"The goal of a CME AWAY® conference by Sea Courses is to provide the very best opportunity for health care professionals to not only LEARN but to CONNECT with peers in a stimulating yet RELAXING environment."

These are the cruise lines requiring proof of COVID-19 vaccination

Information provided by TravelWeek | Article written by Cindy Sosroutomo | May 6, 2021

TORONTO — After more than a year’s pause, the cruise industry is finally gaining some momentum with a growing number of cruise lines announcing their resumption of operations this summer.

Major cruise companies like Holland AmericaNCLRoyal CaribbeanCelebrity and Crystal Cruises have all announced their return-to-service in the coming months with cruises departing from non-U.S. ports. And though Canada’s cruise ship ban will remain in effect until Feb. 28, 2022, the CDC hinted just last week that cruise ships could possibly return to U.S. waters as early as mid-July, on the condition they meet certain requirements.

According to the CDC, COVID-19 vaccination will be “critical” in the safe resumption of passenger operations. As such, it is recommending that “all eligible port personnel and travellers (passengers and crew) get a COVID-19 vaccine when one is available to them.”

Britain-based Saga Cruises was the first to announce a vaccination requirement back in late January, with sister brands American Queen Steamboat Company and Victory Cruise Lines following suit soon after. In mid-February, Crystal was the first major cruise line to mandate vaccination for all guests and since then, most major cruise companies have also come forward with a similar requirement. Now, with cruises set to resume, proof of vaccination against COVID-19 has become the new normal for the cruise industry.

Here are the cruise lines that now require proof of vaccination from guests. For the most up-to-date protocols, please go to each individual cruise line’s website.

CELEBRITY CRUISES

Celebrity will be one of the first lines to offer fully vaccinated sailings, where guests age 18 and over will be vaccinated against COVID-19. The company is set to resume operations with the Celebrity Millennium sailing seven-night itineraries in the Caribbean starting June 5.

Click here for more information!

OCEANIA CRUISES

All guests and crew must be fully vaccinated at least two weeks prior to embarkation in order to board. All guests will also be required to take a COVID-19 antigen test, administered and paid for by Oceania, prior to boarding and receive a negative result. They’ll also take a second antigen test prior to disembarkation.

Click here for more information!

SILVERSEA CRUISES

Starting June 18, all embarking crew and guests will need to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 prior to embarking on any Silversea cruise, with the exception of sailings departing from Australia. All crew and guests will also be required to take a COVID-19 test prior to boarding with only those who test negative permitted to board.

Click here for more information!

UNIWORLD RIVER CRUISES

All guests will need to provide proof of one of the following upon embarkation:

  • Proof of full COVID-19 vaccination with the final dose given at least 14 days prior to the start of the cruise
  • A verifiable and negative result of a PCR test taken within 72 hours of the start of the cruise
  • A verifiable and negative result of a rapid antigen test taken within 72 hours of the start of their cruise

Click here for more information!

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COVID-19: The Information that You Need to Survive the New Normal by Dr. Mitchell Shulman

Stream the WEBINAR: COVID-19: The Information that You Need to Survive the New Normal by Dr. Mitchell Shulman.

Did you miss our webinar last week with Dr. Mitch Shulman on all things COVID-19? Now available on YouTube!
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Preferred Suppliers Health Protocols

There is no question that life and travel have changed forever. The “New Normal” must now include enhanced measures for health and safety at all stages of travel. CME AWAY® has had discussions with all of our travel partners. They have pledged to upgrade all that they do with respect to protecting travellers. We will indicate their compliance by designating them as “Preferred Suppliers”.  This designation means that these suppliers have demonstrated to us the steps that they are taking to maximize your wellbeing and enjoyment. These measures will include providing more personal physical space to allow social distancing as much as possible. Capacity controls will be instituted on airplanes, buses and in restaurants. All Preferred Suppliers have added new training for all their staff. A complete list of the steps each company is taking can be found by clicking on the links below.

Check out the Healthy Sail Panel for the RCCL Family: Celebrity, Royal Caribbean & Azamara

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The Future of CME AWAY Through COVID-19

CME AWAY® News Update

We again want to express our appreciation to healthcare workers and especially for what you are doing during this very difficult period. Thank you!

