Metro | Deserted beaches and boutique hotels: Why unspoilt, laidback Vieques should be the island for your next Caribbean ... Metro Nowhere else in the Caribbean can you find an island so unspoilt and uncrowded. If you want to sail on a turquoise ocean on a vintage boat with your own captain, fresh, homecooked food and rum cocktails on board, you have it, two minutes walk along a ... |
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It's only the second major cruise line to have guards at sea.
Making industry waves, Royal Caribbean just became the second major cruise line to staff its ships pools with lifeguards , rolling out a brand new water safety program on the Oasis of the Seas, one of the world's largest cruise ships, this past weekend. Before 2017, Traveler Reader's Choice Award-winning Disney was the only major American cruise company to employ on-board lifeguardsa move that came about after a near-drowning on one of their ships in 2013.
Considering most cruise ships dont have lifeguards (and whats more fun than floating in a pool in the middle of the ocean?), this is a pretty big step, especially for travelers with children. We are a family brand, Lyan Sierra-Caro, Royal Caribbean's manager of corporate communications, told Cruise Critic . Pool-based fun is an important aspect of the cruise vacation for all guests, and we are doing everything we can to ensure they have the safest vacation possible.
Having lifeguards on cruises is an important safety measure. In recent yearsand in the wake of other tragic incidentsguards at sea have been a talked-about topic . In 2015, a young boy nearly drowned in a pool on a Royal Caribbean ship ; and this past summer, an eight-year-old was found unconscious in a pool on RC's Anthem of the Seas.
Beyond lifeguards dotting every on-ship pool, Royal Caribbeans new water safety program also includes a 15-minute safety talk that both kids and adults can attend on embarkation day, and life vests for children ages 4 to 12 (a feature Royal Caribbean added to their ships in 2015).
Royal Caribbean expects the full water safety program, lifeguards included, to be fleet-wide by June. Until then, well keep a watchful eye to see if its a policy change that other cruise ships hop on board with, too.
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Royal Caribbean Cruise Ships Will Soon Have Lifeguards - Cond Nast Traveler
Disney has been around so long and has done so many things in so many different areas, that, these days, every year seems to be a significant anniversary of something. This particular year is the 50th anniversary of Disneyland 1967 which most people don't think of being an important celebration.
However, 1967 marked the first year that Disneyland and the Disney Company had to adjust to not having Walt Disney around since he died in December 1966.
Even the cast training program for Disneyland was re-named "Traditions," because both Dick Nunis and Van France worried that new hires to the company needed to be reminded of Walt's personal philosophy, since the "boss" was no longer there personally to model the proper attitude and behavior.
For Disneyland in 1967, the park still featured Walt's special touch with the opening of an attraction that has become the iconic Disney theme park attraction that influenced all future rides (Pirates of the Caribbean), the addition of a brand new land (New Orleans Square) and the complete re-imagining of another land (Tomorrowland) to more completely reflect Walt's vision of the future.
In addition, there were many smaller touches also introduced to the park, including some additions to the Jungle Cruise attraction with some new dancing natives and two new gorillas.
Walt had personally developed and approved all of these changes, but, unfortunately, was unable to see them open. Walt's experiences with his contributions to the 1964-65 New York World's Fair notably influenced the updates.
One new addition from the fair that is usually forgotten was that Walt went to the Spanish pavilion and saw a display and demonstration by the Arribas brothers and invited them to open up a shop at Disneyland. Disneyland had a glass blower from 1955-1966 named Bill Rasmussen who left the park to open a series of shops in cities like San Francisco and Boston.
Disney released this booklet about its new Pirates of the Caribbean attraction in 1967.
In 1967, the brothers came to Disneyland and opened a glass shop and now have shops at a number of different Disney theme parks.
On November 20, 1967, Disneyland got permission from Anaheim to expand its borders both in the park and the parking lot. By end of December, 7.9 million guests had visited (meaning since the park's opening in 1955 roughly 67 million guests had been in the park). There were 4,910 cast members who worked the park that had more than doubled the number of attractions since 1955.
Anaheim Stadium opened in 1966 (home of the California Angels) and the Anaheim Convention Center opened July 12, 1967. Hotels/motels had grown from 60 rooms in 1955 to more than 6,500 rooms in 1967.
And sadly, 1967 was the last summer for mermaids in the Submarine Lagoon.
Fortunately, the changes in the summer of 1967 were documented in the Wonderful World of Disney television program "Disneyland: From the Pirates of the Caribbean to the World of Tomorrow" that aired on January 21, 1968.
Walt Disney had earlier provided a sneak peak at the Pirates attraction in the episode titled "The Disneyland Tenth Anniversary Show," which was shown January 3, 1965. Both episodes are easily found online with a little effort.
Walt Disney had wanted an attraction featuring pirates at Disneyland as early as 1954 to be part of the pre-Civil War New Orleans area of the park. On the July 17, 1955 telecast of the opening of Disneyland, co-hosts Ronald Reagan and Bob Cummings both referred to the New Orleans flavor at the edge of Frontierland "down on New Orleans Street".
Wrought iron balconies and similar New Orleans architectural touches decorated the exterior of the Aunt Jemima's Pancake House and Chicken Plantation Restaurant. Imagineer Herb Ryman had done a concept piece of artwork where there would be a pirate shack with the pirate's laundry hanging on an outside line and further down the block Bluebeard's Den.
In 1958, artist Sam McKim further expanded on the concept on his Disneyland map design that included a haunted house and a Pirate Wax Museum featuring a Rogue's Gallery of famous pirates and a Thieves Market for merchandise.
In 1961, Walt approached artist Marc Davis. Davis studied the history of pirates and came up with some dramatic tableaus to tell the story in a walk-through attraction meant to be underneath the New Orleans location. Up above would be an enormous enclosed area where it was always a moonlit twilight and guests could wander through a Pirate Alley shopping district and an elegant restaurant located outside of a plantation near a bayou.
Davis went through three different designs of the underground pirate presentation where guests in groups of 50-70 would walk through a harbor town, onto a pirate ship and then through a tavern and a cobblestone town square. There were discussions about having simplified electro-mechanical pirates narrate the story as guests gazed into the various tableau scenes. Electro-mechanical figures, like the ones on the Jungle Cruise or the Rivers of America, could repeat two or three motions and were the forerunners of Audio-Animatronics.
At the World's Fair, Walt saw how successful the sophisticated Lincoln Audio-Animatronics figure was and how the boat system in "it's a small world" was so efficient in transporting a large number of guests through an attraction. Even though a huge hole had been dug for the Pirate Wax Museum and concrete and steel already laid in anticipation of finishing shortly after the fair, Walt had it all torn out and he started over.
Disneyland's New Orleans Square, based on concept art by Herb Ryman, was officially dedicated on July 24, 1966 by Walt and Victor Schiro, who served as mayor of New Orleans from 1961-1969. Schiro made Walt an honorary citizen of New Orleans. It was Walt's last major public appearance in the park before his death.
However, because of Walt's new vision influenced by the World's Fair, the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction would be delayed until 1967 along with the Blue Bayou restaurant and Club 33 (inspired by the VIP lounge he saw in operation on the second floor of the Tower of the Four Winds in front of "it's a small world").
Why was it called New Orleans Square since it doesn't seem to be a square at all, but a series of curved, winding streets? The Vieux Carr is the historic name for the actual New Orleans French Quarter, and translates from the original French into "Old Square."
In an interview I did with Marc Davis in 1998, he told me:
"Walt came to me and said, 'Marc, I'd like to do an attraction on pirates. You know, maybe pirates of the Caribbean.' He had come up with the name for it by that casual remark like he often did. He named the PeopleMover that way but thought it would just be a placeholder name and we would come up with something better but we couldn't.
"Originally, this was going to be a walk-through wax museum down under New Orleans Square and feature the real pirates of history like Captain Kidd and [Captain] Morgan, but after the success of the boats in 'it's a small world' at the New York World's Fair, he realized it would be so popular that it needed a larger capacity than a walk-through, and the boats would provide that.
"He had [Head of Disneyland construction Joe] Fowler rip out all the steel that had already been laid and re-designed the entire thing with waterfalls so it can go under the berm and train track to a larger show building. That was an expensive decision but the right one."
