Royal Caribbean International’s Explorer of the Seas’ summer and autumn 2013 line-up will feature 30 sailings to 17 spectacular ports of call on seven itineraries all from the Cape Liberty Cruise Port in New Jersey, near Manhattan.
Holidaymakers can combine a visit to the Big Apple with a cruise to destinations such as Bermuda, Caribbean and Canada and New England from April until October 2013.
From April through August 2013 Explorer of the Seas will alternate five-night Bermuda and nine-night Bermuda and Caribbean itineraries. The five-night itinerary will feature an overnight at Kings Wharf, Bermuda, while the nine-night sailing calls at Kings Wharf; St. Maarten; San Juan, Puerto Rico; and Labadee, Royal Caribbean International’s private destination on the north coast of Haiti.
From September through October holidaymakers can choose a seven-night Bermuda itinerary, which uniquely features three days and two nights at Kings Wharf to enjoy more of the 181-island nation.
Explorer of the Seas also will offer a special Canada and New England sailing to catch the arrival of autumn and the changing of the leaves. Departing 31 August 2013 guests will call at Boston, Massachusetts; Portland and Bar Harbor, Maine; Saint John, New Brunswick; and Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Based year-round from New Jersey, Explorer of the Seas is one of the world’s largest and most innovative cruise ships, featuring iconic Royal Caribbean International onboard activities such as an ice-skating rink, nine-hole mini-golf course, a rock-climbing wall, full-size basketball court and the Royal Promenade, a boulevard that runs nearly the length of the ship, flanked by restaurants, lounges and boutiques. Explorers of the Seas’ summer 2013 cruises are now open for booking.
The Associated Press
BRUSSELS — Anheuser-Busch InBev says it is paying $1.24 billion for a majority stake in Dominican brewer Cerveceria Nacional Dominicana as it pushes deeper into the Caribbean.
AB InBev said Monday it is paying $1 billion to Cerveceria Nacional Dominicana’s parent company Grupo Leon Jimenes for a 41.8 percent stake in a holding company that will own 83.5 percent of Cerveceria Nacional Dominicana.
The holding company will also include AB InBev’s Dominican subsidiary AmBev Dominicana.
Global cargo transportation provider Amerijet International, Inc. has announced plans to begin scheduled air cargo service to Managua, Nicaragua on April 17, 2012.
Fort Lauderdale, FL (PRWEB) April 13, 2012
“We are extremely excited to be introducing this new service between the United States and Nicaragua, which provides a great addition to our existing activities in Central America where we currently operate scheduled freighters to and from El Salvador, Honduras, Mexico and Belize.” said Pamela Rollins, Sr. Vice President of Business Development.
Alejandro Diaz-Vega, Amerijet’s Regional Director of Central America further added, “The new service is expected to be well-received by local businesses, who have been seeking reliable shipping solutions. Our new facility is well equipped to handle perishable goods, hazardous material and dry shipments to support to local maquila industry.”
According to Rollins, the inaugural schedule provides three scheduled flights per week to Managua, including a Sunday flight allowing local importers to receive and clear their freight as early as 08:00 a.m. on Monday.
The new facility is open from 08:00 a.m. – 04:00 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 8:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon on Saturdays. For rates and cargo-specific questions, customers can contact the local Amerijet’s office in Nicaragua at +505-2233-1624, Extension 2568 or via e-mail at sales(dot)mga(at)amerijet.com, or obtain shipping information and flight schedules anytime at http://www.amerijet.com.
Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (NYSE, OSE: RCL) has scheduled a conference call with analysts for 10 a.m. Eastern time, Friday, April 20, 2012, to discuss the company’s first quarter 2012 financial results. The call will be available on-line at the company’s investor relations web site, http://www.rclinvestor.com. To listen to the call by phone, please dial (877)-663-9606 in the US and Canada. International phone calls should be made to +1-(706)-758-4628. There is no passcode or meeting number. A replay of the webcast will be available at the same site for a month following the call.
Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. is a global cruise vacation company that operates Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, Pullmantur, Azamara Club Cruises, CDF Croisieres de France, and TUI Cruises through a 50% joint venture. The company has a combined total of 40 ships in service and three under construction. It also offers unique land-tour vacations in Alaska, Asia, Australia, Canada, Europe, Latin America and New Zealand. Additional information can be found on
More than 70 additional hotels and 14,000 new jobs planned in the next five years
BETHESDA, Md., April 13, 2012 /PRNewswire/ — Heralding a “golden age of travel,” Marriott International (NYSE: MAR) plans to double the number of hotels in the Caribbean and Latin America within the next five years. Arne Sorenson, the new CEO of Marriott International, will make the announcement today at the Americas CEO Summit in Cartagena, Colombia, adding that the number of jobs at Marriott hotels in the region is expected to increase from 13,000 to 27,000 by the end of 2017.
Courtyard Mexico City Airport Atrium. (PRNewsFoto/Marriott International, Inc.)
The company also said it expects to double its presence in Colombia with the additions of Marriott hotels in both Cartagena and Cali.
This year’s hotel openings in the region showcase the company’s broad portfolio of top brands, including the first Ritz-Carlton Reserve in the Americas at Dorado Beach, Puerto Rico to the JW Marriott in Cusco, Peru and the Courtyard by Marriott at Mexico City Airport.
Currently, Marriott has 35 hotels signed and under development in the Caribbean and Latin America. These include The Ritz-Carlton, Aruba, The Ritz-Carlton, Panama City (Panama), JW Marriott Cusco (Peru), Port-au-Prince Marriott Hotel (Haiti) and the Renaissance Santiago (Chile). By 2017, Marriott envisions its portfolio in the region rising to over 140 hotels and 30,000 rooms either opened or in the development pipeline.
Today, Marriott International is represented with 69 hotels in 25 countries in the Caribbean and Latin America. Nine of Marriott’s 18 brands are currently represented in the region: The Ritz-Carlton and JW Marriott (luxury); Marriott Hotels & Resorts (upscale); Renaissance Hotels and Autograph Collection (lifestyle); Courtyard by Marriott (upper moderate); Marriott Executive Apartments and Residence Inn by Marriott (extended stay); and Fairfield by Marriott (moderate).
“Latin America is booming, in terms of economic growth and political and institutional stability, which is creating a promising business climate,” said Mr. Sorenson, whose title is president and CEO. “The rising middle class throughout the region is eager to travel to new places and do business on the road. Worldwide, we’re seeing a golden age of travel, and Latin America is at the forefront. This, when combined with the strong performance and preference of our brands in the gateway markets, provides tremendous opportunity for Marriott’s world class brands and service.”
“This is an exciting time for hotel development in Latin America; the growing regional demand and broadening market, combined with the lack of consistent domestic hotel product and service, represents a large opportunity to develop upscale branded hotels as well as multi-unit moderate tier development platforms with local partners in the region,” said Laurent De Kousemaeker, chief development officer, Caribbean and Latin American Region, for Marriott International.
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – Luis G. Rivera Marín, Executive Director of the Puerto Rico Tourism Company (PRTC), enthusiastically received the news that About.com recognized Puerto Rico twice in its 2012 Reader’s Choice Awards. The readers of this popular website, which boasts a highly-regarded travel section, honored Puerto Rico in several categories:
Old San Juan was chosen as the Favorite Caribbean Attraction, while Mosquito Bay in Vieques was named runner-up.
Puerto Rico was voted the Favorite Family Spring Break Destination (from the About.com Family Vacations site).
“This is very encouraging news for tourism on the island. It reflects on the success of our aggressive marketing campaign, currently underway, designed to show that Puerto Rico does it better in the Caribbean,” said Rivera Marín.
He added, “About.com is an excellent and prestigious source for information on the Internet, and this recognition will continue to strengthen our message that Puerto Rico is a diverse destination that pleases all travelers’ tastes.”
The About.com Readers Choice Awards winners were selected by a reader’s poll. More than 25,000 votes were cast.
About.com is a US-based information and advice website. It is owned by The New York Times Company. Its content is written by 750 experts, called guides, with expertise in specific subject areas.
Just a quick flight from the continental United States, and with no passport required for US citizens, Puerto Rico is the Caribbean’s most convenient vacation destination. For more information about visiting Puerto Rico, call your travel professional or go to www.seepuertorico.com .
ST. PHILIP, BARBADOS, April 12, 2012 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ — The Hotel Marks This Milestone and the Completion of a Multi Million Dollar Restoration With Extraordinary Offerings
The Crane Residential Resort first opened its doors in 1887 as a magnificent hideaway for the island’s low-key elite, creating the foundation of a tradition that has been passed down through generations of travelers seeking the serenity and peace that is synonymous with southeastern Barbados. As the resort enters its 125th year and the conclusion of an extensive restoration and expansion, guests are invited to take part in 365 days of captivating experiences, culinary events, arts and musical festivals and special packages.