We continue to work with our preferred suppliers so that when we return to the “new normal” CME AWAY® will be ready with even more new and exciting CMEs. Our suppliers have teams in place working on logistics to ensure a safe and healthy return to travel.

UPCOMING SURVEY

We continue to plan future CME AWAY® trips based on feedback that you will need, more than ever, when we emerge together from this crisis into brighter days. We will shortly be sending out a survey to get your input on changes we should make to our trips over the next year and beyond. Your feedback is vitally important.

THE NEW NORMAL –EMPHASIS ON HEALTH & SAFETY

The travel industry is treating the COVID-19 outbreak very seriously. Like travel changed forever after 9-11, further protocols are being put in place to insure safe and carefree travel. We have already received initial plans from Air Canada, Royal Caribbean Cruises (including Celebrity, Azamara and Silversea) and Uniworld River Cruises. To see the steps that are being taken, click on any of the links below:

https://aircanada.mediaroom.com/2020-05-04-Air-Canada-CleanCare-Program-Introduces-New-Personal-Safety-and-Sanitary-Measures-to-Give-Customers-Added-Assurance

www.Uniworld.com/Health-Safety

CME AWAY® will only be working with suppliers and destinations that can demonstrate that all possible measures have been taken to ensure the health and safety of our travellers.

ADDITIONAL SERVICES THAT WE OFFER

We do want to make you aware of other services that we can offer. CME AWAY® by Sea Courses is part of a full service travel company. We have the staff with the knowledge and experience to handle all your travel needs. Whether it is just an airline ticket or hotel reservations, we know how to make these arrangements happen quickly and at the best possible prices. We are also making sure that all bookings have the very best cancellation and refund terms available for our clients. To be clear, we make all the following travel arrangements:

  • Airline tickets for business or leisure travel
  • Hotel and resort reservations
  • Tour operator bookings
  • Cruise bookings
  • Full trip itinerary planning
  • Rail and car rental bookings
  • Cancellation and medical travel insurance (including cancel for any reason options)
  • Group travel for family reunions and celebrations, schools, sports teams and businesses

You might be interested in travelling on a family vacation before you consider larger group travel. Once again, we have the knowledge and the relationships with the very best tour operators, resorts and cruise lines. We also know there will be travel deals available for the near future and are discussing these opportunities with our preferred partners. We will be sharing these as they become available.

CONTINUE TO DREAM

We all share a love and passion for travel, and while that’s currently on pause, there’s no reason we can’t dream of all the places we’ll see and experiences we’ll share when we can travel again. Follow along with us for some much-needed inspiration for future travel

Until we travel and learn again ….. stay safe and stay healthy!

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Dreaming of Better Times

Dear CME AWAY® Travellers,

In this difficult time when physical distancing is a necessity, the team at CME AWAY® remains close to you in spirit.

We continue to plan future CME AWAY® trips, driven by feedback from you that you will need an escape more than ever when we emerge together from this crisis into brighter days.

Travel has obviously been seriously impacted. We don’t know exactly when restrictions will be lifted and when we’ll all feel comfortable setting out to new horizons, but when that day comes, we will be ready. We hope you will be too.

We know how important it is to you. We also know that doctors need escape, rejuvenation and a chance to focus their thoughts on continuous learning and professional growth. These are the core values of our CME AWAY® trips.

Your time is precious and while the primary goal of medical professionals taking CME AWAY® by Sea Courses trips is education, the benefits are much broader. Our travellers savour the health benefits of time away, the unforgettable experiences of seeing new places and the joys of a vacation with family and colleagues. These are the unique advantages of the CME AWAY® environment.

For now, all we can do is dream of better times. Hopefully this picture gallery will help.

Until we travel again…Stay safe & healthy!

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What’s Open in the Caribbean After Hurricanes Irma and Maria

Hotels and resorts in the Caribbean have been completing their assessments of damage left behind by Hurricanes Irma and Maria. Here is a roundup of the properties that are currently open:

Antigua
Resorts including Cocobay, Jumby Bay, Curtain Bluff, Carlisle Bay, Hawksbill by Rex Resorts, Heritage, St. James’s Club, The Inn at English Harbor, and Nonsuch Bay all reported no structural damages.

