Monthly Archives: May 2021

Cruises in the U.S. are currently halted amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, while some voyages operating outside the country have resumed.

Some cruise deals are available for voyages in Europe and the Caribbean from some major cruise lines, such as Royal Caribbean, Carnival, and Princess Cruises.

While Americans are able to travel on cruises abroad, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises: "At this time, the CDC still recommends avoiding any travel on cruise ships, including river cruises, worldwide, because the risk of COVID-19 on cruise ships is very high."

The health body warns: "That's because the chance of getting COVID-19 on cruise ships is high, since the virus appears to spread more easily between people in close quarters aboard ships.

"Cruise passengers are at increased risk of person-to-person spread of infectious diseases, including COVID-19, and outbreaks of COVID-19 have been reported on cruise ships," it adds.

Americans who decide to go on a cruise abroad "should get tested 13 days before their trip and 35 days after their trip, even if they are fully vaccinated," the health body advises.

See the CDC website for the latest advice on cruise travel during the pandemic.

Some cruises in other regions have resumed services, including in parts of Europe, Asia, the South Pacific as well as the Caribbean.

For cruising enthusiasts in the U.S. looking to book a cruise at this time, here are some of the latest deals on offer.

In early April, Royal Caribbean extended its suspension of several voyages aboard six of its cruise ships with departure dates through June. "Our plan is to resume further operation in July," the company stated at the time.

Back in March, Royal Caribbean announced new seven-night cruises aboard the Adventure of the Seas cruise ship that will depart from the Bahamas starting in June. The cruise line said its new sailings will require adult guests to be "fully vaccinated against COVID-19."

At the time of reporting, a seven-night cruise departing on September 11 aboard Adventure of the Seas, visiting different parts of the Bahamas and Cozumel in Mexico, was available from around $449 per person.

Another week-long cruise departing on August 14 aboard the Vision of the Seas vessel, traveling through the Bahamas and Bermuda, was available from around $928 per person.

See the Royal Caribbean website for more information on the latest cruise offers.

On Wednesday, Princess Cruises announced the cancelation of its California coast and Mexico sailings aboard the Ruby Princess through August 21. Its Caribbean sailings aboard the Caribbean Princess vessel through August 21 and its remaining 2021 Mediterranean season aboard the Enchanted Princess were also axed as well

The cruise line is continuing "its discussion with various United States and Canadian government officials to try to preserve a portion of the Alaska 2021 cruise season," it said in a statement Wednesday.

Currently there are bookings available for departure dates later this year, including Caribbean cruises from around $531 (379) per person, departing from as early as November 6 aboard the Caribbean Princess vessel.

Alaska cruises for next year are also available from around $756 (539) per person, departing from as early as May 2, 2022 aboard the Sapphire Princess.

See the Princess Cruises website for more information on the latest cruise deals.

On Tuesday, Carnival Cruise Line (the flagship cruise line of British-American cruise operator Carnival Corporation) said it is "cancelling sailings on all other ships through July 30," following an earlier announcement in April which canceled sailings from the U.S. through June.

The company said it "hopes to begin operating sailings on three ships from Florida and Texas, including Carnival Vista and Carnival Breeze from Galveston, and Carnival Horizon from Miami," in a statement Tuesday.

Currently there are bookings available for cruises in the Bahamas, Mexico and the Caribbean for departures later this year from the autumn months and onwards.

At the time of reporting, short cruises in the Bahamas departing from Florida were available from $159 per person.

Four to five day cruises in the Caribbean departing from Florida and Alabama were on offer from $179 per person. Voyages in Mexico departing from California were available from $194 per person, at the time of publishing.

Nine-day cruises are also available in the U.K., Spain and Italy from $699 per person.

The exact departures vary depending on destination and deal. See the Carnival website for exact dates.

See the Carnival website for more information on the latest cruise offers.

In early April, Norwegian Cruise Line announced it will begin operations at a reduced capacity aboard its Norwegian Jade, Joy and Gem vessels, with new sailings in Europe and the Caribbean starting on July 25.

Currently, the cruise line is offering 30 percent off all of its cruises. The website says: "No matter when and where you want to cruise, the time to book (and save) is now with 30 percent off all cruises! Plus, add on any Two free at Sea Upgrade Packages."

At the time of reporting, Caribbean sailings were on offer from around $603 (430) per person, departing from as early as August.

Cruises in the Mediterranean region are available from around $655 (467) per person, including one departing as early as August this year traveling through the Greek islands of Santorini, Mykonos and Rhodes. This voyage is available from around $766 (546) per person.

See the Norwegian website for more information on the latest cruise offers.

Holland America Line "received approval to restart cruising from Piraeus (Athens) in August with four departures aboard Eurodam," the company said in a statement on May 5.

