The United Nations is urging countries around the Caribbean to view the recent surge in refugees, from near and far, as a long-term benefit and not just a short-term challenge.

Ruben Barbado, with theUnited Nations High Commission for Refugee (UNHCR) agency, told journalists at theCaribbean Media Corporation (CMC) that many refugees, though fleeing under duress, can quickly by shifted into productive roles in host countries if the countries receive them

You have doctors, you have entrepreneurs, you have teachers, you have farmers and in that regard they can help the economy if they are allowed (to become) successful members of the society, Barbado said.

More than 5,000 people came to various Caribbean nations last year seeking asylum, he said, representing a 257 percent increase in the number of asylum seekers between mid-2015 and mid-2016 for the region.

The UN official made his plea for a new mindset at a workshop for media professionals on Refugee Protection in Trinidad and Tobago last week. After Belize and the Dominican republic, he said, Trinidad and Tobago isthe third most popular country for refugees in the region, with 400 new applications in the first six months of this year a 40 per cent increase from2016.

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Government statistics indicate that the refugees are comingfrom neighboring nations in the region, such as Cuba and Haiti, as well as from other more far-flung countries including Colombia,Sri Lanka, Syria and Nigeria.

Other speakers at the eventstressed the need fordomestic legislation in Trinidad and Tobago to address the surge in refugees, according to the CMC. They said asylum seekers in the dual-island country face numerous barriers to successful resettlement,such asdetention, being irregular/undocumented, uncertainty over being resettled, lack of access to healthcare, lack of ability to work and access education.

Education at the primary and secondary levels are free to the public in Trinidad and Tobago, but officials have admitted there were barriers for many refugee children such as the ability to speak and understand English, CMCreported.

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The increase of refugees into the Caribbean may be significant for low-resource host countries, but it is marginal compared to the refugee crisis on a global scale. In recent years, aseries of conflicts around the world has left governmentsgrappling with some 66 million displaced persons the highest number seensince World War II.

The crisis is straininggovernments around the world with massive populationsof refugees they are either unwilling or unable to take in. Jordan, with a population of just over 6 million people, is now home to more than 600,000 Syrian refugees. Turkey, with a population of 76 million, has taken in 2.5 million.

The internal strife in South Sudan has become the source of the fastest-growing displacement crisis in the world, turning the country intothe third-biggest source of refugees abroad last year, behind Syria (5.5 million) and Afghanistan (2.5 million).

Nearly all of the biggest refugee hosts are developing countries, according to data from the UNHCR.

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UN urges Caribbean nations to see benefits from surge in refugees - Humanosphere

Orlando Business Journal

Universal Orlando ramps up Caribbean Carnaval dinner show ... Orlando Business Journal A year-old Universal Orlando Resort hotel is ramping up on a weekly dinner show that brings the tastes and sounds of the Caribbean to the theme park area. Universal Orlando's new Caribbean Carnaval brings flavorful food ...Inside the Magic all 2 news articles »

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Universal Orlando ramps up Caribbean Carnaval dinner show ... - Orlando Business Journal

Royal Caribbean Blog (blog)

Royal Caribbean brings underwater adventures to Snapchat users ... Royal Caribbean Blog (blog) Royal Caribbean is offering everyone experience an undersea adventure with a first-of-its-kind social media innovation. From June 21-25, Through the lens of ... Royal Caribbean's Adventure of the Seas Rescues Two Caribbean SailorsTravel Agent Royal Caribbean Creates Underwater Snapchat ExperienceTravelPulse Royal Caribbean Debuts Snapchat ChannelCruise Radio (blog) Seatrade Cruise News all 5 news articles »

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We're monitoring a disturbance in the Caribbean that has the potential to become the second named storm of this hurricane season.

We're monitoring a disturbance in the Caribbean that has the potential to become the second named storm of this hurricane season. This one would be called Tropical Storm Bret.

There was Tropical Storm Arlene, which formed April 19.

The National Hurricane Center as of Friday afternoon says there is a 60 percent chance of cyclone formation in five days. A large area of disturbed weather has formed over the western Caribbean Sea and the adjacent portions of Central America. Conditions appear to be favorable for gradual development of this system while it moves northwestward across the Yucatan Peninsula this weekend and into the southern and central Gulf of Mexico early next week.

Regardless of the weather, heavy rains are likely to spread over portions of Central America and the Yucatan Peninsula during the next several days.

