Category Archives: Caribbean

For some cruise line passengers, the ship is the destination. That's especially true with Royal Caribbean (RCL) - Get Royal Caribbean Group Report and Carnival Cruise Lines (CCL) - Get Carnival Corporation Report which have steadily raised the bar when it comes to onboard experiences.

Carnival has added a roller coaster on its latest, the Mardi Gras, while Royal Caribbean has bumper cars as part of its unique "Seaplex" on Odyssey of the Seas, and an array of new and reimagined experiences on Wonder of the Seas, the biggest cruise ship in the world.

Both companies, of course, also have more ships coming with Carnival Celebration and Royal Caribbean's newest Oasis-class Utopia of the Seas and the brand-new first-of-its-kind Icon Class Icon of the Seas being built now. The ships, however, no matter how amazing they are, aren't just floating mega-hotels, they're also transportation.

And, while you can't underestimate how important customers consider being able to sail on the latest and greatest ship, they also care about where they are going. In one major area, at least when it comes to destinations, Royal Caribbean has built a big lead over not just Carnival, but also Norwegian. That's an edge that's also about to get bigger.

Image source: Daniel Kline/TheStreet

For decades cruise lines did things the same way when it came to their private island destinations. A private island meant a beach with chairs, maybe a kids' play area, a barbecue-style meal, bars, and not much else.

Royal Caribbean's Perfect Day at CocoCay changed that. The reimagined island has multiple beaches, a gigantic pool (the largest one in the Caribbean), an added-fee waterpark with multiple slides and a wave pool, an extra-cost high-end beach club, as well as ziplines and a tethered hot air balloon that the company sells tickets for.

CocoCay has a lot you can do for free -- dramatically more than the sparse private islands offered by Carnival and Norwegain Cruise Line (NCLH) - Get Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. Report -- but it also has a lot of other experiences. Without the added fee experiences, Royal Caribbeaan has the best private island due to its multiple beaches and the huge pool, but the total package gives the company a major advantage over its two chief rivals.

The company has decided to lean into that advantage with an upcoming expansion of the private island.

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"On the destination front, we continue to make progress on the expansion of perfect day at CocoCay with the addition of Hideaway Beach. Hideaway Beach will make perfect day at CocoCay even more perfect with an entirely new experience expanding capacity to the island," CEO Jason Liberty shared during the company's first-quarter earnings call.

Hideaway beach will be an adults-only section of CocoCay. The company has not shared whether it will come with an added charge. (Royal Caribbean has an adults-only "Solarium" on most of its ships that does not cost extra for passengers).

CFO Naftali Holtz declined to say whether the company had decided on whether the new area of CocoCay would be an added charge during a recent call with TheStreet.

Carnival and Norwegian have not put the same level of investment in their private islands. And while there are some cruise passengers who want a more unspoiled island experience, the reality is that CocoCay offers Royal Caribbean a major advantage.

It has classic beach areas where the cruise line has done little more than put out chairs. CocoCay also has the pool, complete with a huge pool bar, that neither of its rivals offers as well as the many added charge experiences on the island.

You can go to CocoCay and not spend an extra dime and still get a better, move varied experience than what Carnival and Norwegian offer. You can also opt to spend more and get access to the beach club and the water park which are premium experiences.

Hideaway Beach -- whether it be free or an upcharge -- will add to passengers choices on the island. That's something Royal Caribbean's rivals do not offer and it's a massive advantage which makes CocoCay a premium destination rather than simply a beach day.

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Royal Caribbean Cruise Line Readies a Huge CocoCay Change (Will it Be Perfect?) - TheStreet

Disembarking your cruise ship in a new port is an exciting feeling, especially when you have a shore excursion booked. Whether kayaking near glaciers, ziplining over the beach, or island hopping on a catamaran, countless shore excursions are at your fingertips on a Royal Caribbean cruise.

Packing for your cruise entails planning what to wear on shore excursions, and the best outfit to wear varies greatly depending on the tour you book. Sightseeing tours of European cities will require a completely different dress code than a relaxing Caribbean beach day or active shore excursion in Alaska.

Lets take a look at the outfits we recommend wearing on your shore excursion, from the most active of excursions to the most tranquil.

