Category Archives: Caribbean

Im onboard Harmony of the Seas this week for a 7-night Eastern Caribbean & Perfect Day cruise. As this is my first time on an Oasis-class ship, I wanted to try out all the free signature activities this ship has to offer.

From water slides to a zipline and rock climbing, there was no shortage of things to do during my time onboard and I found myself trying a new activity every day.

A unique activity only found on Oasis-class ships is the Ultimate Abyss. The Ultimate Abyss is a pair of two 70ft high slides (150 feet above sea level) located in the aft of Harmony of the Seas. The slide departs from the Sports Court on deck 15 and slides down to the Boardwalk neighborhood on deck 6.

The Ultimate Abyss is not a water slide, but is a dry slide in which you use a mat with a pocket for your feet and hold on to a handle. As there are two slides side by side, you can race to the bottom with a fellow passenger.

The slide starts by climbing through the mouth of an entrance designed like an anglerfish predator, with 35 teeth, two eyes, and a photophore (light source to attract prey). The entrance has a glass floor and views of the aft below, which gets your adrenaline pumping even before the slide starts.

This was probably my favorite new activity that I tried! The ride takes an average of 13 seconds from top to bottom as you twist and turn through a tunnel with sound effects, music, and lights. It was much more thrilling than I imagined it would be and I found myself wanting to do it again as soon as I reached the bottom!

I liked the fact that it wasnt a water slide, so I didnt have to wear a swimsuit in order to try it. Plus, the slide brings you to an entirely different neighborhood on the ship! Who needs elevators when you have the Ultimate Abyss?

The Ultimate Abyss has a minimum height of 44 inches and a maximum weight of 300 pounds.

Harmony of the Seas has three water slides which comprise what is called the Perfect Storm water slides. These are one of the most popular activities onboard Harmony of the Seas, and for good reason. They are thrilling, tall, and a fun activity for guests of all ages. I had actually never done the water slides on any Royal Caribbean ship, so I was excited to try them out.

The first slide I tried was the blue one on the Cyclone and Typhoon slides. These are the yellow and blue racing slides on Harmony of the Seas which twist and turn several times as you race to the bottom.

To be honest, this slide made me feel uneasy as it was mostly pitch black and I had no idea where I was going and for how long I would be sliding down. It made me pretty claustrophobic and panicky! Because of this, I decided to skip trying the yellow slide. Other guests and especially kids seemed to be enjoying the Cyclone and Typhoon slides, though!

Next up was the Supercell side, otherwise known as the toilet bowl. This yellow and green-colored slide takes you on a couple twists and turns before sliding you into a giant toilet bowl. Once in the bowl, you will slide around a few times before falling into the middle.

I much preferred the Supercell slide over the Cyclone and Typhoon slides. I liked how there were no pitch black sections of the slide, so it was not as disorienting. The slide has both clear and rainbow-colored sections before sliding you into the bowl, where you are in the open air again. It was actually a ton of fun so I did it three times in a row!

Who ever thought you would be able to zipline on a cruise ship? Oasis-class ships are the only Royal Caribbean ships to have a zipline. The zipline flies 9 decks above the Boardwalk neighborhood on Harmony of the Seas and spans 82 feet from start to end.

When you arrive at the zipline station, a staff member will put a harness on you and guide you to the launching area.

I felt confident in doing the zipline until it came to the point where the crew member clipped me in and told me to start. At this point, it really hit me that I was about to fly through the air! As you take your feet off the ground and start flying to the other side, though, you realize that its actually a lot more fun than it is scary.

I enjoyed the zipline overall, although it was a short experience so Im not sure I would wait in a huge line for it. The zipline itself only takes around 10 seconds, but I think it is still a fun activity to try at least once on your cruise. Be sure to wear laced shoes or bring socks to borrow shoes, as non-lace tennis shoes, such as sandals, are not allowed.

Passengers must be at least 52 tall to ride the zipline and weigh between 75-275 pounds.

The next activity I tried was rock climbing. I go to a rock climbing gym at home and climb a few times a week, so this is always my favorite sports activity to do onboard. Royal Caribbeans rock climbing walls have routes with varying levels of difficulty, making it a fun activity for any fitness level.

