Participating properties offering 30 percent off include the St. Kitts Marriott Resort & The Royal Beach Casino; CasaMagna Marriott Puerto Vallarta Resort & Spa; Los Suenos Marriott Resort and JW Marriott Panama Resort. Frenchman’s Reef & Morning Star Marriott Beach Resort is offering 25 percent off and properties offering 20 percent off include CasaMagna Marriott Cancun Resort; Curacao Marriott Beach Resort & Emerald Casino; Grand Cayman Marriott Beach Resort; JW Marriott Cancun Resort & Spa.

Bookings must be made by Feb. 28, 2013 for travel between March 1, 2013 and May 31, 2013, with a minimum two-night stay required.

Participating hotel properties include Aruba Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino; CasaMagna Marriott Cancun Resort; CasaMagna Marriott Puerto Vallarta Resort & Spa; Curaçao Marriott Beach Resort & Emerald Casino; Frenchman’s Reef & Morning Star Marriott Beach Resort; Grand Cayman Marriott Beach Resort; JW Marriott Cancun Resort & Spa and the St. Kitts Marriott Resort & The Royal Beach Casino

The ship operated two shakedown cruises and is set for its first official voyage to depart on Jan. 13 from St. Maarten.

“It’s really exciting,” said Liz Harvey, president of Island Windjammers. “It’s been a lot of hard work, but it all came together on schedule and we’re all thrilled.”

The three-masted motor-sail ship was purchased from Angermeyer Cruises, which had operated Sagitta in the Galapagos Islands.

Built in 1961 by the Swedish navy, Sagitta has 10 standard cabins with a double lower berth and single upper berth, along with an owner’s suite, a large aft cabin with a double bed and small refrigerator.

The company added two tiny single-berth cabins that share a bathroom and are priced for less than a share of a double-occupancy standard cabin.

All cabins have a private bath, portholes and air conditioning.

The vessel also has an outdoor lounge area, indoor bar, dining salon and a library area. It is 120 feet long and 22 feet wide.

Island Windjammers also made a number of improvements to the vessel, including renovating the owner’s suite with king-size bed, refrigerator, TV/DVD player, and a large granite and tile master bath.

The interior was completely refurbished with all new curtains, upholstery, wall coverings, artwork, paint and carpet. All bathrooms got new granite countertops and fixtures.

A new self-service bar area has a frozen drink machine, while the outdoor area received awnings for shade on hot days, new deck and beach chairs, and new snorkel equipment.

The vessel also received new sails and a new main engine, computer systems and navigation electronics.

“We’re pretty much sold out through the end of January, but we do have some availability in February,” Harvey said.

“Bookings have been great, but there are still cabins available.” Sagitta will operate six-night roundtrip cruises from St. Maarten, departing Sundays, to Anguilla, St. Kitts, Nevis, St. Bart’s and St. Eustatius.

Island Windjammers was formed by the rabidly loyal fans of the defunct Windjammer Barefoot Cruises, which went out of business in 2007.

The new company started sailing in 2009, with a client base primarily made up of former Barefoot fans. The company’s first ship, the 12-passenger Diamant, operates out of Port St. Louis, Grenada, and offers six-night cruises, Friday through Thursday, to Carriacou, Union Island, Bequia, Tobago Cays and Mayreau.

Fares for six-night cruises are $1,799 to $1,999 per person, double occupancy, including port charges, taxes, meals, snacks and beer, wine and rum punch. The owner’s suite on Sagitta sells for $2,199 to $2,399. Discounted sailings are offered on the company website’s specials page. Island Windjammers also offers nine- and 12-day cruises.

Guests may select three of the four activities to create a custom New You in Nevis package. As an added bonus, the package offers a complimentary room upgrade upon check-in. “New You in Nevis” packages must booked by Feb. 28, 2013, and are priced at $3,102 including hotel and service taxes.

From November 12thto December 19th, 2012 the Four Seasons Resort, Nevis is offering a US$1,000.00 airfare credit per stay in a deluxe oceanside room, deluxe ocean-view room, plantation suite, ocean suite or luxury
suite and US$1,500.00 airfare credit per stay in any villa. The minimum stay is 5 nights and the credit applies once per visit towards your total bill (excluding tax) and must be used in conjunction with your initial vacation.

