Couples Swept Away or RCL....very confused

[140toesandfingers]

WOW.....we thought we knew what we were doing but not sure now. My DH and I have a cruise deposit down on RCL Adventure of the Seas Southern Caribbean. (Barbadoes, Antiqua, St Lucia, St Croix and St Martin)

 

Since then, we have been looking around at different islands and came across Couples Swept Away and now we are really torn!

 

Has anyone done both? Which one did you like better and why?

 

Things that are important to us:

 

1.) Food! We like quality sit down meals

2.) Snorkeling, beach, catamaran type stuff

3.) Massages

4.) Quality drinks

 

 

Concerns we have:

 

1.) Walking away from a cruise exhausted instead of refreshed

2.) Not having enough variety at Couples in the evening

 

Any information would be greatly appreciated!

[Essiesmom]

What is Couples Swept Away? EM

[firefly333]

What is Couples Swept Away? EM

 

Some kind of honeymoon deal for a AI

 

Couples Swept Away

 

 

• Overall Honeymoon Score:
  
• Average Price Per Room Per Night: $510
  
• Number of Rooms: 134
  
• 
  
• Norman Manley Boulevard, Negril, Jamaica, West Indies
  

[DonnaK]

I'd stick with the cruise. You're on a great ship with an outstanding itinerary. You don't have to walk away from a cruise exhausted unless you want to - you control how much, or how little, you want to do. You don't even have to get off the ship in some ports, or you can just go off for a few hours.

[Carolin]

WOW.....we thought we knew what we were doing but not sure now. My DH and I have a cruise deposit down on RCL Adventure of the Seas Southern Caribbean. (Barbadoes, Antiqua, St Lucia, St Croix and St Martin)

 

Since then, we have been looking around at different islands and came across Couples Swept Away and now we are really torn!

 

Has anyone done both? Which one did you like better and why?

 

Things that are important to us:

 

1.) Food! We like quality sit down meals

2.) Snorkeling, beach, catamaran type stuff

3.) Massages

4.) Quality drinks

 

 

Concerns we have:

 

1.) Walking away from a cruise exhausted instead of refreshed

2.) Not having enough variety at Couples in the evening

 

Any information would be greatly appreciated!

 

You don't have to leave a cruise exhausted. You do not have to do everything on the cruise. It's perfectly ok to do absolutely nothing. Visit the islands at a low key pace. Do the things on your list but not all in one day. hahaa I'd pick a cruise over a AI any day unless it was given to me for free. But you can't expect a different answer on a cruise ship board right? :D Have a great trip regardless of what you end up doing.

[paul929207]

Make sure I got this.

 

You are afraid to take the cruise because there might be too much to do.

And you are afraid of the Couples place because there might not be enough.

 

I would take the cruise. You don't have to do everything.

[cruiseco]

Couples Swept Away is right by Negril which has some great night life. No "Broadway-type" shows but plenty to keep you busy. Definitely more of a younger age group than on an average cruise. As far as snorkeling, sailing and stuff. the water/beach in Negril is beautiful but there's not much variety for the serious snorkeler if you want to see something different every time you go out. They do have all of the party cruise catamaran tours available to you. Food is at least comparable to anything I've had on Royal Caribbean. You might want to also check out Couples Sans Souci which is just outside Ocho Rios (my favorite of the Couples properties). Not as good of a beach but I think more to do during the day -- Dunn's River Falls (you can even go when there's no ships in port!!!), all of the Chukka tours like river rafting, horseback rides, ziplines, etc, golf if you want to, and more all close by.

[140toesandfingers]

Thanks for all the replies!

 

Paul- After reading my post again it does look funny. I guess we are looking for entertainment without the herding effect.

[swtpnk]

WOW.....we thought we knew what we were doing but not sure now. My DH and I have a cruise deposit down on RCL Adventure of the Seas Southern Caribbean. (Barbadoes, Antiqua, St Lucia, St Croix and St Martin)

 

Since then, we have been looking around at different islands and came across Couples Swept Away and now we are really torn!

 

Has anyone done both? Which one did you like better and why?

 

Things that are important to us:

 

1.) Food! We like quality sit down meals

2.) Snorkeling, beach, catamaran type stuff

3.) Massages

4.) Quality drinks

 

 

Concerns we have:

 

1.) Walking away from a cruise exhausted instead of refreshed

2.) Not having enough variety at Couples in the evening

 

Any information would be greatly appreciated!

 

1. NO matter what cruise you will take... you will get quality sit down

meals...

 

2. You can snorkel on an excursion/ catamaran type stuff... yes.

 

3. You can get a massage on any cruise ship.. a NICE quality one at that!

 

4. quality drinks.. they have wonderful bars on ships...

 

DO THE SHIP! you can do as much or as little as you want to do.. If you are gonna snorkel, and do excursions like that, you will have a very busy day, even if you go to the Couples Swept Away...NOT for a restful day... thats a FUN busy day. Not too much difference from a cruise.. only on the ship, you will have nothing to do, or everything to do, all at your fingertips in one place.. right outside your cabin!

 

Now... Whats the worry? LOL

[agabbymama]

Keep in mind, you are at a resort, and while that resort is beautiful (location and beach). The rest of the Island (Jamaica) leaves a lot to be desired.

 

It is a very poor country, and you will be inundated with people wanting you to buy things, take them home with you, send them shoes & clothes, etc. You will see dead animals in the creeks, something always burning (stench), etc. people going to the restroom right on the side of the road.

 

I have no plans to ever return to Jamaica. I would definitely cruise, maybe with a stop at Ocho Rios, but never to stay on the Island again.

 

JMHO, go with the cruise.

[AlanAllyn]

And, if, as someone quoted, you are paying $510 per night at couples, you can get at least a Junior Suite and eat in specialty restaurants every night on the cruise.

[mamasue]

Some kind of honeymoon deal for a AI

 

Couples Swept Away

 

 

 

• Average Price Per Room Per Night: $510
  

 

 

Wow!!! That's a whole cruise!!!!:eek::eek::eek:

[matj2000]

I would do Couples way before another cruise. It is perfect because it is only couples at the resort instead of family's and friends, ect. On a ship you are going to have congestion with every type of person, toddlers, teens, college ages, old, older, oldest, ect. I have done 2 Sandels and they were the best trips we have taken.

Most on this site will tell you to cruise becuse they have never done the AI.

[Krazy Kruizers]

We have done an All Inclusive in Jamaica -- no way - never want to spend a week in Jamaica again!!

 

We have done Penthouse Suites on long -- 21 day cruises -- several times and never spent $510 for both of us per day.

[griffy116]

We have returned exhausted when we cruise, but it's because we intentionally tried to cram as much as possible into a 7-day cruise. My daughters swear by the spas on the cruise ships. They love the pampering. We love being able to wake up each morning on a different island with all the different choices as to what we want to do...(this is what leads to the exhaustion...our choices to try to do IT ALL). We love the variety the cruise ship offers. As far as the "herding" goes, it's just like the rest of the folks said..it's choices. I think of the AI resorts in Jamaica and I would think of being "confined" to the resort with the same scenery every day; same spots to snorkel every day; same view every day. I LOVE the feeling of waking up each morning, looking out from the balcony and seeing something totally different from the morning before.