There are two rock walls on Harmony of the Seas which are located in the Boardwalk neighborhood, overlooking the Aquatheater and wonderful views of the aft.

Before you go to the rock climbing wall, make sure you have socks and are not wearing a bathing suit. My recommendation is to wear a t-shirt and shorts to ensure you have the proper attire on for climbing. The staff will give you rock climbing shoes and harness before clipping you into the wall!

I went up the wall twice in a row to get a quick workout in and was blown away by the 180 degree view of the ships wake from the top of the rock climbing wall.

My one complaint with the rock climbing wall is that the colorful holds on the wall are not properly tightened. When you grab many of the holds, they turn slightly. This is not ideal because you can unexpectedly fall when you grab something or when you put your foot on a hold.

The rock climbing wall is available for guests 6 and older and guests must be able to fit into the harness. Socks, dry clothes, shorts, or pants are required.

Located in the Boardwalk neighborhood on Harmony of the Seas is a colorful, intricately-designed carousel that seems to transport you back in time. Animals of all kinds line the carousel and it is an activity available during both the day and evening onboard.

I thought the carousel was fun, although it is geared toward small children so it wasnt the most thrilling activity I tried. For children, though, I think that the addition of a carousel on a cruise ship adds to the family-friendly environment created on Harmony of the Seas.

Guests must be at least 42 inches tall to ride the carousel without an adult. If under 42 inches, an adult must be standing next to the child and have their hands on the child at all times during the ride.

The Flowrider surf simulator is a common activity on Royal Caribbeans ships, but it is one that I had never tried before. Harmony of the Seas has two Flowriders in the aft of the ship.

I had never tried the Flowrider because I wasnt sure I would be very good at it. While I took surfing lessons several years ago, I was not exactly the most skilled surfer out there (and thats an understatement). However, I figured that after six Royal Caribbean cruises, it was finally time to give the Flowrider a chance.

As a beginner, I started off by boogie boarding. The staff give you a very brief introduction into how to hold the boogie board and how to launch into the water. As soon as I launched, I was nearly overtaken by the water rushing all around me and I kept getting sent all the way to the back of the Flowrider instead of boogie boarding around the middle.

To be honest, I was pretty bad at this and cannot imagine being able to surf standing up on the Flowrider! That being said, I did not wipe out and send the boogie board flying away, so I was pretty happy about that. It was fun, although it wasnt my favorite activity which was probably due to my lack of skill. I think I will have to try it again in the future, though!

Be sure to wear a swimsuit to the Flowrider and be aware that there is the slight possibility of a loose swimsuit falling off as the water rushes around you. I would recommend a one piece swimsuit to avoid any potential mishaps youve been warned!

Guests must be at least 52 inches tall to use the Flowrider.

Harmony of the Seas has an ice rink onboard in Studio B, where the ships figure skating cast perform impressive ice skating shows throughout the cruise. During the day, though, the ice rink is often open for free skate sessions where passengers can test out their skills on the ice.

Guests must sign up for an ice skating session by heading down to Studio B when sign ups are listed in the Cruise Compass. When you arrive at your scheduled time, the staff will give you skates and a helmet and you are free to skate in any way you like.

I really enjoyed my time ice skating onboard as it was something I definitely dont usually do at home. It is also a great indoor activity to do when the weather outside is not cooperating. There are rails on the side of the entire ice rink so if you are a beginner you can hold onto the side.

Parents must supervise minors at all times at the ice skating rink and must be on the ice with children under 6.

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Trying out the free activities on Harmony of the Seas - Royal Caribbean Blog

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Baseball fans are a couple of weeks away from the best tournament in all of professional baseball.

No, I havent gone crazy, I know when the World Series takes place. For my money, the best tournament takes place every single year in late January and early February and its known as Serie del Caribe. I write this column every single year for one site or another, but not enough of you have realized the absolute blast that is Serie del Caribe, so here I am yet again telling you to watch the best baseball tournament in the world.

