Category Archives: Caribbean

Wonder of the Seas, the newest Royal Caribbean (RCL) - Get Royal Caribbean Group Report cruise ship has claimed the title as the biggest cruise ship in the world. It may also have stolen the crown when it comes to being the ship with the most/best activities from either its own ship relative Odyssey of the Seas, or Carnival's newest ship, Mardi Gras.

That's, of course, subjective. One person may prefer the restaurants, special activities on one ship over another while someone else may feel differently. Both cruise lines most certainly work to offer ships that captivate customers and get them to pick their line or even switch from a rival.

Wonder of the Seas offers eight neighborhoods, including the famed Central Park outdoor area, along with a new kids' playscape, Royal Caribbean's new southern restaurant, Mason Jar, the cruise line's first-ever suites-only neighborhood, and familiar favorites like the FlowRider surf simulator, a zip line, the Ultimate Abyss water slides, twin rock climbing walls, and multiple signature shows.

Mardi Gras, which sort of serves as Carnival's answer to Royal Caribbean's latest ships (the Oasis-class Wonder of the Seas and the Quantum Class Odyssey of the Seas) has its fair share of special features too. These include the first-of-its-kind Bolt Roller Coaster, as well as six themed zones (its version of neighborhoods) as well as an onboard edition of "Family Feud," as well as restaurants from famed chefs Guy Fieri, Emeril Lagasse, Rudi Sodiman and the lines Chief Fun Officer, Shaquille ONeal.

Neither of those descriptions does justice to just how much the latest Carnival and Royal Caribbean (not to mention Norwegian Cruise Line (NCLH) - Get Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. Report) ships offer, but it gives you a taste.

Every new cruise ship means a chance at innovation or at least to look at what your rivals have done and try to go bigger and/or better. Carnival's next ship, the Celebration, is a sister ship to Mardi Gras, but it will have a few twists.

From a design perspective, we are incorporating elements from our former ships, paying homage to the history of Carnival, and also showcasing Carnival Celebration as a modern, innovative, and forward-looking vessel, said Carnival Senior Vice President Ben Clement in a press release. While similar to Mardi Gras with a plethora of options for dining, entertainment, and relaxation, Celebration will have her own personality, one that celebrates all things Carnival, intertwining where we have been with where we are going.

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The ship will include the second installation of the Bolt roller coaster. It will also have a two-level RedFrog Tiki Bar "designed to transport guests to a South Pacific paradise," Shaquille ONeals Big Chicken restaurant, guest-favorite Guys Burger Joint, Seafood Shack, andBlueIguana Cantina, a Mexican eatery.

"Celebration Central will also feature the awe-inspiring, three-deck-high atrium that guests are quickly getting to know and love, but with a ceiling that appears as a burst of a confetti canon made of approximately 1,400 color-changing lighting fixtures that will transform from day to night," the company added.

The space will host entertainment options, including live music, special effects, aerial acrobatic performances, and high-energy shows.

The new ship will have a special area celebrating Carnival's original homeport in Miami, named after the address of Carnivals original headquarters, 820 Biscayne. This area "will celebrate the culture, architectural styles, and flavors of the home city where the line was founded in 1972."

Located on Deck 8, in the same location as La Piazza on Mardi Gras, "820 Biscayne will feature a similar layout and venues but with influences and design elements that reflect the urban-meets-laid back vibes of Miami," the company shared. The new area will feature a number of unique-to-the-ship options:

We wanted to continue to give our guests the delicious and fun offerings they know and love from Mardi Gras but with new identities that pay tribute to the rich culture of Miami, a city that is so special to all of us, said Clement. Miami is a one-of-a-kind city with many different sides to it, so we tried to capture all of that in 820 Biscayne from the tropical feel and original Art Deco designs that can still be found on Miami Beach today to the modern city look of Brickell and of course, with a huge emphasis on the delicious flavors throughout.

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Carnival Readies Its Answer to Royal Caribbean's Newest Ships - TheStreet

KLM is one of the main operators in the European and Latin American markets and expects to restore in the summer much of the pre-pandemic offer in the region, with the reestablishment of frequencies, increase in seat capacity, and extending services offered in winter.