Its new seven-day cruises in Greece are available for departures from August 15 through September 5, priced from around $2,734 (1,949) per person.

See the Holland America Line website for more information on the latest cruise deals.

Costa Cruises resumed cruise operations this month with its first sailing from Italy on May 1. Its summer season includes voyages to parts of France, Spain and Greece.

Summer cruises in the Eastern Mediterranean region are available from around $439 per person, with departures from as early as June 5.

See the Costa Cruises website for more information the latest cruise offers.

Excerpt from:

Cruise Ship Deals From Royal Caribbean, Princess Cruises, Carnival and Others - Newsweek

COVID-19 OVERVIEW

Concern is mounting in Latin America and the Caribbean over the circulation of new COVID-19 variants that are driving up cases and hospitalizationswhile countries in the region continue to administer available vaccines supplies. Additionally, increasing cases among people 39 or younger are resultingin longer hospital stays and higher demand for healthcare services. Over the long term, one of the region's chief concerns is the pandemic's impact onmortality, as Latin American countries have suffered more excess deaths from all causes during the pandemic than any other region in the world.

NEW VARIANTS

The P.1 variant from Brazil, thought to be 2 to2.5 times more transmissible than the firstSARS-CoV-2 strain to spread in Latin Americaand the Caribbean, has rapidly spread acrossSouth America in 2021. Countries such asArgentina, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay andVenezuela, who have confirmed the presenceof P.1, have set single-day records for casesand deaths in April. Peru registered its highestsingle-day death toll at 433.

As Brazil shares a border with 10 countries,the greater transmissibility of P.1 variantposes a serious threat to the region. Theclimbing pace of new infections, coupled withchallenges in rolling out vaccines in severalcountries, is further straining health systemsand has prompted certain countries to againimplement restriction measures and/or closetheir borders.

EXCESS DEATHS

While Latin America and the Caribbean's deathtoll of more than 958,300 currently accountsfor nearly 3 out of every 10 COVID-19 deathsreported around the world, the pandemic'seffects on mortality in the region also includeexcess deaths (the number of deaths abovehistorical averages) due to overburdenedhealth systems' reduced capacities for treatingother conditions and COVID-19 deaths notrecorded at hospitals, among other factors.

Latin American countries have suffered moreexcess deaths relative to historical averages,with Peru, Ecuador, Nicaragua, Bolivia, Mexico,Brazil and Colombia currently reporting sevenof the world's eight largest disparities in deathsrelative to historical averages. The region as awhole accounts for 10 out of 40 countries inthe world with the highest excess deaths per 1million people

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Latin America & The Caribbean - Monthly Situation Snapshot - As of 11 May 2021 - Argentina - ReliefWeb

Last week in Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean, demonstrations increased. Workers in different sectors demonstrated in several countries across the region on International Workers Day, demanding better working conditions and access to coronavirus vaccines. As part of these demonstrations, in Mexico, teachers organized several protests in the state of Hidalgo. In El Salvador, Congress voted in favor of the destitution of the attorney general and five judges of the Supreme Court, triggering protests in the capital. Meanwhile, in Puerto Rico, civil society organizations and relatives of two women killed by their former partners protested against gender-based violence. Lastly, in Mexico, a journalist was killed by unidentified armed men in the state of Sonora.

On 1 May, workers protested in Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Honduras, Martinique, Mexico, Panama, and Puerto Rico in commemoration of International Workers Day on 1 May. In over half of demonstrations that day, workers denounced worsening labor conditions amid the coronavirus pandemic and demanded access to vaccinations. Over the last few months, coronavirus contagion rates have increased in several countries in the region, leading to new lockdown measures (Deutsche Welle, 29 April 2021). Unemployment rates have increased in Central America amid the pandemic by an estimated 9.7% in 2020 compared to 6.1% in 2019 (Nodal, 29 October 2020). In the majority of the countries in Central America and the Caribbean, less than 10% of the population has been fully vaccinated (Reuters, May 2021).

Meanwhile, in Mexico, teachers affiliated with the National Union of Education Workers (SNTE) one of the largest teachers unions in Mexico protested in 27 cities across the state of Hidalgo on 1 May. The protests took place amid ongoing negotiations between the government and the SNTE. Teachers are asking for the timely payment of wages and pensions, and access to technology (La Jornada, 6 March 2021). In 2020, classes were held remotely to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. This raised concerns over access to education, especially in rural areas where over 50% of the population does not have internet access (El Pais, 22 March 2021).

