There’s a new leader in the Caribbean cruise industry: Windstar Cruises.

The luxury small-ship cruise line has taken home Caribbean Journal’s 2017 Readers’ Choice Award as the Best Caribbean Cruise Line.

The award is the result of surveys of Caribbean Journal’s audience of more than 100,000 daily email subscribers and more than 500,000 unique visitors per month — the world’s largest community of travelers to the Caribbean.

The voting choices included 16 cruise lines, with both large and small-ship lines.

Windstar received the most votes, beating out Royal Caribbean to take home the crown.

Windstar operates a fleet of six luxury “yachts” with no ship larger than 310 guests, with itineraries across the Caribbean region.

For more information, visit Windstar.

— CJ

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Virgin Atlantic has jus raised the bar with its new Wi-Fi update: a global offering that even includes flights from Europe to the Caribbean.

Virgin is now the first airline in Europe to offer Wi-Fi across its entire fleet, meaning travelers can now use email and browse the Internet at 35,000 feet.

The cost? As little as £2.99, according to the company.

Virgin’s technology uses a combination of Panasonic and Gogo technology, with access beginning once aircraft reach 10,000 feet.

Virgin said about 42 percent of customers opt for the WiFi Max package which lasts for the entire flight.

“From today customers flying around the world with Virgin Atlantic can work and play throughout their flight as we become the first airline in Europe to offer a fully WiFi enabled fleet,” said Mark Anderson, Executive Vice President, Customer at Virgin Atlantic. “Innovation has always been in our blood and we’ve worked closely with WiFi providers to develop the fastest, most reliable connection across the Atlantic, and are the first carrier to offer WiFi between the UK and the Caribbean, China and Africa.”

The airline’s Airbus A330 aircraft use Gogo, while its 787 Dreamliners use Panasonic Wi-Fi.

– Caribbean Journal staff

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By Sarah Greaves-Gabbadon
CJ Travel Editor

There are small hotels and then there are really small hotels; petit boutiques with five rooms or fewer, where you’re welcomed like family but treated like a visiting dignitary. In the Caribbean (as in the rest of the world) such sanctuaries aren’t easy to find. But we’ve zeroed in on four tiny retreats that offer relaxing respite from everyday cares. Here are the best micro-hotels in the Caribbean.

CarriEarl Boutique Hotel It only has four rooms (all air-conditioned and with WI-FI) but this little gem in the Bahamas’ Berry Islands is a big deal, with “the best restaurant in the Berry Islands” and an Instagram-worthy oceanview pool, all just a minute’s walk from the magnificent white-sand stretch at Great Harbour Cay.

The post The Caribbean’s Best Micro-Hotels appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Effective 1 pm on Thursday, the US Coast Guard Captain of the Port San Juan set Port Condition Four for Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands. The maritime community was strongly urged to remain vigilant and take the necessary precautions, as tropical cyclone Irma…

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It’s the end of the fall in Anguilla, which means many properties shut their doors for the season.

One hotel is unique, though: the luxe Zemi Beach House, which is open year round.

It’s something that effectively turns Anguilla into your own private island.

A room at Zemi Beach House.

Zemi Beach is looking to capitalize on that feeling with its latest offer, “Tranquility in Anguilla,” which gives travelers free extra nights, some free meals and a free buffet breakfast every day.

That means if you stay four, you pay for three, or stay seven and pay for just five.

For more information, visit Zemi Beach House.

– CJ Staff

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