This summer the company offers daily flights to Bonaire (BON) and Aruba (AUA), in addition to increasing its service to Curaao (CUR) to twice daily, the latter during 2021 was the main destination from Amsterdam (AMS), according to data obtained by Aviacionline through Schiphol Airport Statistics the route between AMS CUR mobilized 458,245 passengers, which presents a recovery of 82.2% compared to 2019.

Port of Spain (POS) one of KLMs new winter destinations, this service will be extended throughout the summer with a frequency of three times per week.

Information compiled by Aviacionline through Cirium, is subject to change.

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The airline has re-established much of its offer to South America approaching pre-COVID-19 levels. KLM currently offers daily flights to Sao Paulo (GRU), Lima (LIM) and Panama Tocumen (PTY), six times a week to Quito (UIO)/Guayaquil (GYE), Buenos Aires (EZE)/Santiago (SCL) and Bogota (BOG)/Cartagena (CTG) and Rio de Janeiro (GIG).

Information compiled by Aviacionline through Cirium, is subject to change.

In 2021 seven routes between Latin America and the Caribbean were among the top 20 intercontinental routes at Schiphol Airport (AMS), where Mexico City was the main one where it mobilized 227,460 passengers, on the other hand, Quito (UIO) was the main cargo destination where 42,130 tons of goods and mail were transported.

In the previous year between Amsterdam (AMS) and Latin America and the Caribbean, 1,878,899 passengers and 198,830 tons of cargo were transported, 11,185 air operations, representing a recovery of 55.2%, 103.7%, and 87.5% respectively.

See also:KLM to resume flights between Buenos Aires and Santiago de Chile

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KLM restores its network of destinations in Latin America and the Caribbean for the summer of 2022 - Aviacionline

Royal Caribbean (RCL) - Get Royal Caribbean Group Report endlessly tweaks the onboard experience. In recent years, due to the pandemic, many of those moves have been very public. Mask rules have changed numerous times loosening and tightening as Covid and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention required.

Outside of pandemic-related changes, Royal Caribbean often tries out new things quietly. Over the past few months, for example, it has tried using water served in aluminum cans rather than plastic bottles on some of its sailings.

That may seem like a small change, but people like the familiar, and at least some cruise ship passengers have strong opinions about which container they prefer.

Royal Caribbean thus tends to very quietly try out new changes on a single ship or just a handful of them.That method enables the company to gauge its passengers' reactions. It's the equivalent of a fast-food chain introducing a new sandwich in a handful of restaurants to see whether it should roll it out nationally.

Now, Royal Caribbean has tried two very different new ideas and its customers may be very happy.

Strawfish

Not every problem rises to the level of mask protocols. Some are just little annoyances or issues caused by solving another problem.

Back in late 2018, Royal Caribbean began getting rid of plastic straws on its ships.

"For over a year now, RCL ships have begun implementing a 'straws upon request' policy. That program will be taken a step further by the start of 2019 when guests requesting a straw will receive a paper straw instead of a plastic one," Cruise Fever reported.

That was a noble effort, but it came with unintended consequences. Paper straws might be good for the environment, but they don't work as well as plastic straws since they break down or melt in your drink. Using a paper straw becomes a bit of a race, and that's no way to enjoy a beverage.

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The cruise line has been testing an alternative, according to Matt Hochberg at the Royal Caribbean Blog (which is not affiliated with the company). He reported that the cruise line has been testing biodegradable plastic straws on a few of its ships.

"So far they've been spotted on Harmony, Freedom, and Jewel of the Seas," he wrote.

The straws, according to Strawfish, which makes them, function like traditional straws, but they break down in landfills.

Image source: Royal Caribbean

Cruise ships are famous for the sheer volume of food offered. Those choices, however, dry up late at night. In general, you can get pizza at Sorrento's or light snacks at Cafe Promenade, unless you want to order room service.

Royal Caribbean has found a clever way to offer passengers on its newest ship, Wonder of the Seas, another late-night option that alleviates another problem as well,

Wonder of the Seas has the first installation of Mason Jar, the cruise line's take on a southern restaurant. It has been so popular that it often sells out its full availability before the ship leaves port.

On at least one April sailing of Wonder, a five-day trip over Easter weekend, the cruise line is offering a 1 a.m. "brunch" at Mason Jar. That adds a late-night dining option while also creating more opportunities for people to try Mason Jar.