Lets get the quick primer out of the way right now. Serie del Caribe is a tournament from the top winter leagues in Latin America, with the exception of Nicaraguas Liga de Bisbol Profesional Nacional and Cubas Serie Nacional de Bisbol (those two leagues are regularly denied entry for purely political, in the baseball sense, reasons). The tournament brings the champions from Bisbol Profesional de Panam, Liga Colombiana de Bisbol Profesional, Liga de Bisbol Profesional de la Repblica Dominicana, Puerto Ricos Liga de Bisbol Profesional Roberto Clemente, Liga Mexicana del Pacfico, and Liga Venezolana de Bisbol Profesional together for one week of action. That week consists of a five game round robin, and then a single elimination tournament between the four top teams from the round robin.

The games can sometimes be streamed through various methods. Check out The Guide as the games are happening for some possible options. I started streaming via Sling TV and their orange plus best of Spanish TV option. Its not the cheapest route, but every game is streamed and they are high-quality streams. Ultimately, choose whatever option works for you, I dont care, as long as youre getting to see the games.

In terms of overall stature, Serie del Caribe is a major league. It doesnt matter one iota that Major League Baseball doesnt recognize it as a major league. They dont get to decide the status of unaffiliated leagues; never have, never will. When it comes to talent level, popularity, host city population, global reach, the history of the tournament, and other factors Serie del Caribe is a major league. That doesnt, and shouldnt, affect ones enjoyment of the tournament. Its still something important to keep in mind when youre crying about there being no baseball to watch while you are ignoring a major league tournament taking place in the here and now.

Most of all, Serie del Caribe is a barrel full of fun. From beginning to end the fans, Coronavirus willing, are raucous and the players display a passion for winning the tournament that is infectious as a viewer. Serie del Caribe matters to the teams, players, leagues, and countries (Puerto Rico should be its own country, calm down) participating. Its hard as a viewer to not get swept up in the action taking place because of how into the proceedings all the people involved are.

The games are usually close, especially once the elimination round starts. However, these teams are the best of the best from high-level leagues (some of which would likely qualify for major league status themselves) and there is the occasional blowout when one team is severely overmatched. Be that as it may, from January 28th until February 3rd a good helping of some of the best baseball players in the world are all gathered in one place playing their hearts out and producing baseball that is entertaining, fun, and highly skilled. It doesnt get much better than that, which is why year after year I tell you, folks, to seek out Serie del Caribe action and watch the excitement unfold.

For some of you, I am aware that saying Serie del Caribe is better than the World Series may be a tough sell. No one, including myself, is denying that MLB has a higher talent level than Serie del Caribe. However, Serie del Caribe is a major league and their talent level isnt far behind that of MLB. Serie del Caribe is, simply put, a fun tournament with plenty of great action that is chock full of amazing players. Theres nothing to dislike about the actual action on the field, ask anyone who regularly watches the jewel of the Caribbean and then watch for yourself. You wont be disappointed.

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The Jewel of the Caribbean - Off The Bench - Off The Bench Baseball

As England begin their inquest into another abject Ashes campaign, one of the key issues is bound to be the captaincy, especially with the tour of the Caribbean beginning in March. Cricinfo identifies six of the front-runners, for want of a better word, starting with the man who may yet remain at the helm...

Joe Root

At least he still wants the role ... or claims to, at any rate. Joe Root has been England captain for five years and 61 Tests, more than any of his predecessors, and yet not even his second 4-0 Ashes thrashing can persuade him it's time to jack it in. Whether that makes him heroic, pig-headed, oblivious or a prisoner of conscience, only he can truly say. But given his deep-seated concerns about the quality of the young players being sent to join his ranks, he clearly sees it as his duty to hold the line in the manner that serves his team best.

The case against his retention is two-fold. Firstly, he has looked shattered after each of his Ashes beatings, and if he spends the next two years averaging in the low-30s, as he did in 2018 and 2019, then England's batting will be in an even deeper hole. Secondly, aside from the loyalty he engenders as a thoroughly good egg, there's nothing about Root's leadership that would be missed if he returned to the ranks. Tactically he's still a "craptain" - the self-deprecating nickname he resurrected for himself in 2017 - while more damningly, his crass handling of Jofra Archer (and latterly Ben Stokes, though doubtless Stokes was complicit in his own injury) is a serious black mark against his tenure.