The original hole dug for the museum is now the caves before the main show.
During Davis' research, it turned out that real pirates were not as interesting and dramatic as people remembered, so the thrust of the new show was to create the world of pirates people knew from the movies and books.
Davis' specialty was humor, and his skill was utilized to take the edge off the nefarious behavior of characters who proudly admit that they "kidnap and ravage and don't give a hoot." Instead of being rough men who would take advantage of women, they became lonely bachelors desperately looking to "buy a wench for a bride" to fill their affection-starved lives.
Exaggerated facial features (especially since the figures would only be seen for a few seconds) and a light-hearted theme song also underscored that these were simply "boys will be boys" having some fun like a high school football team out of control after winning a game. That certainly doesn't excuse their actions, but it made it all a bit more understandable for guests and less offensive for almost thirty years when some changes were made.
Lust is one of the seven deadly sins, but so is gluttony so, in 1997, instead of chasing the women, the Disneyland pirates were after food to have a good meal for once. In 2006, elements from the popular film franchise were introduced into the ride.
Musician George Bruns, whose previous credits included co-writing the hugely popular song "The Ballad of Davy Crockett," composed the attraction's score, with lyrics and script created by the Francis Xavier "X" Atencio, who later penned the narration script and song lyrics for The Haunted Mansion.
Atencio had never written a script before and is still unclear why Walt decided the he could do the job. Atencio studied not only the Disney live-action film Treasure Island (1950), but similar Hollywood films like Captain Blood, The Sea Hawk, Blackbeard the Pirate and The Buccaneer.
Atencio voice-directed the performers for the attraction, but had some help from Imagineer Marty Sklar. Paul Frees did the voice of the Auctioneer and some of the other pirates. He was the voice of the Ghost Host in the Haunted Mansion, Ludwig von Drake, Bullwinkle's foe Boris Badenov, and countless other credits.
Thurl Ravenscroft, best known as the voice of Kellogg's Tony the Tiger for decades and the singer of "You're A Mean One, Mr. Grinch" did several pirate voices, including the accordion playing one in the trio of minstrels by the donkey and the drunk pirate hanging on a lamppost. He also did the sound of the singing/howling dog with the minstrels as he had supplied dog sounds in Disney's animated feature Lady and the Tramp (1955).
J. Pat O'Malley who was a popular Disney animated voice artist, including Colonel Hathi in The Jungle Book (1967) also voiced several pirates. He has become notorious as the person who Walt had coach Dick van Dyke for his cockney accent for Mary Poppins (1964).
The voice of the magistrate's wife pleading with Carlos not to be "cheeken" was supplied by June Foray, who has countless credits, including being Grandma Fa in Mulan (1998). She will be celebrating her 100th birthday this year.
A long model of the attraction was built. The figures were each nine inches high and could be moved from place to place. It was put up in sections on sawhorses with rings for each scene, so that someone could get the same view that the audience would see. A desk chair with rollers was pushed through the path. Walt went through many times and made suggestions and changes.
Before Walt's death, a full-sized mock-up of the auction scene was set up in a WED (Imagineering) warehouse in Glendale. A dolly with a chair on it was rigged up so that Walt could be pushed through at two feet per second (the approximate speed of the boats). Walt also got to walk the unfilled flume of the attraction, but there was not much in place in terms of scenery and figures to see.
Blaine Gibson told me that the Auctioneer's face was "inspired" by a fellow Imagineer but refused to reveal the identity. Studying the original head without facial hair and hat, to me it looks very much like a young Rolly Crump.
While, for the most part, the faces of the pirates came from Davis' drawings, Gibson added in some faces of people who sat in the pews at his church on Sundays that he sketched when he was bored. The singing minstrel in the middle of the singing trio was based on a janitor at WED.
Several of the sculpted heads are re-used throughout the attraction. For instance the character in his chair outside his shack across from the Blue Bayou Restaurant was also used as the standing pirate in the jail cell trying to tempt the dog to give them the keys.
In September 1998, I also got to talk with Alice Davis, Marc's wife, who was responsible for doing the costumes on the attraction. In the early days, she and her team of four costumers would go through each morning and check the costumes and adjust the wigs and with their own make-up kits applied make-up to each of the human figures and then powdered them so they looked more realistic. Today, Disney merely paints the faces.
I got to see her in person do a drawing of one of the costumes she did for a child in "it's a small world," and I am telling you that she was an amazing artist herself, even though she always chose to stand in the shadow of her husband.
She has told the following story in a variety of places, but this is how she told me and if you have never heard it, then it is new to you:
"I graduated from (doing costumes on "it's a small world") sweet little children to dirty old men overnight.
"I had the machinists make some special bras for the women in that chase scene. It was some sort of contraption so that when the girls were running, their bosoms would bounce up and down just as in real life.
"The red head in the auction scene was a real problem at first. From the area below her bust to her hips the only thing there was a two inch tube holding her up straight. I came up with the idea of making this special stiff corset that would attach just below the bust and then to the top of the hips to give her some shape but really she's all just hollow inside there. With costuming, it is all about what the audience sees. It is an illusion.
"About two or three months after the attraction opened, there was a real fire in the ride in that final burning town scene. It had melted some of the figures with wires hanging out and the faces pretty much gone except for the glass eyes. Some of the costumes were burned and there were others that were damaged when the sprinklers went on.
"I had wanted to make a back-up set of costumes for emergencies but Dick [WED president Dick Irvine] said it was too expensive and we would worry about doing it later. I realized they had no idea how much it took to make a costume so I simply ordered twice as much yardage and we made a second set. It is easier to do that when you are doing the first one rather than wait. I just told the bean counters that the costumes cost double what they actually did.
"The show had just opened and was a huge hit and they worried how long the attraction would be down before they could get it up and running again. Dick came to me in a panic and said, 'Alice, what are we going to do? How long will it take to make new costumes? How much overtime?' and so on and so on.
"I replied, 'I think we can be ready in about a half an hour' and walked over to a cabinet and opened it and there was the second set. He didn't know whether he wanted to kiss me or kill me for tricking the accountants, but Pirates opened the next day and now they generally make three sets of costumes at the same time for a new attraction."
Several Imagineers have told me that they felt the story in the attraction was a dream, a dead pirate's dream. It is his last memories on earth before he became one of the skeletons. It is highly doubtful that Walt consciously thought that was the story. Walt was very instinctive and just "knew" when a story seemed to work.
While the Blue Bayou (originally designated as the Blue Bayou Terrace) was ready to open months before the attraction, Walt refused to do so because he felt that part of the experience for the restaurant was to see the bateaux slowly drifting in the nearby bayou. Both Pirates and Blue Bayou restaurant opened in March 1967. Club 33 opened in June 1967.
The opening of the attraction had the media reporters on the Sailing Ship Columbia. Comedian Wally Boag (iconic for his performances in the Golden Horseshoe Revue) was dressed as a pirate captain in a row boat along with his pirate crew.
They climbed aboard the Columbia and took the reporters prisoner (and brought up some attractive and appropriately dressed young women from down below, sometimes slung over their shoulders) and celebrated with music and dancing on the deck. Then they herded everyone off the ship and marched them toward the attraction.
In front of the boarded up entrance were two armed soldiers guarding the place but they were quickly overcome. The pirates used a huge log to "smash" open the door and the media entered for the first time.
The attraction cost more than $8 million dollars and was the longest attraction adventure at Disneyland.
In 1997, the original Pirates of the Caribbean attraction became the first recipient of the Classic Attraction award from the Themed Entertainment Association (THEA), an honor accepted by Disney Legend Marty Sklar.
Sklar called the attraction the quintessential Disney show, saying, "It broke the mold. It created a genre that was so new, that everything else that follows has to be measured against it. The one constant at Disneyland is change, and the attraction has had some changes over the years, but it kept the spirit and values that Walt envisioned."
Next time: I take a closer look at the New Tomorrowland that opened at Disneyland in 1967 and reveal some things that might not be common knowledge to most Disney fans.
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Disneyland 1967 Part One: Pirates of the Caribbean - MousePlanet
Photo: Mauro Pimentel, AP
Performers from the Salgueiro samba school dance during Carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Monday, Feb. 27, 2017.
