Monthly Archives: May 2022

Verna McGowan is reinventing herself once again. In a past lifetime, she worked at Levi Strauss following a degree in fashion buying and merchandising at the Fashion Institute of Technology; another career saw McGowan getting a clinical psychology degree from San Francisco State University and working with at-risk students. In her latest career, McGowan has become a chef, first cooking for expats in South Africa while she lived there for a few years, then opening a catering business after graduating from the California Culinary Academy and working as author Alice Walkers personal chef for seven years.

Now, McGowan will start her own kitchen and cook for the public, opening Calypso Rose Kitchen at Emeryvilles Public Market on June 30. Its the culmination of McGowans food experiences from growing up in New York with a Caribbean and Southern upbringing, to learning about Guayanese cuisine from her mother-in-law and Puerto Rican food from friends. McGowan calls her new restaurant an expression of the recipes that have been passed down to her over generations. Its everything that I love that has meant something to me in my personal life, because food is connected with memory, McGowan says. Food is the connection that lingers on, that reminds me of people that I love tremendously.

Calypso Rose Kitchens menu zigzags through those memories and serves almost as a biography of McGowan, with her longtime general manager and sous chef Mimi Garcia working alongside her. Diners can expect dishes like oxtail stew, based on the Guayanese pepperpot dish, which is traditionally served at Christmas and Easter. McGowans version is a mixture of beef, oxtail, and stew meat, cooked with cassareep, a spiced, molasses-like ingredient made from the cassava plant. Guyanese beef patties are also on the menu, learned from McGowans mother-in-law. Some Puerto Rican dishes will be available also, such as a sopa de pollo, arroz con pollo, black bean soup, and pernil, a dish featuring pork shoulder thats slowly roasted until the meat falls off the bone.

There will also be a shrimp and chicken curry with roti sourced from a family member in New York, and Jamaican brown stew chicken thats marinated overnight in a browning sauce, a dish that McGowan says give classic island vibes. Although there is a jerk chicken item on the menu, part of McGowans mission to show diners that theres tons of Caribbean islands and that not all Caribbean food is the same. In developing the menu, to me it was important that people have an experience of Caribbean cuisine outside of jerk chicken, McGowan says.

Food has always been a huge part of McGowans life, she says. Its really a heartfelt expression of gratitude and love to share, and then honoring those people that are no longer with us, she says. Calypso Rose Kitchen is the latest career for McGowan, but its one thats closest to her heart. What Ive learned in this lifetime is that dont tie yourself up in the numbers, she says. Do what moves your spirit; follow your heart and youll never, ever fail.

Calypso Rose Kitchen (5959 Shellmound St, Emeryville) debuts June 30.

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How Caribbean and Latin Home Cooking Inspired This East Bay Chef's Upcoming Debut Restaurant - Eater SF

It's incredible to see how much progress Royal Caribbean has made in less than a year with its restart plans, but there are still a handful of issues the cruise line is working through.

Royal Caribbean is on the brink of having the last ship in the fleet restart operations (Rhapsody of the Seas), which is an important milestone for a company that was decimated by a "black swan" event in the form of the global health crisis.

While the cruise experience has improved rapidly with higher guest satisfaction scores, more ships back in service, and rolled back Covid protocols, there are still a few notable issues that Royal Caribbean is tackling.

It's important to note that these issues are not just Royal Caribbean problems. Nearly every form of travel leisure has their fair share of challenges. The reason why I'm bringing these issues up is to help anyone with a cruise manage expectations properly.

There has been many bumps on the road to Royal Caribbean's restart, but they've been able to navigate them well, and it stands to reason these issues are likely temporary as well.

Here are the challenges Royal Caribbean has to tackle at the moment, which anyone with a cruise this summer should be aware of.

Covid isn't gone by any means, and that means there are still Covid cases on cruise ships.

To be fair, there's always been some level of Covid cases on any Royal Caribbean sailing, but Royal Caribbean's protocols have limited the spread to ensure it doesn't become a ship-wide problem.

Covid cases are going to be an ongoing problem for a while, just like every facet of life. Just like in society, we're learning to live with it, but that doesn't mean there won't be cases popping up onboard.

Based on reader feedback, it seems guests are reporting seeing or experiencing Covid cases on individual sailings and it's almost certainly a reflection of a general rise in Covid cases around the world right now.

YouTube vloggers Travel Spree unfortunately caught Covid and had to be isolated while on their Symphony of the Seas cruise.