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Disturbance in the Caribbean being monitored over the weekend - FOX 29

Variety

'The Mummy' Leads International Box Office, 'Pirates of the Caribbean' 5 Crosses $500 Million Variety The Mummy is closing in on $300 million worldwide after leading the international box office for the second consecutive weekend. The Tom Cruise vehicle had a disappointing $32.2 million opening weekend in North America and a steep drop-off during ... and more »

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'The Mummy' Leads International Box Office, 'Pirates of the Caribbean' 5 Crosses $500 Million - Variety

PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla. (WJHG) - As of Sunday morning, a tropical disturbance in the northwestern Caribbean is showing signs of getting better organized. Hurricane hunters are planning to investigate the system Sunday afternoon.

The National Hurricane Center is giving it a 90 percent chance of developing into a tropical depression or tropical storm in the next few days as it heads into the Gulf of Mexico. Computer models don't have it becoming a hurricane at this point.

On the other hand, models don't have a good handle on where it'll go, and how much rain we get for the upcoming week ultimately depends on this system. Solutions range from southern Texas and Mexico to the Florida Big Bend or Nature Coast.

The main concerns with this system will be heavy rain/flooding.

The GFS American Model has been more consistent in moving this system due north, which would give us more tropical moisture and perhaps localized flooding. The European and North American Model have been more consistent suggesting the storm will stay to our south/west, which would mean less rain.

One of these solutions will be right, but at this point, we don't know which so stay tuned to the Vipir Weather Team. This is why we emphasize the importance of preparing for hurricane season.

Another tropical wave east of the Caribbean islands could develop this week, too, but we have plenty of time to watch that one.

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Tropical development possible in the Northwestern Caribbean - WJHG-TV

Royal Caribbean Blog (blog)

Royal Caribbean Post Round-Up: June 18, 2017 Royal Caribbean Blog (blog) The 202nd episode of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast is now available, where we discuss what you need to know about taking a cruise during hurricane season. In this episode, Matt talks about what impact hurricanes can have on a cruise, and whether or ...

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Royal Caribbean Post Round-Up: June 18, 2017 - Royal Caribbean Blog (blog)

Ian De Souza, CEO and managing director of Republic Bank Barbados (FILE)

SOME INDIVIDUALS and businesses spurned by banks have been forced to fly suitcases stuffed with United States dollars across the Caribbean.

It may sound like something out of the movies but a top Caribbean banker based in Barbados said it was part of the fallout from de-risking the controversial issue of mainly United States-based banks cutting off financial institutions in the region from access to their services because of fears that they could face billions of dollars in fines under anti-money laundering and financing of terrorism (AML/CTF) regulations.

The drastic action has resulted from commercial banks in Barbados and the region rejecting business because of laundering concerns.

AML/CTF regulations have also been attributed to the physical movement of United States cash between countries in the Caribbean and the use of alternative, technology-based payment systems for international and inter-personal transactions, said Ian De Souza, the CEO and managing director of Republic Bank Barbados and an executive member of the Caribbean Association of Banks, in confirming the cash movement across borders. (GE)

Please read the full story in today's Sunday Sun, or in the eNATION edition.

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Money rules worry Caribbean - Nation News

Two separate tropical systems are developing in the Atlantic and the Caribbean.(Photo: National Hurricane Center)

Two separate systems one in the western Caribbean, the other in the central tropical Atlantic could develop into tropical storms within the next few days, the National Hurricane Center said.

The center said there's a 60% chance the Caribbean system will become a tropical storm within the next five days, and a 50% chance of developmentfor the Atlantic one.

The first storm, a slowly budding tropical system now in the western Caribbean Sea, will slowly drift across the Yucatan Peninsula into the Gulf of Mexico over the next few days, AccuWeather said. As it passes over the Yucatan, torrential rainfall and mudslides are possible in Mexico, Belize and Guatemala.

After emerging into the Gulf, the storm could potentially move toward the U.S. Gulf Coast. The storm is not forecast to become a hurricane, which occurs whenwinds reach 74 mph.

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NOAA predicts active Atlantic hurricane season with 5 to 9 hurricanes

Meet the hurricane hunters, whose harrowing flights are all in a day's work

The tropical system in the central Atlantic is forecastto drift toward the islands of Dominica, Barbados, Martinique, St. Luciaand Grenada late this weekend.

On average, there's one named storm in June in the Atlantic, Caribbean or Gulf of Mexico every other year, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrationsaid.

