Steal Away on a Secret Rendezvous at Couples Resorts

Looking for a steal this winter? Want to add an element of surprise to your vacation? Try a "Secret Rendezvous" from Couples Resorts! Rates start at only $350/per night - total for TWO people. The secret is you won't know which Couples Resort you are booked at until 7 days prior to your arrival! 

Book by March 18 for travel between March 1 to 31, 2011. 


Jamaica is one of the few islands that has cheap flight prices available even if you wait until the last minute to book. Delta, Air Tran, American, and United all have daily flights.

Enjoy,

Grenada Sailing Festival 2011

If I could click my heels and go anywhere, leaving the dreary cold rain of Atlanta behind, it would be the Grenada Sailing Festival. I love the excitement of good competition and if the ocean and a tropical island are involved, even better! This year's festival runs from January 28 to February 1. Can't make it this year? Let's get started on your trip for next year! 

For full festival details - go here.

Check out the photo gallery of the Marina Headquarters.

Cheers,

Feel the Love Month in Bermuda!

This February is "Feel the Love" month in Bermuda! They've planned a few wonderfully romantic events across the island. You can download the full brochure here. Our company is able to combine the Feel the Love package with the "Compliments of Bermuda" promotion offering every 3rd night for FREE at many participating hotels! Contact us for more details. 

Cheerio,

Make a Difference in Jamaica!

I was introduced to the Children's Integrity Fund two years ago and featured their cause in this post. Since then, we've continued to support their efforts to educate the poorest of the poor in Jamaica. Being that they are based here in Atlanta, we are able to attend their local events and meetings which helps us feel connected to the cause.

On our trip last year to Jamaica (on the beach, in the villa and around the island), we made a stop in Trenchtown, to visit one of the fund's primary benefactors - the Operation Restoration Christian School:

School was not in session when we visited but we were able to meet some of the wonderful people who run the school:

This is the neighborhood:

These are roller skates:

Nearby the school, in what used to be one of grandest theaters in Kingston, the group conducts weekly worship for area kids. Here are some neighborhood kids coming to join in the sweet singing of hymns:

A volunteer leading the group:

We continued our tour of Trenchtown, kids in tow. We briefly questioned whether we should take our kids with us. Trenchtown is dangerous. This is the part of Jamaica made notorious by dancehall artists singing tales of the gunmen... but we stood firm in our belief that we do not want to shield our children from the realities of the world. It is only when we are truly made aware of reality that we are most inspired to make a difference:

When packing for our trip last year, I realized we needed to upgrade our luggage. Our old luggage had seen better days. Instead of giving it all away locally, I filled one suitcase with school supplies to deliver to the school on our visit. It was an easy way to make a difference.

 If you're inspired to do the same on your next trip to Jamaica, or any other Caribbean island, I'd be happy to help you coordinate the drop off. Contact me here.

If you'd like to donate to the Children's Integrity Fund - go here.

Thanks for taking the time to read this post! 

Altantis Paradise Island Launches $11 Million Teen Club

The Atlantis, Paradise Island resort in Nassau, Bahamas, recently launched CRUSH, an $11 million, 14,000-square-foot teen nightclub and entertainment center featuring an interactive Internet Lounge with multi-touch computers, plus surface tables with photo editing and publishing interfaced to Facebook. The facility also includes a Gaming Stadium with a 22-foot, floor-to-ceiling gaming tree and private cabanas stocked with state-of-the-art technology including Kinect, Microsoft’s motion sensor product for Xbox 360; plus a 1,500-square-foot Dance Club equipped with multi-purpose video walls, performance stage, VIP sections and doormen.

Priced at $25 per person, CRUSH is open from 5:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. for teens ages 13 to 17. The new club joins the resort’s Club Rush in offering a fully supervised “no adults” private club where ‘tweens ages 9 to 13 can socialize and enjoy evening entertainment including the Atlantis LIVE concert series featuring Justin Bieber, Taylor Swift, Miley Cyrus and the Jonas Brothers. 

For more details, contact us! 

Cheers,

Stay in Luxury this Winter at Cap Juluca!

I'm still daydreaming about my last visit to Cap Juluca, easily one of the Caribbean's most perfect hotels. 

The year when you make good on your promise to escape the cold of winter and get away to the Caribbean paradise of Cap Juluca too. Their quiet bay, white sand beach and 80° temperatures are waiting!

They've made the decision even easier with our "Stay in Luxury" Package*. Simply book a Superior Room at its standard rate and you will be upgraded to a Luxury Room and will include a Continental Breakfast each morning, on your terrace or at Blue Restaurant on the beach. At almost 800 square feet, your Luxury Room is beautifully-appointed and features a covered terrace and fabulous ocean view. 

As with all promotions, restrictions apply. Please contact us for full details!

{Photo from my trip. View more here.}

Cheers,

The Palmyra Opens in Montego Bay, Jamaica

The new Palmyra Solis Resort & Spa, a member of the Leading Hotels of the World, opened recently in Montego Bay, Jamaica. We are super excited about the gorgeous spaces and well appointed rooms and suites and wanted to share a few photos...

The resort features an array of accommodation options to at varying price points.

All guestrooms, suites, and villas include: 24 hour room-service, daily housekeeping, nightly turndown service, and more...

We'll be featuring The Palmyra Wedding Packages on our Destination Wedding Blog so stay tuned!

Enjoy,

Secrets Sanctuary Cap Cana's New Spa!!