While its possible to spend an entire day in port lounging at the beach, some cruisers prefer to explore a destination through an active adventure. Active shore excursions have a casual dress code, with comfort and reliability favored over sporting the most fashionable looks.

Clothing: A nonabsorbent, lightweight fabric like polyester is best to wear on an active shore excursion. Polyester workout shirts and tank tops are great options, as they will keep you cooler when breaking a sweat.

Workout shorts tend to be the best option for bottoms, especially on particularly hot days. Wearing a swimsuit underneath your clothes will also be convenient if your shore excursion combines active adventures with time at the beach.

Footwear: Sturdy, waterproof sandals like Chacos are an all-around great footwear option for active shore excursions. Not only do they hold up well when hiking on rugged terrain, but they work well at the beach, too. Plus, as Chacos are waterproof, theres no need to worry about walking around in wet tennis shoes and socks if your shore excursion has you walking near beaches, lakes, or streams.

If you prefer to wear tennis shoes over sandals, make sure you are packing a comfortable pair (preferably shoes you have already worn many times) to ensure no painful blisters await you!

Accessories: Bringing a lightweight backpack is recommended on active shore excursions, as you are able to carry the bag along with you without it being too heavy or cumbersome. In addition, its a good idea to make sure your daypack is water-resistant or waterproof if your excursion involves time in and around water, such as when kayaking or canoeing.

One of the best parts of a Royal Caribbean cruise involves sunny days spent at tropical beaches. Whether the crystal clear waters of St. John or rocky shores of the Mediterranean, beach days make for an excellent shore excursion. Like active excursions, beach excursions have a casual dress code.

Clothing: A swimsuit is, unsurprisingly, important to pack for an excursion to the beach. There are no strict rules on what type of swimsuit to wear, so pack whatever you feel most comfortable wearing.

Casual, lightweight clothing is best to wear over a swimsuit on a beach excursion, such as a sundress, romper, shorts, t-shirts, or swimsuit cover up. Colorful, patterned clothing can be fun to wear to add to the tropical vibe of your vacation.

Be sure to wear clothes over your swimsuit and do not walk around the port in just a bathing suit! This may be culturally inappropriate in your port of call, so definitely remember to cover up prior to leaving the beach.

Footwear: Flip flops can be a nice choice of footwear for beach excursions, but are recommended only for strictly beach excursions. If an excursion simply brings you on a bus to a nearby beach and picks you up a few hours later, flip flops will suffice. Flip flops are a great choice for Perfect Day at CocoCay.

If the tour combines a few hours at the beach with activities like shopping, tubing, kayaking, or hiking, though, a more sturdy sandal or tennis shoe is recommended for maximum comfort. Packing flip flops in your daypack is always an option as well.

Accessories: Bringing a daypack to the beach is necessary in order to hold items like sunscreen, towels, sunglasses, and your personal belongings. Backpacks work well, but you may prefer a larger, waterproof beach bag, particularly if you will be carrying belongings for several members of your family.

Excursions that involve tours of cities and historic sites tend to require a slightly more formal dress code than what youll wear to the beach. While wearing heels and ball gowns is very much unnecessary, you may prefer to dress more fashionably than workout shorts and an old tank top.

Clothing: Consider wearing clothing like a sundress, jumpsuits, and semi-casual shorts when on a city excursion. Flowy, lightweight pants are another option that are a great choice on breezy summer days.

If your excursion involves visiting churches, particularly for those in the Mediterranean, be sure to research the churchs dress code. Many churches require shoulders and knees to be covered, meaning a sleeveless shirt, shorts, or short dress will not make the cut. Bringing a lightweight scarf to wear over your shoulders in the church is an option or you can pack a change of clothes in your daypack.

Footwear: Regardless of the city youre visiting, comfort is key when exploring urban areas. City excursions often include more walking than a standard shore excursion, as its likely youll be wandering through picturesque streets, bustling plazas, historic museums, and archaeological sites.

Sandals with an ankle strap and closed-toed shoes are ideal when on a city-focused shore excursion. If youre visiting somewhere like Rome or Florence, you may prefer to wear a nicer pair of sandals or closed-toe shoes like Sperrys in lieu of flip flops or running shoes, as its more likely you will be entering nice restaurants, churches, and museums during the day.

