I just returned back from a 5-night stay in Jamaica with my husband. While we were there for pleasure, I was also there to review the new immigration requirements as well as check out the safety protocols that Jamaica has put in place since the covid-19 pandemic. During this time, I payed close attention to the following safety points of concern; airports, the airline, transfers, resort care and guests staying on property. My goal was to be able to bring as much information back to you as well as my team so that you can make an informed decision as to if travel is right for you.
We had a really early flight out of O’hare Airport, I am going to be honest, one thing which continues to make me feel comfortable is the attention to mask wearing, and cleanliness in the Chicago airports. It is nice to see people keeping personal space and wearing their masks in public.
American Airlines makes several announcements at the gate and during boarding about their mask policy. In addition, you are reminded that food and beverage service has been temporarily suspended. They welcome you to bring your own snacks and non-alcoholic drinks on board. For more information on their clean commitment and mask policies, click here.
As we boarded, I handed my husband 2 Clorox wipes. We took the time to wipe our entire area before we sat down. I do believe that we can work together as travelers to sanitize our personal space. Both to and from Jamaica, our flights were full. We did not have to sit with anyone on our way there, but on our way home, we did. Honestly, I was not comfortable with this and mentioned it. I was a little disappointed that there were several open seats and the single passenger next to me was not moved, but I got over it. I will make sure going forward that I book an aisle and window or a two person exit row at booking.
Jamaica has changed their immigration requirements, I have the details of that here but in a nutshell here’s what you need to do:
- Scheduled a PCR Covid test within 10-days of travel.
- Click here to get your authorization.
- As soon as you receive your negative tests results and I mean IMMEDIATELY, fill in your customs and immigration form. You cannot even board your flight without this information. Please contact your Guru Travel Advisor for information on how to do this.
The following is a list of requirements which MUST be included on your results:
- Name of lab where the test was performed.
- Laboratory credentials (CAP accredited, CLIA registered, ISO15189 certified)
- Date of sample collection
- Type of test ( RT-PCR, NAAR, RNA or molecular)
- Type of sample (nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal swabs only)
Applications for Travel Authorization will be accepted up to 5 days, but NO LESS than 24 hours before intended arrival in Jamaica.
When you arrive with Club Mobay, (you can learn more about it here) you will be escorted to the medical station where they will take your temperature, and then directed to a station where you will need to show your authorization QR code and also answer some questions. Luckily, we had Club Mobay so we were expedited through a longer line which made the process so much easier.
To clarify, this part is not immigration, this is the health area. You are asked to sit down, sanitize, and answer some questions. Here’s a sample of what we were asked:
- How long will we be in Jamaica?
- What brings us to Jamaica?
- Where are we staying?
- You are also asked some questions about exposure.
All in all, this process took about 10 minutes. Once we finished, the Club Mobay representative came and escorted us through to the front of the immigration line and then to gather our luggage. Once we finished all of that, we were escorted to the Sandals Lounge to wait for our driver.
Sandals sent a car to pick us up which was really nice. We were able to have an included private transfer to Sandals Montego Bay.
Sandals Montego Bay is the flagship property in the Sandals line. I have had the pleasure of visiting and staying at all Sandals Jamaica properties multiple times and somehow, Sandals Montego Bay always ends up at the top of my list as a favorite. Sandals Montego Bay has undergone a massive renovation from lobby to the beach. Speaking of the beach, Sandals Montego Bay is set on a beautiful private stretch of beach which is rare in Jamaica. The water is calm, warm and the most beautiful shade of turquoise. Another huge plus is the proximity to the beach. This property is a true oceanfront property. You are steps from the beach when you stay at Sandals Montego Bay.
Dining here is spectacular! Right now, you do have to make reservations to dine, usually, you only need them for certain restaurants. When you arrive, if you are in Club Level or Butler, dining reservations will be handled for you. If you are in the luxury category, you will need to visit the 5 Star Global Gourmet Lounge to make your reservations. We did notice that some locations were closed on certain nights. In addition to dining at Sandals Montego Bay, you can also take an 8 minute drive over to Sandals Royal Caribbean where you have access to an additional 9 dining locations, including one on their private island.
Food was spectacular!! A highlight for most guests seems to be Butch’s Chophouse. I am going to be honest, it is good, but I am not sure I think it is spectacular. My personal favorites were Stewfish and Soy for restaurants.
Want to try some authentic Jamaican food? No worries, Sandals Montego Bay has The Jerk Shack! OH MY GOODNESS, this is amazing! The pork option was my personal favorite and don’t forget to have festival. I wanted to try the spicy and mild sauce so they brought me both. Tie it all together with a Red Strip beer!!
Our room was simply amazing! I could not have asked for a better room. We had everything we needed to be comfortable and also feel pampered. We had the pleasure of staying in the Crystal Lagoon Swim-up Club Elite Luxury Room w/ Patio Tranquility Soaking Tub. Everyone travels differently, we love using our room. We used all of the extras, the soaking tub, the swim up pool, the mini bar and room service. We can walk you through the various options to help you decide what room you need to make your tropical travel dreams come true.
- Our room was cleaned every day. You can set up a housekeeping time if you want it done at a certain time.
- The mini bar is replenished daily as well. If you want more or less of something, just let them know.
- You can order room service, just know, they will not enter your room to deliver the food. Be prepared to take the tray at the door.
Another favorite spot for us was Cafe de Paris. Think of your little slice of Starbucks in the Caribbean and of course, it’s included!!
Let’s talk about the water!! Water, water, and more water. The pictures tell the story……
The bottom line is, we had an amazing time!! My husband and I felt very safe with all of the cleaning, and we felt distanced enough to be able to relax. Now more than ever, you need to enlist the help of a travel professional to guide you through the planning process. I am not going to lie, we did not know until about 19 hours before we were scheduled to leave if we were going to be able to go. The Travel Authorization process is very backed up. The purpose of this trip was for me to be able to learn the process so I can educate my team and then we can advise our clients.
Guru Travel is a Jamaica Travel Specialist and all of our agents have gone through Jamaica One Love Certification. In addition, we are a Sandals Preferred Agency. We would be honored to help you plan. We can be reached at letstravel@thewdwguru.com or by calling 877-825-6146.