In El Salvador, Congress voted to remove the attorney general and five judges of the Supreme Court. The dismissal triggered protests in the capital, San Salvador. Following the legislative elections of 28 February, President Nayib Bukeles party, New Ideas, and other parties supporting the government, have held the majority in Congress. On 2 May, a majority of deputies in the Legislative Assembly approved the removal of five judges who had ruled against initiatives pushed by the president on several occasions, such as the enforcement of strict coronavirus measures (BBC, 2 May 2021; Reuters, 16 April 2020). Similarly, they removed the attorney general for allegedly siding with the interests of the Nationalist Republican Alliance (ARENA) opposition party (Deutsche Welle, 2 May 2021). The removal of the attorney comes after the opening of an investigation against Bukeles government. The government is accused of negotiating with gangs supposedly exchanging money or prison perks in exchange for electoral favors and reduced levels of killings perpetrated by gangs (Insight Crime, 3 May 2021; La Vanguardia, 4 September 2020).

In response to the dismissal of the general attorney and judges, civil society organizations, students, and opposition groups protested. They argue that the decision is another step towards the governments full control of the three branches of government. Pro-government workers unions also demonstrated in support of the newly appointed attorney general and judges by Congress. President Bukele has been criticized by members of the international community and local civil society organizations for the authoritarian turn his government has taken (El Comercio, 2 May 2021). In February 2020, the president walked into a parliamentary session with armed police and military officers in an effort to intimidate congressmen who were about to vote on the approval of funds for the governments security plan (La Vanguardia, 9 February 2021).

Meanwhile in Puerto Rico, the killing of two women sparked demonstrations against gender-based violence. On 29 April, a woman was killed and her charred body was discovered in the city of Cayey. Two days later, in San Juan, another woman was killed. In both cases, the perpetrators are the former partners of the victims (EFE, 3 May 2021). Relatives of the victims and members of organizations that advocate for womens rights organized several protests in the cities of San Juan and Caguas demanding justice for femicides. In January 2021, the governor of Puerto Rico declared a state of emergency, promising to invest resources in mechanisms to prevent gender-based violence (BBC, 25 January 2021). This decision was taken as femicides have doubled in 2020 compared to the previous year (Amnesty International, 26 January 2021).

Finally, in Mexico, on World Press Freedom Day on 3 May, a journalist was killed by unidentified armed men in the state of Sonora. The victim was the founder of a local media outlet that covered political and criminal news in the municipality of Sonoyta. He had reportedly received anonymous threats days before the attack (Infobae, May 2021). This is at least the second killing of a journalist in Mexico this year. Although the motives of the attack remain unknown, the killing of the journalist might be connected to the activities of gangs in the area. Press workers are often threatened and targeted for their investigative work into corruption or organized crime activities (The New York Times, 22 December 2020). According to Reporters Without Borders, 99% of killings of journalists in Mexico go unpunished (Swissinfo, 8 May 2021).

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ACLED Regional Overview Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean (1 - 7 May 2021) - Mexico - ReliefWeb

THAT SUMMERBy Jennifer Weiner432 pp. Atria. $28.

Weiner, the undisputed boss of the beach read, is back with another stunner. Part mystery and part love story, with a strong dash of coming-of-age, That Summer welcomes readers into the lives of Diana Daisy Shoemaker, her teenage daughter, Beatrice, and Diana Starling, the glamorous corporate consultant whose emails mistakenly land in Daisys inbox.

In her early 20s, Daisy put her own aspirations on hold to marry a wealthy, domineering, to-the-manner-born lawyer, Hal Shoemaker, who still defines himself by his years at an elite New Hampshire boarding school. Even after decades of marriage, Daisy exists on the periphery of Hals world, a homemaker whose efforts are occasionally appreciated but never admired.

Dianas misplaced emails offer a glimpse into a life of glitz and independence in a time when Daisys life feels particularly small. While Daisys cooking, cleaning and coaxing monosyllables out of her teenage daughter, Diana is jetting off to tennis tournaments and celebrating birthdays with spa weekends in Marin County. Soon the two women strike up an unlikely friendship, but the reader suspects that Diana is keeping secrets big ones. You dont have to be a detective to see that more connects her to Daisy than their shared first name. While the mysterys grand reveal is fairly obvious, the getting there is fraught with tension and twists that keep the pages turning furiously.

Weiners book is less concerned with what happened that summer on the Cape than with how the impact of that event has ricocheted wildly across the years, coloring the lives of Diana, Daisy and now Beatrice. Its a thoughtful approach that allows characters depth and complexity, rather than reducing any one of them to a singular moment of trauma.

That Summer incisively examines the way privilege shapes and shields those who wield it, and explores the circuitous path toward healing when justice falls short. Despite the heavy subject matter, Weiners prose is as warm and inviting as ever.

