Island Tips

Test gallery

Ken — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 15:59:47 +0000

Caribbean gallery

Ken — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 15:50:38 +0000

The Blue Boat

Ken — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 21:22:54 +0000

Originally uploaded by Jim Skea.

The bay around PaquetÃ¡, Brazil.

Flickr Find: Our wedding day

Ken — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 18:13:46 +0000

A beach wedding in Barbados at the Crystal Cove Resort.

Originally uploaded by Mrs. Hot T..

Tourists are passing on Puerto Rico

Ken — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 18:05:21 +0000

A study commissioned by the Puerto Rico Hotel and Tourism Association shows tourists are choosing to spend their vacations in other Caribbean locations, rather than visiting the U.S. territory. Puerto Rico has historically been a top travel destination for tourists, but other Caribbean nations with improving their infrastructure and luring away visitors with their lower operating costs.

The Dominican Republic, which leads the Caribbean with 674 hotels offering nearly 60,000 rooms, has earmarked money for developing beaches, new golf courses, all-inclusive resorts and other attractions. Meanwhile, the tourism sector in Puerto Rico, which has 12,700 rooms in 145 hotels, has remained largely stagnant, officials said.

Getting married in Barbados

Ken — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 18:00:42 +0000

The web site idobarbados has tips for getting married in Barbados. No advance planning is even necessary for a wedding in Barbados. Couples can get a license on arrival in the country and an official ceremony can take place immediately after. The site has helpful information for anyone planning a Barbados wedding, such as how to obtain a license, information on fees and a list of churches. There is also a list of wedding planners and service providers.

Royal Caribbean launching French cruise

Ken — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 17:52:24 +0000

Royal Caribbean cruise lines has announced it will launch the Blue de France as a ship aimed at French travelers. The ship will sail out of the Dominican Republic for Caribbean stops during the winter and sail a Mediterranean itinerary during the summer.

The Blue de France, for those wondering, is a 26-year-old ship that has been sailing for Pullmantur as the Holiday Dream. Those with long memories will remember it as Hapag-LLoyd’s original Europa.

Royal Caribbean says the ship will get a thorough overhaul — to the tune of 30 million euros — to transform into something unmistakably French in ambiance. Expect French decor, French food and, yes, a completely French-speaking staff.

Bermuda to track all vehicles

Ken — Tue, 15 May 2007 00:07:51 +0000

Bermuda plans to put RFID tags into every vehicle in order to recover about $11 million in lost fines from non-compliant vehicles. According to the island’s Transport Control Department the electronic tags will only contain vehicle data and not information about drivers. A series of receivers and antennas will help track vehicles around the island, which has the highest density of motor traffic in the world.

Medical treatment in the Caribbean

Ken — Thu, 03 May 2007 01:04:11 +0000

Before traveling to the Caribbean it’s important to check with your insurance provider in case you need medical treatment. Many medical providers in the Caribbean may require payment in advance of providing service. And if you hope to be evacuated back to the United States for treatment it could cost you more than $50,000.

Your insurance company can tell you if your policy covers travel abroad and whether it covers an emergency evacuation. If not you can talk to your insurance or travel agent about getting supplemental coverage.

It’s also important to note that Medicare and Medicaid do not pay for treatment outside the United States. You will need to get a policy from your travel agent or an insurance company.

Electric outlets of the Caribbean

Ken — Wed, 06 Sep 2006 01:36:19 +0000

Here is a brief guide to electric systems used around the Caribbean. If you’re not familiar with the different plug types, you can see illustrations here.

Anguilla, 110V, 60Hz, North American NEMA1-15, North American NEMA 5-15
Antigua, 230V, 60 Hz, North American NEMA1-15, North American NEMA 5-15
Aruba, 127V, 60 Hz, North American NEMA1-15, North American NEMA 5-15, European CEE7/7 Schuko
Bahamas, 120V, 60 Hz, North American NEMA1-15, North American NEMA 5-15
Barbados, 115V, 50 Hz, North American NEMA1-15, North American NEMA 5-15
Belize, 110/220V, 60 Hz, North American NEMA 5-15, British BS-1363
Bermuda, 120V, 60 Hz, North American NEMA1-15, North American NEMA 5-15
Cayman Islands, 120V, 60 Hz, North American NEMA1-15, North American NEMA 5-15
Dominica, 230V, 50 Hz, British BS-1363
Dominican Republic, 110V, 60 Hz, North American NEMA1-15
Grenada, 230V, 50 Hz, British BS-1363
Haiti, 110V, 60 Hz, North American NEMA1-15, North American NEMA 5-15
Jamaica, 110V, 50 Hz, North American NEMA1-15, North American NEMA 5-15
Netherlands Antilles, 127/220V, 50 Hz, North American NEMA1-15, North American NEMA 5-15, European CEE7/7 Schuko
Puerto Rico, 120V, 60 Hz, North American NEMA1-15, North American NEMA 5-15
St. Kitts and Nevis, 230V, 60 Hz, British BS-1363
St. Lucia, 240V, 50 Hz, British BS-1363
St. Vincent, 230V, 50 Hz, North American NEMA1-15, British BS-1363
Trinidad & Tobago, 115V, 60 Hz, North American NEMA1-15, North American NEMA 5-15
Virgin Islands (British and U.S.), 115V, 60 Hz, North American NEMA1-15, North American NEMA 5-15