Neither of these is a huge change, but they both speak to how the cruise line works to give its customers the best experience possible.

That's good for repeat business and word of mouth. Those drive results for Royal Caribbean, so while the changes are small, it's really the process of constant revision that matters.

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Royal Caribbean Tries Two Changes Customers Will Love - TheStreet

For Immediate ReleaseMarch 25, 2022

The United States Government today, announced plans to provide $1.5 million in urgent COVID-19 assistance through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) for countries including Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, Barbados, St. Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, The Bahamas, Guyana, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago.

This assistance will be focused on helping countries with vaccine deployment and readiness, and includes efforts to address vaccine hesitancy and combat vaccine mis- and dis-information. The additional support will assist with community vaccination campaigns and engagement activities, strengthen the cold chain environment, train healthcare workers, and develop regional and country specific campaigns to increase vaccine uptake.

Activities will be implemented through local, regional, and international organizations such as the local Ministries of Health, local non-governmental organizations, the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA), the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), UNICEF, and the USAID Country Health Information Systems and Data Use (CHISU) project implemented by JSI Research and Training Institute, Inc.

U.S. Ambassador to Barbados, the Eastern Caribbean and the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States, Linda Taglialatela, remarked, Through this funding, the United States is extending a helping hand to countries to aid in health and economic recovery from the devastation of COVID-19.

USAID Regional Representative for the Eastern and Southern Caribbean, Clinton. D. White, noted, The funding will fill key gaps to accelerate COVID-19 vaccine uptake, and strengthen countries preparedness for future pandemic threats.

This additional assistance builds on previous COVID-19 support provided to Caribbean countries. USAID has provided nearly $63 million in COVID-19 assistance to the Caribbean to address the health, humanitarian, and economic impacts of COVID-19.This includes more than $7 million specifically for the Eastern and Southern Caribbean region since the beginning of the pandemic.

USAIDs COVID-19 assistance to Caribbean countries has allowed for the procurement of more than 7,000 test kits and more than 3,000 pieces of protective gear for health workers. Through the United States Governments assistance, these countries have also received ambulances and vehicles for patient transport. In addition, communications campaigns to promote health and safety have reached more than 1.2 million people. Finally, the funds have facilitated the provision of psychosocial support for more than 95,000 parents and caregivers, as well as assisted with the installation of more than 300 handwashing stations across the Caribbean.

Diseases know no borders. The United States Government is committed to partnering with our Caribbean neighbors, partners, and friends to end the COVID-19 pandemic, save lives, and stop the threat of dangerous new variants.

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By U.S. Embassy Bridgetown | 25 March, 2022 | Topics: News, Press Releases

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United States Plans to Provide Further $1.5 Million for Urgent COVID-19 Vaccination Assistance in Caribbean Countries - US Embassy in Barbados

The Cambridges have touched down back home in the U.K. just in time for Mothers Day in Britain, observed today across the pond.

And, while the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are now reunited with kids Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, it seems even when they were in the Caribbean this past week, William and Kates trio were on their mind.

To cope with jet lagthe ever-present enemy of the world travelerKate turned to 4 a.m. WhatsApp conversations inside The Royal Suite at the San Ignacio Hotel in Belize to organize play dates for her kids, according to royal expert Rebecca English of The Daily Mail.

For the Duchess of Cambridge, a mothers duties never end, English wrote. So, when Kates jet lag kicked in during this weeks Caribbean tour, seeing her wide awake in the middle of the night, Im told she has spent the time tap-tap-tapping WhatsApp messages, organizing everything from Georges football matches to Charlottes ballet lessons and little Louis bedtime routine back in the U.K.

English said the Cambridges ensure that their departure and arrival times for royal tours fit around kissing the children goodnight or giving them breakfast, she wrote. Their flight on the official RAF Voyager jet tonight will get them back just in time for a nice Mothers Day brunch tomorrow.

Its the new way to juggle being a working royal and a parent, English said, one that the couple have developed through learning lessons from the past. The Queens own first trip to Jamaica in 1953 was part of a Commonwealth tour that took her away from her own young family for six long months. (Son Prince Charles was born in 1948 and daughter Princess Anne was born in 1950.)