Bahamas
Atlantis, Paradise Island, Sandals Royal Bahamian, Warwick Paradise Island – Bahamas, Breezes Resort & Spa – Bahamas, Baha Mar Resort and Casino, Sandals Emerald Bay, and Meliá Nassau Beach Resort are open.

Dominican Republic
All of AMResorts, Riu Hotels and Barceló Resorts properties in the country are fully operational.

All six of Iberostar Hotels & Resorts’ Dominican Republic properties are open and fully operational: IBEROSTAR Costa Dorada, IBEROSTAR Dominicana, IBEROSTAR Punta Cana, IBEROSTAR Bávaro Suites, IBEROSTAR Grand Hotel Bávaro, and IBEROSTAR Hacienda Dominicus.

All of Meliá Hotel’s resorts in the Dominican Republic are fully operational: Meliá Caribe Tropical All Inclusive Beach & Golf Resort, Paradisus Palma Real Golf & Spa Resort, Paradisus Punta Cana Resort, The Level at Meliá Caribe Tropical, The Reserve at Paradisus Palma Real, and The Reserve at Paradisus Punta Cana.

Viva Wyndham Playa Dorada is open and operating.

Nickelodeon Hotels & Resorts Punta Cana is fully operational and welcoming guests as well.

Martinique
La Suite Villa has no damage and it is business as usual.

Le Courbaril Village reported no damage.

Turks and Caicos
The Ocean Club Resorts on Turks and Caicos reported no structural damage and said its reservations will remain unaffected.

The Somerset on Grace Bay is currently open and welcoming guests and will begin accepting new reservations beginning Oct. 15.

Seven Stars Resort & Spa is open.

St. Kitts & Nevis
Four Seasons Resort Nevis reports power has been restored throughout the resort and phone lines are working.

Mount Nevis Hotel & Beach Club received no damage and it is business as usual.

Ocean Terrace Inn has no property damage and remains open and operating for guests.

St. Croix
Caravelle Hotel & Casino received ground floor flooding and some damage, which is currently being assessed. The hotel is operational and will be accommodating relief workers; it will provide an update when it will be accepting additional guests.

Renaissance St. Croix Carambola Beach Resort & Spa is open and ready to welcome guests.

Palms at Pelican Cove sustained some ocean debris and sand into the common areas including the restaurant, bar, and lobby, and is the process of clean-up.

Sand Castle on the Beach Hotel is up and running again.

Article by TravelMarket Repor

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Puerto Rico – Travel Update You Should Know

Jose Izquierdo, executive director of the Puerto Rico Tourism Company, said in a statement: “We’re working closely with other state and federal government agencies and collaborating with our industry partners to identify immediate needs across the island.”

The Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport is now open to commercial flight traffic. A few airlines are already operating on limited schedules. Most are looking to resume operations on Monday, Sept. 23. Cruise ports, however, remain closed.

Travel Consultants are in the process of evaluating and rebooking  their clients. Some clients have expressed an interest to go elsewhere. however travellers are asking what is available and if they will risk a penalty if they cancel at a later date. Popular re-booking destinations have been Jamaica, Punta Cana, Mexico, and Florida.

Hotels and resorts are still assessing the damage. The Puerto Rico Tourism Company provided the following status update.

The following hotels are closed and are not taking new reservations until further notice: Condado Plaza Hilton (planning to reopen on Oct. 15), El San Juan Hotel, Embassy Suites Dorado del Mar Beach Resort, Ritz-Carlton Reserve Dorado Beach, W Retreat in Vieques, Gran Melia, Coral by the Sea, and Wyndham Grand Rio Mar (planning to reopen at the end of the year).

Hotels are open, but are not taking new reservations prior to Sept. 30: Hilton Ponce Golf & Casino, El Conquistador, Las Casitas at El Conquistador, Caribe Hilton, Hilton Condado Lagoon Villa, Embassy Suites Isla Verde, Hampton Inn Isla Verde, and DoubleTree Hotel San Juan.

Hotels are open, but are not taking new reservations prior to Oct. 15: Hyatt Place San Juan and Hyatt House San Juan.

