Virgin Atlantic is ramping up its flight service to the island of Barbados for the upcoming winter travel season.
Virgin will be adding more flights from Manchester to Barbados beginning this winter, with the addition of a third weekly flight out of Manchester
Virgin will also be increasing its flights to Barbados from London Gatwick, with the introduction of an eighth and ninth weekly flight from London Gatwick to Barbados for the winter season.
All of the additional Barbados flights have already launched sales, according to Virgin Atlantic.
“As one of our three core hubs in the UK alongside Heathrow and Gatwick, Manchester is Virgin Atlantic’s home in the North,” said Juha Jarvinent, executive vice president for commercial at Virgin Atlantic. “As part of our growth strategy, we have long-since held an ambition to expand in Manchester and that is reflected in a significant 92 percent increase in seat capacity since 2014. Schedule expansion this winter, coupled with our first ever Clubhouse in the North, demonstrate our clear commitment to the region.”
A major new luxury all-inclusive resort has officially opened its doors on the Caribbean coast of Mexico.
It’s called Atelier Estudio Playa Mujeres, the latest resort to debut in the up-and-coming destination of Playa Mujeres northeast of Cancun.
The complex of two resorts on the beach in Playa Mujeres has a total of 593 luxury suites across the adults-only “Atelier” and family-friendly “Estudio” wings.
The new destination resort held its official opening during the Cancun Travel Market conference, the largest annual tourism get-together in Mexico’s tourism hub of Quintana Roo.
Atelier.
Both the 431-suite Atelier and the 162-suite Estudio are all-suite resorts, with amenities ranging from 24-hour in-room dining to Molton Brown bath amenities and free broadband Wi-Fi across both properties.
Atelier has 8 restaurants and eight bars, while Estudio has five eateries and four bars, along with a kids’ club called Doodle Land.
Playa Mujeres is home to an 18-hole championship golf course designed by Greg Norman.
The broad dining program is headlined by Chef Edgar Núñez “Maria Dolores,” a self-styled “new concept of luxury culinary art” that takes a molecular gastronomy approach to Mexican gastronomy.
Both properties say they’re aiming for a different kind of all-inclusive experience, one focused on local culture, art and engagement.
“These are new tourism products that consider the three pillars of sustainability: economy, ecology and society, which enrich Mexico’s potential in the field of tourism and make it more competitive,” said Mexico Tourism Secretary Miguel Torruco Marques, who was on hand for the official opening this week.
That means experiences like contemporary art shows classes ranging from “fruit carving” to an on-site art walk.
Atelier, Estudio and their sister resort, Olio, combine for a total of 761 rooms, with 17 eateries and 14 bars, along with a large convention center and a 4,200-square-meter spa.
The new properties add up to what is a full-fledged hotel development boom in Playa Mujeres and Costa Mujeres, one that has seen a spate of new resorts debut in the last year from brands like Palladiumand Riu, among others.
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You wake up every morning to a stunning, shiny turquoise out your window, joined by superyachts and sea turtles.
It’s a view that becomes impossible to resist, a marvelous marriage of serenity and energy.
There aren’t any other hotels quite like this in the Caribbean, and certainly not in Barbados — and that’s because Port Ferdinand is a rather special property indeed.
The view is addicting.
It’s set in the still under-the-radar northwestern coast of Barbados, a charming, genteel corner of the island that joins the luxurious feel of the Platinum Coast with the tranquility of the northern cane fields.
But if Port Ferdinand keeps up like this, this section of the island won’t be under the radar for long.
This is a modern, grand resort set on what is unquestionably the most beautiful marina in Barbados, with a portfolio of 46 “villas” that follow one of the Caribbean’s hottest, loveliest trends: the rise of the residential resort.
Residential resorts join the luxury and service of fine resorts with the amenities and style of residences, meaning you can either stay here for a luxurious, adventurous, exquisite vacation, or you can buy a one-way ticket and buy one of the units.
The overwater pool is one of the resort’s most spectacular amenities.
What it means for travelers is that when you stay here, you’re enjoying the best version of Barbados luxury living, experiencing the joys of nearby Speightstown, shopping locally, having your lunches at the on-site Nikki Beach or soaking in the sublime overwater pool. (And then, after a few days or a week or a month, you can decide to make it your second home).
Several units come with their own infinity plunge pools.
But you also get the best of a resort.
It’s a bit like being a member of an exclusive private club, with the amenities you often won’t find even at larger resorts: the golf simulator, the spectacular tree-filled spa, the overwater pool (with the latter an amenity you won’t find anywhere else in the Caribbean), the wonderful Dockside eatery, the aforementioned Nikki Beach (the only one of its kind in the English-speaking Caribbean).
And its boutique size — there are just 46 villas (a mix of one, two and three-bedroom units), after all – means you actually get to enjoy all of them.
And the longer you’re here, the more you begin to appreciate the thoughtfulness of this place, the way the calm of the marina somehow manages to soothe your soul, how the light hits the grand buildings at the golden hour, how you walk outside of the spa and feel as though you’re in the middle of a Bajan forest.
The Sandbox Tree spa is set in a beautiful natural environment.
Barbados is one of the most complete, most sophisticated, most beautiful places in the Caribbean, and Port Ferdinand is a way to experience and enjoy the best of the island.
It’s a residential resort, a private club, a spectacular marina and, well, the sort of place you never want to leave.
Windstar Cruises in in the midst of a unique fleet upgrade project — it’s “stretching” three cruise ships.
The $250 million “Star Plus” Initiative will literally cut three of its ships in half and add new 84-foot midsections, effectively “stretching” them into longer, upgraded ships.
And now Windstar has officially begun stretching its first ship, Star Breeze.
While the stretching process is not unique to Windstar, the company says the complexity and work it is undertaking is immense.
That includes removing and replacing its engines in order to make them cleaner and more environmentally friendly.
“The $250 Million Star Plus Initiative is the most complex and comprehensive small ship lengthening, engine replacement, and renovation project undertaken in cruising, and we are very proud to be working with Fincantieri, the leader in major cruise ship renovations,” said Windstar Cruises President John Delaney. “The slightly larger ships and new enhancements will significantly build upon the signature onboard environment Windstar is famous for. The social and friendly public spaces on the ships create a welcome chemistry with guests and the crew.”
The stretching will include the addition of a new propulsion system and two new eateries: the Spanish-style Cuadro 44 by Anthony Sasso and the modern Star Grill by Steven Raichlen.
Windstar will also be adding a new pool and whirlpool; a reimagined spa and fitness center; a new retail boutique and, perhaps most importantly, the addition of 50 new suites.
The larger Star Breeze will be able to hold 312 passengers, an increase of 100 passengers, along with more crew.
This is a momentous undertaking for Windstar and a major milestone. Thanks to our partners at Fincantieri, we are literally witnessing the evolution of a cruise line,” said Christopher Prelog, Vice President of Fleet Operations for Windstar. “Star Breeze and her sister ships have always been coveted for their beauty, pleasing lines, and cozy yet seemingly spacious environments. The significant investment and the transformation of these ships will be stunning, and we are all eager for our guests to experience the renaissance of Windstar Cruises.”
Star Breeze will begin its voyages in Europe in February 2020 before heading to Miami and the Caribbean in March 2020.