"Its not so uncommon to get a named storm in the Atlantic during June,"Weather Underground said, noting Colin and Danielle developed during the month in 2016 and werethe earliest C and D storms on record.

"But its remarkable to have two potential tropical cyclones at the same time during mid-June," the websiteadded.

The next names on the list of tropical storms in the Atlantic basin for 2017 are Bret and Cindy, after Arlene formed in April.

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Tropical trouble? Storms could spin up in Atlantic, Caribbean - USA TODAY

Loews Sapphire Falls Resort, the newest of Universal Orlandos on-property hotels, has added a weekly dinner show that goes with its islands-oriented theme. Caribbean Carnaval is presented to guests and Central Floridians on Wednesdays.

The festivities unfold at the resorts Cayman Court, a covered, open-air pavilion. Thats the setting for an all-you-can-eat buffet, select drinks (including Planters Punch) and colorful entertainment featuring musicians and dancers who represent a 45-minute tour through the Caribbean.

Our team wanted to create something that was fun, that had fantastic food and really inspired by the beautiful islands of the Caribbean with dance and music and something very interactive, said Barb Bowen, managing director.

Songs from the Bahamas, Cuba, Jamaica, Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago are performed. It all builds up to get-on-your-feet crowd participation. The show debuted last month.

Weve tried to adapt to the feedback that weve gotten, Bowden said. What weve really learned is that the interactive part the conga and the limbo our guests really love.

In addition to visitors, the event has appeal as a date-night option or for corporate outings, she said.

Other Loews properties at Universal already have special events, such as monthly lobby concerts at the Hard Rock Hotel and the Wantilan Luau on Saturdays at the nearby Loews Royal Pacific Resort.

We think this, depending on our guests travel patterns, gives our guests maybe two opportunities to see a dinner show, Bowden said.

Most striking on the buffet is the mojo-roasted suckling pig. Other fare includes ropa vieja, jerk chicken, grilled snapper, Caribbean rum cake and guava flan.

Caribbean Carnaval tickets are $69 ($35 for ages 3-9). Children under age 3 get in free. Seating begins at 6 p.m., with entertainment kicking in at 7 p.m. For reservations, call 407-503-3463 or go to caribbeancarnaval.eventbrite.com.

The public has received its first glance at the vacation cottages to be available at Margaritaville Resort Orlando, which is scheduled to open in late 2018. Floridians might feel right at home.

Inspired by Key West, Bahamas, Jamaica, coastal Carolina, the Florida Keys and towns along the Gulf Coast, these homes are designed to reflect those diverse architectural styles and periods while capturing that unmistakable Margaritaville paradise, said Pat McBride, CEO of the McBride Company, which leads the design process of the Margaritaville properties.

Together, the project teams selected dozens of atmospheric architectural details intended to transport visitors, both mentally and physically, to the Margaritaville state of mind, McBride said in a news release.

The rendering released last week shows units in one-, two- and three-level designs. The dominant colors are pink, yellow, aqua and white. Other touches seen are shutters, Adirondack chairs and, naturally, palm trees.

Margaritaville has nine resorts/hotels across the Southeast U.S. and Caribbean. The Central Florida version is under construction along Highway 192 in Kissimmee, east of State Road 429.

When complete, the 300-acre Margaritaville Resort Orlando resort will feature 1,000 vacation homes, 300 timeshare units and a 187-room hotel. The properties are inspired by the lifestyle of singer/songwriter/author Jimmy Buffett.

Margaritaville says its vacation-home pricing starts at $250,000. For more information, go to margaritavilleresortorlando.com.

First responders will receive an unusual shout-out this fall: Their professions will be incorporated into the design of the annual corn maze presented by Long and Scott Farms.

As seen from the sky, a fire truck with a ladder, a police car and an EMT vehicle will be woven into the pathways of the corn maze, which consumes nearly 7 acres. Customers work their way through the puzzle that is cut into higher-than-your-head cornstalks. (Theres a plan for rescuing the hopelessly lost, too.)

Scotts Maze Adventures marks its 15th year of operation in 2017. The seasonal attraction reopens Sept. 30. It will open, on select days primarily Saturdays and Sundays through Dec. 10.

The ecotourism attraction also includes a mini-maze, a zip line for kids, playground, giant jumping pillow, super slide, hayrides, misting maze, picnic areas and fishing opportunities.

