Caribbean Update: Which Islands Are Ready For Travel?

Many travelers love to shake off the winter blues with trips to sun-splashed Caribbean islands. There’s nothing more magical than the pairing of winter festivities with tropical landscapes, but after the ravages of hurricanes Irma and Maria, which islands are equipped for visitors? Follow these guidelines to help decide your Caribbean travel plans:

Islands That Were Not Impacted by Hurricanes and Are Completely Open For Business

•   Jamaica
•   Aruba
•   Curacao
•   St. Lucia
•   Barbados
•   The Cayman Islands
•   Grenada
•   Haiti
•   Trinidad & Tobago

Islands That Were Minimally Impacted and Are Open

Antigua: The island sustained minor damage from the hurricanes and only one hotel, Galley Bay Resort and Spa, remains closed but is expected to open a few days before Christmas.

The Bahamas:  The main tourism centers of Nassau and Grand Bahama weren’t affected and remain open for cruises and travelers. However, the Out Islands of Acklins, Ragged, and Crooked Islands are currently not open to tourists.

The Dominican Republic: The minimal damage to a few hotels and resorts has been repaired and all hotels and airports are open.

Islands That Were Impacted By The Hurricanes and Are Mostly Open

Cuba: The iconic malecon seawall that runs along the coast of Havana received some damage and flooding in half of the city but everything has been cleared and ports, hotels, and attractions are open. Resorts in the Varadero area were slightly damaged but have been repaired.

St. Kitts and Nevis: The hurricanes ripped through the sister islands and damaged a few resorts, but all are now open.

Turks and Caicos: Power outages and considerable damage to some resorts have affected the island, although the airport and majority of hotels are now open. Beaches Turks and Caicos and Amanyara Resort recently reopened on Dec. 15 and Club Med Turkoise is closed until Jan. 31, 2018.

Islands With Major Damage and Only Partial Openings

Anguilla: A major portion of the island’s infrastructure was damaged but re-building has been steady and 30 percent of hotel, apartment, and villa rooms are now available, as are most restaurants. A majority of resorts are scheduled to reopen by spring 2018. The airport is open and most ferry services have been restored.

Barbuda: Irma tore apart 95 percent of this tiny island’s infrastructure, and restoring the island’s airport, water, and the island’s frigate bird population are still in process. Robert De Niro is helping efforts by moving ahead with his plan to build the Paradise Found Resort on the island.

British Virgin Islands: Airports and seaports are open but power has not been completely restored on all the islands. Most resorts are still re-building, but the cruise ports and yacht harbors are open.

Puerto Rico: While power has been restored to 68 percent of the island, 9 percent of the population still doesn’t have water or roofs on their homes. Cruises have returned to the port, some hotels are open, and tourism is returning to Old San Juan. Many travelers are volunteering to help clean up through voluntourism organizations.

St. Barts:  Electricity has been restored and some hotels and villas are open. The St. Barts Music Festival is still scheduled to kick off  in January.

St. Martin/Maarten: The airport is open but minor repairs are still being done in phases. 70 percent of hotels were damaged on the Dutch side of the island and many beaches were also damaged. Cruises returned to the island in early December.

St. Croix and St. Thomas: The power and water infrastructure has been restored to almost half the population on both islands and airports and cruise ports are open. Many of St. Croix’s hotels are open, including The Buccaneer, Club Comanche Hotel St. Croix, Cottages By The Sea, Frederiksted Hotel, and Sand Castle on the Beach. On St. Thomas, Bellavista Bed & Breakfast and At Home in The Tropics Bed & Breakfast Innare open as well as restaurants and shops in the main shopping areas on both islands. Festivities for the Crucian Christmas Festival on St. Croix are scheduled through Jan. 6.

St. John: Cleanup on the island is continuing, although iconic beaches of Trunk Bay, Honeymoon, and Hawksnest are cleared and open for visitors. Hotels including Sea Shore Allure and Gallows Point Resort are also open for guests.

By Rosalind Cummings-Yeates

Jumping Ship: Carnival’s New Money-Back Guarantee Explained

Contributed by Donna Tunney

iStock

Carnival Cruise Lines endured a negative media frenzy earlier this year when its Carnival Triumph lost power due to an engine room fire and became stranded in the Gulf of Mexico. Shortly after, propulsion and power problems affected two other Carnival ships, causing the suspension of a cruise and missed port calls.

In order to convince potentially weary consumers to book a cruise, the line has launched the “Great Vacation Guarantee,” a policy that enables dissatisfied passengers to disembark the ship and end their voyage early. They’ll also receive a 110 percent refund, free transportation home, and a $100 credit for a future sailing – that is, if they weren’t sufficiently spooked to never book again.