RoyalCaribbeanBlog message board useranxiouscruiser shared their experience testing positive for Covid while onboard Serenade of the Seas, "it sucks but I knew the risk when I chose to cruise. I just wish it didn't happen to us."

According to theU.S. Centers for Disease Control and Preventions weekly review, there has been a week-on-week increase in the number of counties with high levels of COVID-19.As of May 11, 2022, the current 7-day moving average of daily new cases (84,778) increased 30.7% compared with the previous 7-day moving average (64,863).

In short, more Covid cases in society is going to likely translate to more Covid cases onboard cruise ships. Unlike on land, cruise ships at least have requirements and protocols that do their best to mitigate the spread of Covid.

What this all means is you should becognizant of the fact there are more Covid cases, and take whatever precautions you deem fit. Perhaps that's wearing a N95 mask while indoors, or changing shore excursion plans to prioritize outdoor tours.

Every company is dealing with not enough workers, and that includes cruise ships.

On some ships, certain venues or forms of entertainment are not yet open so that they can better utilize crew members. In other cases, there may simply not be enough crew members to manage every situation that can arise.

There's an interesting message board thread discussing the general issue on the Royal Caribbean Blog message boards.

While many guests are understanding of the general problems all business have in hiring, they also feel moving to full capacity with less than a full compliment of crew causes guest satisfaction problems, "I think we all understand the troubles of staffing right now, but Royal Caribbean should match their ships capacity with their staffing.," saidcarlosalonsor.

"I think Royal Caribbean just found it a bit harder to staff up than they expected to," smokeybanditopined. "For those who do want to return, lots of red tape to get them on board again. Then there are those who have found a happy life off a ship or those that are just hesitant to return for various reasons."

Royal Caribbean Blog readerRobert Joseph Dulo shared a similar issue with staffing shortages on Explorer of the Seas last week, "The staff and the ship could not handle the capacity with many service and food issues."

"I left them detailed survey responses and hope they look closely at them as my experience was similar to others that I talked to. I hope they make the appropriate changes or they will start to lose cruisers, especially me. They seemed to not be ready for higher capacity."

Even if Royal Caribbean could snap their fingers and hire everyone they need right now, there's still the issue of visa delays, quarantine rules in some countries, vaccine requirements, and more.

The good news is Royal Caribbean is indeed trying to hire as many new crew members as they can, with recruitment drives in countries around the world. It does not appear to be a problem the cruise line is not aware of by any means.

In the meantime, bring extra patience with you, along with sunscreen, a camera, and a good book.

Tangentially related to the first two issues, you may run into certain items not available onboard your cruise.

Primarily, we've seen this in the past in the form of certain brands of liquors not available. Remember the CocoCay-branded beer? That was an early victim of supply chain issues.

Just like staffing problems, this is not likely an issue that will go away overnight. In its first quarter 2022 earnings, Royal Caribbean Group said they're managingsupply chain challenges, mainly related to fuel and food costs.

In my experience, how much of an impact it has on your sailing will greatly depend on which brands of types of food and drink you prefer, as well as general demand onboard. Each sailing has a different assortment of guests onboard, and the ships are doing their best to supply accordingly.

After reading about these issues, what should your takeaway be for an upcoming sailing?

Certainly the problems Royal Caribbean is facing are the sort of things the company has to mitigate and address in order to improve, but if your cruise is coming up in the next few weeks, it's possible it could impact your cruise.

At a minimum, it's food for thought. Throughout the restart of cruise operations, there have been hurdles for passengers to navigate. So while today's problems are a concern, it's not like there haven't been things Royal Caribbean has overcome in the past year.

It may also be an opportunity to gauge how comfortable you are with embracing a certain level of flexibility. Nothing is perfect, including cruise ships, so if the prospect of your favorite liquor not being available, or a longer wait for drinks at bar truly irks you, then perhaps you should put off your cruise until the situation improves.

As cruise fans, we love this kind of a vacation and no one ever wants to be disappointed. It's why I think it's critical to be as honest and up-front with what others are seeing so we can all make the right decision to sail or not.

The sort of problems Royal Caribbean has are also being dealt with at plenty of other land-based travel destinations. So the grass is not greener necessarily elsewhere. But that doesn't mean a cruise right now is superb either.

An educated consumer tends to have a better experience overall, and this article is intended to ensure you are up-to-date with what's happening.