Hotels are open, but are not taking new reservations prior to Oct. 22: Hyatt Hacienda del Mar (Dorado), Hotel El Convento, Sheraton Old San Juan, Vanderbilt Hotel, AC Hotel in Condado, La Concha Hotel, InterContinental Hotel in Isla Verde, San Juan Marriott, The Wave Hotel, Holiday Inn Express San Juan, El Canario Inn, Coral Princess Inn, At Wind Chimes Inn, Verdanza Hotel, Best Western Condado Palm Inn and Suites, Comfort Inn San Juan, Hotel Miramar and Hotel Villa Montaña.

Hotels are open, but are not taking new reservations prior to Oct. 31: Hilton Condado and Lagoon Villas.

Hotels are not taking new reservations prior to Dec. 15: El Conquistador and Las Casitas Village at El Conquistador.

The Puerto Rico Tourism Company is providing the latest updates on its website.

Cruises out of San Juan still on hold Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines will not sail the previously planned Sept. 27 Adventure of the Seas sailing out of San Juan, Puerto Rico, as the city is still recovering from Hurricane Maria.

Royal Caribbean made the announcement late Sunday, joining Carnival Cruise Line, which previously announced that it would not sail out of San Juan into October because of damage to its cruise terminal.

There is currently no word on when regular San Juan cruises will resume. While San Juan Cruise Port was tentatively scheduled to reopen on Wednesday, Sept. 27, those plans have changed as officials assess damage to the port.

“Given the impact of Hurricane Maria, we understand that there is uncertainty regarding travel to the island. We continue to monitor the recovery efforts in San Juan,” Royal Caribbean said in a statement on Monday, Sept. 25.

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Caribbean Islands Affected By Hurricanes

ANGUILLA

Phone and internet communications have been restored to most parts of the island. Many local restaurants have reopened; grocery stores are provisioned.

The Clayton J. Lloyd airport will open to commercial traffic Oct. 10. The runway will be expanded by the British Corps of Engineers by 600 feet from its current 5,400 feet. The airport will remain open to private and commercial aircraft during the planned expansion period.

San Juan-based Seaborne Airlines resumed limited service Oct. 3 to several Caribbean destinations. The carrier is operating three roundtrip flights to St. Thomas and two to Antigua Oct. 3. Flights to St. Croix, Anguilla and Nevis resume Oct. 5 and to St. Kitts on Oct. 7. Seaplane flights have resumed between the downtown areas of St. Croix and St. Thomas with three flights a day; the one-way, walk-up fare is $70.

Seaborne said that “before you travel to the San Juan airport (SJU), be sure you have confirmed your flight with your connecting carrier since the island is experiencing difficulties due to lack of power, communications, hotel availability and long lines at the airport.”

Passengers holding confirmed tickets through Oct. 5 and not able to reach Seaborne are advised to go to the airport counter for assistance. More information is available at www.seaborneairlines.com or reservations@seaborneairlines.com.

Ferry service between Blowing Point, Anguilla, and Simpson Bay Dock in St. Maarten is operating for residents of both islands. The terminal at Blowing Point will be demolished. Construction is slated to begin shortly.

A number of restaurants are in recovery and rebuilding mode and have not announced a tentative opening date. Others, such as Hibernia, plan to open by Nov. 1. Garvey’s Sunshine Shack is being rebuilt. Jacala, Geraud’s Patisserie and GrandVins survived; Picante is standing but requires repairs. Blanchards had moderate damage and Blanchards Beach Shack had minimal damage. They plan to reopen as soon as the major resorts reopen.

The following restaurants have reopened: B&D, Coconuts, Comer Bar and Pizza, English Rose, Ferryboat Inn, Flavours, Hall’s Bakery, Johnno’s, Karla’s Bar and Grill, Mary’s Bakery, Pit Stop by Ben, Roy’s, Tasty’s, Dad’s Bar & Grill.

Many villas are still in cleanup and recovery mode and plan to welcome guests for the high season.

Anacaona Boutique Hotel will not make its original opening date of Oct. 10, but will advise.

Belmond Cap Juluca was previously closed for planned renovations and still plans to reopen in late 2018 as scheduled.

Carimar Beach Club will reopen on Dec. 21.

CeBlue Villas & Beach Resort plans to welcome guests for the high season.