Accessories: A secure daypack is essential on a city excursion to ensure your belongings remain safe, especially if youll be traveling on public transport and visiting crowded tourist sites. Crossbody purses and backpacks with a secret pocket tend to be safer choices than handbags and over-the-shoulder purses.

If youre cruising to destinations like Alaska, Norway, Northern Europe, or the U.S. Northeast, its important to pack for many types of weather.

Most Royal Caribbean cruises will not sail in the chilliest winter temperatures, as the more northerly destinations tend to offer cruises only during the warmer months of the year. Chilly weather can still arise, though, so be sure to research the average temperature of the ports you will visit before packing for your cruise.

Clothing: Layers are key when sailing to a destination that may encounter colder weather. Its helpful to bring the following layers with you when you get off the ship at port:

Having multiple layers available ensures you will remain comfortable no matter the weather, which can change multiple times throughout the day in destinations like Alaska.

Related: Ultimate Alaska cruise guide

Footwear: When cruising in colder weather, replace flip flops and sandals with sneakers and boots. Sturdy shoes that keep your feet warm are essential, and water-resistant shoes are even better.

Colder destinations often tend to entail more outdoorsy excursions, whether walking on a glacier in Alaska or hiking the fjords of Norway. A pair of waterproof hiking boots or sneakers can be great footwear options to wear in port.

Accessories: Like on all excursions, its recommended to bring a daypack in order to have a secure place to store your belongings. Wearing a water-resistant daypack is highly recommended in cold-weather destinations that may encounter rain.

Additionally, wearing a warm hat, gloves, and wool socks may be helpful on the chilliest of days.

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Best travel clothes for women on shore excursions - Royal Caribbean Blog

Captain Jack Sparrow played by the incomparable and uber-talented Johnny Depp is perhaps one of the most recognizable characters from a Disney ride experience and film franchise outside of Mickey and Minnie Mouse, and hes only been around for about 20 years.

Captain Jack is the star of The Pirates of the Caribbean attraction at Disneyland Resort and the Walt Disney World Resort, but he wasnt always a part of the ride. Neither the Disneyland version nor the Disney World version of the attraction featured the savvy Jack Sparrow when they first debuted in March 1967 and December 1973, respectively.

The Pirates of the Caribbean attraction in Adventureland was the first Disney attraction to ever inspire a film franchise. Inside the Wonderful World of Disney, its usually the other way around: a film is released, fans go wild, an attraction is created at a Disney Park. (So, where is our Encanto attraction?)

On July 7, 2006, the second film in the franchise, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Mans Chest debuted at the box office, and exceptionally life-like animatronic Captain Jack Sparrows debuted at Disneyland and Disney World.

But the attraction is a first for other reasons as well, unfortunately. To date, Disney Parks has yet to host an attraction other than Pirates of the Caribbean in which the actor portrayed on the ride was canceled by The Walt Disney Company (and might this writer add, canceled prematurely).

Oddly enough, though Disney has reportedly scrapped plans to keep Johnny Depp on as Captain Jack Sparrow in any future installments of the Pirates of the Caribbean film franchise, the House of Mouse has not pulled Depps likeness from its Disney Parks attractions, and merchandise inspired by the films continued to roll off the shelves, as if on a conveyor belt.

[Disney] didnt remove my character from the rides, Depp said. They didnt stop selling dolls of Captain Jack Sparrow. They didnt stop selling anything. They just didnt want there to be something trailing behind me that theyd find.

During his testimony, Johnny Depp said that The Walt Disney Company parted ways with him in 2018, shortly after Amber Heards allegations of abuse.

Two years had gone by of constant worldwide talk about me being this wife-beater, Depp said from the stand. So Im sure that Disney was trying to cut ties to be safe. The #MeToo movement was in full swing at that point.

Depps likeness as Captain Jack Sparrow remains a part of the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction at Disney Parks, and at this time, theres been no mention of extracting the animatronic Johnny Depp/Captain Jacks from the rides.

Depp has recently spoken publicly about the fallout of cancel culture, gleaning from his own personal experience.But Captain Jack isnt the only character from the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction that has faced cancel culture.

Per Disney Fandom, the original Pirates of the Caribbean attraction at Disneyland Resort was originally conceived as a wax museum and a walk-through adventure. But following the success of Walt Disneys Carousel of Progress at the 1964 New York Worlds Fair, Walt Disney and his team of Imagineers decided that audio-animatronics, his latest animation technology, was the most imaginative way to tell a rousing pirate story.