Home life calls even, or perhaps especially, while on tour thousands of miles from home, even though the Cambridges have vowed never to undertake trips lasting much longer than a week while their children are young, English wrote.

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Kate Middleton Coped with Jet Lag in the Caribbean by Organizing Play Dates for Her Kids at 4 a.m. - Marie Claire

A Royal Caribbean cruise offers endless opportunities to try new and exciting desserts. From a sundae with twelve scoops of ice cream to a smores cookie and tiramisu, there is a dessert fit for every guest onboard.

As someone with a sweet tooth, trying new desserts is one of my favorite parts of a cruise. Being able to order a dessert I may otherwise be hesitant to try, or one that I have never heard of before, is always a highlight of my meals onboard.

On my recent cruise on Wonder of the Seas, I took up the challenge of finding the best desserts to eat onboard. After much strenuous dessert research, Ive put together my list of the top six desserts to try on Wonder of the Seas.

Starting off our list of top desserts is perhaps the most delicious of all: fried cheesecake from 150 Central Park.

Fried cheesecake is a dessert I never knew I needed until I tasted it. Rich, creamy cheesecake covered with a crunchy, powdered sugar-coated shell and doused with fresh whipped cream and caramel sauce? Yes, please!

150 Central Park exceeded my expectations as soon as I tasted my first course, but they really went above and beyond with the fried cheesecake. This may be one of my favorite desserts of all time.

If youre considering dining at 150 Central Park on your next cruise, dont hesitate to order the fried cheesecake for dessert (and bring your stretchy pants!).

I was so full after my hearty dinner at The Mason Jar that I actually skipped dessert. Due to my aforementioned sweet tooth, skipping dessert on a cruise is unheard of!

Because of this, I had major FOMO (fear of missing out), so I made sure to return to The Mason Jar later in the cruise to try a dessert.

Luckily The Mason Jar bar features a late night menu after 9PM, so I could order menu items without eating a full meal at the restaurant. With fried oreos, Georgia peach ice cream, and chocolate pecan pie on the menu, choosing a dessert was a difficult task in itself.

Ultimately, after hearing a few guests rave about it, I decided on the Warm Bread Puddin.

Soft, sticky, and sweet, the warm bread pudding is made from buttery croissants and soaked in vanilla-bourbon custard. To top it all off is a serving of rich vanilla bean ice cream, offering the perfect balance between warm and cold.

Bread pudding is not a dessert I would typically order, but I was definitely glad I did.

Note: the Warm Bread Puddin isnt technically on the late night menu, but I was still able to order it without a problem.

I first tasted the campfire cookie on my first cruise on Mariner of the Seas and it has been one of my go-to desserts ever since. In fact, I love this dessert so much that Im (very slightly) upset whenever Im on a ship without Playmakers!

The campfire cookie is one of two desserts at Playmakers Sports Bar & Arcade. In simple terms, the campfire cookie is a chocolate chip cookie with marshmallows on top.

A dessert of this caliber, though, deserves a more thorough description. Lets take a deeper dive into the three components of the campfire cookie:

Whats great about Playmakers is that, while it is a specialty restaurant, the menu items are priced a la carte. Therefore, theres no need to sit down for a lengthy three course meal in order to try the campfire cookie.

At $6, its a dessert well worth the cost.

Solarium Bistro is one of my favorite complimentary dinner options on an Oasis or Quantum Class ship. Not only is it usually much less crowded than other venues, but it offers cuisine not available elsewhere onboard.

From hummus and pita to lamb chops and babaganoush, the Mediterranean-style cuisine at Solarium Bistro always hits the spot.

If you have room in your stomach after your eighth serving of hummus, be sure to head to the dessert station. My favorite dessert at Solarium Bistro is also one of my favorites onboard, and that is the nutty, sugary, and sticky baklava.

For a complimentary dessert that is tricky to make, the baklava onboard is surprisingly good. Ive never seen baklava anywhere else on a Royal Caribbean ship other than Solarium Bistro, so dont miss it on your next Quantum or Oasis Class cruise.

Overshadowed by Izumis mochi ice cream are the Crispy Sesame Balls. Unassuming yet unique, the sesame balls are the star of Izumis dessert menu.

The sesame balls are made from glutinous rice flour and sugar, which brings a chewy, mochi-like texture to the dessert.