Covecastles was badly damaged. Builders said that rebuilding will take months.

CuisinArt Golf Resort & Spa and The Reef by CuisinArt expect to re-establish connections to reservations systems this week (Oct. 1) to reach customers with existing reservations. The hotels expect closure through the summer of 2018.

Four Seasons and Residences Anguilla is closed until April 2018.

Fountain Anguilla is expected to open for the high season.

Frangipani Beach Resort plans to reopen in December.

Malliouhana plans to reopen April 2018.

Quintessence Boutique Resort, a new resort, will delay its proposed Nov. 1 opening date.

Zemi Beach House “held strong and will be able to welcome guests before long,” according to its statement.

Almond Tree Villa plans to reopen Dec. 1.

Anguilla Great House Beach Resort expects to have a partial opening in December and full operation in March 2018.

Carimar Beach Club will reopen Dec. 21 for new guests and in November for current reservations.

Fountain Resort Residences plans to reopen Jan. 8.

La Vue Boutique Inn will reopen Dec. 1.

Shoal Bay Villas is expected to welcome guests again Nov. 1.

Villa Alegria and Villa Kai plan to reopen in December.

BARBUDA

On the smaller of the islands that make up the nation of Antigua and Barbuda, prime minister Gaston Browne said 95% of properties suffered significant damage.

Hotel infrastructure was also damaged, but with less than 100 hotel rooms the overall effect on tourism as a whole is minimal, the CHTA said.

BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS

Bitter End Yacht Club is closed until further notice.

Heritage Inn & BananaKeet Cafe had significant damage and is closed until further notice.

Long Bay Beach Resort & Villas is closed until further notice.

Nanny Cay Resort & Marina is in recovery mode. No opening date at this time.

Richard Branson’s Necker Island was destroyed.

Scrub Island Resort, Spa & Marina had extensive damage and is currently closed, but will announce a reopening date as soon as a full damage assessment of facilities is completed.

The restaurant at the Sugar Mill Hotel on Virgin Gorda will be closed until

Thanksgiving; the hotel plans to reopen in mid-December.

Several charter companies will operate during the 2017/2018 season.

Opening in December: The Moorings, Marine Max Vacations, Festiva Sailing.

Opening in January 2018, Horizon Yacht Charters.

“Tortola Pier Park’s cruise and shopping facility has a targeted date of Nov. 1 for at least 50% of retail, food and beverage stores,” said Mark Vanterpool, minister of communications and works.

BVI ferry companies (Road Town Fast Ferry and Native Son) have resumed operations between BVI and St. Thomas.

The Terrence B. Lettsome airport at Beef Island on Tortola resumed daily flights Oct. 2 from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, according to Denniston Fraser, BVI Airports Authority managing director. Cape Air is offering three daily flights to/from Tortola to San Juan. Liat is running flights to/from the eastern Caribbean, and Seaborne will relaunch flights on Oct. 11, according to its website

The Moorings yacht charter company had extensive damage to its fleet and marinas. The 2017 Interline Regatta, scheduled for Oct. 10-17, has been canceled.

The seaports are open to receive humanitarian aid and supplies.

Power should be restored to the most populated areas within three to four months and water restored to residents within 45 days, according to Vanterpool, in a statement to the BVI Beacon.

A curfew remains in effect from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m.

DOMINICA

The island has massive damage and its many of its 72,000 residents are in need.

The air and sea ports are functional. The Eastern Caribbean Civil Aviation Authority cleared the Douglas Charles Airport for operation for relief supplies and manpower. The smaller Canefield Airport is open, although the tower has been impacted and traffic management is operated by hand-held radio.

The Woodbridge Bay Seaport is open to receive cargo and ferry boats.

Fort Young Hotel, Secret Bay Dominica and Rosalie Bay Resort are closed until further notice.

PUERTO RICO

The resumption of normal flight operations at Luis Munoz Marin airport in San Juan is delayed due to radar limitations affecting the number of arrivals and departures. The airport is operating from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. for a maximum of 12 commercial flights daily from American, Delta, JetBlue and Spirit.