When the attraction opened at Walt Disney Worldin December 1973, it did so with a myriad of scurvy pirates singing Yo Ho Ho, just like they do today. But Disney forced one of the original swashbuckling buccaneers to walk the plank after only two years on the ship.

His name was Peg Leg Pete, and he walked the plank in 1975.

No word on how he earned his peg leg or why Disney removed him from the attraction.

And though were sorry the pirate birdy was forced off the plank, we are grateful that Captain Jack remains in the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction, and we are very hopeful that his likeness will remain!

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Character in "Pirates of the Caribbean" attraction forced to walk the plank at Disney World - DisneyDining

President Kovind will be the first Indian head of state to these countries. (File)

President Ram Nath Kovind will embark on a week-long visit to Jamaica, and St. Vincent and Grenadines (SVG) beginning May 15, in a first ever tour to the two Caribbean nations by an Indian head of state.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Saturday that the visit reflects a continuation of India's high-level engagement with the countries in the Caribbean region and emphasises its commitment to work with small island developing countries.

"President of India, Ram Nath Kovind, will pay a state visit to Jamaica and St. Vincent & Grenadines (SVG) from May 15 to 21. This will be the first-ever visit by an Indian Head of State to these countries," the MEA said in a statement.

It said that President Kovind will be in Jamaica from May 15 to May18 during which he will hold delegation-level talks with his counterpart, the Governor General of Jamaica Sir Patrick Allen.

The President will also meet Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holnessand other dignitaries.

The MEA said that the President will also address the joint sitting of the two Houses of Jamaican Parliament.

Jamaica has70,000 Indian expatriates, which acts as a living bridge with India.

"The visit comes at a significant milestone as 2022 is the 60th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations between India and Jamaica," the MEA said.

In the second leg of his tour, President Kovind will visit SVG from May 18 to May 21.

"During the visit, he will hold discussions with his counterpart Governor General Susan Dougan. He will also meet Prime Minister Ralph E. Gonsalves as well as other dignitaries," the MEA said.

Kovind will also address the House of Assembly of SVG, the ministry said.

Jamaica and SVG are active members in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).

"The first-ever Head of State visit to these countries is a continuation of India's high-level engagement with the countries in the Caribbean region and emphasises our continued commitment to work with small island developing countries," the MEA said

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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President Kovind To Visit Two Caribbean Nations From May 15 To 21 - NDTV

The situation surrounding Amber Heard and Johnny Depp has been ongoing for years, since the former couple split back in 2016. Their ongoing legal battle has heated up since the defamation trial began in Virginia, leading to plenty of wild updates from the court. And thanks to the trial, that petition to get Depp back into Pirates of the Caribbean 6 is seeing new life.

Johnny Depp might have had a long career in film, but his name remains synonymous with his tenure as Jack Sparrow in the Pirates of the Caribbean movies. Hes not currently attached to the various Pirates movies currently in development at Disney, but thats something some fans want to see changed. An online petition on Change.Org has recently started getting more attention as a result of the ongoing trial, resulting in over 400,000 signatures at the time of writing this story. And with the sparks in the courtroom happening so consistently, smart money says more eyes will fall on this campaign.

Indeed, Johnny Depp has brought up Pirates of the Caribbean a few times already in court, especially when he took the stand. He spoke about trying to find an ending for the franchise, and how he found out hed no longer be playing Jack Sparrow on the big screen. From Depps perspective, he lost his job over the accusations and legal battle with Amber Heard.

While the timeline of his Pirates of the Caribbean exit is being examined throughout the course of the ongoing situation in the courtroom, Johnny Depp seemingly lost another major franchise role as a direct result of his legal battle with Amber Heard. Because after he lost his libel case against The Sun in the U.K., he was asked to step down from playing Grindelwald in the Fantastic Beasts series. Depp was replaced by Mads Mikkelsen for The Secrets of Dumbledore, with no reference made in-universe to the change of appearance.

As for the future of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, there are a number of projects in development by Disney. Margot Robbie was attached to lead her own movie in the same universe, but theres been no concrete timeline as to when. There was also going to be a sixth movie originally, but Depp has just confirmed that hes not attached to star. Well have to see if/when either of these blockbusters come together.

