Club Mobay - YAY or NAY???

[CSWITALA]

I have gotten conflicting messages about Club Mobay from people who have done it, our TA and the messages boards - "it's worth" and and "not worth it at all"
6 of us will be traveling next Friday to Couples Negril and it looks like there will be 10-12 flights arriving around the same time as ours, early afternoon. We are contemplating doing the Club Mobay arrival package to expedite customs - this is $50 a person..... Thoughts, comments, concerns????

[Jimnmariann]

We have flown into MBJ airport ten times in early afternoon and I only remember waiting 30 minutes one time. The other times were swift. Once you get past customs, it is a breeze to get your luggage and get to the Couples lounge. Personally, I would not do it.

[novastar]

I think it depends on how you are with lining up and waiting to get your vacation started. On 3 trips we have have not used club mobay, but our arrival times have been such where we really would not have saved much time. Sounds like you are arriving a a very busy time, and if an hour or so plus isn't an issue, the don't go for the extra.
But if I were you, I'd cough up the extra 50 bucks. We all wait to get there, why wait when we get there???

[usmc7236]

Worth it. You'll beat the crowd and start vacation that much sooner.

S/F
Scott and June

[Jan]

Yay!

[softail19]

10-12 flights, I would do it!!

[Myapapya]

Everyone needs to spend the money and get the Club MoBay. It is so worth it. After what you paid, whats another few dollars for piece of mind. Better to have it and not need it then wishing you would have got it, and didn't. Sitting in those lines is not fun. We did both last year. We were very happy with the arrival service. We did get in and there were a lot of people. Sailed past everyone. Coming home was even better,the lounge is great.

[captainron62]

I have gotten conflicting messages about Club Mobay from people who have done it, our TA and the messages boards - "it's worth" and and "not worth it at all"
6 of us will be traveling next Friday to Couples Negril and it looks like there will be 10-12 flights arriving around the same time as ours, early afternoon. We are contemplating doing the Club Mobay arrival package to expedite customs - this is $50 a person..... Thoughts, comments, concerns????

Its the ultimate crap shoot from everything I have read. We got to the airport at noon on a Sat. last Sept. and strolled right thru. The group I was with said they have arrived at the same time before in May and waited 2 hours. We are going again in May and I think we will do it, a $100 on top of $4k isnt a big deal, we are just going to look at it as part of the trip expense.

We get a limo from the airport on our Las Vegas trips and its the same thing, I am now used to the cost and its just part of the experience.

[Wally]

With 10-12 flights arriving around the same time as yours, Club Mobay arrival service will save you at least 2 hours of standing in lines and immigratio0n and customs. We checked http://www.flightstats.com/go/FlightStatus/flightStatusByAirport.do?airportQueryType=0 before we arrived and saw about 6 flights landing about the same time as ours. Called them and reserve the arrival service only and were very glad we did. They meet you as soon as you get off the plane and escort you all the way through to the Couples Lounge in about tem minutes (depending only on how long it takes them to get your baggage of the plane)

[brennie]

Did it last Mar on a Fri afternoon arrival around 2.30. Think there were maybe 6 or 7 flights in the same half hour period. Have to say totally worth the money. Rep met us as we came into the terminal. Not sure if you have been to MBJ before but line to immigration was all the way up the ramp. Some say that waiting in line is all part of the vacation experience. Not any more for us. We were through immigration and on the Couples van in 20 min. Did not have to wait for luggage at all. Think it is a gamble depending on time of year,how many planes and time of day. Coming back this Feb and absolutely will book Club Mobay.

[Mad Jack]

My take

The last time we passed through Sangster was on a Wednesday afternoon in February. We waited in line for more than 2 1/2 hours. Excruciating, especially knowing what was waiting for us on the other side. My SO is a smoker which made this wait even worse.

We didn't know about Club MOBAY at the time. But now we know about it. How unpleasant would a long wait in line be now that you know about Club MOBAY? For us, we just spent nearly $7000 to book our next trip to CTI. Why get cheap now? It is only about $150 to expedite the trip through Customs and Immigration.

Passing through Sangster can be a crap shoot. There is no way to really know just how busy it will be on any given day or any given time. We just booked our first class trip to CTI. Why get cheap now? We are going to use Club MOBAY from now on.

101 more days until Paradise.

[starfish2]

I've booked it for mid-December. All I know is that standing in that line with carry-on luggage along with hundreds of other people and moving at a snail's pace is a terrible way to start my vacation. I swore "never again" and bought my Club Mobay package. Your decision, but with the anticipated crowd, I would say it is well worth it.

[Ijstbme]

We just got back from there Nov. 2nd and I will use club mobay everytime I go... When we landed there was someone waiting for us with a card holding our name made us feel important.. then we bypassed the 200 plus people in line at customs and went straight to the next agent, we waited maybe 3 min. From there was straight to a lounge with cool towels and drinks and thank god snacks because we got nothing on the plane from Miami to Montego bay and we were starving. Coming home after you check your bags you go straight to the front of the line where they check your passport, then straight to the front of tsa, its off to a beautiful lounge where they bring you drinks, have snacks, comfortable chairs to sit in, showers if you want. We had like 4 hours prior to our flight so for us this was great, we got to continue our relaxation period before the reality of going home sit in. Now if they had something like this when you get back to the states it would be wonderful!!!! but, for my husband and I it was worth what we paid and will definatly be using it again when we come back. Have a great trip

[cbormson]

I suspect that you will get the same comments as in the prior thread.