Admission is $12 for ages 4 and older. Its free for 3-year-olds and younger. For more information, go to http://www.longandscottfarms.com

Theres a grand-opening date for Mine Blower, the wooden roller coaster at the Fun Spot park in Kissimmee. The ride will debut Friday, the company says.

When the project was announced, the key element of the thrill ride was its 360-degree barrel roll, which will turn passengers upside down over the loading station without the benefit of shoulder harnesses. Since then, more features have been revealed, including high-banking moments and what the designers referred to as a heart over head moment.

Fun Spot officials have said the ride represents a $6 million investment. It was built on the east side of the attraction, displacing two flat-land Go-Kart tracks. .

Fun Spot visitors will pay $9 to ride the new coaster, or it can be bundled with other rides with an all-day pass.

Got a news tip? dbevil@orlandosentinel.com or 407-420-5477; Twitter, @ThemeParks

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Island happy: Sapphire Falls adds Caribbean dinner show - Orlando ... - Orlando Sentinel (blog)

Caribbean chronicles The Hindu It's a short tour, five one-day internationals and one Twenty20, with stopovers in just three of the cricket-playing Caribbean's many magnificent islands, Trinidad, Antigua and Jamaica. The West Indies team is a yet-more-pale shadow of its old fiery ...

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Caribbean chronicles - The Hindu

We're monitoring a disturbance in the Caribbean that has the potential to become the second named storm of this hurricane season.

We're monitoring a disturbance in the Caribbean that has the potential to become the second named storm of this hurricane season. This one would be called Tropical Storm Bret.

There was Tropical Storm Arlene, which formed April 19.

The National Hurricane Center as of Friday afternoon says there is a 60 percent chance of cyclone formation in five days. A large area of disturbed weather has formed over the western Caribbean Sea and the adjacent portions of Central America. Conditions appear to be favorable for gradual development of this system while it moves northwestward across the Yucatan Peninsula this weekend and into the southern and central Gulf of Mexico early next week.

Regardless of the weather, heavy rains are likely to spread over portions of Central America and the Yucatan Peninsula during the next several days.

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Disturbance in the Caribbean being monitored over the weekend - WOAI

Caribbean people do you miss horse racing back home, the excitement, the clippity clop of those running feet? There was Santa Rosa Park in Trinidad & Tobago, St. Georges in Grenada, Garrison Savannah in Barbados and Caymanas Park in Jamaica.

Back in the day, it was like a ritual every Saturday afternoon when radio announcers gave the play by play of the races. This was often music to the ears of horse racing fans, especially when their horse prevailed.

Many people may recall a reggae group called the Pioneers, which paid homage to a favorite horse called Long Shot who died at a race. The very catchy lyrics reminisced about the loss of Long Shot and the impact on die-hard fans. Since a long shot means taking a chance but not likely to win, this song became very popular in Jamaica during the late 1960s when a lot of people would either go to the races or listen on the radio.

Song lyrics: What a weepin and wailin dung a Caymanas Park, Long Shot kick the bucket Get up! get up! in the first race and them pull up the pace Long Shot kick the bucket.

Many horse racing fans may be familiar with one of todays young up-and-coming famous jockeys from the Caribbean, Rajiv Maragh, who is an Indo-Jamaican (family originally from India). He is the son of a jockey who rode in Jamaica and relocated to Florida. So quite naturally, he followed in his fathers footsteps and with the proper training became a jockey in American Thoroughbred horse racing.

It did my heart proud when I watched this son of the Caribbean ride at the Kentucky Derby 2017. How did he get there? How does a jockey get to the Kentucky Derby?

In the same way, our track-and-field athletes spend a lot of time preparing to compete on the world stage similarly young people who aspire to become jockeys or trainers (in the horse racing business) work to perfect their art in order to display their talent on the worlds stage or be hired as a trainer in other countries where they could enjoy sustained success.

Maraghs journey to the top was not easy in this dangerous sport. His road to success had many detours. The familiar phrase coming up the rough side of the mountain quite aptly describes Maraghs experience exactly.

He suffered many injuries. During an interview after the Derby race, he mentioned a terrible accident during a race in October 2014 that resulted in a broken arm. Following that injury, a life-threatening accident occurred in July 2015 during a race at Belmont Park in New York.

An article in USA Today gave details of this horrific accident. According to the author, a horse, Mini Muffin, ridden by Ruben Silvera, veered into the path of YourCreditIsGood. Maragh, who was the jockey, became unseated as his horse fell on top of him. He suffered four collapsed vertebrae, nine fractures to his spine, a broken rib and a collapsed lung. It was a tedious journey back to health.