Each sesame ball is then filled with a small amount of red bean filling, which is slightly sweet yet not overpowering. Red bean is a common dessert flavor in Japan, often used as a filling for steamed buns and mochi.

Lastly, each sesame ball is coated in sesame seeds and fried. The crunchy sesame coating gives each bite a toasted, nutty flavor that blends perfectly with the sugary, chewy consistency inside the sesame ball.

Each order comes with four sesame balls which are served warm.

The majority of guests dining at Izumi tend to order mochi ice cream without considering other desserts on the menu. During your next meal at Izumi, step out of your comfort zone and try the Crispy Sesame Balls. Youll thank me later!

The last dessert on our list is also the most simple: a heaping cone of complimentary soft serve from the pool deck.

On every Royal Caribbean ship is a soft serve ice cream/frozen yogurt station where guests can enjoy unlimited and free ice cream cones. The most common flavors are vanilla, chocolate, and twist, although strawberry (my personal favorite) may be available as well.

While a cold ice cream cone is extremely satisfying on a warm Caribbean day, there are a few ways to take your soft serve game up a notch:

There are a few runner-ups I should add to my list: Key Lime Pie from Chops Grille, Go Bananas from Giovannis Italian Kitchen, and coconut cookies from Cafe Promenade.

What is your favorite dessert on a Royal Caribbean ship? Let us know in the comments below, and be sure to check out our FULL ship tour of Wonder of the Seas to learn more about Royal Caribbeans newest ship:

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Top desserts to try on Wonder of the Seas - Royal Caribbean Blog

Yo ho, yo ho, a pirates life for me! This year marks the 55th anniversary of the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction at Disneyland Park. The attraction opened on March 18, 1967.

In honor of the anniversary, Disney released a few new merchandise items, including a raglan tee and a water bottle. We found these in Disneyana in Disneyland Park.

The raglan tee is two different shades of grey.

The Pirates of the Caribbean logo is on the left breast. Above the logo is a pirate skull with green jeweled eyes. And 55th Anniversary is printed on the pirates hat.

On the back of the tee is a large Pirates of the Caribbean logo with 55th Anniversary beneath it, across a ship steering wheel. The Disneyland Resort logo is underneath.

This water bottle is black with a design of a skeleton pirate, a pirate ship, and a treasure chest. Throughout the design, it says Pirates of the Caribbean, 55th Anniversary on a scroll.

On the other side, it says Disneyland Resort towards the bottom of the bottle in teal lettering.

The bottle has a black lid with a handle and is not microwave or dishwasher safe.

A new Pirates of the Caribbean pin was also recently released. And you can view it here.

For more Disneyland Resort news and info, follow Disneyland News Today onTwitter,Facebook, andInstagram. For Disney Parks news worldwide, visit WDWNT.

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New 55th Anniversary 'Pirates of the Caribbean' Merchandise Sails into Disneyland Resort - WDW News Today

WILLIAM and Kates awkward royal tour of the Caribbean could have been a roaring triumph...if Harry and Meg had done it instead.

If only the Palace had just slapped some factor 50 on Harrys bald spot and told Meghan she was about to play the role of a lifetime.

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That royal yacht has sailed, of course. Harry and Meghan will disgracefully not even attend Tuesdays memorial service for Prince Philip at Westminster Abbey.

Imagining them doing a gruelling meet-and-greet all over the Commonwealth is just a crazy dream.

But seeing William and Kate looking uncomfortable in the Caribbean was a reminder of the historic opportunity that has been lost for ever.

William and Kate did their very best. But the bitter truth is their Caribbean tour would have been a perfect gig for Harry and Meghan.

Woke yet glam, caring yet charismatic, their eyes shining with compassionate tears, Harry and Meghan would have been living, multi-racial proof the Royal Family are not some milky white leftover from ancient history.

William and Kate smiled from one end of the Caribbean to the other. Wills quoted Bob Marley twice!

They were game for a laugh, shaking their royal rumps whenever the band began to play.

William expressed profound sorrow about slavery. They listened politely when Jamaicas mediocre Prime Minister Andrew Holness gracelessly told them he was planning to ditch the Queen as head of state.