Continued here:

The top problems Royal Caribbean is facing as it returns to full capacity - Royal Caribbean Blog

Attachments

CENTRAL AMERICA & THE CARIBBEAN: FOOD SECURITY

KEY FIGURES

12.7M PEOPLE IN 5 COUNTRIES IPC PHASE 3 (CRISIS) FOOD INSECURITY OR WORSE

According to the Global Network Against Food Crises 2022 Global Report on Food Crises, rising food prices, the COVID-19 pandemics economic effects, extreme weather and high insecurity drove nearly a million more people into Crisis levels of food insecurity (IPC Phase 3 or above) in El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras and Nicaragua in 2021.

The increase from 11.8 million foodinsecure people in 2020 to 12.7 million in 2021 saw all five countries reach six-year highs, populations that had already been growing in Central America prior to the November 2020 impact of hurricanes Eta and Iota. The economic impacts of COVID-19 containment measures lasted well into 2021, as the pandemic precipitated one of the regions worst recessions and exacerbated existing structural problems. Haitis situation was marked by violence as well as the August 7.2-magnitude earthquake and Tropical Storm Grace in the south. While there was a slight decrease in the number of people in Phase 3 from September 2021 thanks to improved food availability due to harvests, the population in Emergency (IPC Phase 4) food insecurity increased after the impacts of the earthquake and tropical storm.

CENTRAL AMERICA: MIGRANTS & REFUGEES

24K IRREGULAR MIGRANT ENTRIES INTO HONDURAS FROM JANUARY TO APRIL 2022

HONDURAS

According to ECHO, Honduras recorded more than 24,000 irregular migrant entries between January and April 2022, mostly people from Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela. The Danl and Trojes municipalities are seeing a daily average of more than 500 people seeking shelter. Needs identified include food and water access, basic hygiene and sanitation services, health and psychosocial support services, protection, restoring family links, information on migration procedures and access to National Migration Institute services.

PANAMA

Mdecins Sans Frontires (MSF) reports an average of 1,500 monthly medical consultations from migrants in Darien on Panamas eastern border with Colombia, including responding to nearly 400 women victims of sexual assault between April 2021 to March 2022. The dangerous jungle, which saw 19,092 irregular crossings from January to April 2022 (a 66 per cent increase from the 11,487 reported in the same period in 2021), is rife with protection issues due to criminal groups that routinely assault migrants and subject women migrants to sexual violence, including rape.

Read more:

Latin America & The Caribbean Weekly Situation Update (9 - 15 May 2022) As of 16 May 2022 - Haiti - ReliefWeb

An International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) project has been launched to help the small island nations of the Caribbean handle radioactive material safely and securely.

The Regulatory Infrastructure Development Project (RIDP) kicked off with a four-day workshop in Vienna, with some participants joining online. It aims to establish or enhance national regulatory infrastructure for radiation safety and for the security of radioactive material. Government officials from fourteen countries in the region, all at different stages in the development of their nuclear regulatory infrastructure, had the opportunity to hold bilateral sessions with IAEA experts to assess their needs.

We are taking the use of nuclear technology to the next level, and it is important for us to enhance our regulatory infrastructure as we move forward, said Maxine Russell, Director General of the Hazardous Substances Regulatory Authority of Jamaica. As one of the countries with the most developed regulatory infrastructure in the region, Jamaica is supporting its neighbors under what is known as South-South cooperation. With the knowledge gained, we aim to continue sharing best practices with other experts in the region.

Participants included experts from Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and as well as Saint Kitts and Nevis, and Suriname, which are not IAEA Member States.

The individualized approach of the project allows for flexibility both at the planning and the implementation phase, with IAEA experts adapting to address national priorities that could evolve along the way. RIDP has been designed to tackle and fix any shortcomings countries may have identified in their regulatory infrastructure, said Lydie Evrard, IAEA Deputy Director General and Head of the Department of Nuclear Safety and Security. This mechanism adopts a flexible and agile open-ended approach.

Nuclear safety and security go hand in hand as the IAEA works to promote a framework to protect people, society and the environment from the harmful effects of ionizing radiation. In simple terms to distinguish the two, safety is about protecting you from accidental exposure to radiation whereas security is about protecting the radioactive source from being used for malicious intent. Nuclear safety and security are two sides of the same coin, Evrard said. RIDP is tailor-made to address both angles so that they complement each other in an integrated manner.

For countries starting out, they will receive support in the establishment of a national policy, a national inventory of radiation sources, the development of regulations and guides, supported by related training. Assistance to countries which are further ahead in their infrastructure development will focus on the enhancement of these areas and further strengthen their organization. The project also complements on-going work under the IAEAs Technical Cooperation program enhancing regulatory infrastructure for radiation safety in the region.