Maragh was thankful to God that he survived as the doctors could not guarantee that he was going to fully recover.

Being a jockey is who I am and what I love. It really means the world to me so when I was down and out, I had a lot of time to reflect on my life and think about whether or not I wanted to continue in this profession, Maragh said.

All roads led back to the fact that I just wanted to be a jockey. Thats what my passion is for, and I enjoy it every day. Its hard to describe what it means other than its just a natural part of my life and livelihood, he added.

This was his year, Maraghs great comeback after such a horrific accident. He was victorious on his horse, Irish War Cry, taking first place during the Wood Memorial Stakes at Aqueduct in April. (The pair would place 10th in the 20-horse field at the Kentucky Derby in May. The horse did not race in the Preakness, the second leg of the Triple Crown.)

As I watched the horse getting closer and closer to the finish line at the Belmont Stakes in New York, my body became tensed. The other horses were right behind him. Admittedly, feeling a little disappointed, I watched Irish War Cry come in second in that June 10 race but.. I was still very proud of Maragh.

After coming back from those injuries, this finish could only be described as phenomenal. Fantastic!

We wish Maragh the best in all of his future endeavors.

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Caribbean jockey in the big shows has hearts racing - The Philadelphia Tribune

Cruise Hive

Royal Caribbean sees no impact to Cuba cruises from new US policy change Royal Caribbean Blog (blog) President Trump announced new restrictions on Friday to curtail travel and commercial ties between the U.S. and Cuba, but it appears there will be no impact on Royal Caribbean cruises to Cuba. On Twitter, Royal Caribbean confirmed that there will be no ... Which Way Traders Signposts Sirius XM Holdings Inc. (SIRI), Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (RCL) Stocks?StockNewsJournal 2 Men Rescued by Royal Caribbean Cruise Ship After Weeks Adrift at SeaCruise Hive Vanguard Group Inc. Increases Stake in Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (RCL)The Cerbat Gem UtahHerald.com -Clayton News -Stocks Gallery all 41 news articles »

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ST. JOHN The smallest of the three main U.S. Virgin Islands, St. John, comes alive throughout the month of June and into early July, for the islands annual festival, this year seeing a variety of activities and some of the biggest names in Caribbean music.

This years theme is The Present and Past in Ways Never Foreseen, according to information posted on the festival committees official website, which provides thorough information on this years events.

While some activities have already passed, the upcoming events beginning Sunday with the Festival Princess Pageant 2017 aim to set the stage for a memorable season.

Following the Festival Princess Pageant will be the Festival Queen Pageant on June 24. It will be followed by the Festival Food Fair and Coronation on June 25, with festival boat races happening on the same day.

The action kicks into high gear on June 28 with the opening of Festival Village activities, with this years lineup arguably the best of the three festival/carnival events in the territory this season. Some standout names include Ricky T out of St. Lucia, with his smash hit Freaky Girl, the territorys very own R. City, with big songs like Locked Away and Fete You, MX Prime out of Trinidad with the ubiquitous Soca track, Full Extreme, and Alison Hinds out of Barbados, just to name a few. Other notable names include Stylee Band out of St. Croix, Triple Kay out of Dominica, Asa Bantan out of Dominica, Small Axe Band out of St. Kitts, and Destra out of Trinidad, a frequent performer in the territory.

The Festival Childrens Village opens on July 30; Festival Poker Run and Festival Horse Races on July 2, and an Emancipation Day program on July 3.

The festival season culminates with its two biggest affairs Jouvert Morning and parade on July 4, and comes to an end with fireworks the same night at the Cruz Bay Harbor.

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St. John Festival Set To Dazzle With Major Caribbean Artists - VI Consortium (press release)

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Travel Fix's Drew Binsky tells us everything we need to know about the Caribbean including when the best time to visit, which he says is between December and April.

"That's the peak season...meaning best weather, less humid and it's not rainy season," says Drew.

Drew says the Caribbean has mostly good weather throughout the year, but May to September are considered rainy season. But the good news is, "in the Caribbean it's not going to ruin your trip. It might rain for an hour or two a day, but then it'll go away," he said.

According to Drew, every country in the Caribbean is somewhat the same, but he says his favorite country in the Caribbean by far is Cuba, which he visited in March.

"They haven't really gotten out of the 1950's yet, everything there is really old school. People are really nice, and there's lots of things to do."

