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Hey! My future husband and I will be at CSS for the first time in June for our honeymoon, and I was wondering if the shopping excursion would be worth the time. I know some vendors come to the resort on certain days, but what would I be missing if I didn't go outside the resort for shopping? Thanks!
It's cool if you've never been but it's all the same stuff in every store and they get really pushy. We got a few things for less but some stuff is more expensive. Look at the couples gift shop first and compare prices. It takes about 2 hours so that's time away from the beach for us.
We enjoy a break from the beach to go shopping in Ocho Rios. We usually just get a taxi from Couples and have them drop us off at the Island Village shopping center. Then you can walk a couple blocks and go to Tajmahal shopping center also. We have found some nice items and good deals. My husband always looks for the best deal on Blue Mountain coffee to bring home. It is a lot more expensive in the Couples gift shop. The taxi driver will ask when you want to be picked up and they are there promptly and you pay them when you get back to Couples. If the Couples shopping shuttle is going to Island Village you can just go with them but they don't give much time. If you enjoy shopping it is worth it.
I agree with BrendaandBruce.PA
Our first trip we took the shopping trip offered at CSS. Since then we learned that taking a taxi on our own was the best way to go. The shopping "mall" (Tajmahal), is a strip mall and all stores are owned by non-Jamaicans and, yes, they are quite pushy.
We spent most of the time there and only went to Island Village for about an hour or less. We now go on our own and it's just to Island Village which is a very nice mall. There is a Margaritaville there and a few very nice places to eat lunch. The shops are a little more high end and the grounds and layout is very tropical. Take a cab on your own (red license plates) and spend as much time as you want. You could easily spend 2-3 hours browsing the many stores there.
To answer your question, you will see a ton of stuff at the stores on the shopping trip that you can't get from vendors. Think of the vendors selling more of a craft style and the stores selling manufactured merchandise. If you’re looking for t-shirts, for example, you will find hundreds of different ones as opposed to just a few at the gift shops or from vendors.
There is nothing really to buy except coffee and rum, its cheapest at the airport, shop there when you leave. Most of the other stuff is just junk that you can buy at any beach town here in the U.S. In fact most of the shop owners are the same ones that own the beach shops here in the U.S. Having said that, you should go at least once to see it for yourself, maybe get a tee-shirt or some lunch from one of the Jamacian eating spots. Don't forget to haggle, its the best part.
Mostly true.Quote:
Originally Posted by B&LfromNC
Keep in mind that haggling is VERY acceptable and you might score a MSRP$1200 watch for about half that. ;)
To this day, and it has been almost 2 years, I've not found my LE watch for less than 800 used. Haggle away!
We always go on the trip as we find the prices for coffee to be less expensive than at the resort or the airport. We also buy t- shirts for friends and family and they have a wide selection with incredibly cheap prices. I have also found some fun toe rings that the resort nor the vendors had. It is a nice break from the beach and we always enjoy it. Go and see what there is. It is only a short time away from the resort. The stores carry things that you can't get from the resort or the vendors who come to the resort.
Great! Thank you all so much for the suggestions. We are undecided right now, but this helped a lot!
The shopping trip is free so just do it! Then you'll know and wont have to wonder. Take advantage of everything that is free while you are there. I know its free but you paid for it :), then next year when you come back youll know wether or not its for you!