First time going to Couples Negril

[lynnsfit]

Hey there,
We are a couple in our early 50's going to CN for the first time. Would love to hear any words of advice, tips on going! It was a very hard decision btwn CN and Couples Sans Souci, but the gorgeous beaches of CN won. I like the grounds and rooms better at CSS but am sure CN will be fun too! Any advice on our travels? We would also like to safely check out Rick's Cafe and walk 7 mile beach.
Thank you ahead of time! If you are traveling from Boston Logan, any tips on travel would also be helpful.

[drbcwp]

Enjoy the resort while you are there, try everything, get to know people (guests, staff)
Do not get in a hurry
Do not feel like you have to go on every excursion
The airport is a zoo on the w/e's so we travel mid week

CN is on bloody Bay, you would have to go out on the road past GLN and hedo and then back onto the beach to walk on 7-mile, bloody bay is plenty long for us though

Rick's Cafe is fun if you are there for a while, if you are only at the resort for a few days then I would pass but if you are there for a week it is worth traveling to Rick's

[americanlambu]

The excursions take up a large portion of the day. The drives are usually 1.5 hours inland (zipline, horseback, etc...) on a crowded, hot bus. We ziplined last time and it was great, but we lost almost a whole day of the trip. Margaritaville is not worth going to. It's not like the ones we're used to here. It's dark, dirty, and sketchy. We're going to Rick's next week on our trip, havent been there yet.
The sun is HOT, so take good SPF and constantly re-apply. You may want to bring a coozie for your drinks on the beach - they are served in plastic cups (so no glass on the beach) which fit into a coozie nicely. The sun will make them hot in no time. Bring bug spray for night time walks. The sand fleas occasionally bother people.
Try a little bit of everything on the resort! Bring dress clothes if you want to eat at Feathers or the Thai restaurant. They have a dress code. When you arrive, book everything you want to do, as slots fill up quickly.
Also ask for a second story room. It's more private. There is no glass in the windows, just wooden slats, and on the first floor you can hear people walking by.
Snorkeling is a lot of fun!
And try a Bob Marley shot!

[RLB87]

Great idea and question. How do you easily get to 7 mile beach? Is it just a stroll, a hike or taxi ride? A half day trip? We are new to Couples and will be there between 7/31 and 8/5 2011.

Any advice would be great that isn't already listed in this forum. I have to go back and read most of them again.

My wife is unaware of this trip so far. I want to surprise her and will be waiting until one week before to tell her.

[IrieDreaming]

you're going to love CN! we've not experienced the other couples resorts because we fell in love with CN on our first visit there back in 2006 and have been back twice now, with our third trip set for 2012. If you want to walk the "longer" part of 7 mile beach (the beach stretching along bloody bay is technically part of 7 mile beach), you can "trade places" and spend a day over at CSA. My husband and I did this last year, and enjoyed walking the beach and also getting to see/experience CSA also. You don't have to be a repeat guest to do this, simply make sure you sign-up for the romance rewards program (on this website) and you can do the trading places thing. They do it two or three times a week - you take a shuttle right from CN's lobby to CSA at like 10 or 10:30 AM, and then return on a shuttle from CSA's lobby around 4 PM. It is really a nice little trip that allows you to experience CSA and the shops, bars and vendors along 7 mile beach too. You sign-up at the consierge desk at CN.

[Pamela]

CN is on Seven Mile Beach.

Seven Mile Beach is comprised of Long Bay, which is approximately five miles in length, and Bloody Bay, which is approximately two miles in length. CN sits on Bloody Bay.

[trisha2u]

We are new to Couples and will be there between 7/31 and 8/5 2011.

Any advice would be great that isn't already listed in this forum. I have to go back and read most of them again.

My wife is unaware of this trip so far. I want to surprise her and will be waiting until one week before to tell her.[/QUOTE]

[trisha2u]

Sorry tried attaching quote but did it wrong. Your wife is going to love you more than ever after this. My advice???? just go and relax. You wont be there long enough to enjoy the island, but you will be there long enough to enjoy time for yourselves. We've been twice before for 14 nights each time, (travelling from Ireland) and only did one excursion each time. There is a serious amount of activity on the resort... something for everyone. or you might just find your favourite spot on the beach... the choice is your for the taking..... enjoy. plan nothing. except to get there. We are returning home on the 12th July til 26th July... the waiting is a killer...

[Jimnmariann]

You are going to LOVE CN. We love the beach but you cannot walk the 7 mile beach from there. CN's beach is in Bloody Bay, a cove. You would have to get a taxi to take you to CSA to walk that beach. It is not far away. My best suggestion to you is to enjoy every part of CN. There is so much to see and enjoy. We have been six times and love every part of the resort. We always find something new to do and we always meet great people. Be excited!