Performers from the Salgueiro samba school dance during Carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Monday, Feb. 27, 2017.
A performer from the Uniao da Ilha samba school dances on a float during Carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Monday, Feb. 27, 2017.
A performer from the Uniao da Ilha samba school dances on a float during Carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Monday, Feb. 27, 2017.
A youth sells foam cans to revelers during the "Get out Temer" carnival street party in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Friday, Feb. 24, 2017. Merrymakers took to the streets to protest Brazil's President Michel Temer.
A youth sells foam cans to revelers during the "Get out Temer" carnival street party in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Friday, Feb. 24, 2017. Merrymakers took to the streets to protest Brazil's President Michel Temer.
A performer from the Academicos do Grande Rio samba school parades during Carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Monday, Feb. 27, 2017.
A performer from the Academicos do Grande Rio samba school parades during Carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Monday, Feb. 27, 2017.
Revelers wearing costumes pack a bus during carnival festivities in the Cidade de Deus, or "City of God" slum, before going to another party in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Monday, Feb. 27, 2017.
Revelers wearing costumes pack a bus during carnival festivities in the Cidade de Deus, or "City of God" slum, before going to another party in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Monday, Feb. 27, 2017.
AP PHOTOS: Best of Carnival in Latin America, Caribbean
This gallery is a selection of some of the best moments captured during Carnival celebrations by Associated Press photographers across Latin America and the Caribbean.
The highlight of the year for many in Brazil is Rio de Janeiro's over-the-top party and competition at the famed Sambadrome. This year featured sensual red devils, the classic high-heeled women in barely covering outfits of feathers, singing performers with instruments, and people in large dresses spinning across the floor to impress the judges.
There was plenty of action outside the famed stadium, too. While the city's elite held a private bash in tuxedos and cocktail dresses resembling the "Great Gatsby" era, outside in the street a scrawny young boy sold cans of spray foam to partiers at an anti-government Carnival protest and costumed patients from a mental hospital sat dazed on the sidewalk.
Men in blue beards partied in the streets as did a half-man, half-unicorn and "Mike" the boxing dog. People in costumes from "The Simpsons" and "Wonder Woman" brought color to the subway, and one man squeezed in a power nap along the parade route.
In other parts of Brazil, muddy men bonded over beer and celebrants in rural areas honored traditions dating back to the country's sugar plantation days.
Outside Brazil, rum-fueled parties and high-energy dance music gave life to a city in southern Haiti still recovering from last fall's punishing Hurricane Matthew. An elderly couple in Panama showed up in bride and groom costumes. In Oruro, Bolivia, local people in colorful horned costumes performed the "Dance of the Devils," a celebration that has developed over more than 200 years to blend pagan and Roman Catholic religious practices.
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AP PHOTOS: Best of Carnival in Latin America, Caribbean - SFGate
MASSACHUSETTS, United States, Tuesday February 28, 2017 If the 2017 Hotel Pricing Report is anything to go by, then travelers could be getting a big discount on hotel prices in the Caribbean this year.
Online travel planning and booking company TripAdvisor announced the results of the report today, revealing global accommodation trends based on the websites hotel shopping data. And it points to the Caribbean being a good idea for tourists right about now.
TripAdvisor hotel shopping data reveals that some destinations offer significant hotel value this year compared to last, including theCaribbeanwhere hotel prices are down eight percent, making it a perfect time for Americans to book a dream trip there, it said.
The Hotel Pricing Report is designed to help travelers discover destinations that offer great year-over-year accommodation value, and highlights the most affordable months to stay at hotels in popular travel destinations worldwide.
It noted thattravelers can find the best prices on hotels in the Caribbean from August through October, with nightly rates averaging as low as $301. Sincethat time is hurricane season, travelers were advised to watch the weather and consider purchasing travel insurance.
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Best (Most Affordable) Times To Travel to the Caribbean - Caribbean360.com (subscription)
Theres no better time than the winter for a warm tropical getaway, and theres no better destination than the Caribbean islands. Home to some of the most unique and inspiring scenery this side of paradise, the Caribbean is the perfect sensory feast for anyone who needs to hit refresh during the cold winter months.
Thats why weve teamed up to talk itineraries with global cruise line Royal Caribbean. Weve mapped out the eight natural wonders that will steal the show on your next island-hopping adventure, because its time to swap out those winter blues for the bright blue skies of the tropics!
Ray Pfortner via Getty Images
But its the waterfalls youll really want to experience as you hike through the rainforest. La Coca Waterfall was once thought to harbor the legendary Fountain of Youth, and this hidden gem is still a salve to the senses. Experienced hikers should check out La Coca Trail, which crosses several rivers and waterfalls, where you can cool off with a quick dip. There are plenty of hiking trails throughout El Yunque, and some are less steep that La Coca. Be sure to wear sturdy shoes that can handle the muddy conditions, and bring plenty of water! And while it rains up to four times a day here, these are warm and pleasant rain showers that bathe the rainforest in a dewy light and enhance that fresh tropical scent that you just cant get from a mainland winter.
Jonah_Photos via Getty Images
Shockingly clear freshwater fills the Cenote Azul, which stretches 300 feet deep and hundreds of feet wide, causing a topsy-turvy effect that some divers equate to drifting in space! Exploring the cenote by dive will reward adventurers with glimpses of ancient stalactites, stalagmites and a few Mayan artifacts (the Maya believed these underwater caves were passages to the underworld). This is also a great spot for a swim or kayak in the clear waters.
Medioimages/Photodisc via Getty Images
And youll also want to check out Pekelmeer for its amazing flamingoes. As one of only four areas in the world where flamingos breed, Pekelmeer sees thousands of these pink beauties snacking on the ponds brine shrimp. The red carotenes found in the shrimp turn the birds even pinkier, causing the Caribbean flamingo to be the most colorful of its species.
Holger Leue via Getty Images
Enter another world when you hop aboard a bamboo raft to weave through the Jamaican jungle on the Martha Brae River. Just a few minutes away from the town of Falmouth, youll feel like youve stepped back in time. During your three-mile journey, look for local fruits such as colorful ackee, breadfruit and calabash dangling from the trees that arch over the water. Your guide may tell you the story of the rivers namesake, Martha Brae, who local legend describes as an Arawak witch who lived on the riverbank and led Spanish treasure hunters to their watery demise. These bamboo rafts were once used to transport sugar up river, but they have since become a favorite activity of adventure travelers looking to get off the beaten path.
Patricia Hamilton via Getty Images
Steam rises and the mud boils at the Caribbeans only drive-in volcano, a stunning day trip south of Castries, St. Lucia. Walk along Sulphur Springs Park to get an up-close look at the active geothermal area that emerged around 35,000 years ago. Outside of the springs there are warm sulphuric springs that are safe for bathing. The grounds rich minerals include iron, calcium oxide, sulphur, copper oxide, carbon and magnesium. Rumored to have skin-healing properties, take advantage of natures own spa after a walk through Sulphur Springs Park as a great natural detox!
Reinhard Dirscherl via Getty Images
Curacao is known as a great scuba destination with plenty of shallow water reefs. Explore Playa Kalkinicknamed Alice in Wonderlandfor a particularly special dive. This rainbow coral wall is alive with giant lobsters, hawksbill turtles, spotted eagle rays and squirrelfish. Divers can explore the limestone-rich underwater cliffs and the panoramic views of ocean life at its finest.
johnandersonphoto via Getty Images
Twin waterfalls emerge from the luscious green mountains after a 20-minute drive from Roseau, Dominica, and a short hike through the west side of Morne Trois Pitons National Park. Feel the mists tingle your skin as you debate which cascade to frolic under first. The higher waterfall called Father descends into hot springs and the lower waterfall called Mother flows into a colder natural basin. If you left your swimsuit behind, you can stay dry on the viewing platform and still absorb the serene landscape a perfect backdrop for envy-inducing vacation photos!
johnandersonphoto via Getty Images
Take a walk on the wild side near Roatan, Honduras, where more than 40 acres of tropical flowers, spices and medicinal plants grow undisturbed in this stunning natural habitat. Vibrant star fruit trees appear along the jungle trails of the Carambola Botanical Gardens, where sweet-toothed trekkers search for the renowned "Chocolate Tree" among the ferns. Enjoy the jaw-dropping panoramic views of the mountain at the summit of Carambola Mountain, where youll see the worlds second largest reef spread out below you. Then theres the sheer cliff known as the Iguana Wall, where several species of iguanas and parrots can be seen frolicking. Its hard to think of a place with more concentrated beauty than the Carambola Gardens.