Caveat Emptor, where England allrounders are concerned. Ian Botham and Andrew Flintoff have been there and done that, and both men crashed and burned after being asked to lead their country while remaining the team's brightest star. And yet, there are many reasons to believe that Stokes is cut from a different cloth to his predecessors. First and foremost, he is the ultimate team man - an unfailingly loyal deputy to his friend and captain Root, but ever-ready to answer the call when needed, most extraordinarily last summer, when he defied the pain of his as-yet unhealed broken finger and led a scratch ODI team to a 3-0 series win over Pakistan, in the wake of the main squad's Covid outbreak. Botham and Flintoff in their pomp were their respective teams' heartbeats. But that's not quite the same thing.

Secondly, the longer Stokes' career goes on, the more his pre-eminence as a batter comes to the fore. Pat Cummins has shown that fast bowlers are perfectly capable of leadership (more of which later...) but they are also more liable to suffer tenure-interrupting injuries. The fact that Stokes played on this winter in spite of his side strain suggests that he'll be better placed to resist the Botham/Flintoff folly of assuming they, and only they, can be the matchwinner in any adverse situation. He's unlikely to be as shy about bowling himself as Root, England's premier allrounder in 2021, but after a gruelling and confused Ashes performance, it's probably in England's wider interests that Stokes spends 2022 rediscovering his game, rather than worrying about taking on more responsibilities.

Rory Burns

A County Championship-winning captain with Surrey, and not only that, a man whose returns in that 2018 season were so far and away beyond any other batter - by runs scored and minutes batted - that no-one else on the circuit was remotely qualified to fill Alastair Cook's immense shoes after his retirement that same year. And though Burns' returns haven't been stellar in recent seasons, he's still been the best of the rest of England's batting. He was the only man bar Stokes to make an Ashes hundred in the 2019 series, and the only man bar Root (with six) to reach three figures in 2021, against the world champions New Zealand at Lord's.

However, Burns seems all of a sudden to be on borrowed time in the England set-up. His first-ball duck at Brisbane was an indignity to scar even the most resilient of characters, but his dropping for the Boxing Day Test, with the series on the line, was a dramatic indication of how his stock has fallen. His failure to communicate like a senior player appears to have told against him, which effectively means his captaincy card is marked too. His attitude towards the media has also been deeply frosty for months, ever since his Twitter spat with the former England women's player-turned-commentator Alex Hartley - the sort of PR gaffe that is unlikely to sit well with the ECB's all-inclusive vibe.

Sam Billings

It's a measure of how far England have fallen that a player who, a week ago, was 90 minutes away from boarding a flight back to the UK, has not only driven 500 miles and nine hours to make his Test debut, but has emerged from the Ashes rubble as a viable captaincy candidate. That prospect was stepped up a notch after his first-innings 29 at Hobart (yes, things are that desperate ...), then receded somewhat after his flaccid flick to mid-on in the final-day collapse. But in between whiles, Billings carried himself with composure, most particularly behind the stumps, where his sheer glee at being involved was radiated across England's fielding effort - a devastating counterpoint to Jos Buttler's self-absorbed misery of the first four games.

In terms of his actual credentials, Billings is a curious case. He's been around the England set-up for seven years now, having made his white-ball debut amid the post-World Cup reboot in 2015, but has played just 58 games out of a possible 185 - the sort of record that would be fittingly augmented by a one-off Test cap. Either way, that familiarity meant he was able to saunter into the dressing room as an old lag, and "add a bit of experience around the group" while placing his arm around a few battle-weary shoulders as well - including, you presume, his young team-mate Zak Crawley, whom he has skippered at Kent since 2018. In between injury, England and IPL call-ups - and despite some heat from one or two of the more county-militant members - Billings has a decent record in the role, having helped to keep the club in the Championship top flight, while taking them to the Blast title last summer too.

Stuart Broad

For 15 minutes at the end of the first day in Sydney, Stuart Broad demonstrated precisely why he will make such an outstanding pundit, as and when he trades the dressing-room for the Sky Sports commentary box. After delivering on the field with England's first five-for of the series, he delivered off it too in front of the assembled media, with nothing less than a manifesto for the reboot of England's Test fortunes: stop planning for tomorrow, start focussing on today. If a player performs, let him "own the shirt"; if he doesn't, expect him to work for it. And for God's sake, start scoring some runs...

