By the Caribbean Journal staff

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines has officially launched a new direct service between Amsterdam and San Jose, Costa Rica.

KLM is operating the flights twice weekly throughout the winter season, with a third weekly service to be added from the end of January to the end of March.

It’s a major return for KLM, which last operated direct flights to Costa Rica in 1998.

“Our primary aim is to offer our passengers access to unique experiences,” said Boet Kreiken, EVP for customer experience at KLM. “We are therefore very proud to be able to operate flights to this wonderful destination once more.”

KLM said it was introducing the service “responding to growing passenger demand.”

The San Jose flights will be operated on Boeing 787-900 aircraft with 294 seats.

“Costa Rica is renowned for its breathtaking nature and attracts many tourists every year. For our business passengers, Costa Rica is interesting as market full of possibilities,” Kreiken said.

The post KLM Launches Costa Rica Flights appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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It’s most famous as the home of the Sandals LaSource Grenada resort, but the lovely Pink Gin Beach in Grenada deserves acclaim all on its own.

It’s a spectacular stretch of sand, with sweeping cliffs, lush greenery and sparkingly clear water that’s particularly good for snorkeling.

This is what it’s like to walk on the beach. Enjoy this moment of Grenada.

— CJ

The post VIDEO: A Walk on Pink Gin Beach, Grenada appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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By Alexander Britell

The sound of the sea.

It isn’t just the waves, or the sway of the palms, or youthful shouts or the clank of neighbors’ plates.

It’s all of these things, and the reminder of what is not here: bustle, car horns, conference calls.

Here just above Grand Anse d’Arlet on the southwestern coast of Martinique is Villa Ifrevana, just a short stroll up from the island’s famous Ti Sable beach bar.

This is as authentic a French Caribbean villa as one will find; a place that emphasizes outdoor living, with ample seating and a broad terrace with a remarkable view of the sea, the latter truly the villa’s party piece, a massive, seating-filled deck that has a truly magnificent view of the water (and a dock, too).

This is a classic, four-bedroom, Creole-style villa, at once charming and eclectic, a place where hours go by simply staring at the turquoise in front of you.

All of the amenities are here, from the Nespresso machine to the Wi-Fi, but the secret here is turning what should be a watercolor into real life.

A place where the best sound is the sound of doing nothing at all.

Villa Ifrevana is bookable through Villa Veo, Martinique’s best-known vacation rental company.

See more in the latest Caribbean Journal Video at the top of the page.

The post VIDEO: In Martinique, the Art of the Seaside Villa appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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By the Caribbean Journal staff

Carnival Corporation has completed a large-scale, multimillion-dollar redesign and upgrade of Cruise Terminal 2 at Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale.

The terminal, which is used by Carnival’s Princess Cruises brand, features a “more streamlined departure design” along with a new giant LED screen, a movie theater and “more comfortable” boarding areas.

It also includes Carnival’s new MedallionNet Wi-Fi service featuring ultra-fast speeds.

“When our guests arrive at the terminal excited about their cruise, that’s a great opportunity for us to begin immersing them in a more personalized and hassle-free vacation experience,” said John Padgett, chief experience and innovation officer for Carnival Corporation. “We have completely transformed the arrival so that our guests can board at a pace that’s more relaxed and convenient for them. Our focus is on the entire guest experience with a special emphasis on making the arrival experience exceptional. From guests’ homes through the cruise terminal and to their stateroom, every guest engagement is intended to maximize their vacation experience.”

The 141,000-ton Regal Princess will be the first ship to depart the newly redesigned terminal.

The post Carnival Completes Port Everglades Terminal Upgrade appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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The moment you pull the car over the sandy path, you realize this isn’t like any other beach in Aruba.

And it isn’t like any other beach in the Caribbean, either.

This is Boca Grandi.

It isn’t the beach you’re used to — there are sand dunes; the edge of the sand is pink; kitesurfers abound and there are wind turbines in the distance.

But the sand is blindingly white; the water sparkling turquoise; and, of course, there’s a terrific little beach bar, the recently-opened and already effortlessly hip Tortuga Beach Bar.

Boca Grandi is raw, it’s remote, it’s exotic, it’s active and, most importantly, it’s largely undiscovered, far off the tourist map.

It’s a little harder to get here, but like all wonderful places, those who journey here are rewarded.

This is Boca Grandi, and it just might be the coolest stretch of sand in the Caribbean right now.

See more in the latest Caribbean Journal video at the top of the page.

The post VIDEO: Discovering Boca Grandi Beach in Aruba appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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