As previously mentioned, Johnny Depp took the stand in his current defamation trial against ex-wife Amber Heard. And since youre able to watch the proceedings on television, the footage quickly went viral. Now the tables have turned, as Aquaman actress has begun testifying herself. And as expected, its been an emotional appearance including allegations of abuse.

Professionally, Johnny Depp recently started booking new film roles, while Amber Heard will appear in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. In the meantime, check out the 2022 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience.

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Thanks To New Trial, That Petition To Get Johnny Depp Back Into Pirates Of The Caribbean 6 Is Seeing New Life - CinemaBlend

Those hard-to-find bottles. The rhum agricoles, the limited editions, the parcellaires, the cask strength expressions.

If youre a rum lover in the United States, theyre all almost impossible to find, even with rum continuing to grow in popularity. And if youre in other parts of the world with better rum selections, youll rarely find all of the greatest, rarest rums in one place.

The solution is simple spend a week at the Caribbean Rum Awards St Barth.

The Caribbeans ultimate rum experience is back again in St Barth, bringing together an unmatched group of rums from across the region, with the weeklong rum competition and festival will be held in St Barth from Nov. 1-5.

The event will kick off with Rhum Neissons opening VIP party at Le Barthelemy hotels stunning rooftop bar, followed by a week of spectacular rum tastings, rum and cigar pairings, culinary dinners and, of course, the international rum competition. (Thats along with a ti punch party at Les Ilets de la Plage).

The Caribbean capital of luxury is the natural home for a celebration of the worlds most exclusive artisanal rums, said Alexander Britell, editor and publisher of Caribbean Journal and co-founder of the Caribbean Rum Awards St Barth. This is a gourmet event aimed at the bon vivant, for those who love the artful expressions of truly passionate producers.

The event is headquartered at the leading rum bar on earth, the Rhum Room in Gustavia, led by global rum expert Christopher Davis and home to an unmatched collection of rare and ultra-premium rum and rhum agricole.

And while you can try rums at events all week, the CRA also features the Tradewind Rum Expo on Nov. 3, an afternoon that brings together top distillers and producers for tastings of their best stock.

The Rhum Room will also be home to another new addition for 2022 an exclusive tasting of Jamaican rums from the 19th century the first of its kind.

Whether youre a rum connoisseur or a lover of ultra-premium spirits, this event makes for one of the Caribbeans ultimate vacations, said Guy Britton, managing editor of Caribbean Journal. Its become an essential week on the St Barth calendar.

For the ultimate Caribbean Rum Awards experience, try one of WIMCOs Special Reserve Collection villas, all-inclusive villas that come with their own private chefs.

This years event is presented by platinum sponsors Tradewind Aviation,WIMCO Villas, Quarter Kitchen and Cocktail Lab and The Moorings and Le Barthelemy Hotel and Spa.

Partners also include St Barth Tourism, Davidoff, SC Capital, Empire Social, Global Erudite andLes Ilets de la Plage, the islands beloved boutique resort.

For travel information and packages, visit Epic Experiences. For VIP all-access tickets, see here.

For more information, contact rum@caribjournal.com and visit caribbeanrumawards.com.

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Why the Best Caribbean Rums Are Coming to One Island - Caribbean Journal

As Amber Heards court showdown with ex-husband Johnny Depp continues, people are wondering if she starred alongside him in Pirates of the Caribbean.

The actress has 51 acting credits to her name according to IMDb, but is the Disney movie franchise among them?

The short answer is no, Heard hasnt appeared in any of the Pirates of the Caribbean movies.

The pair met when Heard was cast in The Rum Diary (2011).

She played Chenault and Depp played Kemp, as well as acting as a producer on the movie which follows American journalist Paul Kemp as he takes on a freelance job in Puerto Rico for a local newspaper in the 1960s.

The movie is based on a novel by Hunter S Thompson, who was a good friend of Depps.

While giving evidence at the ongoing defamation trial in Virginia, Heard described how they met while she was auditioning for the movie.

She told the court: Well I auditioned a few times which is common in my work, you get a call back as they say, and I think I had at least one, maybe two call backs with the director and then I got a call saying Johnny, who at the time was I think I knew that he was producing it as well, was doing a project that was very personal to him, he was reprising his role as his late friend Hunter S Thompson and it was a very important project to him and that he wanted to meet me in person.