I think the basic question is whether you are willing to spend $50 per person to minimize standing in line at immigration and customs, knowing that when you arrive there might not be any significant time savings. (There are some other side benefits, such as having someone review your forms and having some food options and additional alcohol options. Although these have varying degrees of value to people, I suspect that the time saving is more important for most people).

It is understandable to try to save the money if you think that there won't be any time savings. But I am not sure that it is how someone should think about Club Mobay. Some people have expected a huge line, and found none; some have expected a small line, and found a long one. Even knowing that there are 10-12 flights arriving at the same time as your flight, no one can say whether that will result in a 30-minute wait, or a 2-hour wait. Would you be more likely to spend the $50 if the line is 2 hours as opposed to 30 minutes (or what is the perceived break even point)? Club Mobay can significantly cut back on the time in the immigration and customs line. But it cannot guarantee that it will be significantly shorter than the immigration line or that you will get to the Couples lounge any sooner (You might get through immigration very quickly, and then have to wait for luggage. This happened to us).

I think others have described it as an insurance policy, and I think that might be a good way at looking at it. Anytime you buy insurance, you might not need it. For me, I will always use Club Mobay because I have waited in the immigration line, and the peace of mind of knowing that I won't get stuck in that line is worth $50, even if turns out that there is no line when I get there. But that is a personal decision based on how I value the cost of Club Mobay compared to its benefits.

Ultimately, I don't think there is a right or wrong answer. It simply depends on what you value more. There are benefits to Club Mobay, and it is a question of whether those benefits are worth $50 to the specific person.

[emilee]

Hi - how do you tell how many flights are arriving at the time you are arriving? Thanks!

[Woodbridgeata]

The reason your getting conflicting info is that it's a crap shoot. We used the arrival service twice and it saved us big time. To me it was worth every penny. I plan on using it every time from now on.

[grayturtless]

We purchased the arrival pkg. for our upcoming trip in two weeks. We arrive around 2:30 in the afternoon, so we are hoping it will make a difference.

[LoriJenn]

We used it arriving Sat Oct 26th...well worth it! We will do it again. The departure service however, not worth it to me. we hardly spent any time in there and just walked around the airport shops until it was time to board our flight home.

If there are that many arriving flights, I say do it. Let's just say it is hot and sweaty in that airport and to not have to stand in the lines...was worth every penny. Literally 10-15 mins from plane to lounge waiting on our bus to the resort.

[CouplesRocks]

I have gotten conflicting messages about Club Mobay from people who have done it, our TA and the messages boards - "it's worth" and and "not worth it at all"
6 of us will be traveling next Friday to Couples Negril and it looks like there will be 10-12 flights arriving around the same time as ours, early afternoon. We are contemplating doing the Club Mobay arrival package to expedite customs - this is $50 a person..... Thoughts, comments, concerns????

I say YAY! We usually arrive early afternoon on Saturdays, same thing, numerous flights coming in at the same time. We've watched the Club Mobay people walk quickly by the long, long, HOT line and I'm sure they made it to their lounge for drinks and better air conditioning in no time. We decided, when we planned our next trip, that we watched those people for the last time... We're going to be those people on our next trip! We were told by many, if there are lots of flights arriving at the same time, then the Club is the way to go. Only we're actually doing the VIP service, and getting arrival and departure service. For us, the money is worth any amount of time saved, and more importantly, any amount of additional comfort we will experience.

[subrosa1969]

DO IT! We arrived on a Saturday a few weeks ago when there were about 8 flights arriving within the same hour. We bypassed so many people. My husband and I estimate it saved us at least two hours time. Do not hesitate to book it.

[smroot]

From what I heard talking to people at the resort, it is well worth it if the airport is busy on arrival. we did not use it, but we arrived and left mid week and actually had only about a 5 minute wait on arrival and walked right in and breezed through on the way out no wait what so ever. If there are that many flights arriving I know I would do it. Just my thoughts.

[Ironbutterfly]

I'd say with 10-12 flights coming in around your arrival- on a Friday I'd error on the side of getting Club Mobay....

[Blurosemarie1]

CSWITALA,
My husband & I just booked the Club Mobay for Arrival and Departure. We figure if we're willing to spend the money for travel insurance that we'll probally not even use, then why not spend money on a service that will save time and hassel... After all, if you know there are going to be 10-12 flights coming in at the same time as you, Club Mobay can escort you personally which much faster than being with all those other people? I say just do it, make your travel easier.

I have gotten conflicting messages about Club Mobay from people who have done it, our TA and the messages boards - "it's worth" and and "not worth it at all"
6 of us will be traveling next Friday to Couples Negril and it looks like there will be 10-12 flights arriving around the same time as ours, early afternoon. We are contemplating doing the Club Mobay arrival package to expedite customs - this is $50 a person..... Thoughts, comments, concerns????

[hillystyles]

We are going end of January and arriving on a Saturday...we decided to book it. Why the heck not. I get so antsy to get to the Couples Lounge to start my vacation that I drive my hubby insane! I have seen the airport be completely crazy on a Saturday...the first year I think we were in line for more than 2 hours. Totally worth it if it saves me a 1/2 hour even.

[Mad Jack]

About the only way to even make a guess how busy Sangster may be is to monitor the arrival schedule daily and maybe keep a log. You can only see the arrival schedule for the current day. You would need to do this for at least a week to get a feel how busy the airport is on any given day or any given time. The link below may be helpful.

Flight Arrivals - Montego Bay Jamaica Airport

We are no longer taking any chances now that we know about Club MOBAY. We intend on using it every time we go. We just spent $7,000 on our vacation. Why get cheap now? Only and additional $150 to get first class VIP treatment at Sangster.