Many locals clearly adored William and Kate. But the uneasy truth is this tour of the Caribbean felt just a bit off.

The most obvious and offensive example was Jamaican politician Lisa Hanna openly humiliating the Duchess of Cambridge.

During a ceremony to welcome William and Catherine at Kingstons Norman Manley International Airport, Kate turned to smile at Ms Hanna, who was sitting next to her, and the former Miss-World-turned-politician angrily looked away, as if lovely Kate was dressed as a grand wizard in the Ku Klux Klan.

They lapped up the snub in Hannas Peoples National Party.But it looked gratuitously, pathetically rude.

Hanna would not have dared treat Meghan Markle in such a wantonly disrespectful manner. Or indeed the Queen.

Kate and William are glorious ambassadors for this nation. Personally, I would love to see the succession skip a generation and have William on the throne rather than King Charles III.

But William and Kate were faced with an impossible task when confronted by self-important, self-serving Caribbean politicians trying desperately hard to show how little they care for the monarchy.

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By all means lets have a mature conversation about the Crowns relationship with Commonwealth nations. And if Jamaica wants to follow the example of Barbados and remove the Queen as head of state, good luck to them.

But lets be civilised. And lets cut the endless demands for this country to shell out reparations for slavery.

William following the example of Prince Charles made a speech about the obscenity of slavery.

Fine, but can we stop pretending that slavery only existed when European colonialists were stealing people from Africa? Ever heard of the Roman Empire?

When did anyone ever demand reparations for the millions of slaves taken by African, Arab and Scandinavian nations?

How about some fleeting mention of the way the British and our Navy did so much to ABOLISH slavery?

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What a crying shame that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex sit bleating in their mansion, fondling their lucrative contracts, whining the Californian day away when they could be securing the Queens legacy in the Commonwealth.

When they married on that spring day in Windsor in 2018, there was a sense that this couple could change the world.

But in a sulky fit of self-pity, Harry and Meghan threw it all away.

Now they sit surrounded by all that useless luxury, spouting their woke banalities, nurturing their grievances.

What a waste, and what a lost opportunity. For them and for us.

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RUSSIAN video journalist Oksana Baulina has been killed by Russian shelling in Kyiv.

Oksana is believed to have been the victim of a Russian double tap attack, a sadistic tactic perfected in the bloody ruins of Syria where a target is attacked twice in quick succession the first bomb to wipe out the target, and the second to kill those people who rush to help.

Oksana was a foreign correspondent in Ukraine, where her speciality was the grotesque corruption of the Russian government.

Oksana was an unimaginably brave woman who sacrificed her life to tell the truth about the criminals who have hijacked her homeland.

Her death is a reminder that the Russian people are not our enemy.

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OVER the past week, a number of raddled Rolling Stones fans have fixed me with their rheumy eyes, tightly gripped their Zimmer frames and asked: Is it worth buying tickets to see the Stones this summer?

Turning the dial on their hearing aids all the way up to ten, I reply in the affirmative.

Its true there will be no Charlie Watts. But this is the band that survived losing its founder, Brian Jones, who died at age 27.

The band who survived losing Mick Taylor and Bill Wyman.

Mick Jagger and Keith Richards both turn 80 next year.

This summers Stones shows will be magic. But this really could be the last time.

Not everybody can work from home

ON the second anniversary of lockdown, a poll suggests that the typical worker now has a hybrid working week of three days in the office and two loafing around at home in their jim-jams.

But millions simply cant work from home plumbers, electricians, bin men, shop assistants and delivery drivers.

Working from home is, and always will be, a class issue.

Only the pampered Covid elite gladly get to do it and then whine that the service they provide cant possibly be anywhere as good as pre-Covid.

WFH is a new way of working not working very much at all, but still getting paid for it.

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SOME say that Emma Raducanu has more sponsors than trophies.

Its true that Emma has only one major trophy that US Open but multiple high-end contracts with Tiffany, Dior, Evian, British Airways and, most recently, Porsche.

But to most casual British tennis fans, the one tournament that matters is those two weeks at Wimbledon.

If Raducanu wins Wimbledon, then the sky is the limit.

Emma, 19, might be able to afford the insurance on her Porsche.And even fill it up!

Too late for US regrets

THE United States of America expresses outrage that the Taliban have again closed schools in Afghanistan to female students.