SUMMER ON THE BLUFFSBy Sunny Hostin400 pp. William Morrow. $27.99.

Hostins debut novel is aspirational escapism at its best, balancing an idyllic setting and lush, evocative language with emotional heft and adroit social commentary.

Since coming to New York from New Orleans in 1972, Amelia Vaux has found success on Wall Street and lasting love with steady, adoring Omar Tanner. Together, Ama and Omar have built their dream life, including a gorgeous summer home in the exclusive Black beach community of Oak Bluffs on Marthas Vineyard.

Though they have no children of their own, Ama and Omar have lavished love and support onto their three now grown goddaughters: Perry, a lawyer; Olivia, a financial analyst; and Billie, a marine biologist.

Strangely, the Vaux Tanners seem to have chosen their goddaughters at random, with no obvious prior connection to their families but each woman privately wonders whether theres more to the story.

For years, their questions went unasked, but everything is changing now. Since Omar died, 60-something Ama is looking toward her next act. She invites the three women to spend one last summer in Oak Bluffs with the promise that, by the end of the season, shell select a lucky benefactor who will inherit the house.

Hostin, who is a co-host of The View, nails the balance of sisterly affection and jealousy between her subjects, creating a dynamic that feels wholly authentic when it could have veered toward caricature. Like their godmother, Perry, Olivia and Billie have created lives that look perfect on paper but like Ama, theyre harboring secrets. Over the course of their final summer together, tensions rise, relationships are tested, and all is revealed in a thoughtful, nuanced fashion.

While Ama and Omars decision to withhold information from their goddaughters isnt fully explored, the twists and turns of the mystery are genuinely surprising and pack an emotional wallop. Hostins story is a vast, intricate and ultimately rewarding one about love, family and self-fulfillment.

Despite the weightier subject matter, the language feels like a warm breeze through a silk shirt. In short, this book is summer incarnate.

THE SIRENBy Katherine St. John416 pp. Grand Central. $28.

If theres one word to describe The Siren, its this: salacious. Cole Power, a megastar, is making a movie his son Jacksons directorial debut. Despite Coles icy relationship with Jackson, he has not only agreed to fund the film, but has also agreed to star in it opposite his ex-wife, Jacksons former stepmother, Stella Rivers. For Stella, the project is a lifeboat. After her one-year marriage fizzled, she endured a very public meltdown, a stint in rehab and a failed reality show that left her financially ruined. Her career is nonexistent. Her money is gone. The only thing holding her together is her enigmatic assistant, Felicity, and the chance at redemption offered by a starring role.

Taylor Wasserman, a disgraced producer, also needs The Siren to catapult her back to respectability in the industry. The three narrators plus the articles, interviews and Instagram posts scattered throughout make for a reading experience thats as layered and decadent as a slice of tiramisu.

On the outermost layer, news reports and gossip columns show the medias perception of events, from a distance. Taylors chapters deal primarily with the challenges of being a woman in Hollywood. Stellas sections dive a bit deeper, probing the American obsession with building up women only to destroy them.

But perhaps most intimate of all are the chapters following Felicity from childhood to present, which brilliantly flip the small-town girl coming to L.A. with a dream clich on its head. Is she after a role, revenge or something else?

As St. John reveals the assistants dark past and teases at her true motive, the sense of foreboding grows alongside the threat of a hurricane hitting the films shooting location in the Caribbean.

If you put The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, Gone Girl and Big Little Lies into a blender, you might get The Siren pulpy and scandalous enough to compete with a glossy-paged gossip rag, but with brisk, lucid writing.

Originally posted here:

From Cape Cod to Marthas Vineyard to the Caribbean, These Beach Reads Will Whisk You Into Summer - The New York Times

File image courtesy Royal Caribbean

PublishedMay 11, 2021 10:58 PM by Ankur Kundu

Michael Bayley, the president,and CEO of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., announced through a Facebook post that the company will resume hiring beginning on May 21. The news comes less than a fortnight after the cruise line said it would temporarily suspend recruiting crew members from India, and it has been welcomed by Indian seafarers.

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. is the world's second-largest cruise company after Carnival Corporation, and it was one of the first to suspend hiring of Indian crew as a result of the re-emergence of COVID-19 in the region. Royal Caribbean Cruises owns both Royal Caribbean International and Celebrity Cruises.

Crewmembers from India will be allowed to join Royal Caribbean Cruises under "enhanced protocols." Bayley said that these procedures would be in effect for at least a limited while, but that these improved protocols will be used for crewmembers arriving from other countries where new COVID-19 cases are on the rise.