I thought I would be going for maybe an audition but it was just a meeting. I went to his office and met with him for a few hours.

When asked what they talked about during the meeting, she said: We talked about books and music, poetry, we like a lot of the same, we liked a lot of the same stuff, you know obscure writers and interesting books and pieces of poetry that I hadnt heard anyone else reference or know or like and he was very well read and charismatic and I think I left the office with a few books he gave me and we spent the whole time just talking about things that we care about and I was so surprised that somebody, you know I knew who he was, I wasnt familiar, you know, wasnt a fan of his work, I wasnt familiar with him but I knew who he was, he was one of the most famous people in the world, so it was already a weird thing to get called into his office and you know, Im a no name actor, I was 22 I think and I thought it was unusual.

It was weird because hes twice my age and hes this world famous actor and here we are getting along about obscure books and weird, you know, old blues and we just, I thought it was remarkable. I thought it was unusual and remarkable.

I left there just feeling like wow.

Heard is perhaps best known for her role as Mera in Aquaman and Justice League. Aquaman 2 is currently in post-production.

Her first credited acting role came in 2004 in the pilot of TV show Jack & Bobby.

On TV, shes appeared in shows including The O.C., Criminal Minds and Californication.

And on the big screen, shes also known for her roles in Pineapple Express, Zombieland, Magic Mike XXL and The Danish Girl.

So far, five movies have been released in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, and Depp has starred in all of them as Captain Jack Sparrow.

His character featured in The Curse of the Black Pearl, Dead Mans Chest, At Worlds End, On Stranger Tides and Dead Men Tell No Tales.

A sixth film was reportedly going to be shot back-to-back with the fifth one, but only the fifth was developed.

Depp confirmed at the libel trial that he wont be returning for the sixth.

He was asked about it by Heards lawyer J Benjamin Rottenborn, who said: The fact is, Mr Depp, if Disney came to you with $300 million and a million alpacas, nothing on this earth would get you to go back and work with Disney on aPirates of the Caribbeanfilm? Correct?

Depp responded: That is true, Mr Rottenborn.

Insider reports that Depp was set to be paid $22.5 million for the sixth film.

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If Amber Heard was in Pirates of the Caribbean as Johnny Depp says hell never return - HITC - Football, Gaming, Movies, TV, Music

A cruise port in the Caribbean is building a Day Club that will have swimming pools, restaurants and retail shops, and a casino.

Plans are underway for the Antigua Day Club to be built. The Day Club will cost $25 million to build and will have 80,000 sq. ft of pools, a casino, retail shops, and food and beverage spaces.

The cruise port recently completed a berth that will be able to accommodate a fifth cruise ship at the port.

Dona Regis Prosper, General Manager of Antigua Cruise Port, also confirmed new destination developments by saying We are working feverishly in collaboration with the Antigua Tourism Authority and other local tourism partners to position Antigua Cruise Port as the Southern Caribbean hub of choice for our cruise line partners.

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In fact, weve specifically designated a new terminal at our airport for homeporting to expedite passenger processing and to create opportunities for cruise lines to take advantage of the benefits of homeporting in Antigua.

By April 2023, we will have a state-of-the-art LNG plant in operation in Antigua to fuel LNG-powered vessels. We are also looking at the possibility of providing shore power. These enhancements, along with huge new investments coming onstream in Barbuda, will certainly set Antigua Cruise Port apart from other destinations and position us as the one of the top Southern Caribbean ports of the future.

The Antigua Cruise Port is run by Global Ports Holding, the worlds largest cruise port operator. GPH operates 26 cruise ports in 14 countries including Nassau, Barcelona, Singapore, and Venice.

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Caribbean Cruise Port Building Day Club With Pools, Restaurants, and a Casino - Cruise Fever

Heartstopper tells a tender, rabbit-hearted story of secondary school classmates Charlie Spring (Joe Locke) and Nick Nelson (Kit Connor) falling for each other. Based on Alice Osemans YA graphic novels, the eight-episode Netflix series is a coming-of-age queer romance that retains its optimism, even when tackling serious subject matter.

