Night Flights to Dominica

Night landings on Dominica now are now possible following the inaugural Winair flight from St. Lucia and the Liat flight from Antigua into Melville Hall Airport, Dominica on Sept. 20.

For the island of Dominica, located between Guadeloupe and Martinique in the eastern Caribbean, night landings were a very big deal that could have changed the landscape of this mountainous island, home to a boiling lake, an endangered parrot species and spectacular dive sites.

Until now, the airport on the island’s east coast shut down each night as dusk approached. The advent of flight arrivals as late as 10 p.m., a commonplace occurrence on many Caribbean islands, signals big benefits for the destination known as the Nature Island.

Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerritt heralded the event at an official ceremony after the two flights had touched down, saying that the improvement in air access “should reap positive spinoffs for Dominica’s business and the economy in general and for our travel and tourism sectors specifically.”

For now, only small aircraft are allowed to land until 10 p.m. The airport is expected to receive clearance for larger aircraft within the next six months, according to the Dominica Air and Sea Port Authority.

What it means in the short run is that Dominica now offers same-day access for travelers from Europe and many U.S. gateways. Many travelers who arrived in the Caribbean in mid-afternoon had to overnight in Antigua, St. Maarten, Barbados or San Juan before connecting to a flight to Dominica the following day.

Book now at gocheapcaribbean.com and save up to $12 on your flight to Dominica!

Hot Fares to the Caribbean

Pack the sunscreen and beach towel and book your flight to the Caribbean today. Roundtrip flights start at only $56*. Don’t miss out!

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Hurry, Book By : Sep. 30, 2010 Travel Dates: Through Nov. 17, 2010

** Fares are round trip, Fares incl. all fuel surcharges, ad valorem tax and our service fee. Excl. gov’t. taxes.–

Sample Round Trip Fares starting at $56**

From To Fares** From To Fares** Fort Lauderdale Nassau $56 New York Santo Domingo $188 Fort Lauderdale Montego Bay $197 Philadelphia Bermuda $209 Boston San Juan $211 Orlando Port Au Prince $215 New York Freeport $263 Atlanta Kingston $274 Miami Aruba $300 Washington Saint Thomas $301

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Book now to reserve your day in paradise!

Book now at http://gocheapcaribbean.com

Carnival Victory subtracts Dominica from itinerary

Carnival Victory subtracts Dominica from itinerary

Carnival Cruise Lines has eliminated a port call in Dominica on its seven-day, year-round Carnival Victory sailings from San Juan.

Effective Nov. 21, the ship will no longer make a stop in Dominica but will continue to call at five other scheduled ports: St. Thomas, Barbados, St. Lucia, St. Kitts and St. Maarten.

The decision to modify the itinerary was based on a study of fuel-consumption costs as well as guest feedback, said Carnival.

Guests booked on the original itinerary that included Dominica who wish to cancel can do so without penalty, Carnival said.

Dominica is visited by other cruise lines, including Celebrity, Princess, Aida, Holland America, Cunard and Royal Caribbean.

The destination projects that more than 370,000 cruise passengers will visit in the 2010-11 cruise season, an increase from the year before, according to Colin Piper, Dominica’s director of tourism.

JetBlue to serve Turks and Caicos

JetBlue to serve Turks and Caicos

JetBlue Airways will begin flying to Providenciales, Turks and Caicos, this winter from Boston and New York.

Daily, year-round service from New York’s Kennedy Airport will begin Feb. 17. Seasonal, Saturday-only service from Boston will begin Feb. 19 and cease at the end of April.

For the 2011-12 season, JetBlue plans to operate the Boston flights from November through April.

JetBlue will use 150-passenger Airbus A320 aircraft for these flights. Tickets are planned to go on sale in October.

Five Places to Fall in Love in Aruba

A view of Aruba’s lively capital of Oranjested

Aruba is a great vacation destination to escape the craziness of everyday life and to simply go with the flow. Leave the pressures of work behind, put daily routines on hold for a bit, turn off the cellphone and bring along that special someone in your life for a truly romantic island escape.

With seemingly endless sunny beaches, which offer ultra white sand and crystal clear turquoise water, as well as romance and relaxation…Aruba is calling!

Check out our top five attractions that will make this destination even more romantic (if that’s possible), and then book a travel deal to this Caribbean paradise ASAP!

Baby Beach: With some of the most beautiful beaches in the world, Aruba is an island truly blessed with amazing locales to enjoy some fun in the sun. One spot in particular, Baby Beach, is the perfect place to relax under a palm tree, drink some adult beverages, and even check out some amazing looking fish in the shallow waters nearby. Baby Beach is located in Seroe Colorado at the southeastern end of the island.

