Category: Island Life

Worldwide coronavirus cases exceed 30 million: Reuters tally

India becomes the latest epicenter of coronavirus pandemic

With the pandemic showing no signs of slowing down, global coronavirus cases have exceeded 30 million, according to a Reuters tally.

The numbers of global new daily cases reached record levels in the past week with deaths nearing 1 million as the race against time to develop and market a vaccine continues.

According to World Health Organisation data, the official number of global coronavirus cases is now more than five times the number of severe influenza illnesses recorded yearly. 

Although North and South America’s cases combined account for nearly half the number of global cases, attention is on India as it becomes the latest epicenter for the coronavirus.

The south Asian country this week has followed the United States’ trail, becoming the second country in the world to record more than 5 million cases. It has been reporting more new daily cases than the United States since mid-August and accounts for about 16% of global known cases. 

Relatively low up to this point, reported deaths in India have been showing a sudden increase. The country has recorded over 1,000 deaths per day for the last two weeks.

The United States has about 20% of all global cases, while Brazil, the third worst hit country, accounts for about 15% of global cases.

Despite a few big surges, the global rate of new daily cases is slowing, reflecting progress through many countries’ efforts in containing the disease.

However, health experts would like to emphasize that official data almost certainly under-reports both infections and deaths, particularly in countries with limited testing capacity.

Although the projected course of the coronavirus is far from the impact of the 1918 Spanish flu, which infected almost half a billion people, killing at least 10% of them, experts worry that available statistics are underestimating the true impact of the pandemic.

The post Worldwide coronavirus cases exceed 30 million: Reuters tally appeared first on Caribbean News Now!.

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Island Life

Cruise in the Caribbean expected to resume in November

Small-ship line leads the pack

In seven weeks, the Caribbean’s pristine beaches and seas will be visited by cruise lines and yachts again. This is according to a report by The Points Guy.

In a Zoom call hosted for the travel media, travel agents and top SeaDream customers, the small-ship specialist SeaDream Yacht Club revealed that it would restart on November 7 its 22 voyages out of Barbados to Grenada and St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

The report further said that the six-to-eight night trips of SeaDream will come after a 21-night repositioning cruise for the vessel from Norway to the Caribbean. “That trip will start Oct. 15 in Oslo and end Nov. 5 in Barbados,” the report said.

Other cruise lines are yet to confirm if they will resume their voyages as soon as possible, although some of them still have November sailings in the Caribbean on their schedules.

The world’s biggest cruise lines’ operations have been put to a halt in March, after the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared the novel coronavirus a pandemic.

All the world’s major cruise lines have canceled Caribbean sailings in September and October. It is now anticipated that most line will also cancel their November trips soon, too.

This is after the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) implemented a strict “no-sail” order for cruise ships that operate in U.S. waters. “Most cruises to the Caribbean depart out of a U.S. port or include at least one U.S. port call, making them subject to the CDC order,” said the report.

The order is set to expire on September 30, but it is foreseen to be extended, depending on the pandemic situation.

US bill introduced to allow cruise lines to restart

Meanwhile, two US senators have proposed a bill that will help the cruise lines industry regain its momentum again.

Senators Rick Scott and Marco Rubio announced new legislation known as the Set Sail Safely Act.

The bill mandates the creation of a Maritime Task Force, which will primarily be focused on the health, safety, security, & logistical changes to allow cruise lines & ports to resume operations.

As we work to safely reopen Florida’s economy, @marcorubio & I introduced the Set Sail Safely Act.

This bill creates a Maritime Task Force focused on the health, safety, security, & logistical changes to allow cruise lines & ports to resume operations. https://t.co/YZlGSlYvfD

— Rick Scott (@SenRickScott) September 16, 2020

The post Cruise in the Caribbean expected to resume in November appeared first on Caribbean News Now!.

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Island Life

Spirit Airlines Relaunches Flights to Cartagena, Colombia

 

Low-cost carrier Spirit Airlines has relaunched flights to another Caribbean destination, this time to Cartagena on the Caribbean coast of Colombia. 

Spirit has relaunched its route from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport to Cartagena. 