Frankly his address was as inspirational as anything England had hitherto produced on the field, and it awakened a dormant truth about a Test team that is sleepwalking to oblivion despite containing four of its greatest players of all time: the solution to their current troubles may lie deeper within. At the age of 35, Broad is two years older than Bob Willis was in 1982, the last time England picked a fast bowler as captain. But he's still four years shy of his sidekick James Anderson, and besides, it's been 11 years already since Broad was considered worthy of the T20 leadership. With the Ashes now gone, there's a stark choice to be made about England's old boys. Use their unrivalled knowledge to the max, or lose it. There's certainly little point in preserving their energies for future engagements, which begs the question, why not let them leave their mark in the most indelible fashion possible?

Alex Lees

It's a thoroughly left-field notion, and it surely will not happen, but given how much value the ECB has placed in the England Lions set-up in recent times, is it out of the question that they might promote the current Lions skipper - a man who has already been tipped for a Caribbean call-up? Yes, it probably is - although England's Test cricket has arguably not been at such a low ebb since 1988-89, so it would be fully in keeping with the current 1980s vibe for the selectors to go the full Chris Cowdrey.

Lees enjoyed a passable season for Durham in 2021, averaging 39.06 with a solitary century against Warwickshire. However, he's not even his club captain (that honour belongs to another Ashes-disaster cast-off, Scott Borthwick, and what a story that would be!) At present, the most accomplished England-qualified county skipper is arguably Somerset's Tom Abell, but he's just suffered a knee ligament injury during the Big Bash, so bang goes that notion. In fact, it's probably best to pretend this paragraph never entered the public discourse. Cricinfo

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Ashes inquest: Who will captain England in the Caribbean? - The News International

FOLLOWING IN the footsteps of Guyana (1970) and Trinidad and Tobago (1976), Barbados became the latest British Caribbean country to become a republic, thus removing the Queen as head of state.

Barbados was the first Caribbean colony acquired by the British empire in 1625 with enslaved Africans and Irish indentured servants shortly following in 1627. It remained one of the most profitable slave-trading colonies and the crown jewel of Britains slave-trading monopoly until slaverys abolition in 1833.

QUESTIONS

Now, as they endeavour to move forward formally cutting ties with Britain, questions may arise over the feasibility of other Caribbean islands receiving their independence.

More specifically, is it time for Jamaica to follow suit and remove the Queen as sovereign head of state? Republicanism is a topic many Jamaican people and those across the Jamaican diaspora in countries such as Britain, Canada and the US subscribe to advocating the removal of Jamaicas current constitutional monarchy.

The main difference republicanism serves from independence is eradicating hereditary rule, which is apparent through monarchism, the basis is mainly upon rule of law rather than rule of man (king/queen).

The Queen does not have a daily running/interest with Jamaica or any other countries in the Commonwealth (who are not already republics of course). Instead, a governor-general is appointed by the Queen acting as a representative giving formal assent to laws passed. So, in this context, what will republicanism mean for Jamaica?

Foremostly, this allows Jamaica to move forward from the colonial shackles and imperial legacies of the British Empire, giving the people the ability to have supreme power. Slavery and colonialism underpinned the underdevelopment of Jamaica and the economic dependency it has on Britain.

ADMIRATION

In 2021, it is clear to see the colonial nostalgia over the British empire has ended among the Jamaican people. The admiration our elders had for the royal family and the Mother Country as it is commonly regarded has not passed to the present generation, with young people becoming more conscious about the histories and atrocities faced by our predecessors.

Serving as a prominent member in the CARICOM, Jamaica holds the largest population of the British West Indies (just under three million) and holds significant political clout in the region.

Nonetheless, the cultural exports of Jamaica through food, music and sports have enabled it to be a popular tourist destination which is instrumental towards the countrys GDP (gross domestic product) and a common dependency for the people.

With Barbados serving as inspiration, the time has come for the Caribbean nations to reconsider their relationship with Britain and move forward having their own sovereignty. The self-determination of Jamaican people has been a long struggle to achieve, and the time may be around the corner.