Tunnel of Love: Located by the outer end of Arikok Natural Park, the Tunnel of Love is just one of those special places that you have to bring your partner when in Aruba. Smooch under the tunnel’s heart-shaped entryway and explore the 300-foot long passageway that includes several species of bats (don’t worry they are all harmless). But the fear of the little winged creatures might be the perfect excuse to get closer to your sweetheart.

Oranjestad: Take a leisurely stroll hand-in-hand with your honey around Aruba’s enthralling capital. Enjoy the views together as you feast your eyes on palm-lined streets and superb colonial architecture. Be sure to make your way to the harbor area for fresh seafood and tons of shops to purchase that perfect souvenir. End a romantic walk with a visit to Wilhelmina Park, which is a lovely tropical garden located east of the town square.

California Lighthouse: For an out of this world view of Aruba’s miles of beaches and crystal clear shoreline, make your way to California Lighthouse. Placed on a small plateau, this old lighthouse, which also goes by the name Hudishibana, is a great place to explore with your loved one and also dune surf together!

Natural Pool: Not a beach bum, but still want to swim in a tropical setting? Well then a visit to Aruba’s Natural Pool is the perfect place for you (and your best friend). Surrounded by magnificently huge rocks, Cura di Tortuga is the ideal area for lovers looking for leisure. The best way to reach this quiet locale is by horseback or four-wheel drive. One downside is that you might wind up looking around at the area’s natural beauty more than your own beauty upon visiting. Be careful Romeo!

Flickr: Phil of Ottawa

Five Places to Get Drunk in Montego Bay

Frozen margaritas are always a good idea in Montego Bay, Jamaica

Considered by many as one of the best places to visit year round for tropical weather, pristine beaches and beautiful people, Montego Bay in Jamaica is also always atop the list of “must visit” Spring Break destinations.

When on Spring Break, you might find yourself enjoying an adult cocktail or two if the opportunity presents itself. Who am I kidding?

When you book a travel deal to Montego Bay this spring, good luck NOT having a glass of alcoholic goodness in your hand. Most will also include a little umbrella floating in them, which makes for a perfect souvenir (or a way to count just how many of those lovely concoctions you downed the night before).

So don’t waste your time trying to figure out where to get wasted and check out our five hot spots that you will want to visit when getting a little tipsy is on the agenda.

Pier One: If you happen to be in Montego Bay on a Friday night, then you are surely going to want to make your way to Pier One. Even though any night here is wild, the bar is absolutely electric come the end of the week. As tempting as it might be, try not to overindulge on that all you can eat buffet at your resort, because at Pier One you are going to want to save room for many…many tropical cocktails. Locals love this place, so it is great mixture of tourists and Montego Bay regulars. Dance the night away with hundreds of happy party-goers to the sounds of DJ’s spinning and live musical acts jamming.

Margaritaville: Step right up and “Waste Away” your time at Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville in Mo’Bay! Chomp on a world-famous “Cheeseburger in Paradise” and then wash it all down with a few frozen cocktails at one of the four open-air bars. After you are three sheets to the wind, hit the dance floor and dance the night away until the wee hours of the morning.

The Brewery: It is going to be kind of hard NOT to get a little trashed when you visit an establishment with a name like Brewery. Don’t be fooled by the chilled and laid back atmosphere during the day, because once the sun falls, the Brewery kicks it up a notch or two with some seriously entertaining Reggae beats. Live music can be found here Sunday, Wednesday and Saturday. But the real fun occurs Tuesday and Friday nights when the Brewery turns over the stage to wanna-be rock stars for some Montego Bay style karaoke. Lots of Red Stripe is downed before brave souls make their public singing debut to hundreds of onlookers.

The Houseboat Grill: Although this pick offers an outstanding menu, it is the comfy bars indoor and on the deck that make this a must visit destination. If your ears are still ringing from the night before or you just want a less intense scene to let loose, then Houseboat Grill is your place to get your drink on. The Houseboat Grill is also a very couples friendly location. So get lit together over a few (or a lot) of strong martinis together in paradise.

Coral Cliff Gaming Lounge: Visitors to Montego Bay looking to gamble should not envision the over the top casinos like in Las Vegas or Atlantic City. But that doesn’t mean you will not have a good time when losing all your cash in Jamaica. Chug down endless “free” drinks at one of the 100 video slot machines. Grab some more alcoholic freebies and stagger over to check out the lounge’s nightly floor shows, cabarets and/or live jazz.