Another Caribbean country that's near the top of Drew's list is Haiti. It's not a very touristy place, although it has beautiful beaches, according to Drew. It's for people who are more adventurous.

"It's more of like you go just to like throw yourself in a new culture and kind of see what happens," Drew said.

The most touristy destination out of the bunch, he said, is the Bahamas.

"It's super close to Miami, and easy to get to. A lot of resorts and stuff, and it's really expensive," Drew said.

If you're willing to take longer flights, Drew says you should visit the southern Caribbean.

"Countries like Saint Lucia, Dominica and Barbados."

Once you get there, each country is around a 2 hour fair ride from each other.

If you want to see what part of the world Drew will explore next, add him on Snapchat for the latest.

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Travel Fix: all about the Caribbean - CW33 NewsFix

The telecoms sector is one of the Caribbean region's major growth sectors, particularly in the mobile telephony and data segments. Although there are a number of smaller players operating, the sector is dominated by Digicel group and by Liberty Global, which acquired the long-time operator Cable & Wireless Communications and with it the network operator Columbus Communications. As a result, both actively compete against in other in a large number of countries in the region, and their fixed-line and mobile infrastructure assets allow them to provide bundled packages to customers.

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Digicel's key offering, Digicel Play, is available in a growing number of markets. The company has concentrated investments in fibre networks and in LTE. In May 2017 it launched LTE services across Bermuda, the latest island to benefit from these investment efforts.

The region's economy has largely recovered from the downturn experienced after the 2008 GFC. The recovery of economies in the US and Europe was crucial for the recovery of the tourism sector, on which many countries rely for a good proportion of revenue. Trinidad & Tobago has a particularly vulnerable economy, since it is the region's largest oil and gas exporter. The country has also become a major financial centre in the Caribbean. It is one of two countries in the region which is not part of Venezuela's Petro-Caribe scheme that provides preferential or deferred payment options for buying oil.

There have been ongoing changes in telecoms regulations across the region, with national regulators focussed on efforts to improve competition and to facilitate investment. In the Bahamas the regulator, the PUC, activated Mobile Number Portability in April 2017, allowing mobile subscribers to port their numbers between BTC and Cable Bahamas' newly formed mobile unit Aliv within two hours of a request being made. Cable Bahamas expected that with MNP in place Aliv could capture a 30% share of the mobile market by the end of 2017.

In the Cayman Islands, which has the highest teledensity in the region, the regulator ICTA which was set up in 2002 was replaced by a new regulatory body, the Utility Regulation and Competition Office (OfReg), in January 2017. This new body combined ICTA with the Electricity Regulatory Authority and the Cayman Petroleum Inspectorate.

Key developments:

Digicel Bermuda launches island-wide LTE services;

Bahamas regulator introduces MNP;

Digicel showcases 100Gb/s technology on its Barbados network;

Bahamas seen launch of Cable Bahamas' mobile unit Activ;

Digicel expands Digicel Play to new markets;

New telecom regulator formed for Cayman Islands;

Dominican Republic's government delays adopting full digital terrestrial TV until 2021;

Digicel Group launches 'Digicel 2030' transformation program;

ECTEL continues to promote net neutrality rules;

Sprint and Open Wireless combine their businesses in Puerto Rico and US Virgin Islands.

Companies mentioned in this report:

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Caribbean - Telecoms, Mobile, Broadband and Digital Media - Statistics and Analyses - PR Newswire (press release)

The Disney Magic at the Pointe Simon dock in Fort-de-France as seen from Fort Saint-Louis in Martinique. Photo Credit: TW photo by Tom Stieghorst

Next year the number of cruise passengers to Martinique will exceed its population for the first time.

The small, French-speaking island in the Lesser Antilles expects around 440,000 cruisers in the 2017-18 season, compared with about 396,000 permanent residents.

It's a remarkable achievement, considering that seven years ago, Martinique had barely 40,000 cruise passengers visit.

The turnaround is due in part to a program to retire a generation of combative taxi drivers who were an obstacle to cruise line shore excursion programs, Martinique tourism officials said. Martinique's use as a turnaround port for European cruise lines has also grown.

A couple of cruise lines are putting a greater effort into cruises to the southern Caribbean. Martinique has made sure that when North American cruise tourists arrive, communication isn't an issue.

"You walk around, there are people speaking English," said Roger Blum, a consultant for Martinique on cruise issues and principal at Cruise & Port Advisors in Miami. "The service staff are opening up to Americans."

