Thread: Any helpful hints and advice for CSS virgins

Hi Everyone ,
Heading to CSS Mar.9 for 10 days. Can't wait, always wanted to go to Jamaica. Staying in an Ocean verendah, is one bldg better than another we are both fit and don't mind walking just want a nice room with a view.
Also planning to go AN, that'll be a first but not last. Also may do the 1 day pass to CTI. Any info or suggestion you all may have would be great.
CANT WAIT!!!!!!!!!!
Ken & Karen
Winnipeg, (freaking freezing) Canada

We will be at CSS 3/4 to 3/12. Looking forward to meeting you. We have lots of friends from Winnipeg even though we live in south Georgia!! Haven't decided about AN yet!!1

3/6 - 3/12 will be our 3 time to CSS. As far as I have read, room requests are not allowed, you will be in the building that they choose for you. We have stayed in G block both times there and the views are spectacular. G block rooms are the 1 bedroom suites. If you take a look at this link, you will see a map of the resort and will be able to click on the various room types and you can see where they are located.

http://www.couples.com/14cs/40panoramaCSS.htm

Very helpful for getting around the property. We have done the AN beach each time we have been there and it's awesome. Totally separate from the main beach and great people the times we were there.

As far as sights, we would recommend Dunns River Falls. We did that the first time there and loved it. We took the Chukka Zip Line tour the last time there and it was miserable. If you want details, I can give them to you, but in a nutshell, a 1/2 day wasted when we should have stayed at the resort. We also took the trip to Ocho Rios for shopping that the resort provides. It was the same place the cruise ship guests go when they come to port and it's a nice, homogenized experience.

By all means, pick your tour days when there are no cruise ships in port. That is, unless you want to spend your time with THRONGS of people.

We are staying in a penthouse suite this time, so if anyone wants to check out that type of room for future reference, anyone is welcome to stop by and share a drink and our balcony.

Hope this helps.

Amber & Chris

Thanks Amber & Chris,
Your input is greatly appreciated.
The more I read the more convinced we are that we made a great choice this year.
Under 3 weeks !!!!!!!
See u there
K & K

You're welcome. If there's anything else you want to know, just let us know. Our vacations overlap, so we'll probably see you there. Look for the guy with the Red Sox tattoo at AN and that will be Chris. Amber will be 6 months pregnant by then, so she'll be pretty easy to spot also. I'm just hoping she'll feel up to going to AN, feeling so self-conscious and all.

Amber & Chris

Hi evereyone these post's are so helpful we will be there from mar 26-apr 9 first timers celebrating our 25 anniversary from Calgary AB sounds like we picked a great place hope to meet some new friends
Lorie & Scott

I just wanted to add a few more tips that I remembered after the initial post I made.

As far as dining goes, CSS has casual dining outdoors, inside semi-casual, and indoor formal. We suggest trying them all since each one has a lot to offer.

The outdoor dining at the Bella Vista we like for lunch, but once it gets dark, the mosquitoes tend to come out. At least they did when we were there in August. Not sure what it will be like in March. The dining there is sit-down and the wait staff gets everything for you.

The Pallazzina restaurant has both indoor and outdoor dining and it is a bit more formal than Bella Vista. You can eat indoors there and they have a wonderful buffet. The wait staff gets your drinks and anything else you need.

Ristorante Casanova is the semi-formal dining room and you'll need reservations. We like going there at least once during our stay to enjoy some amazing food and drink. Highly recommended.

And last but not least, room service. We love ordering breakfast and eating on the balcony overlooking the water. You have to order breakfast by a certain time the night before, so don't forget. You can also get meals or snacks delivered by just picking up the phone. There are some time restrictions that I can't remember at the moment, but check the folder in your room when you arrive.

Speaking of the information in your room, be sure to look at it. It has mostly all the information you need to get around and surviving in the jungle.

Hope this helps!

Amber & Chris
(coming 3/6 - 3/12)

We just returned from our CSS trip yesterday to be home. We loved every minute of it. Didnt want to leave and look forward to going back.

Take sunblock, camera (waterproof for Dunns River or any Ocean diving, snorkeling and sailing) and definetly take bug spray. The masquitoes and no-see-ums are the devil. If you do by chance get a bite, go to the Gratto and soak your legs. The mineral water is soothing and takes the itch away. We went every day. Amazing.

If you are there on Wednesday- make sure you get a reservation at Casanova for Lobster night. Great food and service.

Make sure you sample the drink of the day. There were some great drinks during are stay and some that others enjoyed that I didnt but well worth sampling.

Things to do while you are there: Dunns River, Snorkel & Scuba, Sail, Spa, Mineral Pool, the Gratto, eat at all the restaurants, they all offer a variety of food and very different atmospheres. We loved Pallasina because of the buffets, dinner at all are great just depends on how relaxed, casual or dressy you want to be.

Other than eating at Casanova, when we went to dinner, I wore dress pants. It kept the bites down.

Portions are small but dont be afraid to order doubles or extra. Try everything is so worth it.

I took because friends had gone before so I had help in packing. I took chocolate because chocolate in Jamaica is not sweet like I am used to. I also left chocolate for our housekeeper as a thank you as they do not permit $ tips. so if there is something that you crave (like me and chocolate), take some with you.

Take money $1's and $5's for tipping on your excursions, at the airport or buying souveniers.

Had a great time and met really nice guests and staff. Enjoy!!

Our very favorite thing to do at CSS (besides SSB) is to take an afternoon and stroll the entire grounds. We grab a drink from the pool bar and go for a walk around the lake. We come back to the pool bar and grab a drink and go sit in the hot tub by the pool bar. Then we meander over to the mineral grotto, mineral pool, hidden hot tub, grabbing drinks all along the way and taking a swim in all the pools and a dip in all the hot tubs. It is really a wonderful time. We ended the day with a dip in the pool by the lobby and then a drink at the balloon bar, before we headed back to SSB to watch the sunset and take one more dip in the AN pool. What a wonderful afternoon. Remember to take your camera with you as you stroll the resort. There are all sorts of picture opportunities. Now I wanna go home....

Which is the best place to eat at for lobster night, cassanova or pallazina? How is it cooked/served at each?

We were at CSS last October 2010, and just booked for October 2012 - decided to skil the 2011 trip as we'll have a 1 month old at home!

SSB is amazing. I was really nervous about going, but once there loved it. found all of the people totally friendly and laid back - no need for being self conscious at all. Only thing to watch out for is that if you go to the ocean there, there is another resort not far away that sometimes hangs out on the sandbar, and also some of the other resort boats like to try to come in really close to "get a look".

My husband and I are both SCUBA divers, so we went diving every morning and then to SSB each afternoon. THe only day trip we did was to Dunn's River, and it was worth it. Actually bargained some really nice souveniers from the few sellers that they allow on the resort. Don't forget to do some of the classes! I ended up making (for free) a few small souveneirs that are great, and also a cool hat that unfortunately they confiscated at customs (no live palm - try packing it away if you make the hats!).

We stayed in the D block - and although it was a walk to SSB - it wasn't too bad, and was a nice way to see the resort. Definitely follow the advice of a previous poster and go for walks around and take a camera. There are a lot of hidden away spots that are fun to find and see.

The only bad thing from our trip (besides coming home!) was that there was some sort of bug/bird who hung out outside of our room for several nights with the most annoying non-stop sound ever. Bring earplugs if that sort of thing would bother you, just in case!