But if President Biden had not been so desperate to flee the country, girls would still be getting an education in Afghanistan.

LETS not get our organic Fairtrade knickers in too much of a twist about footballs 2022 World Cup being held in Qatar.

The last one was in Russia, in 2018. And I can vividly recall French President Emmanuel Macron dancing like a drunken Crazy Horse showgirl at the final.

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Human rights abuses? Jailing of dissidents? The state violence unleashed on gay pride marches in Moscow?

None of it seemed to bother Macron when the teenage Kylian Mbappe banged in Frances fourth goal against Croatia.

We are rightly appalled that even as the cities of Ukraine are reduced to rubble, Russia has dared to make a bid to host footballs Euro 2028 tournament.

But it is not as though we did not know Russias true nature four years ago.

That 2018 World Cup was held in Russia just four years after the country had illegally annexed Crimea.

That World Cup began less than FOUR MONTHS after Russian hitmen had descended on Salisbury and poisoned Sergei and Yulia Skripal with nerve agent Novichok a botched assassination attempt that killed a British innocent and put a policeman into an intensive care unit.

The 2018 World Cup in Russia was held when we already knew that Russia was a corrupt, brutal, genocidal regime that believed they could, quite literally, get away with murder.

So, by all means let Harry Kane and the England boys express their legitimate concerns about gay football supporters feeling safe in Qatar.

If course, the caring footballers of the free world are absolutely right to express their concerns about human rights abuse in Qatar.

But the last World Cup was in Russia. And if a World Cup can be held in that gangster state, then quite frankly it can be held anywhere.

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The royal tour of the Caribbean could have been a real hit for Harry and Meghan... - The US Sun

After the ship has been active in Asia and Australia, Voyager of the Seas will be redeploying to Europe and the United States later this year. It will be the first time the vessel has been active in Northern Europe and more than ten years since she sailed from a US homeport.

The move from Royal Caribbean is connected to slim opportunities for cruising in Asia and the Pacific, a region running behind on resuming cruising.

Royal Caribbean has decided to redeploy Voyager of the Seas from her usual base of operations in the Asia-Pacific region. The vessel is returning to the United States, sailing from Boston and San Juan, and sailing in Northern Europe for the first time this year from April 24.

The 3,602-passenger Voyager of the Seas will be based in Europe and the Baltic area for the first time this year. She will be homeporting in the Danish capital of Copenhagen, and the Swedish capital of Stockholm, offering seven- and eleven-night cruises in the Baltic and Scandinavia. There are no calls scheduled in Russia.

The first European cruise departs on April 24 from Copenhagen, Denmark. Voyager of the Seas will spend two days and an overnight in Oslo before heading to Kristiansand in Norway. After a day at sea, the ship will head to Denmark for a day in Skagen and Aarhus. The cruise ship returns to Copenhagen on May 1.

The following cruise is a 7-day Baltic voyage with calls in Stockholm, Sweden; Helsinki, Finland; and Tallinn, Estonia. On September 4, Voyager of the Seas will depart on what will be a spectacular Arctic Crossing to her new homeport, Boston, Massachusetts.

Royal Caribbean has planned something extraordinary to mark the return of Voyager of the Seas to the United States. The vessel will depart on a 14-day Arctic Crossing from Copenhagen, Denmark, on September 4.

The ship will make calls to Kristiansand, Norway, and Akureyri, Iceland before guests enjoy an overnight stay in Icelands capital city Reykjavik. All this is in preparation for three days in magical Greenland. The ship will be cruising one day along the spectacular mountains and icebergs of Prins Christian Sund and then spend a day each in Qaqortoq and Nuuk.

After three days of sailing, Voyager of the Seas will arrive in her new homeport of Boston. From September 18 the cruise ship will offer a series of five Canada and New England cruises. Ports of call include Bar Harbor, Maine; Saint John, New Brunswick (Bay of Fundy); Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island; and Sydney, Nova Scotia.

After another repositionings cruise from Boston, Voyager of the Seas is scheduled to spend the winter in the warmer waters of the Caribbean, homeporting in San Juan. From Puerto Rico, the Voyager-class cruise ship will offer a series of 5-7- and 9-night cruises to the Southern Caribbean.