The result is an expected 203 calls and turnaround departures next season from 25 cruise lines, including 13 from Holland America Line, 11 from Norwegian Cruise Line and eight from both Princess Cruises and Seabourn.

For North American guests, there's plenty to see and do. On a recent trip hosted by the Martinique Tourism Authority, I spent time in three areas of the island: the capital of Fort-de-France, the Trois-Ilets peninsula across the bay from Fort-de-France and the north, around Saint-Pierre.

Most big cruise ships dock conveniently at the Pointe Simon pier in downtown Fort-de-France, which was doubled in length several years ago. Buses are staged there for excursions, or guests can wander the city.

Among the attractions is Fort Saint-Louis, a 17th century battlement that still serves as the headquarters for the French Navy in the Caribbean. Because it is a working military base, it can be toured only with a guide from the tourism bureau.

Other attractions include a large covered market, the 19th century library of the liberator of French slaves in Martinique and a cathedral that celebrates Mass in English on days when cruise ships are scheduled.

Some ships also arrive at the less-central Les Tourelles terminal, which is mainly used by MSC Cruises and Costa Cruises for a turnaround on fly-sail cruises for Europeans. Last year they brought more than 104,000 passengers to Martinique.

Martinique has several compelling shore excursions, mainly offered by Roger Albert Voyages, the island's biggest provider. On a day when the Disney Magic called, about 100 guests took the 45-minute drive north to the Zoo de Martinique.

Built amid the ruins of an old sugar mill, the zoo has dozens of birds, snakes, monkeys, iguanas and jaguars, along with a pirate museum.

The zoo is south of Mount Pelee, an active volcano whose eruption in 1902 violently destroyed the port of Saint-Pierre and killed 30,000 people.

The remnants of Saint-Pierre make for an interesting tour, as does a trip on the way back through the rain forest, which we took on a semicovered bus through Caribbean Open Tour. Also worth a stop is the beachfront Le Petibonum restaurant in Le Carbet, where chef Guy Ferdinand made us ceviche from a blue marlin bought from a fisherman that morning.

Due to his habit of wearing a chef's coat over cutoff shorts, Ferdinand is better known as "Chef Hot Pants." A former aircraft mechanic, he's got personality to spare. His outpost includes a rum bar that showcases all 12 of Martinique's distilleries.

Another outstanding tour is of Habitation Clement, one of the rum producers. I've been to three or four Caribbean rum facilities, and this by far was the best. It includes an outdoor sculpture garden, several museums, a historical mansion, a warehouse full of rum casks and a factory-museum (be sure to get the English audio guide).

David Baude, a manager for Roger Albert, said cruise passengers like to combine Clement with a tour of a banana plantation. Another top tour is to a bay to swim among sea turtles, Baude said.

Cruise passengers looking to make the most of a day call in Martinique could do worse than to hop the ferry near the cruise dock to Les Trois-Ilets, about 15 minutes away. For around $8, they can visit one of the best beaches in Martinique at Anse Mitan.

Blum said some cruise passengers ask to be taken to the best beach in Martinique, which is the remote Les Salines, a $200 taxi ride. Anse Mitan is a practical alternative. We stayed for two days in Pointe du Bout, within walking distance of the beach.

One of the great charms of Martinique is that you are actually in France. The island is as much a part of France as Hawaii is of the U.S. There is a shopping village in Pointe du Bout where French fashions are available. A wide selection of French wines are served in the bars. The pastries and breads are made to French standards.

Blum said he's done checks of the restaurants, bars and vendors in Anse Mitan and that most can accommodate English speakers. In addition to a beautiful crescent beach, there is a Jet Ski rental and a dock where sailing and snorkeling excursions are offered.

We dined at Le Kano restaurant, where guests can sit outside in the sand, practically on the beach if they wish. We ate just as well indoors, and our server, a young woman from France, couldn't have been more engaging.

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Martinique: Caribbean with a French flavor - Travel Weekly

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic (AP) In the opening scenes of the latest Vin Diesel action movie, troops in the Dominican Republic chase the hero through a rainforest and down a twisty mountain road. But in real life, the government is doing all it can to welcome the Hollywood star or anyone else who wants to produce a film in this Caribbean country.

The filming here of some scenes from xXx: Return of Xander Cage is a sign of progress in efforts to persuade the film industry to use the Dominican Republics lush mountains, white-sand beaches and colonial architecture as a backdrop.

