First timers - just booked CTI

**groundcru** · April 13th, 2012, 08:30 PM

We are beyond excited to be coming to CTI! Looking forward to a much needed vacation.

We will be at CTI July 27th through Aug 3rd, and we can't wait.

Any advice for us newbies? What can we expect?

My husband and I have been married 16 years (17 on the 19th of Aug), and this is our third not going to see our family vacation! We are hoping for relaxation, fun nightlife, and lots of sun! Need to get out of rainy PNW

Susan and Steve

**Gliderjockey** · April 14th, 2012, 06:19 PM

103 days to go!

**Randandbets** · April 14th, 2012, 08:53 PM

Go, explore and have fun. Its an awesome place to relax.
Randy

**Melvin76** · April 15th, 2012, 07:35 AM

Yay for you guys! We're going back to CSS (3rd time) in 379 days.

HAVE FUN!

**LaurieK** · April 25th, 2012, 07:30 PM

You can expect to have a GREAT vacation. You must try the jerk chicken and the meat patties! Sample the many different blended cocktails they offer such as a dirty banana, dirty monkey, and Miami Vice (they also make them without alcohol). Take the water bikes out for a spin. I enjoyed doing some of the daily activities and games - you are rewarded with small prizes if you win. Have a great time!

**wegonjamaica** · April 29th, 2012, 10:25 AM

My wife and I are repeat offenders going on our 6th visit to TI on may 12th. The #1 piece of advise I can give you is having the right frame of mind. SLOW DOWN. ENJOY. Put your watch away. Other than a maybe a dinner reservation or a spa appointment, you won't need a watch. Do what you want, when you want. As others have said, try it all. Including the island. Once you arrive at TI put all your normal behaviors and worries aside. No electronics. No cell phones. Don't even turn on the tv. Instead grab a beverage and sit on your balcony enjoying the views. (It's ok to check in at home through emails

. But make sure you do this together.

**warren.cple** · April 30th, 2012, 11:34 AM

Originally Posted by wegonjamaica

My wife and I are repeat offenders going on our 6th visit to TI on may 12th. The #1 piece of advise I can give you is having the right frame of mind. SLOW DOWN. ENJOY. Put your watch away. Other than a maybe a dinner reservation or a spa appointment, you won't need a watch. Do what you want, when you want. As others have said, try it all. Including the island. Once you arrive at TI put all your normal behaviors and worries aside. No electronics. No cell phones. Don't even turn on the tv. Instead grab a beverage and sit on your balcony enjoying the views. (It's ok to check in at home through emails

. But make sure you do this together.

I agree with this statement completely!! The wife and I went to CTI for our first time November 2011. It was our first trip to Jamaica, first trip to an All Inclusive, and really our first trip out of the country (sorry, Canada isn't that different from the US, ditto the Bahamas) We spent some time looking over the various included outings, and things to do around the resort, before we made up our minds on our "plan." Our plan was simple: Plan nothing other than a few items. The only three things we planned to do were:
1. Go to the Isle on our first full day on the resort to try it. If we didn't like it, nothing lost, if we did enjoy it, we had a couple more days we could go out.
2. Dinner on the beach on her birthday
3. Couples massage for her birthday

While we had some electronics along (my tablet {used for reading while on vacation} and our cell phones {left in the room safe the whole time}) we didn't check e-mail, or spend our time texting family and friends. It was our first non-planned out vacation, and it was GREAT!
So absolutely when you go, as soon as you get to the Couples Lounge at the airport, stop thinking schedules and time and rush and gotta do this gotta do that, and RELAX. Slow down to island time. Enjoy yourselves and enjoy the moments.

Jason
CTI again in:
393 days
1 hour

**Gliderjockey** · May 3rd, 2012, 11:12 AM

Originally Posted by warren.cple

I agree with this statement completely!! The wife and I went to CTI for our first time November 2011. It was our first trip to Jamaica, first trip to an All Inclusive, and really our first trip out of the country (sorry, Canada isn't that different from the US, ditto the Bahamas) We spent some time looking over the various included outings, and things to do around the resort, before we made up our minds on our "plan." Our plan was simple: Plan nothing other than a few items. The only three things we planned to do were:
1. Go to the Isle on our first full day on the resort to try it. If we didn't like it, nothing lost, if we did enjoy it, we had a couple more days we could go out.
2. Dinner on the beach on her birthday
3. Couples massage for her birthday

While we had some electronics along (my tablet {used for reading while on vacation} and our cell phones {left in the room safe the whole time}) we didn't check e-mail, or spend our time texting family and friends. It was our first non-planned out vacation, and it was GREAT!
So absolutely when you go, as soon as you get to the Couples Lounge at the airport, stop thinking schedules and time and rush and gotta do this gotta do that, and RELAX. Slow down to island time. Enjoy yourselves and enjoy the moments.

Jason
CTI again in:
393 days
1 hour

I agree 100% with the advice. We'll be turning our gadgets off and slowing way down. We will be hitting the island, but both have slight nervousness about it. I know that will go away and we'll have fun with it, based on everything we've read on the AN forum. We're also looking forward to getting Caribbean food as oftne as we like. The only planned activities we have so far are Margaritaville and zip lines.

My biggest concern is how am I going to find a job down there since I know I won't want to come back to dreary, bland Seattle?

Steve (The Lesser Half of Steve and Susan from Seattle

)

**groundcru** · May 4th, 2012, 07:50 PM

Originally Posted by Gliderjockey

I agree 100% with the advice. We'll be turning our gadgets off and slowing way down. We will be hitting the island, but both have slight nervousness about it. I know that will go away and we'll have fun with it, based on everything we've read on the AN forum. We're also looking forward to getting Caribbean food as oftne as we like. The only planned activities we have so far are Margaritaville and zip lines.

My biggest concern is how am I going to find a job down there since I know I won't want to come back to dreary, bland Seattle?

Steve (The Lesser Half of Steve and Susan from Seattle

)

And the cattaraman

**KayNJay** · May 5th, 2012, 11:31 AM

You are gonna love it! Honestly CTI was heaven for seven days. Make sure you go to the watersports hut, the guys are awesome and we had so much unexpected fun trying out different watersports. Also try the chicken nuggets, they are delicious!