Operational limits have resulted in overcrowding conditions and delays. The Puerto Rico National Guard is on-site distributing food and water. Travelers without confirmed flights should avoid going to the airport. Reservations are not being managed at the airport. Passengers must reconfirm reservations directly with the airline before going to airport to check in, according to the Puerto Rico Tourism Co. (PRTC).

Other airports are operating on a limited basis, including Aguadilla, Ponce,

Ceiba, Isla Grande and Vieques.

Ports are open on a limited basis for relief supplies in San Juan, Fajardo, Culebra, Vieques, Guayama, Salinas.

El Canario by the Lagoon is closed until power and water are restored.

The following hotels are closed and are not taking reservations until further notice: Dorado Beach, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve; W Retreat & Spa in Vieques; Melia Coco Beach; Coral by the Sea; St. Regis Bahia Beach Resor; Wyndham Grand Rio Mar Beach Resort & Spa (plans to reopen by the end of the year).

The following hotels are open but not taking new reservations prior to Oct. 15: Hyatt Place San Juan; Hyatt House San Juan; Verdanza Hotel; Hyatt Place Bayamon. (The Verdanza Hotel was serving as a home base for first responders and representatives from local and federal agencies, according to Ricky Newman, general manager.)

The following are open but not taking new reservations prior to Oct. 22: Hyatt Hacienda del Mar Dorado; Hotel El Convento; Sheraton Puerto Rico Hotel & Casino; Condado Vanderbilt; AC Hotel by Marriott San Juan Condad; La Concha Resort; InterContinental San Juan in Isla Verde; San Juan Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino; The Wave Hotel; Holiday Inn Express San Juan Condado; Canario Boutique Hotel; Coral Princess Hotel; At Wind Chimes Boutique Hotel; Best Western Condado Palm Inn & Suites; Comfort Inn San Juan; Hotel Miramar; Hotel Villa Montana & Spa.

Properties not taking reservations or accepting arrivals through Oct. 31 include the Condado Plaza, Hilton Ponce Golf & Casino Resort, El San Juan Hotel, Caribe Hilton, Embassy Suites by Hilton Dorado, Embassy Suites by Hilton San Juan, Doubletree by Hilton San Juan and Hilton Condado Lagoon Villa.

El Conquistador Resort, a Waldorf Astoria Resort, will not take reservations or arrivals through Dec. 31. Cancellation fees will be waived for reservations from Sept. 19.

InterContinental San Juan, La Concha Renaissance and San Juan Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino are not taking reservations before Oct. 22.

St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort is currently closed.

Wyndham Grand Rio Mar Puerto Rico Golf & Beach Resort is closed through the end of the year.

ST. BARTS

The island was damaged in Hurricane Irma.

Oetker Collection’s Eden Rock will reopen next summer, following repairs from Hurricane Irma. The resort will undergo extensive rebuilding, will renovate its 34 rooms, suites and houses. The Eden Rock Villa Rental program, which includes 80 properties, will be available next month. Most of the villas escaped major damage.

Hotel Christopher St. Barth sustained damage and no reopening date has been announced.

Isle de France has not announced its reopening date.

Le Guanahani will reopen in summer 2018.

Le Toiny is closed until further notice.

Tradewind Aviation now is operating daily scheduled flights between San Juan and St. Barts. Private charter flights also are available. Scheduled flights between Nevis and St. Barts will resume Dec. 15. Tradewind also will add more flights between Antigua and St. Barts.

Winair resumes commercial flights Oct. 6 between St. Barts, Saba, St. Eustatius and St. Kitts.

ST. MAARTEN/ST. MARTIN

The island suffered extensive damage from Hurricane Irma.

Princess Juliana airport in St. Maarten will reopen to commercial flights on Oct. 10. “We will be back in business,” minister of tourism and economic affairs Mellissa Arrindell-Doncher told the Daily Herald newspaper. Although the airport is reopening, the minister said there will be changes in terms of passenger movement and security within the terminal building to allow for repairs to continue.

KLM plans to fly twice weekly to Princess Juliana Airport from Amsterdam with a stopover in Curacao beginning Oct. 29.

Local carrier Winair will resume service from St. Maarten to Saba, St. Eustatius, St. Barth and St. Kitts on Oct. 6. In addition, Winair will offer special commercial and repatriation flights to and from Curacao and St. Maarten on Oct. 5, 7 and 10.

