new to couples

[kkld]

we are trying couples negril in july. please give me some honest reviews! iv read reviews on other sites and not sure of the quality of honesty. tell me anything! what we should take, what we should try, little secrets only repeaters to couples negril would know. we want to try the zipline. we are intrested in the new air service from montego bay to negril. should we tip the house keep. are things safe in our room. tell me everything!!

[softail19]

Scour this site, read the FAQs and the message board. You should find all your answers.

[Coloradojuli]

Couples has a no tipping policy. Staff can be fired for accepting tips and guests can be asked to leave without a refund for tipping. This includes the housekeeping staff as they are also employees. The only 'staff' you can tip are the spa employees, as they are contracted through Couples and are not Couples employees. You will also want to tip your shuttle driver who takes you to and from the resort and the baggage handlers at the airport. If you take any off-site excursions you will want to tip your drivers and any guides that you use. If you do the catamaran sunset cruise, they are not Couples employees and you will want to tip them. Otherwise, there is no tipping of anyone else while at the resort.

As for tips, CN is fabulous. We love the resort. The beach is fabulous and so relaxing. One of our favorite things to do is take a raft out into the ocean and float for hours.

Remember that before each dinner there is usually some sort of 'happy hour' going on in the Piano Bar.

We also enjoy taking a dip in the pool at night. Sometimes after dinner, sometimes later. When it is hot at night it makes for a great way to cool off.

We enjoy getting one of the buildings close to the main restaurant. In the evenings you can sit out on your balcony and hear the band play. It always feels like a private concert. We've even been known to dance on the balcony.

We enjoy getting the Continental breakfast delivered to our room and sitting out on the balcony enjoying our food and coffee and watching the resort wake up. Makes for a very peaceful start to the day.

Lychee is our favorite restaurant and the Lychee Martinis are fabulous. I always have several!

You can go to the bar before dinner and ask for a bottle of wine or champagne and take it back to the room to drink while you get ready for dinner. This is one of our favorite things to do. Any leftover can be put in your fridge for the next night, or you can drink it when you return from dinner. They will supply you with nice glasses to use in your room.

There is an ice cream machine in the beach grill. It is fabulous for an afternoon snack.

We've gone dinner 'hopping' some nights. We start at one restaurant for appetizers, move to another for the main dish and still another for desert. It works wonderfully. Remember you can always order two of anything that you want.

In the mornings they make fabulous smoothies. By this bar is the makings for Bloody Mary's or Mimosas or just have some champagne.

There are so many wonderful things about CN. My biggest suggestion to you is to not plan anything in advance before you go. Just go with the flow while you are there. You will be amazed at how sand gravity takes hold and you can spend all day doing nothing and enjoying every minute of it.

[sherrynchuck]

We made our 15th trip to Jamaica in October, our first to a Couples resort. I had been reading this message board for nearly two years before our trip and it was a fabulous help as far as resort specific info. Go to the web page for the resort you've chosen...CN...read it again and again. Read all the threads pertaining to CN and Negril...others too but be sure you catch those.

My impression of CSA...honestly if you stick around on this message board long enough you may get the impression that the place is perfect. After about 24 hours I believed it was. My first impression was less than that though only because my expectations had been so built up here. The resorts have the absolute best in customer service, the food is fabulous, Negril's beach can't be beat. Two things I would say, it gets said often on this message board but perhaps not on other sites that Couples resorts really aren't glitzy. If you've been to Mexico or other destinations you need to understand what you are getting in to. The resorts are BEAUTIFUL, but they are simple in their beauty. You won't find marble and brass and shine and posh all over. Honestly, most of us love that about the resorts. The second thing you need to remember is that you are on a tropical island...humidity and salt take their toll on everything. Couples does a fabulous job with keeping things repaired and up to snuff but nothing can be perfect in such and environment so just realize that if you see a little rust on a piece of metal it isn't because Couples is falling apart or doesn't care or the employees don't work hard to keep things in good condition. It's because of the environment you are in and I'd challenge you to find a resort on the island that looked better than Couples.

Honestly, no worries. Start getting very very excited about your trip...you WILL be wowed!

By the way, take about half of whatever you pack in your suitcase intially. Pack several swimsuits, they don't dry well in the humidity. You'll wear your beach clothes all day so you don't need a lot of other clothes. Evening wear, mix and match as much as you can to decrease the items. Bring some comfy, cute dresses. Bring shoes that go with more than one outfit.
Do a search for the wish I'd thought of that thread.

Read the message board and have a piece of paper handy so you can write down all the tips.

[jerzzgirl]

It took me 4 years to finally convince my hub to go to CN. He had a bad vibe about Jamaica in general. We did a cruise, went to Punta Cana and to Mexico and finally he let me book a trip to Jamaica. In 3 days we will be back for our third visit to CN. Once you go - you'll know!

P.S.: A couple days a week (not sure the exact days) there is a popcorn machine in the game room - I love their popcorn! They also have a selection of paper backs and magazines to borrow, a TV, pool table and chess/checkers. PLUS it's air conditioned and soooo nice to duck into if it's hot out. It's next to Lychee...

[BettyinToronto]

Great stuff! We just booked CN for September and can't wait. It is because of wonderful people like you sharing your knowledge and experiences that makes it possible for people like me to #1 make the decision to go and #2 get all excited now waiting the six months until we actually go.