Secrets Resorts & Spas, the award-winning resort brand offering Unlimited-Luxury vacations for adults only, recently announced the opening of the new Secrets Spa by Pevonia at Secrets Sanctuary Cap Cana. The 20,000-square-feet facility will treat guests to a complete spa experience with nine treatments rooms, a thermal hydrotherapy circuit, fitness center, yoga and pilates studio, full-service salon, beauty boutique, juice bar, outdoor relaxation garden and locker rooms.

The new facility, accented by natural stone and wood, was custom designed. Hand-made blown glass chandeliers also were chosen to enhance the ambiance of the space. The nine treatment rooms, inclusive of 13 massage tables and two treatment tubs, are divided between the main spa building (three) and exterior private spa suites (six). The spa’s thermal hydrotherapy circuit consists of a sauna and steam bath, cold rain showers, whirlpool bath, cold plunge bath, swimming pool with cascading waterfalls and a tubular air lounger. There is also an outdoor relaxation garden.

Sanctuary Cap Cana is a luxury spa hotel. Prices are somewhat higher than other Secrets Resorts but we can combine with discount flights for decent package rates. American Airlines and most other major airlines, service the Punta Cana Airport. For full details, please contact us.

Cheers,

Get Fit for 2011 at the Bahamas' One & Only Ocean Club

The Bahamas’ One& Only Ocean Club is partnering with personal training system Physique 57 to offer two exclusive four-night retreats on Jan. 13 to 17 and May 12 to 16, 2011. Physique 57 is a dynamic exercise method featuring a cardiovascular program of isometric exercises and orthopedic stretches incorporating muscle-defining arm exercises, intense thigh and seat sequences, abdominal moves and fluid stretches to create a long and lean physique.

Guests will enjoy two daily classes with Physique 57 instructors, a Balinese-style spa featuring eight private treatment villas, outdoor meditation pavilion, extensive fitness facilities and nutritional cuisine by Michelin-starred Chef Jean-Georges. The four-night package also includes a food and beverage credit of $300, two $50 spa certificates, a welcome beach barbeque catered by Chef Jean-Georges, airport transfers, and a welcome gift bag with a Physique 57 DVD set and more!

For full details, contact our team at Caribbean Journey! 

Enjoy,

Grand Cayman: Cotton Tree Hotel Offers Valentine Day Package

Celebrate the most Romantic Holiday at the new luxury boutique hotel in Grand Cayman!

The Cotton Tree Hotel in Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands, is offering a collection of Valentine’s Day packages. The “Perfect Passion” package offers three nights’ accommodations in a luxury one-bedroom cottage; one champagne tasting with the island’s top sommelier; one stay-in, three-course dinner delivered and served by Ristorante Pappagallo; one sunset horseback ride with Spirit of the West; and a one-hour massage, per person, in Cotton Tree’s open-air spa hut.

Cotton Tree is a collection of four pastel-hued plantation style cottages. The hotel is steps from the Caribbean Sea located on West Bay and only 10 minutes from the famed Seven Mile Beach.

There are two more packages available for Valentine's Day. For more details, drop us a line here! 

Cheers,

Every 5th Night free at BREEZES Resorts!

Every 5th Night is FREE at Breezes Resorts in Jamaica, Curacao, Panama, and Brazil! Plus, every 4th night is free in Breezes Bahamas! 

Book by February 17th for travel between now and August 31, 2011!**

Breezes is a great value package all-inclusive collection of hotels managed by SuperClubs. We have discounted packages at every Breezes Resort and will combine our low rates with this current promotion and cheap airfare for a super vacation deal! (American Airlines has great rates to all of the locations where a Breezes Resort can be found!)

**As with all promotions, restrictions apply. Please inquire.

Cheers,

Caribbean Journey mentioned in the Wall Street Journal!

What a lovely late holiday present - a little mention in the Wall Street Journal!

A few weeks ago I gave an interview about the current status of the Caribbean Airfare Market - not my favorite subject, as reflected in the article. Even though many discount airlines, such as Jet Blue, are increasing their airlift to the Caribbean, it hasn't had enough of an overall effect to help bring down prices or create more seat availability. If you are reading this post, I likely don't need to tell you this because if you've tried planning a Caribbean trip in the past 12-18 months you know that there are fewer nonstop options, ticket prices are more expensive, and all of the extra fees are nothing but a headache. 

Read the full article here and contact me if you'd like help maneuvering the wild airfare market and planning your Caribbean Vacation.


{image from Cerulean Villa, Anguilla}

Enjoy,

Family Suites at Beaches Turks & Caicos

Beaches Turks & Caicos is one of the only Caribbean Resorts offering family suites with a separate bedroom for children. Most hotels accommodate families wishing for separate sleeping quarters by offering the option of connecting rooms. The problem with this is that most hotels won't confirm connecting rooms and offer this option only on a "request" basis - which means the rooms are subject to availability at time of check-in. This is wonderful if it works out, but for a family vacationing with 2 adults and multiple young ones, arriving at a hotel to learn that you were not granted connecting rooms and your rooms are on opposite sides of the hotel can immediately ruin your vacation.

Enter the new Italian Village at Beaches Turks & Caicos. All of the suites either have a smaller separate kids room or are all full 2 bedroom suites. The separate kids rooms, shown in the photo above, sleep 3 and are decked out with their own TVs and Xbox stations, surely enough entertainment to keep the little ones in their own room. They are some of the priciest rooms at the resort, but the benefit of private sleeping quarters is priceless for many! 

Check out my review from my visit to Beaches Turks last November.

Contact us for a custom quote or price your Beaches vacation online now! 

Best,

RumShopRyan's List of 2010's Top Caribbean Travel Blogs

Thanks RumShopRyan for including this little blog on your list of 2010's Top Caribbean Travel Blogs!

Merci,