Escape the winter time blues with a Royal Caribbean adventure, and visit some of the most breathtaking natural wonders in the Caribbean. Visit Royal Caribbean to explore itineraries and find out how you can trade the ordinary for the extraordinary.
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8 Caribbean Natural Wonders You Have To See To Believe - Huffington Post
Royal Caribbean International has become the second major cruise line to staff lifeguards at its pools, a significant change in the cruise industry.
Starting this week with the Oasis of the Seas, Royal Caribbean is rolling out a water-safety program that includes a lifeguard stationed at each pool during its hours of operation.
In a statement, Royal Caribbean said all lifeguards have been trained and certified by StarGuard Elite, "an industry-leading International Aquatic Risk Prevention and Lifeguard program."
An indication that Royal Caribbean was preparing to adopt lifeguards came several months ago when StarGuard began advertising for lifeguard supervisors on behalf of Royal Caribbean.
To date, only Disney Cruise Line has hired shipboard lifeguards. Other cruise lines say they follow the policy seen at many land resorts where no lifeguards are provided and guests swim at their own risk.
Royal Caribbean said its program is a comprehensive one "to raise awareness amongst our guests about the importance of vigilance while enjoying water features on our ships." In addition to lifeguards, swim vests will be offered to children ages 4-12 and a water safety presentation will be made in the Adventure Ocean kids program as well as a separate session on water safety for teens.
StarGuard is an Orlando company that provides lifeguard training, certification and other services to theme parks and water attractions, among other clients.
Royal Caribbean said its water-safety program will be implemented fleetwide by June.
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Royal Caribbean staffing pools with lifeguards - Travel Weekly
Sheila Roseau
Antigua Observer Several women of prominence are calling for the Caribbeans first ladies and the spouses of heads of government to be allowed more prominent roles in the development of their countries and the advancement of various causes.
The call comes on the heels of the establishment of a Caribbean First Ladies/Spouses Network (CARIFLAN) to champion the Every Caribbean Woman Every Caribbean Child (ECWECC) initiative.
Sheila Roseau, the United Nations Population Funds (UNFPA) Deputy Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean, said, It should be what they are comfortable with and what they believe in and what they want to champion.
She added, Its not for us to give them something to focus on that they dont want to focus on, but its for them to determine what their priorities are and what they would like to do.
Speaking on OBSERVER Radios Big Issues yesterday, Roseau was joined by former ambassador and United Progressive Party (UPP) caretaker Joan Underwood, who said there was already a model from which the newly formed CARIFLAN can take examples.
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There is a grouping of African first ladies and they have tackled some extremely weighty issues from microfinance to food security. There is a benefit in extracting and adopting what has been done and suiting it for your own situation, Underwood said.
She also argued that the issues that CARIFLAN has agreed to address domestic violence, teenage pregnancy, cervical cancer, mother-to-child transmission of HIV/AIDS and trafficking in persons are not womens issues.
These are national issues. These are human rights issues, she said. These are economic issues and they are extremely impactful issues and these spouses do have certain privileges and certain access that will allow them to be impactful.
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Caribbean First Ladies Urged to Put Their Influence to Good Use - Atlanta Black Star
Beyond the postcard perfect beaches, a dark underbelly of intolerance brews in the Caribbean. Photograph: Getty Images
It is a strange thing growing up in an island called Little England. You inherit the legal system, the educational system and even the old English mannerisms and words. But you also inherit something far more sinister; a cornucopia of archaic laws and prejudices.
Imagine being a young child of six who realises that he likes boys. Now imagine this while living in a place where who you are, what you want to do and who you may choose to love is not only illegal, its seen as immoral. Imagine the impact that can have on a child. The absolute burden of knowing that you have to hide who you really are for the rest of your life.
At a party you hear 'shot the batty boy' and you cock your hand into a gun towards the guy who is even gayer than you
I love my country. Its beaches and its 365 days a year sun; I love the food, the humour and the easiness of the island. But there is a dark underbelly of intolerance, of religious zealousness and of rampant hypocrisy which if you are not strong enough will slowly kill you from the inside out.
I remember everything that was ever said that hurt me. Especially the words said by those I loved and who loved me. My father once shouting at my mother and saying: It is because of you and your mother [my grandmother] that he is like that. My mother years later telling me that she will never accept this when I finally officially came out to her. And even my wonderful grandmother once saying that she hopes I find more happiness than my uncle. My uncle, her son, is also gay.
School was even worse. Any slight movement of the head or hand could give you away so you had to watch and plan everything carefully. A few days ago I watched a video of Wentworth Miller, the gay actor, who said that every day growing up was like being in survival mode. It is as if he lived my life. All of us growing up gay in the Caribbean are in survival mode.
We defended ourselves against the religious leaders and followers who praise the lord by demonising that which they dont understand. Or as is common place in this island of masks that which they are but dont want to see.
We defended ourselves against the music. The music of Jamaica which called for gay people to be murdered and burned alive. Imagine being a gay closeted teenager and going to your first party and hearing the words shot the batty boy blaring from the speakers. What do you do? You bop your head, cock your hand into the sign of a gun and point it at the guy who is even gayer than you. Point it and humiliate the ones who dared to let their masks fall.
Here we live our lives through the eyes of others to be gay was bad but to be the parent of a gay son was worse
Growing up in this predominantly black society as a gay boy you try to take your inspirations where you can. But who? Mr Humphries from Are You Being Served? Perhaps Steven Carrington from Dynasty? Maybe Will and Jack from Will & Grace? But where were the gay men who looked like me? Who had my story? Who could understand that the life of a black gay boy in the Caribbean had its own narrative and its own tragedy?
I made it through school by never daring to dream of a life beyond quick fumbles in the back of a car or an existence of lies and excuses. I had partners but we all suffered from the sickness of invisibility and the scourge of self loathing. How could we possibly be good for each other when we were so harsh on ourselves?
My coming out was a night of high drama in my house. My father hugged me, told me I was his son and he would always love me. My mother seemed more concerned about what others would think. In the Caribbean we live our lives through the eyes of others to be gay was bad but to be the parent of a gay son or daughter was worse. You had failed. Your gene pool was infected. Your son or daughter was a disappointment. You get veiled sympathy and offers of beating the gay out of him. You get invitations overflowing to church. You get a shoulder to cry on and a willing ear to transmit it to all who would listen.
But today 25 years later I am seeing a change. Social media has helped young gay men and women in the Caribbean to know they are not alone. Amazing advocacy groups are increasingly popping up in Barbados, Jamaica and Guyana who are demanding that gay men and women have a voice and a right to be treated equally. The pond of role models is slowly deepening. We see ministers and diplomatic representatives, media spokespeople and doctors, artists and teachers increasingly being less guarded about who they are. We see people finding love.
I have seen boys and girls I have grown up with part of the survival mode clan living happily with their partners. I am getting an increasing number of invitations to weddings. Weddings! Growing up we never even allowed ourselves to think such a thing was possible.
Social media has connected those of us who thought we were alone; it has also given a voice to the cowardly and ignorant
But two things are consistent. One, to find this love and survival the vast majority of these brilliant, creative, passionate souls have left the Caribbean. And two, although social media has connected those of us who thought we were unconnected, it has also given a voice to the cowardly and the ignorant. Read the comments section to any article on the topic of homosexuality in the Caribbean at your own risk.
But these people are not on the right side of history. The younger generation is increasingly more accepting and able to think for themselves. My hope is that this free thinking will lead them on a path not to the dreaded tolerance but to acceptance of equality.
As for me, I just celebrated my 12th anniversary with my partner. My parents are my best friends having embraced my truth and embraced my partner. I silently work to push for equality at every stage I can. I am no longer in survival mode well not 100%. Like my home country I still have a way to go. But Im on the right route.
