Daily Archives: April 27, 2017

Oceania Cruises Launches Vegan Menus, Earning Award From PETA – PETA (blog) (press release)

Posted: April 27, 2017 at 2:32 am

Oceania Cruises has announced new vegan menus, which feature more than 250 innovative dishes, on all six of its shipsplus raw juice and smoothie bars on two of them. Passengersvegan and omnivore alikecan now enjoy delicious meals that are kinder to animals, the environment, and their bodies. For allowing people to take compassion along with them on their travels, PETA is sending the company a Compassionate Business Award.

Standouts from the new menus include vanilla waffles with fresh berries and apricot and pistachio muffins for breakfast; a succulent involtini stuffed with tofu, spinach, and capers for lunch; and a bevy of ever-changing five-course meals for dinner, such as Thai red curry with steamed jasmine rice, a creamy truffle-flavored parsnip soup with tarragon, and a quinoa salad and vegetable tartare. A raw juice and smoothie bar is available onboard two of the ships, Marina and Riviera.

The expanded culinary options follow encouragement last year from PETA, as well as growing public interest in wellness-focused lifestyles.Oceanias compassionate and delicious new vegan menus have us hoping that other cruise lines will soon follow suit with animal-free fare of their own.

Vegan meals reduce diners chances of developing heart disease by a whopping 32 percent, according to a large-scale study conducted by Oxford University. In addition, going vegan reduces the risk of suffering from diabetes, obesity, and cancerand saves the lives of more than 100 animals a year. Google Trends notes that public interest in vegan eating is higher now than ever before.

Its easy to be kind to animals no matter where you are. If youre committed to being conscientious both at home and on vacation, be sure to check out the great travel resources that PETA has for you. From dog-friendly hotels to tips on which tourist activities to avoid, we can help you relax and unwind on vacation without causing any undue stress to animals.

10 Great Vegan-Friendly Travel Destinations

Find a cruise on Oceania today, and be sure to thank the company for introducing great vegan options!

Follow this link:

Oceania Cruises Launches Vegan Menus, Earning Award From PETA - PETA (blog) (press release)

Posted in Oceania | Comments Off on Oceania Cruises Launches Vegan Menus, Earning Award From PETA – PETA (blog) (press release)

Guam customs to host Oceania conference – Marianas Variety

Posted: at 2:32 am

HAGTA (The Guam Daily Post) Guam will host the 19th Oceania Customs Organization Annual Conference from May 2 to 5.

Conference participants will discuss customs modernization and reforms related to the theme Data Analysis for Effective Border Management.

This years conference theme is relevant and timely as our region, including Guam, has seen a steady increase in transnational organized crime, particularly drug trafficking and financial crimes, the Guam Customs and Quarantine Agency stated.

Human trafficking has also become a great concern to our region, according to the Guam agency.

The conference will involve about 50 delegates representing 23 customs administrations of Pacific island nations and territories, including Australia and New Zealand.

Seventeen global stakeholders and representatives of international and regional organizations and development partners such as the World Bank, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, the United Nations Conference of Trade and Development and the World Customs Organization are also expected to attend.

The Oceania Customs Organization conferences provide member administrations the platform to network, form partnerships, collaborate and share knowledge, information, training, intelligence and data to better protect their borders.

Here is the original post:

Guam customs to host Oceania conference - Marianas Variety

Posted in Oceania | Comments Off on Guam customs to host Oceania conference – Marianas Variety

Air Seychelles achieves strong Q1 2017 results – Aviation Tribune – Aviation Tribune

Posted: at 2:31 am

Share

Share

Share

Email

Air Seychelles, the national airline of the Republic of Seychelles has recorded a strong first quarter of 2017 by carrying 143,761 passengers, representing an increase of 12.4 per cent over the results achieved during the same period in 2016 (127,923 passengers).

The airlines domestic operations made a strong contribution to the Q1 2017 results, with passenger volumes rising 13.7 per cent year-on-year, to 55,431.

This growth in domestic traffic was driven by Air Seychelles ramping up the daily frequency of interisland flights between Mah and Praslin, offering more travel options for residents, day-trippers and tourists arriving on international flights to Seychelles.

March was a particularly strong month for the flag carrier, with more than 20,271 passengers travelling on its domestic flights.On its international network, Air Seychelles saw passenger numbers grow by 11.5 per cent, to 88,330. The busiest origin-and-destination routes were Seychelles-Abu Dhabi and Seychelles-Johannesburg.