¨Over the past 125 years, The Crane has become a second home to generations of guests, community leaders, social dignitaries and corporate nobility, ¨ says Paul Doyle, owner of The Crane Residential Resort. ¨We pride ourselves on our ability to offer vacationers and fractional owners a laid-back and relaxed holiday in a paradise-like setting; and the experience has only been enhanced with our recent renovation.¨
For full release, please visit: www.sirencommunications.com/clientnews/2012/04/12/the-caribbean%E2%80%99s-oldest-luxury-hotel-the-crane-residential-resort-celebrates-its-125th-anniversary-with-365-days-of-festivities/
About The Crane:
Set on forty acres of oceanfront land in the parish of St. Philip on the Southeast Coast of Barbados, The Crane is the island’s oldest continuously operating vacation resort. Conveniently located just ten minutes east of Grantley Adams International Airport, The Crane boasts a spectacular natural setting on a cliff overlooking the renowned Crane Beach.
Today, The Crane is comprised of the original historic hotel building, built in the late 1700s and expanded in 1887, and a new all-suite development. Seven of ten phases of The Crane’s new development are complete. This world-class resort also features a Barbadian village offering retail shops, jazz bar and art gallery; a full-service spa and a modern fitness centre; a choice of gourmet and casual restaurants and flood-lit tennis courts.
For additional information, visit www.sirencommunications.com/ #/client/the-crane-resort or www.thecrane.com
SOURCE The Crane Residential Resort
Copyright (C) 2012 PR Newswire. All rights reserved
Company top buyer of Fair Trade Certified(TM) bananas, pineapples and flowers in the U.S. under Whole Trade Guarantee label; reaches $2.5 million mark
AUSTIN, Texas, April 12, 2012 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ — Whole Foods Market WFM +1.99% is proud to announce that with the help of its shoppers, it has paid more than $2.5 million in Community Development premiums for Fair Trade Certified produce and floral. That sum includes more than $1 million in banana premiums, more than $1 million in flower premiums, and more than $300,000 in pineapple premiums, all of which fund projects in the countries and communities that grow these products.
“By purchasing Whole Trade Guarantee produce, our shoppers are not only getting high-quality products, but their purchases help make a difference in the lives of the people who grow their food,” said John Walker, global produce coordinator. “Our team travels to the many countries where we source Whole Trade Guarantee produce, and we’ve seen first-hand the impact these premiums have made thanks to our shoppers’ purchases.”
Whole Trade Guarantee bananas, flowers, peppers and pineapples currently are sourced from Costa Rica, Ecuador, Peru, Colombia and Mexico. Fair Trade Community Development premiums fund community projects such as schools, education programs and health services for children and adults. Worker organizations determine the community projects to utilize the premium money.
“Fair Trade USA is proud to partner with Whole Foods Market in making a positive–and significant–difference in farming communities worldwide. Whole Foods Market is a one-stop shop for hundreds of high quality Fair Trade Certified products, and the long term commitment they have shown to farmers and farm workers across Latin America and the Caribbean is a model for the industry,” said Paul Rice, President and CEO of Fair Trade USA.
To earn the Whole Trade Guarantee seal, growers are third-party certified ensuring that they pay fair wages and provide safe working conditions while caring for the environment. All Whole Trade Guarantee products meet Whole Foods Market’s high quality standards and the program provides more money to producers. In addition to Fair Trade USA, Whole Foods Market works with third-party certifiers like FLO, Rainforest Alliance and The Institute for Marketecology (IMO).
“The Whole Trade Guarantee brings products from around the globe to our stores in a way that puts more money into the pockets of farm workers and small farmers while ensuring exceptional quality with the peace-of-mind that those foods are produced using environmental practices that promote biodiversity and healthy soils,” said Walker. “For example, members of the FINCAMAR banana cooperative in Colombia have used the Community Development premiums to support their children’s education. Fair Trade premiums funded the purchase of uniforms, school supplies, teaching materials and tuition for 174 children. Also, workers at some of our Fair Trade Certified rose farms in Ecuador have used their premiums to create a low interest loan program to help with home improvements such as hot water heaters.”