Before boarding a ship, Indian crew members will be put through a series of tests followed by isolation to ensure their safe embarkation on the ship. Every crewmember boarding the ship must follow a strict protocol, in the following order:

1. PCR Test2. 14-day quarantine3. PCR Test4. Charter flight5. PCR Test6. Given a Covid-19 vaccine7. Quarantine8. PCR Test

The news was welcomed on social media by the cruise line's employees. Many of Royal Caribbean's Indian crew members particularly appreciate the cruise line's vaccination scheme, as India is experiencing vaccine shortages amidst its ongoing outbreak.

The Royal Caribbean crewmembers of the Explorer, Liberty, Navigator, Mariner and Independence of the Seas have already completed their first dose of vaccination at the Port of Miami. Crewmembers joining from India are next on the list.

The rest is here:

Royal Caribbean Resumes Recruiting Indian Crewmembers - The Maritime Executive

While Royal Caribbean has not revealed its full protocols for its summer cruises on Adventure of the Seas, face masks will not be necessary on its private island.

Face masks have been a major point of contention among cruise fans who want to know where and when you will have to wear masks, but Royal Caribbean has confirmed face masks are not going to be required on Perfect Day at CocoCay.

Royal Caribbean's Senior Vice President, Sales, Trade Support and Service, Vicki Freed, confirmed to travel agents during a webinar the nature of its private island makes not wearing a mask on the island safe.

Beginning June 12, Adventure of the Seas will begin offering cruises out of Nassau, Bahamas and include two days in a row at the cruise line's private island.

Read more:Royal Caribbean Summer 2021 Cruise Planning Guide

"At Perfect Day at CocoCay, because it is our private destination and everybody who lives on the island will have the vaccination and all guests will be vaccinated who are 18 and older, you will not have to wear a mask when you're at Perfect Day at CocoCay," Freed said during the opening of her call with travel agents.

Ms. Freed said Royal Caribbean is still working on where else you will have to wear masks, including the other ports of call the ship will visit.

Read more:Do's & Don'ts of Perfect Day at CocoCay

"We are still trying to get the details on Cozumel, and Grand Bahama Islands, and hopefully by next week we'll have all those details to share with you."

Royal Caribbean said adults would be required to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 to sail on the voyages. Children under the age of 18 will be able to sail with just proof of a negative COVID-19 test. All crew also will require COVID-19 vaccinations to work on the ship.

Since Adventure of the Seas is sailing from outside the United States and not visiting any U.S. ports, the ship does not have to adhere to any guidance or recommendations from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The CDC recently released requirements and recommendations for health protocols on cruise ships for test sailings from the U.S., which have largely been seen as overbearing and overly conservative.

Specifically, the CDC said in its technical instructions that"mask use and social distancing must be observed" while at a cruise line private island.

Royal Caribbean's ships will have reduced capacity (around 50% initially) along with fully vaccinated adults onboard.

This week, the New York Times called the CDC's outdoor COVID-19 outdoor transmission statistics a "misleading statistic."

The share of transmission that has occurred outdoors seems to be below 1 percent and may be below 0.1 percent, according to multiple epidemiologists.

This small piece of information about masks on CocoCay is one part of Royal Caribbean's plan for guests and crew once ships do resume sailings.

Ms. Freed confessed that the original plan was for Royal Caribbean to announce their full set of protocols and how ships will resume cruises again today, but the line needs more time.

"We had truly hoped that we would be able to announce our protocols and our return to service today," Ms. Freed said during the webinar. "So as we get the information on the protocols and return to service, you will hear it here first."

Ms. Freed said she is headed to Washington D.C. next week, but she said the new protocols could be coming as early as next week, "if we're ready to announce a return to service and our protocols and our deployment, ...we're going to give you something that I know you've all been waiting for."

The return to service Ms. Freed alluded to could be regarding Royal Caribbean's plans to restart cruises from the United States, similar to what Carnival did yesterday.

Carnival Cruise Line announced it has canceled July sailings for all but four of its 24 vessels, with those vessels potentially restarting from Texas, Florida, and Seattle.

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Royal Caribbean says passengers will not have to wear face masks on Perfect Day at CocoCay - Royal Caribbean Blog

TITLE: Associate, Latin American and the Caribbean Programs

LOCATION: Remote

DEPARTMENT: International Programs

REPORTS TO: Associate Director, Latin American and the Caribbean Programs

ASSIGNMENT TYPE: Regular, FTE (40 hours per week)

ABOUT AMERICARESAmericares is a health-focused relief and development organization that saves lives and improves health for people affected by poverty or disaster. Each year, Americares reaches 90 countries on average, including the United States, with life-changing health programs, medicine, medical supplies and emergency aid. Americares is the worlds leading nonprofit provider of donated medicine and medical supplies. For more information, visit americares.org.In the last fiscal year Americares, the Latin American and Caribbean Programs team delivered over $97 million in medical gift-in-kind to partners in 10 countries across the region, and implemented infection prevention and control, WASH, supply chain strengthening, and green energy infrastructure programs in Dominican Republic, Dominica, El Salvador, Honduras, and Haiti. Also, Americares has rapidly expanded its program presence in LAC with a focus on strengthening primary care facilities to become thriving local health centers.