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Decolonising the Caribbean - The Voice Online

The Jewel of the Seas faced a dilemna yesterday. After starting the day with fifteen crew members and five guests testing positive for COVID-19, ten additional crewmembers later tested positive for the virus. This brought the number of infected crew members to a total of twenty-five. With five infected guests, the total number of infected people on the Royal Caribbean cruise ship increased to thirty, which is more than 1% of the ships population of 2,500 (consisting of 1,700 guests and 800 crew members).

Many Caribbean islands will not permit cruise ships to stop in their ports if more than 1% of the total ship population (passengers and crew) test positive for COVID-19.

Royal Caribbean faced the distinct prospect of being barred from making future ports of call. The company therefore made plans to avoid that spectacle by transferring a number of infected crew members from the Jewel to the Rhapsody of the Seas, which was at anchor off of St.Marteen where the Jewel called this morning.

This information has been provided by a knowledgeable crew member on the ship who wishes to remain anonymous and employed on the ship. The crew member has provided accurate COVID-19 about this ships guests and crew members since last July when the ship was sailing from Cyprus. The crew member explained that the crew transfer was done in order to reduce the number of COVID positive persons on board in order to be able to continue cruising and stopping at the next port of call.

This particular situation has not yet been reported in the national media. But there are several cruise ships which have recently been denied permission to call at ports in the Caribbean.

LATEST: At least four U.S. cruise ships are reporting COVID-19 outbreaks, leading to them being denied entry to or turned away from foreign ports. https://t.co/dkfFk4J1xk pic.twitter.com/cdYmh80zxm

Evan McMurry (@evanmcmurry) December 27, 2021

In the last week as the Omicron variant soared and spread across the cruise ships, no less than six ports denied permission for cruise ships to dock. Bonaire, Curaao, St. Thomas, Aruba, Puerto Vallarta, Cartagena & San Juan have all barred cruise ships from docking at their ports due to the presence of COVID-19 positive guests and passengers on ships operated by Royal Caribbean, Carnival and Holland America Line. A number of news sources have commented on the steps taken by ports in the Caribbean and Mexico to protect their residents from U.S. based cruise ships with infected people aboard.

#Cruise trivia question: Q. What do Bonaire, Curaao, St, Thomas, Aruba, Puerto Vallarta, Cartagena & San Juan have in common? A. They all care more about their port residents' health & safety than cruise lines care about their guests & crew. #COVID19 #Omicron #truth pic.twitter.com/bsRxOOzKLd

James (Jim) Walker (@CruiseLaw) December 27, 2021

Have a comment or question? Please leave one below or join the discussion on our Facebook page,

Image credit: Jewel of the Seas (stock photo) Royal Caribbean Press Center(top);Royal Caribbean Press Release.

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Jewel of the Seas Shuffles Infected Crew Members Between Ships to Avoid Being Blocked at Caribbean Ports - Cruise Law News

Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao cancelled ship visits in the last week for Royal Caribbean and Carnival Cruise Line ships, now Allure of the Seas has been forced to cancel to St. Thomas and St. Kitts. Increased awareness and fear of the spread of the Omicron variant seems to have all Caribbean islands on edge despite cruise lines having protocols and procedures to deal with any positive cases.

Planning a cruise in the Caribbean seems more complicated now multiple Caribbean ports are entirely on edge regarding the new Omicron variant. Despite multiple reports, the variant seems milder in nature; Caribbean ports have been denying entry to multiple ships in the last two weeks.

Allure of the Seas was denied entry to St. Thomas on December 26, 2021, and the scheduled at St. Kitts on December 27 never took place. While Royal Caribbean has, so far, not made any statements on the number of cases on board, other vessels sailing in the area have had the same situation happen to them. In these cases, around 50 cases, or less than 1% of the people had been identified as positive.

The Oasis-class cruise ship is now making her way to Royal Caribbeans private island resort of Perfect Day at CocoCay, which will be the final port of call before returning home.

She is scheduled to sail a 9-day voyage from Fort Lauderdale on December 30 with calls in Perfect Day at CocoCay, but also St. Thomas, St. Kitts, and St. Maarten. The next voyage is scheduled to visit Puerto Rico, which has implemented strict entry requirements for all incoming cruise ship passengers.

