We finally made our 1st trip post Covid, 6th trip overall. We joined a huge group from the Toronto area. This one would be our shortest stay yet due to work constraints. We booked an early morning flight landing at 10:05am. Went through customs without problems. But somehow everyone's luggage is being delayed at the carousels. Took like 1.5 hours to get our luggage. I think the drug dogs were going through all the luggage. Finally got our luggage and off we go via USA Transfers. Check in went smooth and surprisingly got our room right away. Plush Jacuzzi suite, this time right beside the Italian restaurant. Overall will not take this room again. Too noisy. Main pathway of the resort employees passing through all hours. Weather was great sunny 30's till Saturday night our last night, then the rain came. Heard it rained hard for like a week after we left. Restaurants we had reservations for everynight for a large group of us at different ones. Italian and Sea flirt were the best, Japanese one was also good but our butler did not make reservations that he susposed to have done, but lucky it was only the 2 of us as everyone else backed out, and they got us in. The big disappointment was with Flame. As premier members we get a Lobster dinner with our stay, but there is no Lobsters now due to mating season, understandable, but they are replacing it with a fillet mignon and shrimp. What I got from flame was definitely not a fillet mignon, it literally was a small 2oz piece of beef with 2 large shrimp. Not happy!!. Overall I believe food quality to be lower then last trip. Alcohol was a hit and miss, had trouble finding a goto drink, even with the premier level Alcohol. Bash drinks were horrible threw out more then I drank. Ordered Jonny and Coke and get Tequila and fruit WTF. Boobs Cruise the 27th, was good and fun as usual, no Sara69 as she was on Desire Cruise. But Chinos rocked. But not sure about the Lunch time at the island, some reason it was packed with other cruises and full of kids, so no sexy games on the beach this trip. The Rain started on Saturday off and on throughout the day, glow night was spent searching for a MIA friend, who after several hours was found by security passed out in one of them Pod chairs beside Sultra restaurant. His wife not happy. Lol Sunday was our final day. We booked a late flight home so we can enjoy the day at the resort. It rained in the morning so we never changed into swimwear and didn't really get into partying. Went to lunch and said our goodbyes and did the walk of shame with luggage in tow. Guess we left in time as a Hurricane on other coast caused several days of pure rain. Sorry to our friends that had to endure that. Until next time...
1 1/2 hours for luggage is brutal. We are usually about 1 1/2 hours from touch down to check in. I hope that doesn't become the normal.
I arrived via American (terminal 3) on Sunday 6/5. Arrived around 11am and cleared customs so fast I had to wait for my luggage. Didn't think much of it and got my luggage within 15 or 20 mins. Nothing like the 1.5 hours the OP noted. So I don't think that is now the standard.
It was a 2 hour wait at the carousel when we went this past March. We usually fly with carry-on only but this time we wanted to take advantage of free checked bags. One and done, we are flying with carry-on only from now on.
In April there was no wait for baggage but then we broke records with the wait for USA Transfers. Over an hour. They blamed traffic but we saw others arriving to the transfer area significantly after us and leaving way before us on other transfer services.
In March we waited about 45 minutes for bags and another 45 for USA Transfers. Both areas were pretty busy on the trip… spring break I suppose.
The SUV from USA never seems to have a wait. One time the regular was backed up, and we went right ahead. For (at the time) the extra $30 bucks, it was well worth it.
just luck of the day. I landed same day (25th) a little over an hour after the OP. Touch down to on the road in 40 minutes. Also had a smooth check in with a room ready. Doesn't happen often, but a welcome occurrence when it does.