The workshop concluded with a draft workplan that will guide the participant countries in their next steps.

The governments of Canada, France, Spain and the United States have provided financial support to the overall project. The RIDP focusing on the Caribbean region is financed by the United States, which delivered its support through the Office of Nonproliferation and Disarmament Fund (ISN/NDF) U.S. Department of State.

Read more at IAEA

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IAEA Helping Caribbean Nations With Nuclear Safety and Security - HS Today - HSToday

If you're going on a Royal Caribbean cruise with close friends or family, you might want to link your reservations together.

Linking reservations is an optional feature to make dining arrangements a little bit easier.

Here's a look at the why and how of linking reservations on a Royal Caribbean cruise.

In short, linking reservations together means you can more easily facilitate dining reservations, especially in the main dining room.

Every stateroom has a reservation number, and there is no inherit way for Royal Caribbean to know guests staying in one cabin want to dine with guests in another cabin. This is especially true of families that split up among different cabins.

Royal Caribbean makes cruising fun for families and groups of all sizes, but that usually means there are multiple reservations involved. Since youre traveling together, it makes sense that you would want to eat together in the dining room and plan excursions together.

Or maybe you have someone really generous in your group who is paying for your drink package, or wants to surprise you with a spa day!

In addition, linking reservations allows for an easier time of booking entertainment since you won't have to look up the reservations later.

It's an extra step that makes planning other aspects of the cruise a little bit easier when your travelling party is spread across more than one cabin.

Before you can link a reservation with yours, you will need some basic information about each person's reservation:

The most common issue for anyone that wants to link reservations is finding their reservation number.

There are a few ways to find your reservation number, so it's just a matter of whatever is easier for you.

You can find that by logging into your Royal Caribbean account. I find that it is easiest to do this on an actual computer, rather than the mobile app.

After logging in, the reservation number should be listed with every cruise you have booked.

Other ways to get the reservation number include:

Once you're ready, you can link reservations together in one of three ways:

In the case of a travel agent or going through Royal Caribbean, this requires you to simply contact either one to make it happen.

If you want to do this on your own, you and them can log onto the Royal Caribbean website.

Just below your reservation information, you should see a button that says Have a Reservation? Click the blue Add a Cruise button.

This will take you to the Link A Cruise page. It will ask you for the Surname (Last Name) of the person you want to link, their date of birth, and their reservation number. Click Continue.

From there, it should locate their reservation and give you the option to link their reservation with your cruise!

Now you are all set! Your Main Dining Room table reservations will be set together. Youll also have access to each other so that you can pay for each others excursions and other Cruise Planner items.

For example, my husband and I are traveling with his sister in November, and we are trading off paying for some of the fun things we are planning on board. Linking our reservations has made that super easy! Have fun and get to planning!

Read more here:

How to link Royal Caribbean cruise reservations together - Royal Caribbean Blog

Weeks before the 2022 Atlantic hurricane season's official start, a low-pressure system may bring flooding rain to Central America, but its chances of spawning the first tropical depression or storm in the Caribbean Sea are very low for now.

We understand if this might catch you a little off guard; It's only May. But there's a scenario setting up that can sometimes lead to tropical development.

First, a large, broad area of low pressure is expected to form in the next few days over Central America, something meteorologists refer to as a Central American gyre, or CAG.

These CAGs most often form from May through June and again in October through November, but can occur at any time over the next six months.

These CAGs can spawn or influence tropical storms in the Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico or eastern Pacific Ocean.

Two years ago, one such CAG also formed in late May.

It pushed eastern Pacific Tropical Storm Amanda inland into Guatemala, then steered its remnant into the Bay of Campeche, where Tropical Storm Cristobal soon formed. The CAG forced Cristobal to make a weird loop over southeast Mexico before Cristobal finally turned north toward a Gulf Coast landfall on June 7, 2020.

Roughly 50 percent of CAGs have a tropical cyclone associated with them, Philippe Papin, a hurricane specialist at the National Hurricane Center and expert on CAGs, previously told weather.com.

"When a tropical cyclone does occur, it tends to form on the eastern side of the [gyre] and rotates counterclockwise around the larger circulation," said Papin.

That's what one prominent computer forecast model the Global Forecast System (GFS) has been suggesting could happen.

While that sounds a bit unsettling, there are potential problems with that model's forecast.

First, while the GFS model can detect tropical storm formations in the western Caribbean Sea, it also has a high false alarm rate. That means this particular model will often forecast tropical development that doesn't end up happening.