Now, we are on the map, said Yvette Marichal, director of a government agency created in 2010 to woo film production companies to the country and to regulate their activities here.

Marichal spoke in a recent interview after returning from the Cannes Film Festival, where her agency had a pavilion promoting the countrys varied landscape along with tax breaks and other incentives to lure companies from other destinations, including other parts of the Caribbean or the U.S.

Besides the Vin Diesel action flick, which grossed more than $300 million at the box office this year, the countrys film credits have grown to include last years Netflix production True Memoirs of an International Assassin, as well as 47 Meters Down, which stars Mandy Moore and opens in the U.S. on Friday.

There are small-screen offerings as well, including the Turkish version of the competition series Survivor, which moved from the Philippines to the Dominican Republics Samana area in the north, as well as the Greek version of the same program, which is moving from Argentinas Patagonian region, and a Swedish production of The Bachelor.

All or part of 45 foreign productions, including full-length movies, documentaries and reality TV shows, were filmed here last year. There were another 20 full-length movies for the domestic market, compared to three in 2010.

In the past, the country played host to some notable films. Parts of Apocalypse Now were filmed here as were scenes in Godfather II representing Cuba. In the 2006 movie adaptation of Miami Vice, the Dominican Republic stood in for Haiti, the other country occupying the island of Hispaniola. Those occasional productions inspired former President Leonel Fernandez, who was looking for ways to diversify the economy and bring jobs to the country of more than 10 million.

That bit of investment in the Dominican Republic without any type of incentives motivated the president, said Omar de la Cruz, who served on an advisory board that helped launch a more concerted effort to attract the film industry.

In 2010, the government established tax credits for productions costing at least $500,000 and exemptions on such things as import duties for audiovisual equipment. The movie A Dark Truth, starring Andy Garcia, was the first to take advantage of the new law in 2011.

In addition to the incentives and marketing, universities in the Dominican Republic began offering courses to provide the technical skills that production companies could use to find the local production and technical workers they are required to hire under the law. In 2013, the prominent Vicini family opened Lantica Media, which operates what it describes as the Caribbeans most modern studio and sound stage facilities in a partnership with Britains Pinewood Studios.

Among the movies that Lantica Media worked on is xXx: Return of Xander Cage, which required hiring 300 local people with technical skills, providing valuable experience for them to work in future major productions, said Rafael Nunez, a production director at the companys location in San Pedro de Macoris on the southern coast. The facilities were also used in 47 Meters Down and True Memoirs of an International Assassin.

Marichal credits some of the success to the countrys varied landscape. It is incredible how we have almost all ecosystems on this little island, she said. The only thing we lack is snow but for that we have studios.

The benefits are difficult to measure, but Marichals office says that film production in 2016 injected nearly $87 million into the economy and created 4,000 direct jobs. Most lucrative for the country are the long-running reality TV series, which bring crews staying six months or more at a time. There is also the benefit of promoting the country, already among the Caribbeans top tourist destinations.

It encourages me to see how much the Dominican Republic has achieved in so little time, Marichal said.

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Dominican Republic dreams of becoming Caribbean Hollywood ... - The Seattle Times

If you like to wine a little when you cruise, here's some bad news: Royal Caribbean International has reinstated its $15 corkage fee for each bottle of wine or Champagne brought aboard.

The cruise line, which formerly charged passengers as much as $25 per bottle, did away with the fee in 2014. But it has reinstated the charge, albeit lowering the cost to $15 per bottle.

Royal Caribbean was one of the few major cruise lines that didn't charge the fee. Carnival Cruise Line and Norwegian Cruise Line charge $15. Holland America Line charges $18, and Disney Cruise Line and Celebrity Cruises charge $25 per bottle.

Though some cruise lines, like those mentioned above, allow you to bring a couple of bottles of wine or Champagne aboard when you embark on your cruise, others will confiscate bottles you bring on board.

Some lines, such as Disney, specify that passengers can bring two bottles of unopened wine or Champagne, or six beers, on board on embarkation day and in each port of call.

Many lines confiscate bottles brought aboard at ports of call and don't return them until the end of the voyage.

What's the best way to sort it all out? Check the individual cruise company's rules online before spending money on wine you might not be able to drink during your vacation.

travel@latimes.com

Twitter: @latimestravel

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New Royal Caribbean corkage fee may put a damper on your BYOB celebrations aboard ship - Los Angeles Times