Al and Regina “Ginger” Curl thought they were going to New York for their 60th anniversary.

The North Carolina couple broke down in tears when their four children told them they were coming here instead.

They’d raved about the Island since they spent a week here in 1955 on their honeymoon — but had never been back.

“They had planned out the entire week’s itinerary,” said Mr Curl. “We cried. It was just so lovely. One of our daughters has been calling every day to make sure everything is going well.”

The couple spent last week at Elbow Beach, the same hotel they stayed in 60 years ago.

Mr Curl still has the original bill from that trip — $235 for a week. Today, a single night at the hotel is more.

“That was a lot of money in those days,” he said. “Everything is relative. Back in 1955, Bermuda was the destination to go and Elbow Beach was the place in Bermuda to stay.

“We arrived late on the Pan Am flight because there had been a problem with the plane. The next day there was a little bit of mist, and it cleared and we had beautiful weather for the entire vacation. It was magical.”

The Curls met in New York City where Mr Curl worked as a hair stylist.

“Back then women got their hair done every week,” said Mrs Curl. “I went every Friday. We got to talking and he asked me out for that night. I said no, because you just didn’t ask a girl out for the same night. That wasn’t done because it assumed she didn’t already have a date. So we made the date for the following Friday.”

They were married on October 22, 1955 in New York. Mr Curl eventually went back to school to study engineering and Mrs Curl cared for their children, Debra, Elizabeth, AnneMarie and Kevin.

The couple, who are now grandparents, refused to give their ages.

“We don’t even tell our children how old we are,” said Mrs Curl. “When you start giving away your age then people put you in a box and start telling you what you can and can’t do. We are still very active.”

The Curls learnt they were coming here only a week before their anniversary. Their children surprised them with the news over Sunday dinner.

“They said, ‘We know you are planning to go to New York next week for your 60th anniversary,” said Mr Curl. “‘You’re going to Bermuda instead.’”

Elbow Beach staff pulled out all the stops for them on this trip, Mr Curl said. They were taken on tours of the hotel and the Island and enjoyed some of their favourite drinks from their honeymoon here — whiskey sours and rum swizzles.

“The staff here is fantastic,” he added. “It’s been 60 years and it almost seems like yesterday. We went to visit Hamilton yesterday. Some of the stores were a little different. A S Coopers was still there; otherwise, the warmth and beauty is still the same.”

They are both passionate about the theatre and have appeared in television commercials in North Carolina. Mrs Curl has also been in national ads — for the plastic packaging company, FlexSol, and North Carolina grocery chain, Lowes. A few years back she also did a commercial for Charmin toilet paper in honour of the company’s 75th anniversary.

Mrs Curl vowed it wouldn’t be another 60 years before they saw Bermuda again.

“There’s been a lot of work going on at the hotel,” she said. “I’d really like to see it all when it’s done. It looks pretty good now.”