Jean Weeling-Lee, Chairman of Air Seychelles, said:

Air Seychelles continues to fly high in 2017 and is delivering remarkably on its mandate of supporting the growth of tourism in Seychelles.More and more people are choosing to fly with Air Seychelles, cementing our position as the airline of choice in the Indian Ocean.

Roy Kinnear, Chief Executive Officer of Air Seychelles, said:

Our strong performance in Q1 2017 is a testament to the effectiveness of our business strategy and unwavering focus on our guests.

It is even more impressive as these numbers were largely achieved prior to the introduction of our new Airbus A330, two new Twin Otter turboprops, and the expansion of our network to Dsseldorf and Durban, which all occurred in mid to late March.

GET MORE STUFF LIKE THIS IN YOUR INBOX

Subscribe to our mailing list and get interesting stuff and updates to your email inbox

we respect your privacy and take protecting it seriously

Excerpt from:

Air Seychelles achieves strong Q1 2017 results - Aviation Tribune - Aviation Tribune

Posted in Seychelles | Comments Off on Air Seychelles achieves strong Q1 2017 results – Aviation Tribune – Aviation Tribune

Seychelles Tourism Principal Secretary takes part in United Nations high-level tourism meeting – eTurboNews

Posted: at 2:31 am

First on Forimmediaterelease:

The Seychelles Principal Secretary for Tourism, Anne Lafortune, represented the Minister for Tourism, Civil Aviation, Ports and Marine, Maurice Loustau-Lalanne, at the 59th meeting of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Commission for Africa (CAF).

During the meeting, which took place in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from April 18-21, 2017, the UNWTO Secretary General, Dr. Taleb Rifai, presented to the members a summary of the activities carried out by the organization for the past year.

Members also heard reports of the various UNWTO committees.

An interactive session on the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development 2017 also took place. There were presentations from various experts and interactions from members present.

In the framework of the CAF meeting, a high-level meeting on Chinese Outbound Tourism to Africa was also held.

The main objective of the meeting was to strengthen the understanding of the inter-related dynamics of Chinas source market and African destinations and provide guidance for government policy to African member states, Chinese officials, and the private sector.

The meeting was structured into two panel sessions, namely on harnessing Chinese outbound market-opportunities and challenges for sustainable tourism development in Africa and skills development, cooperation, and investment.

Mrs. Lafortune took part in the panel sessions and shared with those present which included many African tourism ministers, the experiences that appeal to Chinese tourists coming to Seychelles.

She also gave details on how Seychelles goes about creating memorable and customized service for Chinese travelers.

Mrs. Lafortune also spoke about the collaboration that Seychelles has with other countries and organizations such as the Vanilla Islands, East3Routes, and Regional Tourism Organization of Southern Africa (RETOSA) to market the region and offer more options and experiences to tourists.

She added that the panel discussions were very fruitful. As expected, it incited many discussions and debates on how African destinations can explore their potential more effectively and tap into the opportunities arising from the fast-growing Chinese tourism outbound market.

Read more:

Seychelles Tourism Principal Secretary takes part in United Nations high-level tourism meeting - eTurboNews

Posted in Seychelles | Comments Off on Seychelles Tourism Principal Secretary takes part in United Nations high-level tourism meeting – eTurboNews

Johnny Depp Heads to Disneyland as Captain Jack Sparrow to Surprise Pirates of the Caribbean Riders – E! Online

Posted: at 2:31 am

The happiest place on Earth just got even more magical thanks to Johnny Depp.

On Wednesday evening, the actor decided to make a surprise appearance at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, Calif.

Instead of exploring the food, parades and other attractions inside the theme park, Johnny decided to head straight over to the Pirates of the Caribbean ride for a special gig.

Dressed perfectly as his character named Captain Jack Sparrow, the actor was able to surprise dozens of riders as they rode in their respective boats.

"Everyone was surprised, shocked and excited to see him," an eyewitness shared with E! News. "He acted exactly like his character in the movies."

Another theme park visitor added, "It was a surreal moment for everyone on our boat! Crazy experience. Best Disneyland experience our family has ever been a part of."

In videos captured on Twitter, Johnny repeated lines from the movie while also interacting with parkgoers as he held onto his sword.

And for all the screams you hear in the background, that's just Disney fans freaking out over their unforgettable star sighting.

The surprise comes as excitement builds for the fifth installment of the franchise. Titled Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, the Disney flick follows Jack as he flees from Salazar (Javier Bardem) and his deadly ghost sailors that have escaped from the Devil's Triangle.

His only hope of survival lies in the legendary Trident of Poseidon, but to find it, he must team up with scientist Carina Smyth (Kaya Scodelario) and Henry (Brenton Thwaites).

