American Airlines is set to undertake a major increase in flights to the US Virgin Islands, Caribbean Journal has learned. 

The world’s largest airline will significantly ramp up service to both St Thomas and St Croix beginning in November, according to USVI Tourism Commissioner Joseph Boschulte. 

That will include two daily flights from Charlotte to St Thomas; daily flights from Philadelphia to St Thomas; and Saturday service from both Chicago and Dallas-Fort Worth in the first half of November. 

That will be followed by daily flights from Chicago and Dallas to St Thomas from both cities in time for Thanksgiving. 

American is currently serving St Thomas with three daily flights from Miami. 

As for St Croix, the island will see two flights each day from the Miami market, along with daily flights from Charlotte beginning in the second half of November. 

The latter represents a ramp-up from existing Saturday service. 

“We are readily preparing for this robust increase in flights from our longstanding air partner,” said Commissioner Boschulte, who said the service “aligns with the rollout of the Territory’s enhanced prescreening travel protocols.”

The US Virgin Islands reopened for tourism in September, with new protocols for entry headlined by a requirement of either a negative PCR test result within five days of travel or an antibody test taken within four months of travel to the USVI. 

You can find more on the USVI’s entry protocols here. 

— CJ

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Aruba began its tourism reopening in June, first to neighboring islands Bonaire and Curacao, then to Canada and Europe and then in mid-July to travelers from the United States.  

And in the last three months, the island has undertaken one of the most complete reopenings of any destination in the Caribbean so far, buoyed by a set of health and safety protocols meant to mitigate the spread of the virus that has, at least for now, changed the world of travel.

But as demand for travel continues to rise in the age of COVID, travelers more than ever want to know how to travel. That means understanding the protocols, understanding what’s changed and which aspects of travel have remained the same. 

To help explain, we gathered a panel of travel and tourism leaders in Aruba for the latest Caribbean Journal Webinar, including

Tisa LaSorte, President and CEO, Aruba Hotel and Tourism Association; Dale McKinney, Regional Manager, Caribbean at Delta Air Lines; Rafael Lopez-Aliaga, Executive Chef, The Ritz-Carlton, Aruba; Carolina Voullieme, Director of Sales and Marketing, Aruba Marriott Resort and Stellaris Casino.

You can watch it below:

The post Webinar: Explaining How to Travel to Aruba appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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Sandals Resorts International has officially reopened its Sandals Royal Plantation boutique resort in Jamaica, Caribbean Journal has learned. 

The ultra-luxe all-inclusive began welcoming guests last week. 

The relaunch marks the 11th resort that Sandals has reopened since the onset of the pandemic. 

“The recent reopening of Sandals Royal Plantation is a testament to our team members’ hard work and dedication to get back to doing what they love to do best, which is making our guests happy,” Gordon “Butch” Stewart, Chairman & Founder of Sandals Resorts International, told Caribbean Journal. “We’ve even coined a little saying that we’re all ‘Back to Happy’ in celebration. Not only are we happy to be back, but our guests are also very happy to be back with us. With its boutique feel, privacy and rich history, Sandals Royal Plantation will continue to exceed our guests’ expectations for years to come.”

It’s also the fifth resort in Jamaica the company has relaunched, joining the recently-reopened Sandals South Coast; Sandals Negril; Sandals Royal Caribbean and Sandals Montego Bay. 

Royal Plantation is Sandals’ smallest resorts, with just 74 ocean-view suites on a bluff in Ocho Rios. 

The adults-only property is home to the brand’s only Champagne and caviar bar, along with other inclusions like golf at the nearby Sandals Golf and Country Club and PADI-certified diving. 

All of Sandals’ properties in the Caribbean have reopened under the company’s new “Platinum Protocols of Cleanliness,” which range from enhanced cleaning measures in guest rooms to temperature checks to online check-in. 

Sandals’ next Jamaica resort to reopen will be the Sandals Ochi, which welcomes back guests on Nov. 1. 

“Being in business for close to forty years, we have witnessed many types of world events — from natural disasters to economic downturns,” Stewart told Caribbean Journal. “Although no one could have ever imagined the impact that COVID-19 would have around the world, we made a commitment to ourselves, to our team members, and to our valued guests that Sandals Resorts would emerge stronger and better than ever before. We are so pleased to make good on that promise and to have been one of the first Caribbean resort companies to open its doors and usher in the future.”

For more, visit Sandals Royal Plantation. 

– CJ

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Karisma Hotels and Resorts has announced the launch of a new “travelers club” called ABEO. 

The revamped club has five tiers of benefits, the company said. 

ABEO is the combination of Karisma’s existing Exotic Travelers Club and Prestige Travelers Club into one community. 

“Karisma hotels and Resorts created ABEO to continue delivering an unsurpassed experience to our many loyal Karisma travelers,” said Bill Linehan, president of Premier Worldwide Marketing, the exclusive worldwide representatives for Karisma Hotels & Resorts. “The new ABEO Travelers Club provides its members with unrivaled advantages and cost savings as they continue to vacation at its collection of breathtaking resorts.”

Inclusions range from member butler service to private round-trip airport transfers to priority access to premium room categories, among others. 

ABEO has five tiers, including Sapphire, Ruby, Emerald, Diamond and Diamond Elite. 

Karisma has been on an expansion push in the Caribbean of late, most recently with the launch of the new Margaritaville Island Reserve Riviera Cancun on the Caribbean coast of Mexico. 

Next year, the company plans to add two more Margaritaville resorts in Cap Cana and the Riviera Maya, along with a new Nickelodeon-branded hotel in the Riviera Maya. 

— CJ

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