Carnival’s Newest Ship Launches Caribbean Cruises

By: - August 4th, 2021
carnival caribean cruise
Carnvai's Mardi Gras ship is part of the brand's Excel-class. All of the new piers will be able to accommodate Excel-class ships.

Carnival Cruise Line’s newest ship has come to the Caribbean. 

The line’s new Mardi Gras cruise ship kicked off its maiden voyage this week, with a seven-day Caribbean cruise sailing out of Port Canaveral. 

That included a return to cruising for the Amber Cove cruise port in the Dominican Republic. 

“We are delighted to begin our Mardi Gras sailings and offer guests an opportunity to experience all of the beauty of Amber Cove while providing a much-needed boost to the local economy,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line. “The restart of cruising in Amber Cove has such a wide-reaching impact and on behalf of Carnival, I would like to personally thank our partners at Amber Cove for their hospitality in welcoming our guests.”

The Mardi Gras ship is the first in the Americas to be powered by liquefied natural gas. 

Amenities include six themed zones, restaurant from culinary stars like Emeril Lagasse and Guy Fieri, and the first-ever roller coaster at sea. 

— CJ

News

Statia Is Now Open to Vaccinated Travelers

 statia caribbean island

One of the Caribbean’s great undiscovered destinations is open again.  The Dutch Caribbean island of Statia (also known as St Eustatius) has officially reopened its borders to fully vaccinated travelers.  And most importantly, fully vaccinated travelers don’t need to quarantine. They just have to comply with the island’s health and safety protocols, which include mask-wearing, […]

News

More Than 7,500 New Hotel Rooms in the Pipeline in Jamaica

 jamaica hotel pipeline new cover

Jamaica has more than 7,500 new hotel rooms set to come on stream in the next three years, according to Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett.  There are a number of major hotel projects “slated for implementation” between 2021 and 2023, Bartlett said.  That includes a 2,000-room project by Princess Hotels in Negril; 1,700 rooms at the […]

CJ Invest

New-Build Staniel Cay, Exuma Villa Lists for $7.95 Million

 exuma staniel cay home

A new-build villa on Staniel Cay in the Exuma chain of The Bahamas has hit the market, Caribbean Journal Invest has learned. The 8500-square-foot Casa Carisma is on sale for $7.95 million, sources told CJI.  CA Christie’s Gavin Christie has the listing on the property, hitch has five bedrooms, 5.5 bathrooms and 8,500 square feet […]

puerto rico curfew

Frontier Is Launching Another New Route to Puerto Rico

 Puerto Rico’s surging tourism arrivals will get another boost this fall when Frontier Airlines adds another route to the island.  Beginning Nov. 1, Frontier Airlines will launch new nonstop flights between Jacksonville International Airport and San Juan’s Luis Munoz Marin International Airport.  The flights will operate three times weekly, according to a statement.  It’s the […]
luxury hotel brand sold

Saint Lucia’s Sugar Beach, a Viceroy Resort Is Reopening

 One of the leading luxury hotels in Saint Lucia is reopening, Caribbean Journal has learned.  Sugar Beach, a Viceroy Resort, will officially welcome back guests in November, following what the property calls an “extensive” renovation project.  The biggest changes include the addition of nine new rooms; an upgrade to the resort’s culinary outlets; a new […]
dominican republic booming pre-pandemic

Dominican Republic Nears 2.5 Million Tourists in 2021

 Puerto Rico’s surging tourism arrivals will get another boost this fall when Frontier Airlines adds another route to the island.  Beginning Nov. 1, Frontier Airlines will launch new nonstop flights between Jacksonville International Airport and San Juan’s Luis Munoz Marin International Airport.  The flights will operate three times weekly, according to a statement.  It’s the […]
caribbean beach towns best

Martinique Tourism Begins to Rebound

 Martinique tourism has begun to rebound following the French Caribbean island’s reopening for tourism in June.  The island’s Aim Cesaire Airport carried 73,590 total passenger in June, up from 28,286 passengers in June 2020.  That also represented a 46.5 percent decline compared to the same period in 2019, in line with numbers from a number […]