Dead Men Tell No Tales hits theatres everywhere on May 29, 2017.

Additional reporting by Holly Passalaqua

See the original post here:

Johnny Depp Heads to Disneyland as Captain Jack Sparrow to Surprise Pirates of the Caribbean Riders - E! Online

Posted in Caribbean | Comments Off on Johnny Depp Heads to Disneyland as Captain Jack Sparrow to Surprise Pirates of the Caribbean Riders – E! Online

Royal Caribbean schedules Adventure of the Seas refurbishment for January 2018 – Royal Caribbean Blog (blog)

Posted: at 2:31 am


Royal Caribbean Blog (blog)
Royal Caribbean schedules Adventure of the Seas refurbishment for January 2018
Royal Caribbean Blog (blog)
In order to accommodate the dry-dock, Royal Caribbean canceled the January 13, 2018 through February 10, 2018 sailings. Guests booked onboard for the affected sailings will need to be reaccommodated. As a gesture of good will, Royal Caribbean will be ...
Royal Caribbean to Offer First Cruise From Melbourne; But Voyager of the Seas Will Not Return to AustraliaCruise Critic
Royal Caribbean's Newest Quantum Ultra-Class Ship To Sail From Asia-Pacific In 2019PR Newswire (press release)
Royal Caribbean Announces 2018-2019 Australia DeploymentCruise Industry News
Seatrade Cruise News
all 8 news articles »

Go here to see the original:

Royal Caribbean schedules Adventure of the Seas refurbishment for January 2018 - Royal Caribbean Blog (blog)

Posted in Caribbean | Comments Off on Royal Caribbean schedules Adventure of the Seas refurbishment for January 2018 – Royal Caribbean Blog (blog)

Growth returns to Caribbean Basin, but recovery is uneven – Miami Herald

Posted: at 2:31 am


Miami Herald
Growth returns to Caribbean Basin, but recovery is uneven
Miami Herald
Economic performance in the Caribbean will be uneven this year: Some economies will grow by 5 percent or more, but others will be lucky to eke out even negligible economic growth. The Dominican Republic and Guyana are expected to remain the ...

More:

Growth returns to Caribbean Basin, but recovery is uneven - Miami Herald

Posted in Caribbean | Comments Off on Growth returns to Caribbean Basin, but recovery is uneven – Miami Herald

Staying in a suite on Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast – Royal Caribbean Blog (blog)

Posted: at 2:31 am


Trade Arabia
Staying in a suite on Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast
Royal Caribbean Blog (blog)
Our newest podcast episode is out to help give you a quick "audio escape" to a Royal Caribbean cruise! Episode 195 is available for downloading, where we take an in-depth look at what staying in a suite on a Royal Caribbean cruise truly entails.
Today Analysts Focus on Teradyne, Inc. (TER), Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (RCL)StockNewsJournal
Technical Watch on Shares of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (NYSE:RCL)Baxter Review
Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd (RCL) Shares Sold by Hartford Investment Management Co.The Cerbat Gem
The USA Commerce -Markets Daily
all 38 news articles »

The rest is here:

Staying in a suite on Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast - Royal Caribbean Blog (blog)

Posted in Caribbean | Comments Off on Staying in a suite on Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast – Royal Caribbean Blog (blog)

WELCOME TO AMERICA – A CARIBBEAN MUSICAL Extends in Queens – Broadway World

Posted: at 2:31 am

Welcome to America - A Caribbean Musical, has extended its limited run due to sold out performances and overwhelming audience demand during its first run of shows last weekend.

The show opened on Thursday April 20 and was originally slated for five performances, ending on Sunday April 23.

However, producers Braata Productions have extended the run, adding two more performances this weekend, on Saturday April 29 at 8pm and Sunday April 30 at 6pm. The show is running at the Milton G. Bassin Performing Arts Center at York College, Jamaica Queens.

Directed by Dominican born Yudelka Heyer, Welcome To America- A Caribbean Musical tackles the timely issue of illegal immigration. It tells the story of Sabrina Barnes, a talented and ambitious ingnue actress from the Caribbean, who leaves her home behind and arrives in America determined to pursue her dreams of stardom. However, she is soon hit with the harsh realities of life in her newly adopted country and finds not only her ambitions but her very existence in the United States in grave peril.

Executive Director of Braata Productions Andrew Clarke- who co wrote original music and lyrics for the show and is also part of the cast- describes the response to last weekend's performances as "nothing short of phenomenal."

