By the Caribbean Journal staff

Regional air carrier Cape Air has resumed service to several islands in the Caribbean hit by last month’s hurricanes, the Hyannis, MA-based company announced.

Cape Air has launched limited service to Vieques, St Thomas and Tortola, along with San Juan-Mayaguez flights.

Cape Air will be operating the Mayaguez flights with four roundtrips per day, while Vieques, St Thomas and Tortola will see three roundtrips per day.

Service is expected to relaunch to St Croix on Oct. 5.

“The safety of our employees, resuming daily service and offering relief flights in the region has been the sole focus of our company for the last two weeks. We have been strongly committed to the communities we serve in Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands since we began Caribbean service in 1998,” said Dan Wolf, CEO of Cape Air.  “The entire Cape Air family of over 1,000 employees will continue to support the territory through this trying period,” he added.  The airline has capped fares, shipped food, water, clothing and other supplies to the region, and has raised over $100,000 donated by employees and vendors, in support of the victims of Hurricanes Irma and Maria.

The company said it would “continue to work in tandem with authorities to establish an ongoing flight schedule more typical of their regular scheduled service.”

The post Cape Air Resumes St Thomas, Vieques, Tortola Flights appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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By the Caribbean Journal staff

The Caribbean’s leading tourism conference is coming to Grenada next week, with a major focus on recovery and rebuilding in the region in the wake of Hurricanes Irma and Maria.

The Caribbean Tourism Organization’s State of the Industry Conference, which will be held at the Radisson Grenada, will include a major three-hour session focusing on issues and recommendations for Caribbean rebuilding.

“This is the time when not only do we have to focus on the state of the industry as we know it today, but because of the really strong hurricanes that have affected our region this year we have to focus a great deal of attention as well on our economic recovery  as an entire region and how to  rebuild with the resilience and structural integrity to protect ourselves in the future,” the CTO’s secretary general Hugh Riley said.

This year’s conference will have a major theme of “supercharging the Caribbean brand: meeting the needs of the new explorers.”

The conference will be held from Oct. 10-13.

For more information on registration, visit SOTIC.

The post CTO Grenada Conference to Focus on Caribbean Recovery appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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By the Caribbean Journal staff

Barcelo Hotel Group is expanding in the Dominican Republic by reviving one of the country’s legendary hotels.

The company has relaunched Santo Domingo’s venerable El Embajador hotel as the El Embajador, a Royal Hideaway Hotel.

The property, which first opened in 1956, was used as the filming location for several major movies, including The Godfather, Part II and The Lost City, among others.

Barcelo acquired the property in 2015 and embarked on a two-year, $40 million renovation that was recently completed.

The changes include rejuvenated suites, a pair of new restaurants and a new wellness and spa center that includes a private pool, four treatment rooms and a gym.

An updated room.

The property has also added 10,000 square feet of ballrooms.

The post Barcelo Revives Venerable Santo Domingo Hotel appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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By the Caribbean Journal staff

Delta is ramping up its flight service to Puerto Rico as the island recovers from the damage caused by Hurricane Maria, the carrier said this weekend.

Delta is now operating three roundtrip flights to San Juan from both Atlanta and New York’s John F Kennedy airports.

Delta “plans to continue with this daily schedule,” the company said in a statement.

Delta said that customers would be limited to three checked bags per ticket passenger, however, “in an effort to maximize space in the cargo hold for relief supplies.”

Delta has also extended a fare cap to all continental US markets to and from San Juan, with a fare cap to and from San Juan on nonstop itineraries extending through Oct. 16 at $199 in the main cabin and $399 in first class.

Delta has also capped fares for nonstop flights to and from Atlanta and St Thomas until Oct, 9, as well as for flights to and from Atlanta and St Maarten until Oct. 1.

The post Delta Increases San Juan Flights appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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By the Caribbean Journal staff

Celebrated New York eatery Casa Nonna is coming to Aruba.

Casa Nonna, the Italian dining destination just south of Manhattan’s Theater District, is set to open early next year at the Ritz-Carlton, Aruba.

The restaurant offers a mix of traditional Roman and Tuscan fare and will join another major restaurant with a New York connection at the hotel: BLT Steak.

“We are thrilled to present Casa Nonna at The Ritz-Carlton, Aruba as the restaurant’s second location outside of New York City,” said Steven Redkoles, the hotel’s general manager. “We continually strive to create authentic and memorable experiences for our guests. Casa Nonna is as authentic as you can get, with its inviting ambience and thoughtful menu that’s a tribute to true Italian cuisine.”

Casa Nonna at the Ritz-Carlton Aruba will include everything from salumi, cheese and antipasti platters to house-made pastas and wood-fired pizzas, available either a la carte or family style.

“We are extremely excited to bring everything that makes Casa Nonna such a wonderful experience to The Ritz-Carlton, Aruba,” said Keith Treyball, President, ESquared Hospitality. “Just as The Ritz-Carlton, Aruba keeps guests coming back year after year, Casa Nonna holds a special place in our guests’ hearts, and we are thrilled to bring our cuisine and ambience to this luxury resort in a destination as exceptional as Aruba.”

The debut comes after the property recently opened another food and beverage concept, the Ritual Coffee Culture cafe.

The post New York Eatery Casa Nonna Coming to Ritz-Carlton Aruba appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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