Other forecast models, such as one from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF), suggest the CAG could be centered farther west over Central America or the eastern Pacific Ocean, making development chances higher in the eastern Pacific Ocean than over the Caribbean Sea.

Even in the small chance a tropical depression forms in the Caribbean Sea, it faces two other obstacles.

First, wind shear in the Gulf of Mexico and northwest Caribbean Sea is strong, as you'd expect in May. This changing wind speed and direction with height typically rips apart tropical disturbances trying to organize.

Current Wind Shear

Secondly, there's a push of air originating from the Sahara Desert headed through the Caribbean Sea over the next few days.

Known as a Saharan Air Layer (SAL), these westward surges of dry, stable, dust-laden air suppress thunderstorms, the building blocks needed to form a tropical depression. Some of this air may be in place over the western Caribbean Sea into the weekend.

Water Vapor Satellite Image

The bottom line is that for now, we're not concerned in this case about a tropical depression or storm forming in the Caribbean Sea in this setup.

As the large low sits over or near Central America, it could wrap deep moisture into areas from southeast Mexico to Panama into next week.

Some areas could pick up over 6 inches of rain, particularly over windward mountainous terrain.

That could lead to life-threatening flash floods and mudslides.

Rainfall Potential

CAGs have been notorious flash flood producers, often with deadly results.

The combination of Amanda, Cristobal and the CAG over nine days dumped up to 34 inches of rain in southeast Mexico, 42 inches in El Salvador and 26 inches in Guatemala. Forty-three deaths were attributed to the flooding or landslides in Central America.

In early October 2017, a CAG spawned Hurricane Nate, which made a Category 1 landfall along the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

But the early stage of Nate as a tropical depression and storm, combined with the CAG, soaked Central America. Some parts of Costa Rica picked up 10 to 19 inches of rain.

Flooding and mudslides killed 44 people and destroyed thousands of homes, particularly in Costa Rica and Nicaragua, according to the National Hurricane Center's final report.

Flooding is seen in San Jose, Costa Rica, on Thursday, October 5, 2017, as Tropical Storm Nate brings dangerous torrential rains to the area.

In 2005, Hurricane Stan dissipated over the mountains of central Mexico, but its remnant spin became part of a larger gyre that triggered heavy rainfall over Central America.

While Stan's direct circulation resulted in about 80 deaths, severe flash flooding and mudslides from the gyre claimed an estimated 1,000 to 2,000 lives across Central America, according to the National Hurricane Center.

The Weather Companys primary journalistic mission is to report on breaking weather news, the environment and the importance of science to our lives. This story does not necessarily represent the position of our parent company, IBM.

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Central American Gyre Could Trigger Dangerous Flooding; Could It Also Spawn Tropical Development? | The Weather Channel - Articles from The Weather...

After almost three years in business, Dakaris Soul Food has made a name for itself as a go-to restaurant for delicious Southern and Caribbean inspired cuisine in Harford County. However, the family-owned restaurants success lies not only in happy customers, but in continuing a legacy.

From left: Salima Muhammad, Omar Vanriel, Shalema Brooks, Robert Brooks and Shavon Liggins all stand together for a portrait at Dakaris Soul Food on Friday, April 15. (Ulysses Muoz/The Baltimore Sun)

Dakari forever, said Kyrin Cox, the restaurant owners son, who is also a chef there.

Cox wasnt solely referring to the restaurant, but also his brother, Dakari Milton Moses Brooks, who died in September 2019, just a month before the restaurant opened its doors.

Owners Shalema and Robert Brooks worked on opening a restaurant for years before the death of their son.

My husband and I were planning to open a restaurant over five years before we officially opened. We saved every extra penny. The week before our son passed, my husband came across our first location, said Shalema. On the day of our sons repast, we received word we were approved for the building and changed the legal name to Dakaris Soul Food.

We feel like although our son is gone, his legacy lives on, Shalema continued. We were able to grieve through building something in honor of him.

Shalema and Robert Brooks, co-owners of Dakaris Soul Food, sit together holding a large photo of their late son, Dakari, for whom their restaurant is named. (Ulysses Muoz/The Baltimore Sun)

From the popping playlist that transports patrons from the establishment to a soulful cookout, to the large helping of food prepared by Cox and Jamaican-born Omar Vanriel, the Caribbean specialist, Dakaris Soul Food has flourished from an idea to a reliable restaurant for delicious fare.

Im here to get some good food. Ive actually frequented here twice before. I stumbled upon it, and when I came in, the staff was very welcoming. It had a very good vibe and the food was amazing, said Army Staff Sgt. Jovon Lewis.