In the Guardian Global Development Professionals Network is highlighting the work of the LGBT rights activists throughout the world with our LGBT change series. Join the conversation at #LGBTChange and email globaldevpros@theguardian.com to pitch an idea.
Join our community of development professionals and humanitarians. Follow @GuardianGDP on Twitter.
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Growing up gay in the Caribbean, I was in constant survival mode - The Guardian
Over 100 exhibitors have confirmed participation in the expo.
CASTRIES, St Lucia, Monday February 27, 2017 The Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Commission, St Lucias Trade Export Promotion Agency (TEPA), and the Ministry of Commercehave collaborated to stage the largest trade show of its kind to be staged in the sub-region.
The Specialty Caribbean Expo 2017, which will be held under the theme A Unique Buying Experience, is expected to improve intra-regional trade in goods and services, as well as the export of OECS goods and services to regional and international markets.
Over 100 exhibitors have confirmed participation in the expo, which will feature export-ready goods and services.
Specialty Caribbean Expo 2017 is being billed as the ultimate one-stop-shop, directly linking international buyers from worldwide corporations with Caribbean suppliers from a multitude of sectors including apparel and footwear, financial services, food and beverage, furniture, handicraft, health and wellness, tourism, printing and packaging services.
Exporters from the OECS and Martinique will present and promote their products and services at this buyer-focused exhibition, while buyers from the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Cuba, CARICOM and the Eastern Caribbean are expected to participate in the 4-day trade show.
The OECS Competitive Business Unit (CBU) has mobilized several producers and service providers from within its client portfolio to participate in the Expo.
Business Development Officer, Sobers Esprit said the Expo is in line with the objectives of the OECS Regional Integration for Trade Project, being funded by the 10thEDF. The ICT sector, agro processing, film, music and fashion will feature prominently in the exposition, he added.
The expo will be held March 9-12 at the Daren Sammy National Cricket Stadium in St Lucia.
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OECS Firms To Showcase At Specialty Caribbean Expo - Caribbean360.com (subscription)
Royal Caribbean Blog (blog) | Royal Caribbean to add lifeguards to its cruise ships | Royal ... Royal Caribbean Blog (blog) Royal Caribbean will add lifeguards to all of its cruise ships in an effort to improve onboard water safety. Cruise Critic reported the change, which will see Royal ... Royal Caribbean Adding Lifeguards to All Cruise Ships Royal Caribbean & Celebrity Pay Alaska's Environmental Fines Bullish Sweepers and Large Money Flow Witnessed in Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (RCL) |
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Royal Caribbean to add lifeguards to its cruise ships | Royal ... - Royal Caribbean Blog (blog)
Caribbean cruises and Cancun are the top two international vacation destinations for Americans in 2017 just as they were last year, but with the value of the U.S. Dollar at near record highs, London moves up a notch to number three in a new survey of travel professionals.
As part of its annual Travel Trends Survey, Travel Leaders Group polled 1,689 of its U.S.-based travel agency owners, managers and frontline agents about the international destinations theyve booked for 2017.
A Caribbean cruise is the number one international destination for 2017, as cited by 37.6 percent of respondents. Caribbean cruises are followed by (2) Cancun, Mexico, 31.2 percent; (3) London, 26.9 percent; (4) European river cruises, 21.8 percent; (5) Rome, 20.5 percent; (6) Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, 17.3 percent; (7) Paris, 15.4 percent; (8) Mediterranean cruises, 15.1%; (9) Montego Bay, Jamaica, 14.4%; and (10) Playa del Carmen/Riviera Maya, Mexico, 12.5%.
Fans of Caribbean cruises will have more options in 2017, with several new ships setting sail from South Florida including Royal Caribbeans Harmony of the Seas, the worlds largest cruise ship. Highlights include 20 dining options, a full-service spa, seven iconic neighborhoods to stroll through, a kids water park and the tallest slide at sea.
Pristine beaches make Cancun one of Mexicos top tourist destinations. But theres plenty of entertainment to go with the sand and sun.
The Brexit decision by British voters to leave the European Union has sent the pound plummeting, making a London vacation significantly less expensive than its been in years. Among the years must-see events will be a tribute to Princess Diana on the 20th anniversary of her death.
Kensington Palace opens Diana: Her Fashion Story opened last week, with some of her most iconic outfits on display.
European river cruises continue to find exciting ways to tempt travelers.
Avalon Waterways is offering a new 9-day trip along the Danube from Linz, Austria, to Budapest, Hungary. The journey includes excursions for passengers who want to maintain an active pace, from a running tour of Vienna to canoeing, hiking and biking.
The city of Rome celebrates its birthday on April 21, and the Natale di Roma is a fun time to be in the Italian capital, with street performers, historic reenactments, parades and live music spread out across the city. Therell be special events in the week leading up to the celebration, too.
Travelers seeking relief from the winters cold will find a haven in sunny Punta Cana, in the Dominican Republic. A highlight is the Punta Cana Carnival on the second Saturday in March, featuring a parade of dancers and musicians that offers a showcase for the countrys rich culture.
More Americans are booking trips to Paris in 2017, as the City of Light moves up to 7th place in the survey, from 11th in 2016. Iconic attractions like the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame will be joined by a new museum dedicated to designer Yves Saint Laurent.
To plan a vacation anywhere in the world, contact Travel Leaders/Fly Away Travel 541-672-5701.
Reporter Dan Bain can be reached at 541-957-4221 or e-mail at dbain@nrtoday.com.
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Caribbean cruises, Cancun and London are popular vacation destinations for Americans - NRToday.com
I offer support for the objectives of Black History Month by placing on its agenda the need for an urgent Caribbean dialogue on the development challenges facing our people. Where we have reached in our historic flight to freedom as a community needs to be assessed, and the depth of our dedication to promoting popular democracy should to be reviewed at this time.
We are gingerly entering the second, potentially seismic, phase of regional nation-building. This, in 2017, cries out for reflection. Already it presents itself as a significant marker in our regional affairs and a disruptor of global systems and sensibilities. But critically, it is the 70th anniversary of that seminal sequestering of Caribbean political and civil rights leaders at Montego Bay, Jamaica, in 1947, where they outlined the road map for regional development.
The 1947 summit, following the publication of the Moyne Report into the workers democracy wars of the 1930s in our Caribbean region, set the course with manifesto-style declarations that framed the first phase of the regional development agenda. Political and labour leaders were never clearer in their representation of the will of the people. They were morally courageous, fiscally sound, and financially futuristic. It was the regions first collective rising of its political leadership.
The moment and movements were clearly defined and the political leadership was hell-bent on justice, freedom, and dignified democratic development. From Montego Bay, the Caribbean Renaissance was launched.
On its 70th anniversary, there is a growing feeling of flux in Caribbean fellowship, and the 1947 declarations for development seem fractured by fiscal stress. Policy priorities are less people-centred and more consistent with our external financial circumstances. The top public priority is global alignment for economic growth. But economic alignment options are demonstrating that they can be socially damaging to the governance fabric of society. This is not an easy enterprise.
Communist China, our fastest-emerging partner, is now the avid advocate of free trade and open borders, while quintessentially capitalist America the ancient opportunity provider is evangelical about trade protectionism and building borders. Britain, always crisp and clear on which side its bread is buttered, has moved to abandon the European Single Market and Economy, and is reckoning on returning its gaze to the recently relegated Commonwealth.
Within these global goings-on, we are seeking to determine our domestic direction and destiny. There is intense internal anxiety. At the heart of it is the growing realisation that economic growth has been persistently elusive while social growth is now rejected as too expensive.
Finding balance between these equally important agendas can no longer be taken lightly. The 2016 Human Capital Report of the World Economic Forum, for example, states clearly that investing in social growth, in the human resource, goes beyond the importance of the economic growth imperatives. It states: A nations human capital endowment the knowledge and skills embodied in individuals that enable them to create economic value can be more important determinants of long-term success than virtually any other resource.