Most resorts are closed until further notice. The Westin Dawn Beach Resort & Spa and Coral Beach Cloub and Oyster Bay Beach Resort are currently closed.

The Sonesta Maho Beach Resort, Sonesta Ocean Point and Sonesta

Great Bay were devastated and are closed. Sonesta has begun a refunding process for 2017 reservations and will continue to issue refunds until March 31, 2018.

Coral Beach Club & Oyster Bay Beach Resort are currently closed. Westin St. Maarten Dawn Beach is closed.

The Royal Islander Club La Plage & La Terrasse will be closed through 2017.

The Facebook message on Sept. 26 from Steve Wright, general manager at Grand Case Beach Club: “We have been hard at work, removing debris and assessing damage. We are still without reliable communications, and internet at the hotel is presently just a memory. Our administrative offices were not just damaged, they simply blew away, leaving a clear concrete slab where they once were. My office has never been so tidy in 20 years!

“Basic necessities such as food, water and shelter are still far from assured. The electric system is slowly but surely being restored. We hope to have some manner of administrative presence by mid-October. When we have access to our banks (presently we do not), the refunding process will take place.”

Belmond La Samanna will reopen in April 2018.

Alamanda Resort will open in the fall of 2018.

ST. CROIX

In the U.S. Virgin Islands, new curfew hours announced by Gov. Kenneth Mapp, effective Oct. 5, are 8 p.m. to 9 a.m. on St . Croix and 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. on St. Thomas and St. John.

Tourism Commissioner Beverly Nicholson-Doty said that cruise lines have requested a status report on beaches.

The Henry Rohlsen airport on St. Croix reopened Oct. 5. American Airlines will operate daily service from Miami, while intra-Caribbean carrier Seaborne will offer flights departing twice per day to St. Croix from its hub in San Juan.

The Buccaneer will resume regular operations on Nov. 1. The resort has been functioning as a command center for FEMA and the Army Corps of Engineers. Until the airport reopened on Oct. 5, relief workers had arrived by helicopter landings on the resort’s golf course. The Buccaneer’s 22nd annual St. Croix Coral Reef Swim will take place as scheduled on Nov. 5.

Caravelle Hotel & Casino is accommodating relief workers.

Club Comanche Hotel St. Croix reopened Sept. 26; it was housing first responders.

Cottages by the Sea is doing repairs and cleanup and said that all reservations after Oct. 1 were secure.

Frederiksted Hotel is accepting guests.

Divi Carina Bay is closed through the end of the year.

Hotel on the Cay is housing relief workers and is not accepting reservations through Nov. 30.

Sand Castle on the Beach, no reservations being taken until essential services are restored.

Palms at Pelican Cove is closed until further notice.

Renaissance St. Croix Carambola Beach Resort & Spa is closed until further notice.

ST. JOHN

Estate Lindholm will reopen on Dec. 1.

Gallows Point Resort plans to reopen by Thanksgiving and be fully operational by Dec. 24.

Westin St. John Resort & Villas is closed through Dec. 31.

Caneel Bay Resort is closed through 2017. Further updates for 2018 will be announced when available.

ST. THOMAS

Cyril King airport on St. Thomas reopened to limited commercial flights on Sept. 28 with American and Delta offering flights to the mainland U.S. Seaborne Airlines has resumed limited seaplane service between downtown areas of St. Thomas and St. Croix with three flights a day and walk-up, one-way fares of $70.

Bluebeard’s Castle Resort continues to assess major damage.

Emerald Beach Resort will not take reservations until mid-November; it’s currently housing FEMA staff.

Bolongo Bay Beach Resort will remain closed through May. Guests who wish to rebook will receive an extra 20% credit towards their deposit for a future stay. For questions, email reservations@bolongobay.com. The resort has established a fund to assist employees who face difficult times in the aftermath of Irma and Maria. Details are at www.gofundme.com.

Club Wyndham Reservations’ four St. Thomas resorts (Margaritaville Vacation Club, Bluebeard’s Beach Club, WorldMark St. Thomas and Elysian Beach Resort) are closed through mid-October.