Ports of call include St. Kitts, Aruba, Curacao, Antigua, Barbados, and St. Maarten.

Voyager of the Seas spent the last years sailing in Asia and the Pacific, from ports such as Singapore, Hong Kong, Tianjin, Keelung, Yokohama, and Sydney. Due to the uncertain situation in Asia and Australia regarding COVID-19 measures and local cruise bans, several cruise lines decided to re-imagine the itineraries for their vessels.

Carnival Cruise Line decided earlier this year to redeploy Carnival Spirit and Carnival Splendor from Australia to the United States. At the same time, Norwegian Cruise line brought Norwegian Spirit back to the US.Even the Norwegian Getaway is returning to the US to replace a season in the Baltic.

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Royal Caribbean Cruise Ship is Heading Back to the US After 10 Years - Cruise Hive

The UK should be helping Caribbean nations sever ties with the monarchy rather than sending the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge on a charm offensive, Caribbean experts and Windrush campaigners say, predicting that Barbadoss decision to remove the Queen as head of state may have a domino effect across the region.

The royals will embark on a tour of Jamaica, Belize and the Bahamas on Saturday that is widely viewed as an attempt to persuade other Caribbean nations not to follow Barbadoss example, after the Queen was said to have been dismayed by the islands move.

But although many hold warm feelings towards the royals across the Caribbean, calls for true independence are growing louder, especially among the younger generation, and in Jamaica, which celebrates 60 years of independence in 2022.

Patrick Vernon, a Windrush campaigner, cultural historian and the author of 100 Great Black Britons, said: Britain still has key legal and economic ties, which makes it difficult for a country like Jamaica to be truly independent. This year is an opportunity for people to reflect: do we want to be a republic, and what does that mean? If Jamaica decided it did, there would be a domino effect on the rest of the English-speaking Caribbean.

Jamaicas opposition leader, Mark Golding, has called for the Queen to be removed as head of state. A lawyer, Hugh Small QC, recently burned three judicial wigs as part of a call to move away from the UK-based privy council as the countrys highest court, and cultural figures such as the dancehall artist Sizzla have voiced their support.

Jamaica is thought to be split over the question of removing the Queen as head of state, which Vernon said was a complex one since although there was an awareness of the negative impact of the colonial legacy, a sense of Britain as the mother country persisted. He said many Jamaicans did not fully understand the Windrush scandal and what it says about the UKs attitude towards them, as it had been under-reported in the country.

However, he argued that it was time for the country to hold a referendum a required first step towards removing the Queen as head of state to gauge the mood of the public.

Emily Zobel Marshall, an academic whose research focuses on Caribbean culture, said it had come as a surprise in the Caribbean that Barbados was the first country since the 1970s to remove the Queen as head of state, given its close links and Little England moniker. She suggested that the prime minister Mia Mottleys success was down to perceptions of her as a very strong woman who had impressed the world, whereas other Caribbean leaders feared that a referendum on the Queen would be misconstrued as a popularity contest.

Zobel Marshall said that rather than engaging in a charm offensive, the royals should be working with the UK government to facilitate the conversation in the Caribbean around full independence and meaningful reparations led by local needs.

Weve had centuries of enslavement, followed by colonialism in the Caribbean. The damage that has been done economically and historically by Britain is vast, and the legacies of that are ongoing. To still have the Queen as the head of state, in this day and age, is baffling to me, she said.

I think its important symbolically not to be a part of that hierarchy. Its important for Caribbean countries to be proud of themselves in their own right and to be untethered from Britain.

William and Kates trip suggested theres clearly an anxiety in the royal family about other English-speaking countries pulling out of the Commonwealth, she said.

Zobel Marshall added: I think that having the Queen as head of state in the Caribbean is locked into that way of thinking, that sense of superiority, that nostalgia for the past when Britain ruled the waves. Instead of sending the beautiful couple out there to woo the royal family back into favour, they should be talking about whats best for the Caribbean nations.

This article was amended on 18 March 2022. An earlier version incorrectly stated that Barbados was the first [Caribbean] country to remove the Queen as head of state. It is the first Caribbean country since the 1970s to do so.

Read more:

Growing calls in Caribbean to cut ties to monarchy as royals fly out - The Guardian