[Blondie]

RLB87,

How wonderful to surprise your wife, that is so romantic. We will be at CN, arriving on 7/30 - I can't wait. Welcome to the Couples family, you are going to love, love, love CN and you wife is going to really love you for bringing her there.

As everyone has said, CN sits on Bloody Bay, which is part of 7 mile beach and it is a nice walk. We keep talking about trying the trading spaces and spending the day at CSA, but sand gravity takes over.

Hopefully we will meet up at the pool bar!

[Tommolly]

We are going for our first time in 6 weeks. I cant wait! What a great gift for your wife!!!

[RLB87]

I understood you had to be a repeat visitor in order to visit CSA or use the "trading places". Your news is good to hear that you do not have to be a repeat visitor. Does this require booking when you get there or can I make the request before we leave home?

My Mother in Law is aware right now and she thinks one week maybe pushing it. We'll see. I have to tell the kids sooner or later and see if they can keep a secret (teenagers....). Thanks Trisha, Irie and others for the help.

Love Ireland. Spent some time in Waterford awhile ago with B & L.

[Gary_and_Patti]

You can easily walk the "Long Bay" section of the 7 Mile beach, we have done it many times from CN. One option is to take a taxi south to where the beach starts and walk back to CN. There are may interesting resorts, hotels, bars, shops and restaurants along the beach. If you get too hot, take a dip in the ocean, it you thirsty you can grab a drink. If you don't want to walk all the way back you can cut over to the road and get a taxi back to CN. If you do walk all the way back, you can get back to the road right before you get to the S resort and walk back along the road. But do watch out for the traffic on Norman Manley Blvd., it can be crazy! We have been know to take the shopping shuttle in to Negril and walk back. We are 56 & 60 and the walk is no problem for us. Go to Rick's with a group and you will be fine. Have a drink, watch the divers, stay for the sunset and you'll be back to CN in time for dinner. You will have a great time at CN. Then next time you can try CSS which is also awesome!

[wileeandrr]

RLB87...sign up for the RR. You can do the TP when you first visit Couples. You will have to book it when you get there...have fun! You're a great man to surprise your wife!
I was emailing the Romance Concierge for hubby & said, you should be doing this instead of me! So, as I was filling out our request for CN private dinner I said, ok, pretend you are writing this & tell me what you'd say! lol
Here is the link to RR..
http://couples.com/romance-rewards/
It's also at the bottom of the forum...

[Coloradojuli]

Bring dress clothes if you want to eat at Feathers or the Thai restaurant. They have a dress code. When you arrive, book everything you want to do, as slots fill up quickly.
Also ask for a second story room. It's more private. There is no glass in the windows, just wooden slats, and on the first floor you can hear people walking by.

This applies to CSA, not CN. There is a reservation restaurant at CN called Oteheite where you do need to dress up a bit. We have never had issues getting a reservation. The windows at CN do have windows, not wooden slats.

[IrieDreaming]

Trading Places is now available to first-time guests, you just need to be signed-up for the romance rewards program to take advantage of it. It's the only "perk" a non-repeat guest receives under the rewards program. Check out http://couples.com/romance-rewards/ to see all the perks under this great program.
Other activities at CN I highly recommend are the Catamaran Cruise, snorkeling and taking the hobie cats and kayaks out. We also got much more involved with the entertainment staff than ever on our last/third trip (April 2010), and were happily surprised at how much we enjoyed all the activities like the nightime frog hunt, casino night, the beach and pool games and the "funny money" (which you earn when participating in these activities) auctions - all things we had never even really gave a second thought to on any of our two previous trips. We still spent plenty of time lounging on the beach and at the swim-up bar, but really enjoyed getting off our lazy butts every once in awhile and doing something different. No matter what, I guarantee you will be talking about how soon you can afford to get back "home" as you are sitting in the lobby waiting for the "goodbye bus." CN is simply THAT awesome.

[sherrynchuck]

Trading Places is now available to first-time guests, you just need to be signed-up for the romance rewards program to take advantage of it. It's the only "perk" a non-repeat guest receives under the rewards program. Check out http://couples.com/romance-rewards/ to see all the perks under this great program.

Just FYI trading places has always been available to first time guests...well, perhaps not since the inception of romance rewards but this is not "new". I'm not sure why there is always so much confusion surrounding this but it's the one perk that first timers have been allowed to take advantage of for quite some time.