Frenchman’s Reef & Morning Star Marriott Beach Resort and the Ritz-Carlton St. Thomas are closed until further notice.

Lindbergh Bay Hotel & Villas continues to assess damage.

Point Pleasant Resort canceled all reservations through Nov 15.

Secret Harbour Beach Resort is waiting for power and cell service.

Sugar Bay Beach Resort & Spa and Windward Passage are closed until further notice.

Islands with moderate damage or fully reopened

ANTIGUA

According to the CHTA, “Antigua was impacted minimally by Hurricane Irma with the VC Bird International Airport opening on Sept. 7, and all hotels have re-opened by Sept. 13. Some hotels were closed for refurbishment, and all of these have reported that they are still on schedule to re-open as planned.”

BAHAMAS

According to the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism and Aviation, southern islands that sustained damage ranged from minor in places such as Crooked Island, Inaugua and Mayaguana, to more severe damage on Ragged Island and Acklins Island. However, it emphasized that the Bahamas’ major tourism centers were minimally impacted and are operating as usual.

CUBA

There was some damage along the Malecon seawall in Havana and flooding in parts of the city, but hotels are open, the airport is operating, the resorts in Varadero are welcoming guests and ports are open in Havana, Cienfuego and Santiago de Cuba.

The U.S. State Department issued a Cuba travel warning in September, advising U.S. citizens about the risks of travel to Cuba while the island is recovering from Hurricane Irma.

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

All hotels and airports open.

GUADELOUPE

Pointe-a-Pitre Airport has resumed all air traffic.

“Hotels are up and running and suffered only minor damage,” said Daniel Arnoux, CEO of Des Hotels et Des Iles Group.

La Toubana Hotel & Spa had no damage but is currently closed for renovations and will reopen on Oct. 31 as planned.

BwaChik was closed for the off-season, had no damage, and reopened Oct. 2.

Beaches have been cleared on the nearby island of Marie-Galante and tourism infrastructure is intact.

Les Saintes will be fully operational by mid-November.

ST. KITTS & NEVIS

Robert L. Bradshaw Airport in St. Kitts is open as is the Vance W. Amory airport in Nevis.

The new Park Hyatt St. Kitts remains on track to debut in November.

Four Seasons Resort Nevis will reopened Sept. 29.

Montpelier Plantation & Beach in Nevis reopens Oct. 8.

Nisbet Plantation Beach Club on Nevis sustained damage to its beach and bar and reopened Oct. 4. There was no damage to the Great House (circa 1778) and guest cottages.

TURKS AND CAICOS

Grand Turk had significant damage to its infrastructure and communications. The cruise port is closed.

On Providenciales, Gansevoort Turks & Caicos will reopen on Oct. 5.

Amanyara Resort will reopen on Dec. 15.

Club Med Turquoise will reopen on Nov. 26. The resort is not accepting new bookings for stays from Nov. 26 to Feb. 3, 2018, due to the high number of bookings during the winter months.

Beaches Turks and Caicos is closed until Dec. 14. Guests are being reaccommodated at Beaches resorts in Jamaica or at any available Sandals resort.

The Palms, The Sands and The Shore Club reopen Sept. 30.

The Somerset on Grace Bay welcomes guests with reservations though Oct. 14 and will take new reservations as of Oct. 15.

Seven Stars Resort & Spa had no damage from storms, is open and accepting guests.

Gansevoort Turks & Caicos is scheduled to reopen Oct. 5; Alexandra Resort reopens Nov. 15; Beach Enclave, Oct. 12; Blue Haven Nov. 1; COMO Parrot Cay, Nov. 19; East Bay Resort, Dec. 15.

Amanyara, Grace Bay Club and West Bay Club, The Palms, The Sands and The Shore Club have reopened. .

Ocean Club West reopens for the season as scheduled on Oct 12, and Ocean Club will follow shortly thereafter.

Undamaged islands

The following islands were outside the paths of Irma and Maria and suffered little or no damage from the storms:

Aruba

Barbados

Belize

Bonaire

The Cayman Islands

Curacao

Guyana

Grenada

Haiti

Jamaica

Martinique

Saba

St. Eustatius

St. Lucia

St. Vincent

Suriname

Trinidad and Tobago

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