Tag Archives: Caribbean

Carnival Spirit Offers Panama Canal Cruise Ahead of Summer in Alaska

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Set to operate in Alaska during the summer, the Carnival Spirit is currently offering a 16-night Panama Canal to the Pacific Northwest.

After completing its winter schedule in the Caribbean, the Carnival Cruise Line vessel left Miami on its repositioning voyage on April 16.

Cruising all the way to Seattle, the one-way itinerary features visits to ports in three different countries: Colombia, Costa Rica and Mexico.

In addition to doing a complete transit of the Panama Canal, the Carnival Spirit is visiting Cartagena de Indias, Santa Marta, Puntarenas and Cabo San Lucas before arriving in Washington.

The 2001-built ship is then set to kick off its summer program in Alaska.

Beginning on May 2, the Spirit offers a series of seven-night cruises to the Last Frontier which also includes visits to Canada.

During the four-month program, the vessel will visit popular destinations in the region including Skagway, Ketchikan and Juneau.

Sailing roundtrip from Seattle, the Carnival Spirit also offers scenic cruising of the Tracy Arm Fjord, as well as visits to Victoria.

The schedule is part of Carnival’s 49-departure, three-ship summer season in Alaska, which also features the Carnival Luminosa and the Carnival Miracle.

Upon completing its Alaskan program in September, the Carnival Spirit is set to offer an additional Panama Canal cruise. Sailing from Seattle to New Orleans, the 16-night repositioning voyage precedes the ship’s debut in Mobile.

During the 2023-2024 winter, the Spirit is set to offer a series of different itineraries departing from the Alabama port.

Ranging from six to eight nights, the cruises sail to different parts of the Caribbean and the Bahamas, including Mexico, Honduras and Belize. In the Bahamas, the ship is set to visit Bimini, Freeport, Nassau and Princess Cays.

As the lead ship of Carnival’s Spirit Class, the Carnival Spirit originally entered service in 2001. Designed with a multi-deck atrium, a glass-enclosed pool deck and a large number of cabins with private balconies, the 2,100-guest ship was followed by the Carnival Pride, the Carnival Legend and the Carnival Miracle.

Jamaica Experiences Its Biggest Winter Season Ever

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Jamaica’s Minister of Tourism, Edmund Bartlett has stated that Jamaica is experiencing its biggest winter season in the history of tourism, adding that the tourism boom is set to continue, according to a press release.

“For the January to March 2023 period, it is estimated that Jamaica welcomed 1.18 million visitors, which represents a growth of 94.4 per cent when compared to the same period in 2022. This represents earnings of $1.15 billion, 46.4 per cent above the $786.8 million earned for the same period in 2022,” said Bartlett.

“If there was ever an industry that has the potential to transform our nation, our communities and the lives and livelihoods of the Jamaican people for the better, it is tourism.

Bartlett added that gross domestic product (GDP) for the economy is projected to grow by up to 3.0 per cent to 5.0 per cent during January – March 2023 compared to the same period in 2022.

Speaking at the Sectoral Debate in Parliament, Bartlett said that arrivals for 2022 were up by 117 per cent while earnings were up by 71.4 per cent compared to 2021. In 2022, Jamaica welcomed 3.3 million visitors and earned about $3.7 billion. Projections earnings in 2024 go up to $4.1 billion.

“Never before in the history of Jamaica has tourism made such a great contribution to the national economy and we are willing to contribute to that process and to make even greater contributions,” added Bartlett.

“Investments continue to boom to drive the industry’s recovery (and) over the last five years tourism investment contributed 20 per cent of the island’s total foreign direct investments (FDI) and over the next 5 to 10 years, there are multiple upcoming investment projects which will see the addition of 15,000 to 20,000 new rooms with an investment of $4 billion to $5 billion.”

Norwegian Pearl Kicks Off Summer Program in Boston

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The Norwegian Pearl is in Boston today to kick off its 2023 summer program in the U.S. Northeast.

Following a winter season in the Caribbean, the Norwegian Cruise Line vessel is set to offer different itineraries to Bermuda, Canada and New England departing from the Massachusetts homeport.

Extending through mid-October, the program begins with a series of week-long cruises to Bermuda. In addition to two or three overnights in King’s Wharf, some of the itineraries also include a visit to Bar Harbor, in Maine.

Continuing its Boston-based season, the Norwegian Pearl offers itineraries to Canada and New England starting in mid-August.

The fall and foliage program comprises both roundtrip and open-jaw departures and continues through late October.

Also sailing from Quebec City, the ship’s week-long itineraries in the region feature visits to destinations such as Halifax, Saguenay, Sydney, Charlottetown and Portland.

Upon completing its schedule in the Northeast, the Norwegian Pearl is set to return to Florida for a winter season sailing from PortMiami.

Following the Norwegian Jewel and the Norwegian Jade, the Norwegian Pearl debuted in 2006 as the third ship in the Norwegian Cruise Line’s Jewel Class.

Built by the Meyer Werft shipyard in Germany, the vessel has 93,000 tons and a capacity for nearly 2,400 guests.

In 2016, the Pearl was included in the Norwegian Edge program and underwent a major revitalization that included the modernization of both its guest-facing and technical areas.

While a new scrubber system was added to reduce the ship’s emissions, for instance, the design of all of the public rooms and staterooms was updated.

According to Norwegian, the refit aimed at giving the Pearl a fresh and modern look, which included new art pieces, new carpets, new upholstery and more.

Another area that went through a complete refurbishment was The Haven, the vessel’s ship-within-a-ship luxury suite complex, with got new furniture and finishings.