN6 to be booked before then!).

[BarryF]

Great Question Samantha we arrive from Calgary at 6:30 am and I will be indulging an a cold Red Stripe or 2 at the Couples Lounge. I Imagine we should be at CN by 10 ish as the traffic should be pretty light that early in the AM. Would be nice to get a room ASAP but no biggie. All the important items in carry on, Bubba, Shorts and sunglasses and ready to roll.

[Zazu]

I would like to know what flights also, our last trip the airline changed thier schedual on us and we got in quite late. If this happens on our next flight we have considered staying in Montego Bay the night we get in. Has anyone done this and any problems with doing so?

[Samantha]

We are booked with Caribbean Air out of JFK.

Could not believe the times!

[rckbert]

Just have your bathing suits in your carry on or on the top of your checked bags along with some sunscreen. That way you can change and begin enjoying the resort while waiting for your room to be ready. Yes, we arrived at about 9:00 am last year and I had my Red Stripe in the Couples Lounge. Leaving late allows you to get a little more sun before having your lunch and boarding the bus to the airport. Remember to still apply sunscreen even for the few hours you get in the morning. This is how we do every trip to Couples.