The strategic reasons that informed the Montego Bay declarations were clear enough:
that the imperial oppression of our people was over, dead and awaiting burial;
that the West Indies was one social community awaiting formal political integration and economic rationalisation;
that regional institutions, like the West Indies Cricket Board which was forged exactly 20 years earlier, would be created to mobilise the best of our collective abilities for practical regional action;
that greater social growth, in addition to economic growth, was urgently needed to end majority social exclusion, historical structural inequality, and entrenched racial and class bigotry; and
that our English-speaking subregion should breach imperial barriers and reach across the blue aisle to pursue greater trade and investment with the wider Caribbean.
Where have we reached with respect to implementing the 1947 Montego Bay Manifesto? Clearly there have been many significant successes. Victories arising from the vision are everywhere discernible. Equally true is that some vanquished efforts are etched deeper in our consciousness, largely because they were bruising and bloody.
From Montego Bay we took off with dazzling speed in 1948. For four decades a transformation trail was blazed within the region. With the decade, for example, the political federation project was implemented but soon gave way to a plurality of singular nation states. The fragmented configuration has not produced a better life. The colonial carcass was only partially buried, and in a shallow grave to boot.
The social growth agenda was respected at the outset. Launched in 1948 in spectacular fashion was The University of the West Indies missile, which when nationalised in 1963, and recharged by Sir Arthur Lewis as an indigenous engine, dedicated itself to regional economic transformation, ethnic equality and social justice, and to popularising the principle of mass political participation.
Beyond the boundary of formal politics, George Headley, born in Panama to a black Bajan father and a Jamaican mother, ended six decades of leadership apartheid in the regional cricket culture in 1948, when in the Test against England at Kensington Oval he became the first player from the poor classes to captain the West Indies team. In this Test Series the three Ws Everton Weekes, Clyde Walcott and Frank Worrell made their international debut. With Sonny Ramadhin our first phenomenal innovator of Indian origin, they boldly launched our first West Indian bid for a world title in 1951. Indeed, 1948 was the greatest of modern Caribbean years.
Today, gaining ground as a research hypothesis is that the 1947 regional development framework has been largely defeated and set aside. It is purported that a less ideologically bold and more functionalist regional leadership has revised the agenda and invested it with considerably reduced idealism, increased insularity, and greater programmatic pragmatism.
A conclusion drawn is that our region is off track in respect of sustainable development, having effectively distanced itself from the 1947 beacon. Within this narrative, the community is defined as manifesting many of the classic symptoms of intellectual fatigue and exhaustion. Citizens are said to be riddled with self-doubt, and primed for a race to further fragmentation.
Finally, and tragically, it is suggested that as a community we now see the primary opposition to our indigenous ideas and ideals as residing within. As a consequence, we have turned inward our vexation, violently unleashing rage upon ourselves.
The current United Nations Development Report for the region tells the bleak picture: that deep-seated social inequalities and injustices reside at the core of our fractures and failures, and are the main root of shortfalls in economic growth expectations. Our region, for example, sits at the bottom of the hemispheric ladder in respect of youth (18-30 years) enrolment in higher education, professional development, and technical training. Within the wider Caribbean family context, our English-speaking sub-community occupies the basement.
Equally disturbing is the inference within the report that our social capital that is, the cognitive and technical skills set, both in quality and quantity of our citizens is inadequate for the attainment of the level of economic growth pursued. It has been known for decades that a shortage of critical skills, more so than capital, holds back our development. Nearly 60 per cent of our citizens, for example, continue to reside in shockingly shabby material and institutional environments to which we have become far too tolerant. Abject poverty is on the increase. Rising crime rates and general social insecurity in many communities seem unresponsive to the attainment of baseline economic growth.
Commitment to wealth creation, however, must be firm and unwavering. Research and innovation and dynamic entrepreneurship are inseparable. But economic growth must not be seen mechanically as a precondition for social growth. Low productivity is as much socially caused as it is economically impactful. It is no coincidence that our regional economy has shown the most sluggish recovery in the hemisphere from the 2008 global financial and trade recession. Inevitably linked to this chain of causality is our possession of the lowest levels of formal research, higher education enrolment and skills, and professional training. It is drastically narrowing broad-based economic participation and engagement. It is impaling the peoples innovation impulse, endangering entrepreneurial flair and creativity, leading inexorably to diminished competitiveness and less wealth creation.
The rhetorical reference in the region to the vital role of small and medium-sized businesses in economic growth strategies points to the ultimate importance of the social growth agenda, and urgently awaits actualisation.
The social economy, then, is equally important in viewing and measuring what we have attained and where we are today. In the Test cricket arena, for example, our fall from global awesomeness to local awfulness tells the surreal story of rising economic growth and falling social growth. We are the only competing Test nation in which senior players effectively reject national representation. By snubbing national selection in favour of personal marginal enrichment, they are preventing us from deploying our best and finest in the international arena. We are crippled by our inability to be cohesive.
What is important here is that citizens are casting aside community needs and placing self above state as a post-International Monetary Fund sensibility. The idea that the state has cut adrift vulnerable citizens as a conditionality of its own survival has engendered this social backlash. It has bred a political culture that will soon be entrenched with the potential to ultimately subvert the sustainability of sovereignty. This is but one example.
Our collective victories and successes since 1947 constitute the Caribbean Enlightenment and Renaissance. It is necessary to rekindle the fire of 1947. This 70th anniversary presents a lens through which we can enlarge our comprehension of the 1947 moment. It is now time to review the mission and movement since Montego Bay.
A 21st century review of the Montego Bay Manifesto, therefore, is required in order to grasp the relatively greater opportunities that only a regional approach can garner. The New World Group that constituted our finest intellectual and public advocacy intervention should be revisited and brought back fit and equipped for purpose. New World 2 for the 21st century is a good beginning.
Achieving greater social equality and mobility for the masses of citizens is as valuable as the fiscal empowerment of entrepreneurs for wealth creation. The legal right of indigenous African and Asian-descendant peoples in the Caribbean to reparatory justice for crimes committed against their communities under slavery and colonialism is as important to nurturing social growth as sensible monetary measures are to encouraging investment. We in academia and in industry, along with the State and civil society, must move swiftly towards consensus to push forward our societies and economies with innovation and technology within the context of regionalism.
The return to self-confidence to promote self-determination will not be without sacrifices. We must resolve to share this burden equitably within our regional community. This is the only way to avoid a future of further fragmentation and mutually assured deterioration. It is one way to rebuild trust in Caribbean fellowship and citizenship that is the hallmark of sustainable growth. Marcus Garvey preached this philosophy across our region before 1947, and Frank Worrell proved it thereafter.
A balanced approach to social growth and economic transformation can produce the political consciousness and corporate sensibility necessary to make many of the difficult public choices. This is the core of what we idealise as the Nordic Model. It is also the enduring feature of the Social Partners Protocol that continues after two decades to provide hope for the people of Barbados.
It is the decline in social growth in recent decades, for example, that has frustrated general support for important initiatives such as public sector reform and indeed land reform. It has also inhibited the pace of economic diversification of the traditional economic sectors.
Repurposing the passion of 1947 for regional action is entirely necessary and possible. It is a precondition for upsizing development on multiple fronts while we imagine the state of our sovereignty in 2047. Let us, then, begin a refined reflection in this year. Our precious Caribbeanness is the prime asset to be centred, cared for and celebrated as we stir our collective energy.
This is also a prime time for the academic community to move to the fore, once again, and give of its best. It must intellectually stimulate rather than frustrate the higher aspects of our collective Caribbean consciousness. Fancy fiscal footwork will not by itself generate the context for the greater growth needed.
In this regard, the entire regional university sector can and must do more. It has to step up its strategies many notches and engage both the social and economic growth paradigms with greater aggression and alacrity. This Black History Month in 2017 is as good a time as ever to begin rekindling the Caribbean Renaissance.
Professor Sir Hilary Beckles is Vice Chancellor of The University of the West Indies and chairman of the Caricom Reparations Commission.
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Rekindling the Caribbean Renaissance...70 years on - Jamaica Observer
New Story
Several women of prominence are calling for the Caribbeans first ladies and the spouses of heads of government to be allowed more prominent roles in the development of their countries and the advancement of various causes.