Taking a closer look at the new “guarantee” policy, a few things jump out:

To qualify for the refund, transportation, and $100 credit, passengers must notify the ship’s guest services desk within the first 24 hours of the voyage. That’s not much time. The first day of a cruise tends to be chaotic. People are unpacking, finding their way around the ship and recovering from travel. A Carnival spokesman said the clock starts ticking when the ship departs the port, and that’s typically 4 p.m. Twenty-four hours is probably not enough time for most passengers to make an informed decision about whether to stay or go. (But just enough time to make them think they can).

That being said, refunding 110 percent of the cruise fare paid is a nice bonus, albeit a small one. On a five-day Western Caribbean cruise from Miami in mid-December, for example, an inside cabin sells for $219 per person via the Carnival website, thus entitling the customer to an extra $21. Book a suite on that same cruise, for $699 per person, and the bonus refund is close to $70 – pocket change to some, but it could offset some portion of the onboard bill, which is not reimbursed under the guarantee.

The cruise line also pledges to cover return air fare, ground transportation, and hotel costs, if necessary, for those who call it quits. Consider that hotel rates are particularly high in the Caribbean during winter season, when a last-minute stay in a mid-range property can easily run $300 a night. As a result, this actually can have a lot of value, potentially worth hundreds of dollars, depending on the passenger’s final destination and whether an overnight is involved.

As a part of the guarantee, Carnival will handle the return arrangements. And if your vacation is coming to a close after just one day, you probably don’t need any more aggravation. Let the cruise line figure it out for you.

Our conclusion? The Great Vacation Guarantee is a solid, valuable offer that will entice mostly first-time cruisers to give Carnival a try, without fear of losing money or time.

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5 Cruise Myths, Debunked

Contributed by Donna Tunney

Christian Lambert Photography

Of all the vacation trip choices out there, cruising appears to have the greatest need to defend itself. Non-cruisers often are misinformed about shipboard life, landlubbers are anxious about the possibility of seasickness, and those who dislike closed spaces will avoid cruise ship cabins — just to name a few. But we think that these “obstacles” shouldn’t dissuade consumers from booking a vacation at sea. Here are five cruise myths, debunked:

1. Mass market ships are just party boats.
While it’s true that many cruisers aboard  lines such as Carnival Cruise Lines, Norwegian Cruise Line, and Royal Caribbean International are looking for a festive atmosphere, others who want peace and quiet can easily find it on those very same lines. Today’s cruise ships are large enough to provide tranquil spaces, in the form of adults-only pool and lounge areas, out-of-the-way bars, and intimate dining venues. Passengers can read a book, sip a drink, or enjoy dinner well away from the mayhem in all of these spaces. If you are looking for extra relaxation, take a look at a ship’s deck plans and review public area descriptions to see if the facilities fit the bill.

2. Cabins are claustrophobic.
Cruisers have a wide range of cabin choices these days. For those who don’t like closed spaces, a balcony cabin is the answer. Of course, not all vacation budgets can accommodate such staterooms — but options like a partial-view porthole cabin provide a less-cramped ambience at very small increases in cost. (A partial-view cabin refers to one that has a window that’s partly obstructed by something outside, such as a lifeboat.) Disney Cruise Line also boasts “magical portholes” in many of its inside cabins, featuring screens displaying outside views to give the illusion of a window.

3. Cruises are more expensive than land trips.
Cruise rates change very frequently, based on occupancy levels day to day and week to week. The industry currently is offering some of its lowest rates in years on summer and fall Caribbean cruises, many as low as $50 or $60 per person, per day. Considering that all meals and entertainment are included in the fare, consumers are likely hard-pressed to find a better value. (Tip: You can find one if not more of such cruises in ShermansTravel’s weekly Top 25 deals.)

4. I’ll get seasick.
High winds and rolling seas can make a cruise ship tilt from side to side as it steams toward its next port call. But anti-seasickness medications are always available — for free — from a ship’s medical office. Passengers have also had luck with anti-seasickness wristbands, found in any pharmacy and reusable.

5. I’ll be bored on a ship.
This statement may have been true 20 years ago, but certainly not today. Outdoor activities on many ships include ropes courses, climbing walls, basketball courts, mini-golf courses, dive shows, and more. Inside, a vast array of music performances, movies, games, and sports bars provide hours of entertainment. That’s not to mention shore excursions where cruisers can stretch their legs dockside (a weeklong cruise will typically have at least three ports of call).

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