Theres Charlie, the anxious, gangly, curly-haired drummer with an iPhone background that fittingly reads gay panic. He is the only openly gay student at their all-boys secondary school. Nick is the classic golden retriever love interest; hes the star of the rugby team whose kindness makes him an outlier in his group of friends, and who always assumed he was straight.

Its just that hanging out with Charlie, his new best friend, makes him begin to wonder if that assumption is wrong.

A number of yearning gazes, a smattering of delightful tropes Charlie joins the rugby team for reasons that are entirely predictable an Am I gay? internet quiz (he gets exactly 62%), and a smooch or two later, Nick has an epiphany during a fateful viewing of Pirates of the Caribbean. Its told succinctly in four shots: a close of up Keira Knightley, then Orlando Bloom, a vaguely aggrieved reaction shot, and then a shot of Nick smoothly Googling bisexual.

Its a particular rite of passage, for those who grew up watching television and movies feeling vaguely sexually confused. Sometimes these viewings spurred that leap of faith from I want to be them to Oh, I want to be with them. This particular moment from Heartstopper has gone viral in the form of a tweet. (Pirates of the Caribbean is a very good choice, in this writers humble opinion.)

But this scene and the shows wholesome relationship, more largely has inspired numerous fans to share their own favorite queer ships from other shows and movies, with the caption Actually, this was my Heartstopper. Its a fun way to remember on-screen relationships that moved viewers and it also doubles as a neat dive into queer movie and television history.

Many of these celebrate queer films, television shows, and anime like 2014 Brazilian independent film The Way He Looks.

Theres the South Korean thriller The Handmaiden (an adaptation of the excellent novel Fingersmith by Sarah Waters).

And the early aughts Channel 4 TV drama Sugar Rush.

And Yuri on Ice!

Theres also a handful of music video references, like Hayley Kiyokos Girls Like Girls.

And Loonas Heart Attack

Heartstopper is another entry in this coming-of-age LGBTQ canon with not only Charlie and Nick, but also Tara and Darcy (a lesbian couple and part of the shows core friend group) to swoon over. More specifically, its an entry in the bisexual panic canon, and I, for one, cant wait to see more. In the meantime, Ill settle for memes, fan cams, and edits putting the shows frames side by side with the comic.

And if youve fallen for Netflixs Heartstopper, Alice Osemans webcomic, which the series is based on, is a must read.

Heartstopper season 1 is now streaming on Netflix.

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Netflixs Heartstopper gets the bi panic of watching Pirates of Caribbean - Polygon

Another Royal Caribbean International cruise ship is resuming service as the Ovation of the Seas welcomes guests back today in Seattle.

The Quantum-class vessel is starting a summer program that will feature a series of week-long cruises to Alaska and Canada.

As part of its regular itineraries, the 158,000-ton ship will visit Ketchikan, Sitka, Skagway, Juneau and Victoria, in addition to the Tracy Arm Fjord where it is offering panoramic cruising during most of the sailings.

In late September, following two repositional cruises via Hawaii and the South Pacific, the Ovation is set to return to Sydney, Australia.

The vessel then kicks off its local 2022-2023 season in October, with planned itineraries to New Zealand, Vunuatu, New Caledonia and more.

One of the first cruise ships to resume service in Alaska in 2021, the ship entered yet another operational pause last October. After having its Australian program entirely cancelled, it spent the winter out of service.

As the third in a series of five ships known as the Quantum-class, the Ovation of the Seas originally entered service in 2016.

According to Royal Caribbean, the 4,100-guest ship features unique innovations, such as the North Star aerial observatory, a glass capsule that transports passengers 300 feet above the ocean for panoramic views; the RipCord by iFLY skydiving and FlowRider surfing simulators; and SeaPlex, a multi-purpose sports complex enabling a variety of activities, including the first-ever-at-sea bumper car experience.

The ship also offers 18 culinary venues including a Jamies Italian restaurant from the celebrity chef Jamie Oliver and Wonderland, a whimsical restaurant with an elaborate feast for the senses.

The Ovation of the Seas is one of the four ships that will sail in Alaska for Royal Caribbean International in 2022.

The companys program in the destination also includes the Quantum of the Seas, in addition to the Radiance of the Seas and the Serenade of the Seas.

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Royal Caribbean's Ovation of the Seas Resumes Service Ahead of Summer in Alaska - Cruise Industry News