The call comes on the heels of the establishment of a Caribbean First Ladies/Spouses Network (CARIFLAN) to champion the Every Caribbean Woman Every Caribbean Child (ECWECC) initiative.
The United Nations Population Funds (UNFPAs) Deputy Regional Director for Latin America & the Caribbean, Sheila Roseau said, It should be what they are comfortable with and what they believe in and what they want to champion.
She added, Its not for us to give them something to focus on that they dont want to focus on, but its for them to determine what their priorities are and what they would like to do.
Speaking on OBSERVER Radios Big Issues yesterday, Roseau was joined by former ambassador and United Progressive Party (UPP) caretaker, Joan Underwood who advised that there was already a model from which the newly formed CARIFLAN can take example.
There is a grouping of African first ladies and they have tackled some extremely weighty issues from micro finance to food security. There is benefit in extracting and adopting what has been done and suiting it for your own situation, Underwood said.
She also argued that the issues which CARIFLAN has agreed to address domestic violence, teenage pregnancy, cervical cancer, mother-to-child transmission of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)/ Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) and trafficking in persons are not womens issues.
These are national issues. These are human rights issues. These are economic issues and they are extremely impactful issues, and these spouses do have certain privileges and certain access that will allow them to be impactful, she said.
(More in todays Daily Observer)
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Caribbean female voices say there are greater roles for first ladies - Antigua Observer
Youre sitting on the beach, reaching for another ice-coldpia colada, looking up at a spectacular Caribbean sky.
There are great beach getawaysfor every kind of traveler, but theres a misconception that al all inclusive holiday is always overly expensive.
Thats not the case.
You see, going all-in doesnt have to mean going all out when it comes to the budget; yes, there are all-inclusive holidaysthat offer dreamy beaches, modern amenities and serious bang for your buck all over the Caribbean.
From chic Barbados to the beach-filled Bahamas, weve selected five of the Caribbeans best budget all-inclusive hotels, where you can add up the savings as you soak up the sun. CJ Travel Editor Sarah Greaves-Gabbadon offers up five all-inclusive holidaysfrom around the islands.
RIU Republica, Dominican Republic Adults in search of sun, sea, and sand with premium booze, plentiful dining options and free WI-FI on the side can find it all at this 1,000-room resort thats possibly the best bargain in Punta Cana.
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5 Budget All Inclusive Holidays in the Caribbean - Caribbean Journal
Maritime Herald | Costa Magica caught fire in engine room during eastern Caribbean cruise Maritime Herald COSTA MAGICA The cruise ship Costa Magica caught fire in engine room during a voyage to Pointe-a-Pitre in Guadeloupe. The vessel was on cruising in eastern Caribbean, when in early morning of February 24 there was announcement for fire in engine ... |
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Costa Magica caught fire in engine room during eastern Caribbean cruise - Maritime Herald
PHOTO: Sandals Negril, Jamaica. (Photo via Flickr/Gail Frederick)
As foreign hotel developments surge in the Caribbean, a growing number of local hoteliers are faced with the prospect of losing talented, long-standing employees. The employees are being approached by the newer, international properties with the promise of better money and benefits.
I dont like what I am seeing, in some instances where a new property is being built in the Caribbean and there are not enough skilled workers to man the operations, we just seem to be stealing each others staff, said Karolin Troubetzkoy, president of the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) in an interview with the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC).
Troubetzkoy, who is also an hotelier, said the practice could ultimately lead to a lower customer satisfaction rate across the region.
For his part, St. Lucias prime minister, also the nations former tourism minister has said, It is a free market and labour is free to move wherever it wants to be able to move.
However, he also added that it was bad planning on the part of new hotels to not implement their own training programs in advance of opening.
At issue is that many of the locally owned hotels and brand spend significant time and money on employee training programs, only to have those employees lured away by international properties. Attracted by the higher wages, the employees leave, but then often find themselves in career situations that offer no further advancement.
The CHTA president has said that personnel development is at the forefront of the associations agenda for the year, and the CHTA will be amping up training programs region-wide.
Sandals Resorts International, a Caribbean-owned and operated company, has said it does not condone employee poaching, a practice it calls unethical and fragmenting. But, says the resort company, it is also a reminder that hoteliers should invest in high-quality training programs for their employees, which can go a long way in helping guard against such activities.
Sandals offers training and certification programs for employees at all levels, including scholarship programs for secondary education up to doctorate degrees. In Saint Lucia alone, Sandals has provided training for more than a thousand employees in the past few years, at no cost to the employee.
It is clear that some of the larger, foreign brands simply do not have the capacity to train, nor do they care to invest in training, which has led to the concern expressed by the CHTA about them enticing workers away from established organisations that have invested in building the tourism sector over many years, said Sandals Resorts International in a statement. Many of these workers may find themselves in an environment that does not offer opportunities for further development like Sandals provides with the SCU which means that their personal growth may be stunted unless they take money out of their own pockets to invest in training and development.
We must find a way of training everybody and having more skilled workers available, not just in customer service but in culinary arts, and the technical side such as in IT technology maintenance, there are lots of job opportunities in the tourism sector, said Troubetzkoy to the CMC.
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Employee Poaching a Growing Concern for Caribbean Hoteliers ... - TravelPulse
Pirates of the Caribbean is one of the most successful Hollywood productions in recent history, but for HBO it's also a very real threat. Earlier this month HBO LA reported several Caribbean countries to the U.S. Government because they fail to take a stand against pirating cable operators, hotels, and sellers of pirate streaming boxes.
HBOs daughter company in Latin America, HBO LA, is not happy with the rampant piracy thats taking place in the Caribbean.
Earlier this month the company submitted its latest 301 watch list submission to the U.S. Government, urging the authorities to take appropriate action.
HBO is steadily expanding its services to the Caribbean and Central American regions. However, their efforts to roll out legitimate services are frustrated by local pirates. These arent just individual pirates, large cable operators are in on it too.
a lack of enforcement by Caribbean and Central American governments is allowing local cable operators to build substantial enterprise value by increasing their subscriber base through offering pirated content, HBO LA writes (pdf).
The same goes for hotels, which treat their visitors to prime HBO programming without paying a proper license.
In addition to piracy by large cable providers, non-U.S. owned hotel chains on a variety of islands are known to pirate content exclusively licensed to HBO LA by using their own onsite facilities or obtaining service from cable operators who pirate, HBO LA informs the government.
Piracy by cable operators and hotels is not new. HBO has reported these issues to the authorities before, but thus far little has changed. In the meantime, however, the company has started to notice another worrying trend.
Online piracy has started to become more prevalent, with many stores now selling IPTV boxes and other devices that allow users to access HBO content without permission.
In the past year, HBO LA continued to see a significant increase in the problem of online piracy of its service throughout all of HBO LAs territory, HBO LA writes.
In the Caribbean, several brick-and-mortar stores customarily sell Roku or generic Android set-top devices (like the Mag250, Avov, and the MXIII) preinstalled with an unlicensed streaming service and offering a few hundred channels of content, including content for which HBO LA holds exclusive license in the territory.
The company lists various examples of stores that offer these kinds of products including the Gizmos and Gadgets Electronics store in Guyana. This store sells Roku devices with an unlicensed streaming service called ROKU TV pre-installed.
By selling pirate subscriptions to thousands of customers the company is making over a million dollars per year, HBO estimates. And more recently the same store started to sell a subscription-less service as well.
Additionally, Gizmos and Gadgets Electronics has recently started offering a second integrated hardware and service device known as the Gizmo TV BOX, which offers over 200 channels with no monthly fee, HBO LA writes.
This is just one example of the many that are listed by the Latin American daughter of HBO.
The cable provider says its already taken various steps to stop the different types of infringements but hopes that U.S. authorities will help out where local governments fail. Towards the end of their submission, HBO LA encourages the United States Trade Representative to apply appropriate pressure and threats, to turn the tide.
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HBO Goes After 'Online' Pirates in the Caribbean - TorrentFreak
On an uninhabited island in the Caribbean, someone stumbled upon a message in a bottle that was apparently sent by a Philadelphia man. Now, the finder wants to end his two-year search for the person who dropped the bottle into the ocean through social media and the internet.