"On opening night last Thursday we had a nearly full house and received a rousing standing ovation from our audience. However, by Saturday night we were turning back patrons who had come from as far away as Connecticut and Delaware hoping to buy tickets at the theater, and we were completely sold out. When the same thing occurred with our final performance Sunday evening, we knew we had an obligation to extend the run to give those people the opportunity to come back and see us. Hopefully, they take advantage of our online ticket facility because we are anticipating another bumper weekend and it's definitely prudent to secure tickets in advance-especially for those travelling from afar."

Clarke identifies the show's themes of hope and aspiration and the timeliness of its subject matter as the key factors in its success.

"It is the hot button issue in our country right now and many of those who did see the show told us they either know someone who has been through the same situations depicted or that they have experienced something similar themselves.... The show has indeed touched a nerve right now, in very profound ways."

Welcome To America- A Caribbean Musical features book by Karl O'Brian Williams, with music and lyrics by Williams, Clarke and Joel Edwards.

The Milton Bassin Performing Arts Center is located at York College, 94-95 Guy R Brewer Blvd in Jamaica Queens, New York, 11451. See also http://www.yorkpac.com.

Here is the original post:

WELCOME TO AMERICA - A CARIBBEAN MUSICAL Extends in Queens - Broadway World

Posted in Caribbean | Comments Off on WELCOME TO AMERICA – A CARIBBEAN MUSICAL Extends in Queens – Broadway World

Spoiling Our Bahamas – Bahamas Tribune

Posted: at 2:30 am

EDITOR, The Tribune.

I consider myself extremely lucky to be able to attend a small college in the United States, in addition to playing on one of the Varsity sports teams on campus. In college sports whether Division I or III, there is a traditional season and an off-season. Here at my school we are blessed to have a dedicated Strength and Conditioning Staff that push all of the athletes to getting better and better every off-season. They recently put up a sign in our weight room, above one of the mirrors that says Look in the mirrorThats your competition. Our coaches encourage us to look in the mirror and hold ourselves and others accountable for pushing one another. This needs to be an honest and objective task; you cannot be biased because youre tired or sore, you have to push yourself to be the best that you can be.

Looking at the current state of our beautiful country, how can any Bahamian that claims they love their country say, You know what, we are in a good place here. The ones who claim this are either delusional or they love themselves more than they love their country, because there is so little that the current administration is doing that is benefiting the country. You cannot tell me that you are able to look at yourself in the mirror, while being true to your honesty and your integrity, and say that we can, as a nation, handle another five years of this administration. If you are still wondering whether we can or cannot, let me assure you its the latter.

Sadly, there is a culture of greed, power and corruption that has engulfed our Bahama Land. Because of this, the coming election is much more than sticking with who your mother or father has voted for in the past. Just because your family has voted for one way in every single election since our independence, this doesnt mean you have to, too. I implore you to look a little further than just what your family has done in the past. Challenge yourself to look at current and potential MPs ethically, morally and objectively; look at what he or she has done for their people or what they are saying they will do. Go another step further, ask them to tell you exactly how they are going to bring about change, what steps are they going to take and most importantly is this beneficial and where is the money coming from?

Residents of Jubilee Gardens, what has your MP done to help you in the past month and what has your Prime Minister done for you and your family? Is it enough? Im going to go out on a limb and argue that nothing meaningful has been done, seeing that your neighbourhood is still exposed to smoke from the dump. Residents of Cat Island, what has your MP done for you other than a cookout and some beers? You cannot honestly say to yourself that what our politicians are doing to our country is sustainable; they can only take so much before we have nothing left and they have everything.

The Bahamas lacks accountability, and it is time that we change that. Wake up Bahamas! How can you look yourself in the mirror and say that an administration spending millions of dollars on Carnival is ok, yet the population of New Providence and the tourists, that we as a country rely on, cannot enjoy our inalienable right to clean air? Dont you like to breathe fresh air; I know I do.

I ask you, how is it acceptable that we do not know how our government has spent the vast amount of VAT money that has been generated? And yes we do have a right to know, because it is our money? How is it ok for the Prime Minister to stand in front of a crowd of people and show them the finger, or defy God himself? That is the man who represents us all over the world.

In order to right the ship, the first step that must be taken is to look ourselves in the mirror and ask that very simply question: Can we as a nation take another five years of this? Five more years of uncontrolled killings. Five more years of dirty water, dirty air and a toxic dump. Five more years of inside jobs and contracts.

We need accountability across all parties and we need it now. Wake up Bahamas!

CONCERNED BAHAMIAN STUDENT

Voting in the US

April 24, 2017.

Follow this link:

Spoiling Our Bahamas - Bahamas Tribune

Posted in Bahamas | Comments Off on Spoiling Our Bahamas – Bahamas Tribune