I had a cheesesteak the first time, which was really, really good, said Lewis, who was returning for another taste of the cheesesteak. I did try some of the soul food the second time around and that was really good, too. The cornbread was amazing.

Other customer favorites include the stuffed salmon, macaroni and cheese, oxtail, Mommas Jazzy Wings, and the lump crab cake, a dish that, according to Lewis, brought diners all the way from New Jersey the last time he visited.

Robert Brooks, co-owner and executive chef at Dakaris Soul Food, plates an order of Mommas Jazzy Wings on Friday, April 15. (Ulysses Muoz/The Baltimore Sun)

Black-owned and operated, Dakaris Soul Food offers food rooted in the Black diaspora in a country that is still predominantly white.

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Its good to see professional people that look like you, said Lewis, who is Black.

However, Dakaris diverse patrons show that the rich, soulful food options are for everyone. The priority at Dakaris Soul Food is making all their customers feel at home and happy.

Its a great family atmosphere. It leaves you thinking you just left your grandmas kitchen, Brooks emphasized.

The Brookses are currently planning on offering blue crabs this summer and expanding the restaurant to other states.

Dakaris Soul Food

300 Edgewood Road, Edgewood, 410-702-9828, dakarisoulfood.com

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Dakari's Soul Food dishes out Southern and Caribbean-style food, while keeping son's memory alive in Harford County - Baltimore Sun

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If Americans are looking for the perfect vacation destination the Caribbean is shaping up to be the ideal area for an easy trip.

Various Caribbean nationsincluding some of the most popular destinations for U.S. touristshave removed all entry requirements for travelers.

Therefore, eager tourists dont need:

Lets look at some of the best options:

Four weeks ago, Jamaica removed all entry requirements for touristsincluding testing, passenger locator forms, mandatory quarantine, and proof of vaccination. Jamaica had strict, and often confusing, travel restrictions throughout the COVID-19 pandemic; now, theyve joined the growing list of nations with normal requirements.

However, Jamaica still has a few internal COVID-19 restrictions, like the government still limiting events to a 70% capacity, and anyone whos tested positive for COVID-19 must self-isolate until fully recovered.

Aruba is one of the most popular destinations for Americans. Situated in the Southern region of the Caribbean, Aruba offers excellent beaches, bars, and watersports. Better still, the nation ended all COVID-19 entry requirements two months agobecoming the 16th nation worldwide to do so.

Travelers still have to complete the embarkation/disembarkation card 3 days prior to arrival. Moreover, travelers might still need to wear face masks, although theyve now become at the discretion of invidivual businesses.

Two months ago, Curaao removed all entry requirements for tourists, including testing, passenger locator forms, mandatory quarantine, and proof of vaccination. It was the 13th country worldwide to remove all entry requirements.

However, there are still some internal COVID-19 restrictions in Curaao. These include mandatory face masks in airports, mandatory self-isolation for positive COVID-19 tests, and face masks are mandatory if travelers cant keep a 2-meter difference between people.

Bonairea gorgeous island in the Caribbean seascrapped all entry requirements 4 weeks ago. Bonaire is part of the ABC islands (Aruba, Bonaire, Curaao) and is the least visited of the islands, but defintey worth a look. It became the 32nd nation worldwide to end all COVID-19 entry requirements.

However, there are still some internal COVID-19 protocols. These include mandatory face masks for everyone aged 2 years and over in indoor areas and on public transportation.

After Mexico, its hard to imagine a more popular destination for Americans than the Dominican Republic. The beautiful nation removed all COVID-19 entry requirementsincluding random testing on arrivaljust three weeks ago.

The Dominican Republic has remained relatively restriction-free throughout the pandemic. However, until 3 weeks ago, the nation enforced a random breathalyzer-type test on unvaccinated tourists upon arrival; this is no longer the case.

Most of the Caribbean has removed many COVID-19 entry requirements. However, these are the only 5 nations from the Caribbean, as of May 15, that have removed all entry requirements.

However, if Americans want to visit somewhere else, there are plenty of other restriction-free nations, such as:

Check out the full list of countries without entry restrictions here.

The Caribbean, Central America, and Europe are all incredible destinations for Americans this summer; we will update you when more nations drop all COVID-19 entry requirements.

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These 5 Caribbean Nations Have Removed All Entry Requirements For American Tourists - Travel Off Path

For those who have never cruised to the Mediterranean or traveled to Europe before, packing for a Mediterranean cruise can seem stressful.