So far, the caseloads on cruise ships have been minimal, with no severe side effects, and typically asymptomatic cases. It even prompted the CEO of Royal Caribbean to publish a comment from the CDC on the Odyssey of the Seas investigation, which took place last week, on his Facebook page on Christmas eve:

The CDC is investigating the recent increase in COVID-19 cases identified on Royal Caribbean Internationals (RCI) Odyssey of the Seas, CDC spokesperson David Daigle told USA TODAY Thursday. All cases appear to be mild or asymptomatic. Additionally, there have been no COVID-19 related hospitalizations, medical evacuations, ventilator use, or deaths from this ship.

The denial of berthing in several Caribbean islands comes after several Caribbean Islands, such as St. Thomas, reported increased caseloads on the islands. Cruise ships seem to be the first to look at and cancel if they have COVID cases onboard as well.

Whether or not this course of action is beneficial to those same islands remains to be seen. Not only is Omicron proving to be less dangerous, but flights to those same Caribbean Islands from Florida also continue uninterrupted. A ship from Florida cannot dock, but an airplane from Florida can.

As this situation becomes clearer and more information on Omicron becomes available, it will likely continue to be a difficult time for ships such as Allure of the Seas. All this despite the extreme health and safety measures that have been taken onboard, and with caseloads of less than 1% onboard.

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Royal Caribbean's Allure of the Seas Cancels Two Caribbean Ports of Call - Cruise Hive

Jeff Bezos is a billionaire 9 ... 'cause he's showing off his impressive bod during a yacht trip with his girlfriend.

J.B. and Lauren Sanchez continued their PDA Xmas tour in the Caribbean. As we told you a few days back, the Caribbean -- in particular, St. Barts -- is a place where rich folk go to show off their yachts, competing for bragging rights. The larger the boat, the bigger the boast.

Jeff and Lauren have been ensconced in the area for nearly a week, showing tons of affection as they hiked, lounged and did whatever super-rich people do on vacay.

Jeff looks like he's been working out more lately ... the 57-year-old Amazon titan is super buff ... check out the arms!!!

Bezos has said he's following a strict regiment of 8-hours nightly sleep, healthy eating and working out.

They're able to bypass a lot in the midst of the Omicron outbreak -- like commercial flights -- but it's still dicey to go onshore given the rapid spread of the variant. It helps to have beefy security to keep normies at bay.

They are still mingling with some folks ... they chowed down with a group the other day on the island.

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Jeff Bezos Looks Buff As He Shows Off Body in Caribbean with Girlfriend - TMZ

It seems like a new all-inclusive resort pops up every week in the Caribbean, and its true that the vast majority of adults-only resorts in the islands follow a pay-one-price model for rooms, activities, and dining.

But its not a recipe that works for every couple. All-inclusives tend to be larger hotels, for example, and while most offer a wide variety of options for food and fun, some couples prefer a more intimate vacation experience and the freedom to get off the resort and dine and play locally. Here are a dozen small and boutique resorts that know how to pamper adults while the kids stay back home; theyre adults-only, EP hotels.

Ladera Resort, St. Lucia

You cant get much closer to St. Lucias iconic Pitons than the Ladera resort in fact the resort is within the UNESCO World Heritage site that protects the twin mountains rising from the Caribbean on the islands west coast. With private plunge pools three-sided rooms open to the sea breezes and views from 1,000 feet above the waves, guests particularly honeymooners can be forgiven for venturing out only for meals at the resorts Dasheene restaurant.

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11 Must-Visit Adults-Only Hotels in the Caribbean - Caribbean Journal

By any measure, its one of the most popular activities for travelers to the Caribbean: snorkeling. And its not hard to see why: its accessible, easy to do, and a tremendous way to experience the natural beauty of the Caribbean.

In recent years, snorkeling has become even more popular, in large part thanks to the debut of full-face snorkeling masks, which have redefined the experience for many snorkelers.

And while many of the Caribbeans best dive destinations also boast great snorkeling, great diving destinations are not instantly great snorkeling spots.