Thanks again Coloradojulie, sherrynchuck and jerzzgirl

Betty

[Tam]

I know how you feel Betty...I was overwhelmed by everyone's enthusiasm and positive responses to my questions about CN. It was so helpful...we're heading there for the first time in 2 weeks! Can't wait...I feel confident in my decision because of the wonderful responses and comments on the message board! I also feel like I already know the place because I've read so much! Have a great trip! Tam

[CSS70]

I could write a novel! My husband and I have been traveling to Jamaica for over 27 years taking our children when they were as young as 13 months. We stayed in Ocho Rios twice before the kids were born, then Montego Bay for 7 visits with the kids and then Negril when the kids were in HS. Negril is definitely our favorite and we will be returning to Couples Swept Away next month.

We have always stayed at all inclusives both in Jamaica and the few times we opted for Cancun instead, and CSA is absolutely the best of everything......food, service, beach, inclusions, etc. In fact, my son and his new wife spent a delayed honeymoon there in January and will go nowhere else (my son, our oldest, has been to Jamaica as a child 6 times) You can do as much as you like or as little as you like. I water skied last year for the first time in more years than I would like to admit....because it was INCLUDED. I met people who were taking advantage of the scuba and snorkeling trips every day.....I will snorkel this year!!!

One of the most impressive things was the service. At other all inclusives, tipping is not suggested, but everyone seems to do it, $5 to a bartender, a little something for the housekeeper, but at CSA, we had heard that staff could be fired if caught accepting tips and guests could be asked to leave (never validated than fact), but there was NO tipping and the service was the best we've ever had.

Food was great...with a great variety at all restaurants. NO problem getting reservations either. We have stayed at other resorts where we stood in line for 45 minutes every morning only to find when we got to the front there were no reservations left for the time or restaurant we wanted.....NOT at CSA. Make sure to take the sunset cruise (yep, included) a couple of times if time allows. We stayed for 14 days last year and again this year and can't wait. The security on the beach was like no others......security staff stopped any "vendors" before they even got close to guests ( unless guest wanted the contact). We had be badgered at other resorts, despite the presence of security guards on the beach.........beach vendors are a part of the culture but it was very nice to not have to tolerate the constant badgering while relaxing on the beach.

We have never had any security issues anywhere we stayed in Jamaica. We always use the in-room safes for our valuables....never had any taken...of any value, not even a bottle of lotion?
We had laptops and phones last year that we never locked up....no problem....... but take advantage of the safes.

I photo journaled our trip to CSA last year for possible wedding plans of my daughter and two co-workers wanting a destination wedding, so I have pics of the food, the beach, the pools, staff, menus, etc....not sure how I could share all of that.

OH, if there was anything that we would not do again, it's the "included" golf. My husband went once and will not return. The course was less than wonderful and transportation was only offered twice a day at times that weren't to our liking.....nothing before 10 am if I remember right. If you like golf in the midday sun in Jamaica...probably not a problem, but not our preference.....we can golf at home.....can't walk the fantastic 7 mile beach at home.

Oh, no annoying "activity" staff trying to get force you into activityes.....again, it's all your choice for involvement.

Of particular significance for me was the work out facilities....some of the best on the island......including a 5 lane lap pool.....great spa options! IT's ALL GOOD

Take swim suits and clothes for dinner at night......pack light!

[Jackson618]

I think they summed it all up. We went to CN last year for our 5th Anniversary. It couldn't have been any more perfect. True, the rooms aren't the shiniest, (according to a previous post, with which I concur), but you won't be in your room that much anyway. When you're on the beach, in the ocean, drinking, etc., it's so surreal. You'll get more than you bargained for, in a good way!

I also agree with doing a search for the "I wish I'd thought of that" thread. It taught me a lot. We're returning in June. It was just that great!

Oh! The Catamaran Cruise AKA (booze cruise) is a MUST!! You'll have a blast!

P.S. Try the Hummingbird, Dirty Banana, Bob Marley and Purple Rain drinks.

[Jimnmariann]

Hi
We are going back to CN in July also but for our 7th trip! I guess I could say "enough said." But Just go and look around and experience and chill and do whatever hits you and enjoy each other and it will all fall together. I am still as excited to go this trip as I was for the first one!

[kkld]

thank you! i am trying to down play the accommodations so that i wont be disappointed. i want an awesome beach and a tropical feel. and as long as the food is good and the drinks are flowing we will be happy.

[sherrynchuck]

Don't get too down on the accomodations...the place isn't run-down or falling apart. I don't mean to make it sound like the accomodations are in bad shape. It's just that people are so in love with these resorts, and for good reason, that you can get the impression that there are no flaws. Couples does a fabulous job of combating the elements, just realize that no place is perfect and between people giving it wear and tear and the elements doing their part it isn't perfect. But it is BEAUTIFUL! By the end of our first full day there I seriously didn't want to leave. I consider the room we stayed in OUR ROOM and I'm a little upset that someone else is in it right now...they better be taking care of the place! The beauty of it is it will feel like home rather than a hotel. If you go expecting that you will see some flaws expecting to settle in and be very comfortable very quickly you will have the appropriate attitude...excited with no room for disappointment.

[kkld]

thankyou sherrynchuck! we are a month an a half away now and i swear we talk about our trip everyday! oh, and did i forget it is our honeymoon!! cant wait for july 24!!! i want to know what it feels like to "go home"!!

[Soonerfans]

Man we are not going to Negril until 12/09/12 for the first time and you guys are killing me!! LOL
I just want to go NOW!!!!!!!! well congrats kkld on the wedding and honeymoon and have a great
trip!!!

[sherrynchuck]

You will have a fabulous time. Savor the wait, the trip goes so fast that the anticipation should be part of the fun. Congrats on the wedding and hope you have a great honeymoon...no, not hope, I know you will!!!

[wileeandrr]

lol @ sherry
CSS70...I wish I could be so brave w/ just my one rugrat who is 6-1/2 now! I am working on it..lol
Congrats kkld! You won't be disappointed