Americares defines thriving local health centers as those with strength in four areas: Professional capacity of the health center itself; Sense of care, respect, and dignity patients experience; Community engagement to prevent disease and promote good health, while ensuring those served by a health center have a voice in how it serves them; and Connection with larger health system for referral, support, and resilience.

POSITION SUMMARY:Under the supervision of the Associate Director of Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) Programs, the Associates main role will be to coordinate and expand the Americares network of ongoing Access to Medicine partners in LAC. This network currently includes international and national NGOs, faith-based organizations, and government partners in St. Lucia, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Jamaica, Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Venezuela, Colombia, and Peru.

The Associate will be a point of contact for all partners in this ongoing Access to Medicine network and will collaboratively support the teams Access to Medicine work and agenda. Additionally, the Associate will have diverse responsibilities in the areas of program administration, medical logistics, operations, finance, monitoring and evaluation, reporting, emergency response and recovery, stakeholder engagement, legal and compliance, development, and supply chain management.

Duties and Responsibilities:-Review, offer, and coordinate medical Gift-In-Kind products to support ongoing Access to Medicine partners in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC)-Maintain trackers and files related to shipments of Gift-In-Kind products-Coordinate the annual partnership renewal process with all ongoing Access to Medicine partners within LAC-Run background checks on Partner organizations, Vendors, Contractors, Consultants, as necessary.-Provide exceptional and timely service to Access to Medicine partners, including phone/Zoom coordination calls as necessary.-Work closely with cross-departmental teams, including Gift-In-Kind Process Management, Logistics, Development, Corporate Relations, Marketing and Communications, LAC desk officers, and Field and Project Administration-Collect and review reporting from ongoing LAC Access to Medicine partners, including shipment paperwork submissions, distribution data, and impact reporting.-Collect needs lists and qualitative and quantitative data to support specialty donation requests for LAC partners.-Compile and submit monthly and quarterly reporting and data to LAC team leadership and for donors, gather targeted impact stories from our partners.-Support the Marketing and Communications team with updating LAC webpage content related to Access to Medicines partners and countries.-Travel within the LAC regions to perform site monitoring visits with Access to Medicine partners-Support innovation and process improvements related to Americares Access to Medicine work, including beta-testing new software and processes, providing feedback on SOPs, and taking part in relevant working groups-Assist during internal and external audit inquiries-Respond to all information requests from external parties interested in Americares Access to Medicine work in LAC-Translate short documents and phone calls as necessary-Provide administrative support to across LAC portfolio as necessary

Qualifications:Bachelors Degree in Public Health, International Development, International Relations, Supply Chain Management, or a related fieldLiteracy and fluency in written and spoken Spanish requiredKnowledge of Latin America and/or the Caribbean regions; history working with low-resource settings a plus.Passion for the Americares mission and the fields of global health and international developmentGenuine interest in improving access to medicines and medical supplies in low resource countries and settingsExceptionally strong organization skills and attention to detailDemonstrated ability to multi-task and be adaptableExcellent interpersonal and cross-cultural skills and diplomacyExcellent written and oral communications skills in English, including report writing and editingAbility and flexibility to travel to Latin America and the Caribbean, if needed, up to 15% of the timeAbility to work without constant supervision (self-sufficient, self-starter, proactive, and a fast learner)High proficiency in Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and SharePoint)Willingness and ability to learn new systems i.e. inventory management, finance, M&EKnowledge of, or experience with, inventory management and supply chain principles a plus

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Associate, Latin American and the Caribbean Programs - ReliefWeb

The annual Monsters of Rock Cruise is set to sail on the Freedom of the Seas from Royal Caribbean International in 2022, marking the sailing's 10th anniversary

Departing out of Miami, Florida, promoter On The Blue announced the five-night full ship charter cruise will set sail February 9 to 14 and visit two ports in CocoCay, Bahamas and Labadee, Haiti, and feature performances from Alice Cooper, along with performances from over 35 artists.

The public on-sale kicks off on May 11 at 9:00 am ET, with cabins starting at $1,799.00 per person (double occupancy, not including mandatory taxes and fee supplement).

