Looking to cruise to the Panama Canal?

Holland America Line is adding more cruises to the Panama Canal, the cruise line announced this week.

Holland America will be sending eight ships and 19 cruises to the Canal between fall 2017 and spring 2018.

In addition to full transits, the line’s ms Zuiderdam will offer two Southern Caribbean and Panama Canal Sunfarer cruises that include a partial transit through the canal.

The transits range from 14 to 23 days.

“The Panama Canal is among the greatest engineering feats of our time, and its easy access from a U.S. home port makes it one of the most popular longer itineraries we feature,” said Orlando Ashford, president of Holland America Line. “There’s no better way to become more immersed in the world than by experiencing something like the Panama Canal, where history comes to life as you witness up close what it took to connect these two oceans. Everyone should transit the Panama Canal at least once in their lifetime.”

From September 2017 through May 2018, ms Amsterdam, ms Eurodam, ms Maasdam, ms Nieuw Amsterdam, ms Oosterdam, ms Westerdam and ms Zaandam will make 19 transits between the Atlantic Ocean and Pacific Ocean from five departure cities. Guests can set sail from Boston, Mass.; Fort Lauderdale, Florida; San Diego and San Francisco, California; and Vancouver.

The post Holland America Adding More Panama Canal Cruises appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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By Alexander Britell

On an island like Martinique, one with an immense tradition of rummaking and the world’s only AOC designation for rum, a new distillery isn’t very common.

That’s what made it so wonderful to see last year’s debut of the ultra-boutique Rhum A1710 distillery in the Le Francois section of Martinique, the brainchild of Yves Assier de Pompignan, a rum lover who spent years trying to build a boutique distillery on the island.

While the brand began with a trifecta of agricole blends from other producers, late last year the company debuted its first single-estate rum, an expression distilled from sugarcane grown at the property: A1710 La Perle.

This is a high-end, premium white rhum agricole, aimed at transcending what is an already-robust collection of white rhums from across both Martinique and Guadeloupe.

I first tasted it before it was officially launched, but recently obtained a bottle at a store in St. Barth.

So what is it like?

Well, it’s bottled at 54.5 percent ABV, a bit high for a white rhum though by no means unusual when you consider expressions like those from Guadeloupe’s Pere Labat and Martinique’s Neisson, for example.

The robust aroma has floral notes of mostly fresh sugar cane.

The flavor profile is marked by hints of tropical fruit, citrus, coconut husk and even a hint of banana and cane juice.

The finish is unsurprisingly strong, but smooth, pure controlled power.

This is simply a superb white rum. While it’s of course perfectly at home in a ti’ punch, like the best white rhum agricole varieties, it can even be enjoyed neat on a cool summer evening.

Rum Journal Rating: 93 Points

The post Rum Journal: Martinique’s Rhum A1710 La Perle appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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European low-cost carrier Norwegian’s strong summer continued in July with a 15 percent increase in passengers, according to the company’s latest report.

Norwegian carried just under 3.36 million passengers last month, a 15 percent jump compared to July 2016.

Total traffic growth increased by 23 percent, while capacity growth rose by 24 percent.

Load factor was 94 percent network wide, the company said.

“We are very pleased that an increasing number of passengers choose Norwegian for their travels, not least intercontinentally. It is also satisfactory that even with a strong capacity growth our aircraft are full. This proves that travellers in Europe, the U.S. and Asia appreciate low fares, new aircraft and friendly service.”

Norwegian has been rapidly expanding in the Caribbean, with a wave of new flights to both Martinique and Guadeloupe in the French Caribbean out of several major U.S. cities including New York, Providence and Fort Lauderdale.

— CJ Staff

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The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company is expanding to St. Lucia.

The company, which is a part of Marriott International, has signed a management agreement with Dubai-based Range Developments to open a Ritz-Carlton in St. Lucia in 2021.

Range Developments is also developing the Park Hyatt in St. Kitts and a Kempinski-branded resort in Dominica.

The 180-room property will be set on the southern tip of the island close to Hewanorra International Airport, with amenities including several swimming pools, a spa, multiple dining facilities and expansive meeting space.

“We are delighted to see this first step in what will be a major project on the southern tip of the island,” said St. Lucia Prime Minister Allen Chastanet. “We have maintained that our focus is on enhancing our tourism offerings and we are committed to ensuring sustainable investment and employment in Saint Lucia and particularly in the south. I am elated that we have such eminent partners in this project in what is surely going to be one of the best resorts in the Caribbean.”

It’s the second major resort project to be announced on the island this summer, following last month’s reveal of the Fairmont project.

The Ritz-Carlton is part of the larger “Black Bay” master development, a 180-acre site on the island.

“This will be our third major luxury development in the Caribbean and we are delighted to be working with the Government of Saint Lucia,” says Mohammed Asaria, Vice Chairman of Range Developments. “Range is aggressively expanding in the Caribbean and we are excited to bring the legendary Ritz-Carlton brand to this exclusive destination.”

The resort is projected to create 500 jobs during construction, with a similar amount once the property is operational.

“We are delighted to bring The Ritz-Carlton to the stunning island of Saint Lucia, and are happy to have found the right partner and opportunity to do so,” said Hervé Humler, President and Chief Operating Officer, The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C. “We’re excited about the increased demand for luxury travel offerings on Saint Lucia and look forward to welcoming guests to experience the unparalleled service of The Ritz-Carlton against such a breathtaking backdrop.”

The post Ritz-Carlton Expanding to St. Lucia appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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By Alexander Britell

Panama has long flown under the radar as a rum power, something that has begun to change in recent years thanks to marques like Don Pancho (the brainchild of former Havana Club blender Don Pancho Fernandez) and Ron Abuelo, the latter the country’s flagship brand.

The country has typically produced fuller-bodied dark rums typically joined together by a unique, somewhat dry finish.

It’s that, let’s call “unique” finish, that has been, to me, the achilles heel for some top-level Panamian rums — and something that seems to have been answered directly by a new release from Abuelo.

Its called the Finish Collection, and it includes a portfolio of three expressions, each taking rums aged in oak casks and finishing them in either former sherry, cognac or tawny port casks.

The result is the classic, robust Ron Abuelo with a very different finish.

And it’s rather good.

I tried the Tawny Port Cask Finish, a dark amber rum with an aroma marked by a strong note of caramel, revealing a whisper of black cherry and candied fruit and a hint of oak.

The flavor profile has a hint of spice, enveloped by notes of dark chocolate, candied fruit, brown sugar, vanilla and, not unsurprisingly, a strong note of port wine. As you sip, you can begin to rediscover that classic dry Panamanian finish — but it becomes a small note in the symphony.

This is a very tasty, sweet rum that has the character you expect from Abuelo with a rounded, velvety finish. It also makes for a terrific digestif.

Rum Journal Rating: 92 points.

— Alexander Britell, who founded Rum Journal in 2012, is one of the world’s top experts on Caribbean rum. 

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