Whether bringing clothing comfortable enough to walk around historic cities, modest enough to wear into churches, and dressy enough to dine at chic restaurants, its easy to get overwhelmed.

In reality, however, there are only a few key differences to note between packing for a beach-centric Caribbean cruise and a Mediterranean cruise. From swapping flip flops for sneakers to packing nicer, fashionable outfits, here are our main tips and tricks to remember when packing for your Mediterranean cruise.

Cruising to the Mediterranean can entail a lot of walking. Its not unheard of for guests to walk several miles a day while exploring their ports of call. Therefore, packing a pair of sneakers or other comfortable shoes is essential to ensure you dont get any painful blisters.

As far as closed-toed shoes, its not necessary to pack bulky tennis shoes that you would wear to the gym. Instead, casual yet comfortable shoes are recommended. Slip-on shoes, such as Toms, are comfortable enough to walk in all day, yet still appear sleek enough to fit in in a variety of destinations on your port day, such as in restaurants, museums, and even the beach.

If youre traveling to Europe in the peak of summer, though, you may prefer sandals. Pick sandals wisely, as its important to get a durable pair of sandals for a trip to Europe. Many streets in the Mediterranean are made from cobblestone, and walking in loose flip flops or thin sandals can easily get uncomfortable over the course of the day. Look for sandals with a durable sole and ankle strap for maximum comfort and reliability.

If youre buying a brand new pair of shoes for your Mediterranean cruise, regardless of whether they are sneakers or sandals, be sure to walk around in them for a day or two before your cruise to ensure they are comfortable.

What shoes to NOT pack: While you may see European women walking around cobblestone streets in heels, these would not be the most comfortable shoes to wear for a full-day exploring port.

The weather at Mediterranean ports, especially in the peak of summer, can get pretty hot. Cotten, linen, and other breathable fabrics are recommended. As a rule of thumb, if an article of clothing is comfortable to wear in the peak of summer back at home, it will probably be good to pack for a Mediterranean cruise.

Sundresses, rompers, and flowy shorts tend to be comfortable yet fashionable clothing for women while exploring the Mediterranean. Men may want to pack shorts or lightweight pants as well as t-shirts and light button up shirts.

Europeans take pride in dressing nicely, with a fashion-sense that is, on average, more formal than what visitors from places like the United States or Canada may be used to, especially those who are used to cruising in the Caribbean.

The standard dress at Caribbean cruise ports tends to be extremely casual. Shorts, flip flops, and a tie-dye t-shirt from home is normal and acceptable. On a Mediterranean cruise, though, its smart to dress a bit more neatly.

During your port day in the Mediterranean, you may find yourself in a variety of settings, all with varying dress codes. From churches to restaurants, museums, and the beach, its smart to be prepared with the right outfit.

Men may want to wear well-fitted, nice t-shirts or short sleeved button ups as opposed to old and baggy shirts. Instead of athletic shorts, opt for a nicer pair.

Women have a little more flexibility in terms of casual yet fashionable clothing. Lightweight sundresses, patterned shorts with a solid shirt, capris, a fitted t-shirt, and summer jumpsuits can all be great outfits on a Mediterranean cruise.

A great way to plan outfit ideas is by thinking of what you would wear to a semi-formal summer party back home. If you wouldnt wear a wrinkled tie-dye t-shirt over stretchy athletic shorts, this probably isnt the best outfit for a European cruise, either.

Churches in the Mediterranean tend to have their own dress codes.

Those visiting Vatican City, for example, should have their shoulders and knees covered at all times during the visit. Offensive tattoos or apparel with slogans should not be visible and hats and caps must be removed prior to entrance. Generally, shorts, dresses, and skirts are allowed as long as they are at least knee-length.

A good rule of thumb is to wear what you would wear to church back home. If a crop top, flip flops, and booty shorts arent permitted at your local church, dont wear this to a church in Europe, either.

You can always pack a change of clothes in your daypack if you're worried it might be too hot to walk around in the same clothing you wear into churches.

Port days in the Mediterranean tend to be long, so its helpful to have a nice daypack or purse to carry your belongings in throughout the day. Choosing the perfect bag, though, requires a few more considerations than simply picking the first backpack you see.

While Europe is a safe destination for travelers, pickpocketing is not unheard of in major tourist areas, much like any other destination in the world. Be cautious of putting your phone or wallet in your back pocket, and choose a day bag wisely.

For ladies, consider a crossbody purse that you can wear from one shoulder to the opposite hip. This is a secure purse as it cannot easily fall off your body, and you can even place your hand over the crossbody bag while in busy environments like markets or the subway for added security.

