CHEAPCARIBBEAN.COM increased its commission
level to 15% on all bookings, including the air portion of
packages, for retailers who register online with the firm by April
1. Agents who register after that date will be eligible for 10% pay
on bookings. The previous commission rate was 5%. Under the new
policy, agents will earn the higher rate with bookings called into
CheapCaribbean's reservation department or for online bookings. The
res line is (800) 915-2322; the Web site is www.cheapcaribbean.com.
THE WORK
STOPPAGE, which temporarily has closed Club Med
Buccaneer's Creek in Martinique since Jan. 25, continues to affect
the resort. The 293-room property is not accepting new reservations
through Feb. 19. Guests booked through that date may travel to
other Club Med resorts or rebook at Buccaneer's Creek at a later
date. For details, call (888) WEB-CLUB or visit www.clubmed.com.
LODGEPODGE
" The 511-room San Juan Marriott Resort & Stellaris
Casino instituted a no-smoking policy throughout the hotel on Feb.
1; the Stellaris Casino will follow suit on March 1. The policy
includes public areas, guest rooms, balconies, the lobby and the
bar and restaurants. Marriott International instituted its
Smoke-Free Environment strategy last October, which encompassed all
of the company's lodging brands in the U.S. and Canada and was
optional for Marriott's international properties. The San Juan
Marriott chose to follow the corporate model. For details, visit www.marriott.com.
" Opening date for the 600-suite Cove Atlantis resort,
located on Paradise Island in the Bahamas, is set for March 28.
Facilities will include a Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill restaurant;
separate all-adult and family pools; cabanas with dropdown walls
for privacy; two beaches; and the Penthouse Suite, with rates from
$15,000 per night. For details, visit www.thecoveatlantis.com.
PENCIL IT
IN
" Jimmy Buffet and his Coral Reefer Band will perform a
one-day-only concert on March 24 at 3 p.m. at Dune Preserve on
Anguilla. Bankie Banx, Anguilla's favorite son, will open the
concert. Tickets are $100 each and will benefit Project Stingray, a
music and education program on Anguilla, as well as the Anguilla
Tennis Academy and the Anguilla Community Foundation. Tickets are
available at www.bankiebanx.net. Several hotels are offering
packages in conjunction with the concert, including the Anguilla
Great House (www.anguillagreathouse.com), the Paradise Cove Resort
(www.paradise.ai), the Sirena Hotel (www.sirenaresort.com) and the CuisinArt Resort &
Spa (www.cuisinartresort.com).
" The theme for Carnival 2007 on St. Thomas, set for
April 8 to 28, is "55 Years of Culture, Mas and Rhythm."
Festivities will include live music, games, rides, parades and
water activities and will conclude with a fireworks display on
April 28. For details, visit www.vicarnival.com.
Caribbean
Editor: Gay Nagle Myers
Phone: (201) 902-1924
[email protected]
For promotional
opportunities in the E-letters, contact [email protected].