By the Caribbean Journal staff

Norwegian Cruise Line has officially broken ground on a new dedicated cruise terminal at PortMiami.

The 166,500-square-foot terminal will accommodate ships of up to 5,000 passengers, with technology aimed at speeding up faster embarkation and disembarkation (and expedited security and luggage check-in), according to the company.

The terminal will also have a dedicated lounge and service area for guest arrival, along with a new parking garage and valet area.

“This iconic terminal represents our continued partnership with Miami-Dade County, our commitment to excellence and Miami as a world capital,” said Frank Del Rio, president and chief executive officer of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd.. “As a global cruise company we’re transforming and elevating guest experiences through design and innovation on our ships, and this new terminal at PortMiami is the next step in that journey. We are honored to be here today alongside the team dedicated to making this dream a reality.”

The project, which will be built to LEED Silver standards, was designed by Bermello Ajamil and Partners, which sought to create an “iconic” Miami destination, inspired by the Fibonacci nautilus shell.

“As Miami continues to develop as a global tourist destination, we view investing in PortMiami’s infrastructure as imperative to sustainable growth,” said Miami Mayor Carlos Gimenez. “The construction of a new cruise terminal with the capacity to berth an additional 5,000-passenger cruise ship allows for the creation of thousands of jobs and increased opportunities for our community. We are eager to witness the incredible beauty the terminal will bring to our city skyline and grateful for Norwegian Cruise Line’s steadfast partnership.”

Last year, another cruise power player, Royal Caribbean, broke ground on its own $247 million dedicated terminal at PortMiami, aimed for completion before this fall.

Both will be major new hubs for cruises to the Caribbean region.

The post Norwegian Cruise Line Breaks Ground on New Terminal in Miami appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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By the Caribbean Journal staff

One of the top boutique hotels in The Bahamas is on the market.

The Carriearl Hotel, a boutique hotel on the island of Great Harbour Cay in the Berry Islands of The Bahamas, has been listed for sale.

The 6,000-square-foot property is listed for $2.4 million with Daniel Lowe of MCR Bahamas Group Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate, Caribbean Journal has learned.

The beachfront hotel has four bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms, along with a cocktail lounge and bar, a full restaurant, a large dining room-salon and an exterior patio.

It’s perched on Sugar Beach Bay, one of the most striking white-sand beaches in The Bahamas.

The 50-foot x 20-foot freshwater pool was first built by the onetime owner of the hotel, Earl Blackwell.

There is currently an owner’s quarters that can be used as a fifth unit, with room for an expansion of at least seven more rooms.

It’s an opportunity to help transform Great Harbour Cay, once one of the hotspots of the Caribbean in the 1960s that was the haunt of celebrities from Cary Grant to Brigitte Bardot.

Great Harbour Cay is one of the untouched gems of The Bahamas.

The property also has potential to facilitate guests for VIP excursions from Norwegian Cruise Line’s nearby Great Stirrup Cay and Royal Caribbean’s nearby Coco Cay.

For more information, see the listing here.

The post This Caribbean Beachfront Boutique Hotel Is For Sale appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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By the Caribbean Journal staff

It just got even easier to get to Bimini.

The tiny archipelago is the closest Bahamian destination to Miami, and now Bahamian national carrier Bahamasair is set to launch new flights from Miami to Bimini.

Beginning at the end of the month, Bahamasair will launch a total of four weekly flights to Bimini, Miami International Airport announced in a statement.

The Bimini Big Game Club, Bimini’s legendary hotel.

The service will operate on Sundays, Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays.

The flights will be Miami Airport’s seventh route in The Bahamas.

It’s another boost for an island that has been benefiting from regular service from both Miami and Fort Lauderdale on Tropic Ocean Airways, operated on seaplanes.

Miami-Bimini flights on Bahamasair should take around 30 minutes, operated on the company’s ATR 42 aircraft.

The post Bahamasair Launching Miami-Bimini Flights appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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By the Caribbean Journal staff

It’s shaping up to be a banner year for the Turks and Caicos real estate market, according to a new report by Turks and Caicos Sotheby’s International Realty.

Total sales volume has jumped to $63.06 million in the first quarter, a 16 percent increase over the first three months of 2017, while the average sales price increased by a whopping 49 percent to $900,763 in the same period.

Single-family home sales led the way in the first quarter, with dollar volume up 53 percent to $38.7 million, with the average sales price of a single-family home rising just under 40 percent to $1.684 million.

A home for sale on Grace Bay Beach.

That was paced by sales like a villa at the Amanyara that sold for $5.65 million and a newly-constructed villa at the Shore Club that sold for $5.885 million.

Single-family sales led the boom as condominium sales were actually down in the period, though several units changed hands for more than $1 million, including a Palms penthouse that sold for $3.1 million.

That included only re-sale condominium data, however, the company cautioned, pointing to a surge in new projects and a strong underlying demand for condominiums — and little existing inventory to meet the demand.

“This scarcity is evidenced by a drop in average days on market for condominiums from 349 to 276 days,” the brokerage said in its report.

A home for sale in Providenciales.

The company pointed to another $108 million in pending transactions on the territory’s MLS, dominated by $85 million in luxury villa sales.

The brokerage predicted that pattern would sustain, as pre-construction villa and condominium sales continue as more and more projects break ground.

“We simply could not have hoped for more in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma, and could not be more proud of the performance of our tourism, development and real estate sectors as we experience another great tourism and real estate season,” Turks and Caicos Sotheby’s said in a statement.

The post Turks and Caicos Real Estate Is Booming appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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By Dana Niland
CJ Contributor

Conrad Cartagena has announced teh addition of a new 9,600-square-foot spa, kids club, new dining experiences and a Presidential Suite.

Opened in December 2017, Conrad Cartagena is the brand’s first property on the Caribbean coast of Colombia.

The oceanfront oasis currently houses 268 accommodations, including 31 suites situated on the north side of the city on the shores of the Caribbean Sea.

The TPC golf course.

These new amenities build upon the resort’s five swimming pools, TPC golf course and more than 24,000 square feet of meeting space.

The new CONRAD Spa’s menu will be inspired by Colombian traditions and the four elements– water, earth, air and fire.

At 2,500 square feet, the Presidential Suite will feature two bedrooms, floor-to-ceiling windows and wrap-around balcony with views of the sea, golf course and Cartagena skyline as well as a spacious living and dining area with seating for six people.

The resort’s kid’s club will offer painting, dance classes, play-acting for mini-theater productions and movie screenings.

Joining the seven established food and beverage outlets at the resort is the newly opened Karibana Beach Club, which serves a sophisticated take on Cartagena street food as well as cocktails in a tropical setting.

Guests can also opt for selections from the new Kosher kitchen.

The post Conrad Cartagena Debuts Spa, Beach Club appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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