If you prefer a larger backpack, consider a daypack with a secret back pocket. This is a backpack that has a zippered pocket at the back of the bag. As this pocket is against your back when walking, your valuables (passport, wallet, etc.) remain secure.

Aside from packing the perfect outfits to wear in port, its important to remember to pack for your time onboard as well. Onboard attire on a Mediterranean cruise will be similar to any other cruise, with casual attire during the day and nicer outfits for the evening.

Mediterranean weather should remain quite comfortable throughout the summer, although its a good idea to pack a lightweight jacket or cardigan in case of chilly weather in the morning and evenings while onboard. Likewise, those traveling to the Mediterranean in shoulder season will want to pack more warm-weather clothing like pants, long sleeve shirts, and jackets.

Read more about what the weather looks like on a Mediterranean cruise month by month here.

Now that you have an idea of what to wear while on a Mediterranean cruise, what clothing items should you avoid?

Truthfully, there is no clothing item you necessarily have to avoid wearing on a European cruise that you would wear at home. There may be certain items that are unusual to wear among Europeans and clothing that will make you stick out as being from a certain location, but whether or not this matters to you is a personal choice.

You will stick out as a tourist when wearing items not usually worn by Europeans, including apparel with American sports team logos, American flags, camouflage patterned clothing, baseball caps, and workout apparel such as leggings.

This doesnt mean you cannot wear these items, and youll see many tourists dressed like this, but it will make you stick out much more compared to wearing more neutral, neat clothing.

You may hear that Europeans dont wear shorts or sneakers, but this is generally false information. Youll see plenty of Europeans wearing shorts, particularly in cities near the coast. Sneakers are common as well, with brands like Adidas, Reebok, and Nike popular with Europeans throughout the Mediterranean.

More on the Mediterranean

See the article here:

What to wear on a Mediterranean cruise - Royal Caribbean Blog

Welcome to a new week of Royal Caribbean news, which has a few tidbits and updates you should know about.

There's a lot happening in the world of cruising, and this week's update aims at catching you up on a few changes that we've seen over the past few days.

If you notice something different, be sure to email any news tips over to [emailprotected]

Royal Caribbean has changed the Covid-19 testing policy for guests that have booked a cruisetour add-on to their Alaska cruise.

RoyalCaribbeanBlog reader melmar02 shared an update that testing is no longer required prior to the land tour, although testing remains for the cruise portion.

"Cruisetours: Testing is no longer required prior to the land tour, but cruisetour guests must still meet the pre-cruise testing requirements."

"It's recommended guests bring an eMed Test Kit to take at the end of the land tour. Guests who don't bring their own test kit will have a test made available through a local medical service provider at their own expense. "

The cruise tours are optional tours that take guests into the interior of Alaska before or after their cruise.

Remember that Royal Caribbean trademarked the term "secret cove" that sounds like it could be a new area for Perfect Day at CocoCay?

A few days later they made another registration for "The Cove", which is also described as "intended to cover the categories ofrecreational services, namely island resort services."

There's been no word from Royal Caribbean what any of these trademarks may be utilized for, but it's something to keep an eye on.

Good news for anyone cruising down under: you'll be able to visit New Zealand again.

Our friends at Cruise.Blog shared an update that New Zealand will reopen its maritime borders on July 31, 2022.

While Australia had re-opened its borders to cruise ships, New Zealand was still holding out.

CLIA Australasia issued a statement in support of the change,"Todays announcement is a huge breakthrough for the many New Zealanders who depend on cruise tourism, including travel agents, tour operators, food and produce providers, port workers and many other industry suppliers."

"The suspension of international cruising over the past two years has had a huge impact on the New Zealand travel industry and we now have an opportunity to work on a revival."

The arrival of Ovation of the Seas to Sitka on May 7 not only signaled the start of the Alaska cruise season, but also the opening ofnewly constructed Sitka Sound Cruise Terminal.

The new terminal is a 40,000-square-foot timber-framed facility featuring local retail shops and restaurants, an outdoor covered terrace and a departure point for land- and water-based shore excursions.

The 1,300-foot dock is designed to accommodate two 1,000-foot neo-Panamax-class cruise ships, with a total capacity of 8,000 guests.

The terminal has six retail stores and two restaurants, all locally owned.A shuttle for cruise guests between the terminal and downtownSitkais designed to load up to four 60-passenger motor coaches at a time.

See original here:

Royal Caribbean updates: Land tour testing change, The Cove & more - Royal Caribbean Blog