Once upon a time, receiving a response after scrawling a note on a piece of paper, sealing it in a glass bottle and shipping it off to sea was pretty rare. But in today's digital world, the odds are slightly better.
One reason for that is Message In A Bottle Hunter, a blog created by Clint Buffington. Since 2007, Buffington has developed a passion for finding messages in bottles and meeting the people who sent them.
Last month, he was featured on Vox for a heartwarming story about how he linked up with a couple who sent a message and a piece of wedding cake in a bottle on their one-year anniversary.
Buffington wrote that he enjoys "making friends with the person on the other end of their bottle," which is why his search for a Philly man has resumed.
The post "Seeking Ray from Philadelphia!" was originally published on June 2, 2016, but the mystery hasn't been solved yet. This week, a curious visitor stirred the comment section to see if there were any updates. Now, the search for "Ray" is the featured story on the blog.
The message, written on a piece of paper with a Carnival watermark, was held in a Gatorade bottle and was found on May 17, 2015 in the Caribbean. Unfortunately, plastic breaks down in the ocean so the message was barely legible. Eventually, he determined that the letter was dated May 16, 2014. Here's what the message partially reads:
However, the phone number didn't work. So help is needed.
So if you know someone named Ray who went on a Carnival cruise in May 2014 while living in Philly, reach out here:
Also, kindly tell Ray to refrain from throwing plastic bottles in the ocean. It's bad for the environment.
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Help find Philly sender of message in bottle found on Caribbean island - PhillyVoice.com
We Caribbean carnival devotees, counting down the days until the regions biggest bacchanal erupts on the streets of Port of Spain, Trinidad, on Feb. 27 and 28, have a dream. A dream that one day carnival will grace us with its life-affirming presence not once a year but once a month. That one day all of humanity can pause during mundane daily routines and take solace in the fact that right now, somewhere in the world, life is being measured out in music and dance and feathers and glitter, not conference calls and crowded commutes: Somewhere, it is carnival.
That dream may be turning into reality.
Throughout 2016, tens of thousands of revelers flocked to over a dozen destinations to partake in carnival celebrations. From Jamaica to Los Angeles, London to Bermuda, Cayman to Toronto, they indulged in costumed parades, extravagant fetes and frenetic soca concerts, and were living proof that Caribbean carnival culture is growing globally, thanks, largely, to one island: Trinidad.
Carnival to Trinidadians is like soccer to Brazilians, said Wayne Henry, a founder of ValeVibe, a 23-year-old Trinidadian events company. In the past, weve tended to keep our culture to ourselves, but now Trinis have gained the confidence to export something we certainly do well: party and have a good time.
This exportation call it the Trini-fication of carnival has become the antidote to what Trinidadians call tabanca: heart-wrenching post-carnival pain fueled by the knowledge that the next bacchanal is a whole year away. Now theres a calendar that starts in Trinidad during the traditional pre-Lent celebration and concludes in October at Miami Carnival, with global and regional carnivals scheduled almost monthly in between. Its a movement documented by booming media entities like the fastidious TriniJungleJuice.com, a global carnivalgoers bible and piloted by young Caribbean entrepreneurs who take having a good time very, very seriously.
Trinidad-style carnival fetes, after all, are not mere parties but full-on productions, transforming the days surrounding the parade into an unofficial competition: Which modish fete will not only eclipse the more traditional elements of carnival the parade, the calypso contests, the competition for carnival king and queen but also outdo others in terms of venue, food, DJ lineup and musical guests? Think of a raucous dance party against a backdrop of flamingos in Miami; amid the roller coasters of Coney Island in New York; on a boat down the Thames in London; deep in the sugar cane fields of Barbados.
If I can give a party in a volcano before it erupts, Ill do it, said Jules Sobion, the chief executive of a Trinidad events company called Caesars Army. Having attended his signature event, A.M. Bush, on three islands, I believe him. Annually thousands of revelers including, last year, Rihanna, who partied with Caesars Army on her home island, Barbados scramble for tickets to line up at 3 a.m., follow music and drinks trucks through fields, cover themselves in paint and hose themselves down as the sun comes up. The dancing persists till noon.
We do the unexpected, Sobion explained. What does Caesars Army do? We export fun.
The result is more than fun its a financial boon.
Carnivalgoers are a niche market thats growing and will continue to grow, said Roscoe Dames, the chief executive and managing commissioner of the Bahamas National Festival Commission. Four years ago his team was given a government mandate to create a carnival as part of an effort to lure tourists and stimulate the creative sector. The result, started in 2015 in Nassau and Grand Bahama Island, was Bahamas Junkanoo Carnival, which fuses the countrys carnival traditions (known as Junkanoo) with a contemporary festival. The Bahamas, like many islands, wanted to maintain its own inimitable flavor while importingTrini styles.
The bedrock of the festival is our local music and culture, Dames said, but we looked at presenting the full spectrum of the Caribbean: Cuban bands, reggae, soca, Haitian zouk, as well as local rake-and-scrape and goombay music. Last year, he added, it attracted upward of 60,000 participants and established itself as a major player in the Carnival market.
Other destinations Jamaica, Grand Cayman, Grenada, Washington, D.C. have long staged carnivals outside the traditional pre-Lent time frame, but are seeing their festivities flourish as Trinidadian brands move in and bring avid fans with them. Among the biggest draws to any carnival is a party presented by Scorch, a Trinidad entertainment company that includes a media and publishing arm, a local TV show and a music production house. Its raucous parties held in places like London, Toronto, Barbados and, this year, Dubai are the ones many desperately try to get into but few can fully remember the next day (there is no hangover like a Scorch hangover, many a carnivalgoer has avowed).
Scorch is really a regional thing, meant to connect all the islands cultures, said its chief executive, Kwesi Hopkinson. So when we arrive at a particular carnival, its an endorsement, a seal of approval that, Yes, this carnival is officially happening.'
Not all islands are eager for that Trinidadian seal, though. When Bermuda started a carnival in 2015 on its Bermuda Heroes Weekend, it barred promoters from other islands.
When the Trini promoters come into any jurisdiction, the local promoters lose out, explained Jason Sukdeo, the president of BHW Ltd., the carnivals corporate entity on the island. I want Bermuda carnival to be for Bermuda, to make money for Bermuda. For us to set up a carnival and watch money go overseas is not what we want.
But Jeremy Nicholls, a Barbadian promoter who runs some of the most popular events at Barbados Crop Over, that islands carnival, which is the regions second biggest, disagreed.
Trinidadians coming here bring people with them, he said. They have a wider reach, and this has a ripple effect; these visitors will go to the big Bajan parties, too. So at the end of the day, its about us coming together. His company, Roast, exports its brand to five other carnivals, he said.
For other enterprising Trinidadians, concerns are cultural, not financial: Will the dissemination of its carnival water down its profound history in the region, a history that stretches back to the 18th century, as European colonizers feted Lent with masked balls and their slaves followed suit, incorporating West African traditions into the revelry?
What I definitely dont want to see, with Trinis carrying our culture throughout the region, is the homogenization of carnival, said Anya Ayoung-Chee, a designer who is a onetime Miss Trinidad and Tobago and the 2011 winner of Bravos Project Runway. Ayoung-Chees online Canyaval shop sells all things modish; her company also stages parties and has its own costume section in the parades of six carnivals.
My focus is always, how do we think about it beyond copy-and-paste, from island to island? she said. How do we preserve traditions, but also how can we hybridize, recognizing that carnival culture is always evolving?
To that end, the kickoff event she staged at the Afropunk Festival in Atlanta last October was inspired by JOuvert, the sunrise carnival ritual populated by folkloric characters such as stilt walkers and jab-jabs, or devils.
I fused JOuvert traditions with New Orleans big bands and other cultural elements that have been influenced by the essence of carnival, all coming from the same history: Brazil, New Orleans, and so on, Ayoung-Chee said. The idea is to showcase how the history of carnival manifests itself way outside of the Caribbean context.
And thats whats exciting to me about exporting Trinidadian culture globally, she added. Not just representing the Caribbean but experimenting with our evolution, with what we could be on a global stage.
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Baz Dreisinger, a New York City-based professor and journalist, has been writing about Caribbean culture, music and art for two decades.
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