The supporting lineup for the cruise includes Queensrche, Cinderellas Tom Keifer, Skid Row, Lit, L.A. Guns, Kix, Winger, Michael Monroe, Great White, H.E.A.T, Loudness, Pat Travers, Y&T, Eclipse, Vixen, Rose Tattoo, Black N Blue, Firewind, Chris Holmes, Joel Hoekstra, Lillian Axe, Faster Pussycat, Pink Cream 69, Dangerous Toys, Killer Dwarfs, XYZ, Beasto Blanco, Electric Boys, Crazy Lixx, Little Caesar, Roxanne, Signal 13, and The Mayor of MORC - John Corabi. Plus, official cruise hosts -- Eddie Trunk (VH1, SiriusXM), comedians Don Jamieson and Jim Florentine (former hosts of VH1 Classic's hit TV show That Metal Show), SiriusXMs Ozzys Boneyard and Hair Nation hosts Keith Roth and Lc Carl, Nikki Blakk, Izzy and Brian, Metal DJ Will, and Ginger Fish -- will be moderating Q&As and activities specifically designed to bring the party up a notch, the charterer said in a statement.

In addition to performances, MORC 22 will host interactive events between artists and cruisers, including: Artist/Cruiser Q&A sessions, Gong Show Karaoke, So You Think You Can Shred, Cooking with Rock Stars, Painting With Rock Stars, Rock Stars vs Average Joe Basketball, and Beach Volleyball, with more to be announced. Furthermore, the cruise will host themed nights, opportunities to dine with selected bands, and artist photo experiences.

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Royal Caribbean Ship to Host Monsters of Rock Cruise in 2022 - Cruise Industry News

Ahead of next weeks Discovery upfront, the company is announcing three new shows coming this summer, including a spinoff of 90 Day Fianc, one of the most popular shows on television. 90 Day: Caribbean Love will premiere on Discovery Plus on July 18, and two more shows So Freakin Cheap (June 21) and You, Me & My Ex (June 20) are coming to TLC.

90 Day: Caribbean Love, produced by Industrial Medias Sharp Entertainment, will be the latest 90 Day Fianc offering to premiere on Discovery Plus, the streaming service the company launched in January. The streamer features a suite of the Discovery networks unscripted programming, from multiple 90 Day offshoots to shows from Food, HGTV, OWN, Magnolia Network and originals for the streamer.

More from Variety

As of Discoverys most recent earnings report, Discovery Plus had landed 13 million subscribers so far. It will soon venture into scripted programming also.

According to the logline for the 90 Day docu-soap, The tropics will provide the backdrop for relationships in various phases from a couple who met online but will now meet for the first time, holiday flings that turned serious and even a one-night stand that turned into a pregnancy. Will meeting in paradise work out once the suntan fades?

TLC, meanwhile, has continued its roll as cables No. 1 entertainment channel this year. Among women in the 18-to-49 and 18-to-34 demos on Sunday nights, the 90 Day Fianc franchise is so popular that TLC is the No. 2 network on all of television (behind only CBS).

In You, Me & My Ex, five couples (and a lingering ex) navigate complicated love triangles are redefining the rules and offer a different look at relationships, according to the logline.

Story continues

With So Freakin Cheap, four frugal families save money by dumpster diving, getting things for free, and planning weddings on the cheap. These families will stop at nothing to spend nothing!

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Caribbean-Themed 90 Day Fianc Spinoff Among Summer Slate Coming to Discovery Plus and TLC (EXCLUSIVE) - Yahoo Entertainment

Every cruise line does things just a little bit different from the rest, but there are at least a few industry-wide trends that Royal Caribbean simply does not do across the board.

Part of making each cruise band stand out is adopting certain policies, incorporating a vision, and providing passengers with something that appeals to their base. Royal Caribbean is no different, and has made a name for itself by offering a cruise vacation with its own flavor of offerings.

Some new cruisers, as well as people new to Royal Caribbean, may be surprised by some of the things Royal Caribbean does not do, which are found on other cruise lines. There are any number of reasons why Royal Caribbean has not followed other lines with these trends, but when comparing lines, some of these omissions may stand out.

Here are the top five cruise industry trends I have noticed Royal Caribbean does not do, as well as one that they recently changed their minds about.

One of the hottest trends in cruises is the "ship within a ship" concept, which takes the suite level offerings to a new height.

Traditionally, passengers in suites enjoyed their luxurious amenities in their cabin, as well as a few perks sprinkled around the ship, such as a suite lounge, reserved seating and more.

A number of main stream lines, including Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL), MSC Cruises, and Celebrity Cruises, have all adopted a new take on the suite life by dedicating entire sections of the ship exclusively to their top tier suite guests.

The idea is to give suite guests not just perks, but exclusive areas for them, including their own pool decks, restaurants, and concierge services. Think of it like a mega velvet roped off area.