So where are the best places to snorkel in the Caribbean? Theyre places where snorkeling is both easy to access and abundant; where you dont always have to get on a boat to enjoy it; and where the island and its resort properties make a point of emphasizing it.

So where are the best places to snorkel in the region?

Here are our picks.

Bonaire Nowhere in the Caribbean is there a greater surfeit of high-level snorkeling directly offshore, meaning you can just about park by the side of the road and quickly find a great place to explore. Bonaire is an island thats all about the water, and with its meticulously well-run STINAPA marine park, its the perfect Caribbean snorkeling destination, whether youre at a luxury resort like the lovely Harbour Village or the ultra-cool Delfins Beach Resort.

Continue reading here:

The 10 Best Snorkeling Destinations in the Caribbean - Caribbean Journal

Gay Nagle Myers

It's festive season in the Caribbean, usually a joyful time of celebrations, parties and family gatherings.

However, a Scrooge named omicron has appeared this season, threatening to disrupt travel plans. Caribbean tourism's recent rebound could be facing now faces a hurdle.

"Has omicron affected holiday and winter season bookings?" I asked travel advisors on the Travel Advisors Selling the Caribbean Facebook group.

Their responses were mixed, but many were frustrated after 22 months of dealing with Covid-19, its variants and its surges and of having to explain the confusing and ever-changing entry regulations to their clients.

Several advisors said that questions on insurance and quarantines were among the most frequently asked: what kind of insurance, how much to buy, the cancellation policy specifics.

"So far, so good, but I'm not resting easy at all," said Adrienne Sasson, director of Rubinsohn Travel in Jenkintown, Pa. "During conversations, it's the 'what if' questions that are on clients' minds: What if I test positive and have to quarantine during my vacation?

"I don't counsel clients to travel or cancel. The decision has to made on their own comfort level," she said.

Denele Kramer, an independent travel consultant at Maven Travel in Hamburg, Pa., reported several cancellations since omicron's numbers began climbing in mid-December.

"I'm vaxxed and boosted, and I am canceling my personal travel on Dec. 31 and Jan. 9 trips," she said. "I can't risk getting sick. So if clients want to cancel, I completely understand. This is no joke."

What to do about unvaccinated clients who want to go somewhere where vaccinations are not required for entry?

This question came up for Tina Dillingham Messamore, owner of Latitudes Travel in Murfreesboro, Tenn.

"They are still planning on going at the end of January, and I'm working with them to narrow it down," she said. "But I'm struggling with whether to take this one. They are current clients, but they are not grasping this."

Molly Burkouricz at Chambers Travel in Green Bay, Wis., said that she lives "in an area where it seems to be a black or white issue. Covid is a thing or it isn't. If they don't believe it, vaccinations be damned, they just go where they can get in and carry on as if nothing's ever happened."

She noted that her business usually slows down after Thanksgiving, "but we're busy and booking and nobody is canceling."

Lisa Ann McLaren at Lisafit Travel is "so over it."

"It's going to be like the flu every year," she added. "People either deal with it or stay home."

The Christmas group that had booked with Shevon Welch, owner of VonVoyage Travel Consultants in Atlanta, decided "at the last minute to get insurance because of omicron," according to Welch.

Two advisors admitted they are exhausted by the pendulum swings of Covid. Becah Fiehs of Love to Travel in Overland Park, Kan., reported "lots of questions from clients on what their options are."

Hillary Rose Ogle, wedding specialist at Paradise Weddings and Travel in Tomball, Texas, agreed. "I hear you. Back in the cancellation ring, too. "

"Aren't we all?" asked Jennifer Pickering, owner of Seahorse Travel in Bedford, N.H.

"I lost an entire destination wedding for March," said Kristi Zalesky, owner of Explore Your World Vacations in Denver.

"I lost three bookings in the last two weeks," said Traci Sigafoos, Indulge Yourself Travel-Dream Vacations in Hilton, N.Y.

"The fact that omicron is leading the headlines is downright deflating. We had hoped all this was in the rearview mirror," said Susan Collins-Peavey of Susan Peavey Travel in Marshfield, Mass.

"We have clients on the fence about traveling. Fingers crossed that this doesn't last long," she said.

See the article here:

Omicron is a grinch for advisors selling the Caribbean - Travel Weekly