LOOKS LIKE
JACK SPARROW (aka actor Johnny Depp) and his eye-candy
co-stars could be the swashbuckling forces that pump up summer
tourism figures to Dominica and the Bahamas, the locales where much
of Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Mans Chest were shot (as well as
scenes for the third film in the Pirates trilogy, due out next
summer). The movie took in a record $135 million in its first
weekend following its July 7 opening and shows no signs of letting
up. Tourism offices, hotels and tour operators have released a
treasure chest of packages and products. Links to the film also
have popped up on Caribbean destination Web sites at www.dominica.dm and www.bahamas.com.
In Dominica, Fort Youngs Pirates Summer Special, valid through
Sept.30, features a pirates bandana, a bottle of dark rum and a
whale-watching expedition in addition to room, breakfast and
shopping discounts; priced at $100 per person, per night, double,
for five nights. British tour operator Headwater offers an
eight-night guided Tropical Walk in Dominica tour departing Nov 17
and March 31, 2007 that features hikes to some of the 25 sites
featured in the film.
MEANWHILE, in the Bahamas, much of the
action took place in a special 60-million-gallon open-water tank
built specially for the movie and its sequel by the Bahamas Film
Studios. Package deals in Nassau, including the British Colonial
Hiltons Pirate program, feature visits to the Pirates of Nassau
Museum and the replica of the 1716 pirate ship dubbed the Revenge.
Additional pirate-themed programs include the four-night Pirate
Adventure package at the Graycliff Hotel & Restaurant, a
historic Nassau property built by the pirate Capt. John Graysmith
of the schooner Graywolf. Over on Grand Bahama, deals are offered
at Pelican Bay at Lucaya, the Viva Wyndham Fortuna Beach and the
Westin and Sheraton at Our Lucaya Beach & Golf Resort. On the
tour operator front, Gogo Worldwide Vacations offers three hotel
packages in the Bahamas, Dominica and at Raffles Resort Canouan
Island in the Grenadines; Caribbean Sun Tours in St. Vincent has a
four-night Pirates of the Caribbean package that visits the movie
set at Wallilabou Bay, and CheapCaribbean.com said it will launch a
Pirates... promotion later this month
LODGEPODGE
" Sandals Royal Caribbean Resort in Montego Bay will host the
42nd Annual Ms. Travel Agent contest Dec. 1 to 5. Six travel agents
will be flown to Jamaica for judging by Air Jamaica. To enter,
contestants must currently be employed by a travel agency and have
worked there for at least one year. For details, call (800)
223-5695.
" Curacaos Hotel Kura Hulanda Spa & Casino officially
opened its spa facility with six treatment rooms, a whirlpool, a
lounge and a special area for outdoor massages, yoga and aerobics.
The spa is open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
PENCIL IT
IN
" Carnival, Aug. 6 to 15, Grenada. For event information, visit
www.spicemasgrenada.com. Spice Island Beach Resort
offers all-inclusive Carnival package rates from $605 per room, per
night, double. For details, visit www.spiceislandbeachresort.com.
" The 2006 Sandals and Beaches Ultra Convention Tour, July 20
in Los Angeles and Aug. 16 in Arlington, Texas. For details, call
(800) 48-SPECIAL or visit www.sandals.com/tas.
SPECIAL
NOTE: Beginning with the July 4 edition, the Caribbean
e-letter will be published every other Tuesday.
Caribbean
Editor:
Gay Nagle
Myers
Phone: (201) 902-1591
[email protected]
For promotional
opportunities in the E-letters, contact [email protected].