Whole Foods Market purchased more than half of all Fair Trade Certified bananas, flowers, pineapples, and mangoes sold in the US market, making it the top retailer in 2011 in those Fair Trade categories. These products are sold under the Whole Trade Guarantee label in stores. To date, Whole Foods Market has sold more than 1 million cases of Fair Trade Certified bananas, 500,000 cases of Fair Trade Certified pineapples, and 18 million Fair Trade Certified roses.
ST JOHN’S, Antigua, Thursday, April 12, 2012 – Travellers still reeling from the shock grounding of budget Caribbean carrier RedJet are now facing the prospect that all major inter-regional travel could come to a halt if industrial action hits LIAT.
The Antigua Ministry of Labour is racing against the clock to stave off a region-wide LIAT strike
The Antigua-based LIAT has the Antigua & Barbuda’s Workers Union (ABWU) up in arms following its recent announcement that it was terminating employment of 25 airline workers and now the Ministry of Labour has invited the two parties to the bargaining table in a last-ditch effort to stave off threatened industrial action.
The meeting is slated for tomorrow (Friday) at 10 a.m.
This development comes a day after ABWU general secretary Senator David Massiah warned the company of “dire consequences” if it failed to rescind letters which informed staff of the Quikpak Cargo Department that they would be without jobs from Sunday.
Last week LIAT issued redundancy notices to all but three employees in its Cargo and Quikpak Department in a cost-cutting bid.
The cargo section was launched one year ago and in a release issued on Tuesday, the cash-strapped airline announced plans for the further outsourcing of its Cargo and Quikpak operations at a number of its stations in the Caribbean.
The ABWU described the move as “premature,” noting that it had requested a comprehensive management plan from LIAT to help better manage the lay-offs, which the company failed to provide.
Massiah, who is also president of the Caribbean Congress of Labour, said he had commenced discussions with regional trade unions on how exactly to carry out the action.
He also called on shareholder governments to meet with regional unions in another bid to smooth out issues between LIAT and regional unions representing the company’s employees.
Following the new intervention by the Ministry of Labour, Massiah has publicly confirmed that he would attend the meeting .
LIAT’s Corporate Communications Manager Desmond Brown also stated the company had “willingly agreed” to the meeting, noting that it was a welcomed development that should “provide comfort to the airline’s passengers” and ensure there is no disruption to operations.
He also pointed out that contrary to some media reports, Caribbean Airport Services CAS, the handling company expected to take over aspects of LIAT’s handling services for Cargo and Quikpak in Antigua, is an Antigua-based company.
The timeshare and fractional industry’s leading independent information publisher will provide promotional support for the event, scheduled for April 24-26, 2012.
Orlando, FL, April 12, 2012 –(PR.com)– Timeshare and fractional industry publisher Perspective Magazine has been named Platinum Media Sponsor for the Caribbean Hotel And Tourism Investment Conference (CHTIC), scheduled for April 24-26, 2012 at the Sheraton Puerto Rico Hotel and Casino in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
“Shared ownership has become a vital segment of the Caribbean hospitality industry as well as a significant revenue stream for mixed-use properties, and is hence a key focus at our Investment Conference,” said Alec Sanguinetti, Director General and CEO for CHTA. “As a leading timeshare publication, we’re extremely excited about Perspective Magazine’s participation as it will foster a greater understanding of growth opportunities within the fractional industry.”
CHTIC is co-produced by the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) and the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO), managing the region’s most successful and longest-standing tourism investment event.
Attendees will benefit from one-on-one direct networking contact with key players from the hotel and tourism industry as nearly 400 delegates attend CHTIC annually, with representatives from over 23 Caribbean countries, the United States and United Kingdom. Delegates will be able to choose among a wide variety of sessions, and leading experts will provide information on the outlook for investment in the region, new trends and opportunities and solutions to challenges in development and ownership.
“The Caribbean region is a significant growth area for our industry and we are very excited to work with the CHTA and the CTO to promote such an important industry event,” said Paul Mattimoe, president and CEO, Perspective International. “With our new Latin America edition of Perspective Magazine now in circulation, we are able to provide increased print and online opportunities to publicize their event to industry leaders.”
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SHABBA, SHAGGY TO PERFORM AT POST ADIDAS GRAND PRIX CONCERT IN NY
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