While Royal Caribbean has done more to offer its suite guests upgraded amenities for suite guests in recent years (Royal Suite Class), their ships lack a true "ship within a ship" offering that you find on some competitors.

Spectrum of the Seas does offer the closest thing to a ship within a ship concept, but that ship is heavily focused on the Chinese cruise market and sister ship Odyssey of the Seas did not retain that feature.

Read more:What is Star Class?

While a lot of people may think of cruises as sort of all-inclusive, they really are not, and Royal Caribbean purposefully leaves a lot of extra costs and options from the base cruise fare.

To be fair, main stream mass market cruise lines generally shy away from all-inclusive fares, but a number of cruise lines are starting to move in that direction in an effort to make pricing simpler for the guest.

Celebrity Cruises recently changed their pricing model to now include things like gratuities, wi-fi, drink packages and more. Likewise, Holland America Line also shifted to include shore excursions, beverages, WiFi and more.

Traditionally, Royal Caribbean's promotions tend to favor giving guests a discount on the cruise fare, and then allowing guests to add-on things like a drink package or wifi if they want it.

Cruise lines like Holland America or Celebrity are considered to be a premium cruise line, whereas Royal Caribbean is a contemporary line. This means pricing and what is included traditionally differs to begin with.

That being said, cruise fares for certain countries include more in their base fare than in North America. In the UK, drink packages and gratuities are often included with the cruise fare (albeit at a higher price).

Read more:Could Royal Caribbean follow Celebrity Cruises move to all-inclusive pricing?

A new trend many cruise lines are adding to their new cruise ships is an onboard brewery.

NCL recently developed their own brewery in partnership withMiami-based Wynwood Brewing Company by developing District Brew House.

Onboard the NCL Bliss and Escape, you will find24 rotating beers on tap, in addition to a wide variety of bottled beer, and even exclusive brews for NCL.

Carnival offers the RedFrog Pub, and even has its ownprivate-label draft beer: ThirstyFrog Red.

The Carnival Vista has an actual working brewery onboard, and the Carnival Horizon has a combinationGuy's Pig & Anchor Bar-B-Que Smokehouse & Brewhouse.

Royal Caribbean has not gone in that direction quite yet. At one time, they partnered with Chef Michael Schwartz to offer Michael's Genuine Pub on its Quantum Class ships, but their beers were all bottled and was more bar than brewery.

Partnering with a well-known children brand is a cruise industry trend that Royal Caribbean used to do, but went away from.

Carnival has a partnership withDr. Seuss and offers kids programming onboard that includesa special onboard character parade, interactive story time, arts & crafts activities, character breakfast featuring their favorite Dr. Seuss friends and more.

MSC Cruises partners with LEGO, which include larger LEGO play areas, building contests, video games and more.

Royal Caribbean has a partnership with Dreamworks Entertainment for many years, but ended the brand partnership in 2019 in order to focus on offering its own take on what kids could do onboard.

Royal Caribbean said the decision was made as part of its regular process of reviewing and refreshing their onboard offerings.

Read more:Cruising with kids on Royal Caribbean

Royal Caribbean at one time dipped their toe into the celebrity chef pool, but they have generally shied away from this hot trend in cruises.

Specialty restaurants are very popular with passengers, and some lines have sought celebrities to make their offering stand out.

Carnival's new Mardi Gras will have Shaq's Big Chicken restaurant to capitalize on American's love affair with the fast-food chicken sandwich.Emeril Lagasse will also have a restaurant on the Mardi Gras.

Carnival also has a partnership with Guy Fieri, which serves upGuy's Burger Joint. MSC Cruises partnered withRoy Yamaguchi to bringAsian Market Kitchen to MSC Seaside.

Royal Caribbean still has a partnership with Jamie Oliver to offer Jamie's Italian on its ships, but the newest ships in the fleet and most recent refurbishments have focused on revamping its in-house Italian specialty restaurant Giovanni's Table.

Other celebrity chef partnerships on Quantum and Anthem of the Seas have since ended.

Strangely, Royal Caribbean did not have giant water slides on its ships for many years, while Carnival, Norwegian and just about every cruise line included waterslides on their ships.

We may never know why Royal Caribbean resisted adding waterslides onboard, but it was a noticeable omission among families. Sure, the Radiance Class had one kiddy slide, but compared to the other ships, it was a lacking feature.

A few years ago, Royal Caribbean decided to change that and begin adding waterslides to its existing ships, and incorporating them into the designs of new ships.

Today, Royal Caribbean offers a few different water slides on its cruise ships, and most of its larger ships have at least a couple slides to enjoy.

Read more:Which Royal Caribbean ships have water slides?

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5 cruise trends Royal Caribbean doesn't do (and 1 it jumped on) - Royal Caribbean Blog