With its return, Spirit is the first international carrier to enter Colombia since the country reopened its borders for tourism. 

Spirit is also relaunching flights from Fort Lauderdale to Colombian destinations including Bogota, Medellin and Cali on Sept. 21. 

“Being the airline that will operate the first commercial international flight to Colombia from the United States is a sign of our commitment to the country,” said Ted Christie, president and CEO of Spirit Airlines. “ We have been anticipating our return to the country and we thank the government of Colombia for its constant support and collaboration.”

Spirit actually operates more nonstop flights to Colombia than any other U.S. carrier. 

“The return of Spirit to our skies is great news for the country, as it confirms that we are making a firm step towards the recovery of the tourism industry under strict biosecurity protocols,” said Flavia Santoro, prseident of ProColombia, the country’s chief investment and tourism agency. “When this situation began, we were clear that we had to work on a plan to restore international seats and frequencies hand in hand with the airlines. This is how we are coordinating the return of Spirit and supporting it in its promotional plans to return.”

Visitors looking to enter Colombia must provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test result within 96 hours of the time of travel. 

That’s along with a required application on the Colombian immigration page (you can find it here).

— CJ

The post Spirit Airlines Relaunches Flights to Cartagena, Colombia appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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Island Life

Grand Bahama, The Bahamas’ Secret Luxury Villa Destination

 

As The Bahamas continues its multi-phased tourism reopening, the country is currently requiring a 14-day quarantine for travelers in the destination.

That means travelers are looking for places where they can “quarantine” with all of the amenities they need for prolonged stays. 

And it’s also putting a spotlight on one of the best-kept secrets in the Caribbean villa market: the island of Grand Bahama. 

Grand Bahama, the beach-laden (there are 43, to be exact), 530-square-mile island just 56 miles from Palm Beach has long been a haven for boaters and shorter-stay visitors — but in recent years, travelers have begun discovering what is a rather enviable portfolio of luxury homes and villas. 

“It’s the perfect fit for every type of traveler,” says Jennifer Bohmann of Grand Bahama Villas, which has a broad collection of luxury properties on the island. “Whether you are looking for a beach getaway, fishing trip or the ultimate in luxury pampering.”

The Villas of Stone Gate in West End.

And the range of villa options is broad, Bohmann tells Caribbean Journal.

Prices tend to start at $300 and range all the way to $13,500 per night. 

That means you can find everything from Nandana, the stunning, fully-staffed private villa compound that is the crown jewel of the island’s villa product, to eco-luxe retreats like the treehouse villa at Grand Bahama Birders’, an eco-retreat near Freeport.

The Treehouse villa at Grand Bahama Birders.

Lately, Grand Bahama’s luxury villas tend to draw a particular kind of luxury traveler: boaters. 

“Grand Bahama is a boater’s paradise,” she says. 

Indeed, most of Grand Bahama Villas’ properties come with their own private boat docks, fish cleaning stations and grills, an amenity that’s hard to find anywhere else in the Caribbean in similar supply. 

But in the age of COVID-19, Grand Bahama has an even greater draw: privacy. 

bahamas grand bahama villa
Tropic’s private seaplane flights provide easy access.

“It’s even more important in today’s social-distancing world,” Bohmann says. 

For now, there are two primary ways to reach the island: by private boat or by private aviation on carriers like Tropic Ocean Airways, which operates a fleet of seaplanes out of South Florida. 

“West End is just 56 miles from Florida, so it’s an easy hop by boat or plane,” Bohmann said. “There’s even a private airport right in West End.”

You can find The Bahamas’ entry travel protocols, see here. 

For more, visit Grand Bahama Villas and the Grand Bahama Island Tourism Board.

— CJ

The post Grand Bahama, The Bahamas’ Secret Luxury Villa Destination appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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Island Life

Four Puerto Rican dioceses to receive $82 million in special FEMA funding

… four Catholic dioceses in Puerto Rico were selected to receive … the Catholic Church of Puerto Rico demonstrated a remarkable ability … Church of Puerto Rico, but for all Puerto Ricans who benefit … the Catholic Church in Puerto Rico by rebuilding and repairing …

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