Rates are based on single or double occupancy, are
subject to change and tax and service charges are additional.

This agreement is not valid or in conjunction with any other offer or contract and does not apply to groups. The rates are per room, per night, vary by arrival date and/or length of stay, and do not include applicable taxes, service charges, levies, resort fees, gratuities or
surcharges, unless otherwise noted. All offers are subject to availability at the time of reservation and early departure fees may apply.

For more information visit www.fourseasons.com/nevis  or call
Tel. 869.469.1111.

The family-owned and operated luxury Hermitage Plantation Inn is situated at 800 feet above sea level on the edge of the rainforest, with a cluster of 15 cottages surrounding the Great House which dates back to 1660. The inn’s Adventure Package offers 7 night accommodations, full breakfast and afternoon tea or rum punch, 2 candlelit table d’hote dinners, 6 days complimentary jeep rental, horseback riding, a guided nature hike and in-room massage.

The cost of the 7 night Adventure Package, including service and tax, is US$2,700.00 per couple, based on double occupancy and is valid until December 14th, 2012. For more information and reservations, visit
www.hermitagenevis.com  or call 800.682.4025.

Montpelier Plantation and Beach offers Relais & Chateaux hospitality, fine wine and food with wellness that is both active and relaxing.

For bookings until January 1st, 2013 the hotel is delighted to offer a US$500.00 resort credit per room, per stay for all room categories but requires a 5 night minimum stay. This offer applies to new bookings only and cannot be combined with any other promotion. Unused credits are non refundable and are not transferable. This offer is not valid for the period December 15th, 2012 to January 3rd, 2013.

Travel must be taken before April 14, 2013. For more information and reservations visit www.montpeliernevis.com  or call 869.469.3462.

Mount Nevis is a family owned and operated hotel situated in Nevis’ Round Hill Estate, on what was once a lime plantation in the early 1800s. The 32 rooms hotel is located a mile above the sea, offering a magnificent view of St. Kitts and the Caribbean Sea.

Their Vibrant Package is for 8 days, 7 nights and is available until December 14th, 2012 and is priced at US$2,500.00 based on double occupancy with all taxes included.

Accommodations are in a superior suite and comes with welcome champagne, an in room massage for two persons, full American breakfast daily and a private dinner on your balcony.

For more
information and reservations, visit www.mountnevishotel.com  or call 869.469.9373/4.

Kiss your sweaters good bye and say hello to your sandals and tank tops when you arrive at Nelson Spring Beach Resort. Until December 31st, 2012 for US$3,257.00 the resort is offering a Escape to the Sunshine package for 6 nights with your 7th night free with all taxes included.

This week long vacation is in a beach side 2 bedroom ocean front villa and comes with a rental car for 4 days, a tour of the island of Nevis, dinner at The Hermitage Plantation Inn for their Wednesday night ‘West Indian Feast’ and dinner at the Nisbet Plantation Beach Club’s Thursday night ‘West Indian Buffet’. For more information and reservations, visit www.nelsonspringbeachresort.com or call 869.469.7775.

Nisbet Plantation Beach Club, the Caribbean’s only historic plantation inn on the beach is offering 2 nights complimentary accommodations until December 19th, 2012 and for guests that are resident in the hotel from December 20th to December 27th, 2012; your ‘gift’ is complimentary accommodations on Christmas Day. Roundtrip airport transfers from either St. Kitts or Nevis are also provided. Nisbet Plantation Beach Club, which was just named the number one resort in the Caribbean by Conde Nast Traveler readers, has daily rates that start at US$391.00 per couple.

For guests that need to stay connected, there is
complimentary Wi-Fi. For more information visit www.NisbetPlantation.com  and for reservations, call 800.742.6008.

Until December 17th, 2012 Oualie Beach Resort offers 7 night accommodations based on double occupancy in a deluxe room with 5 day dive packages for only US $1,006.00 for divers and US$621.00 for non-divers.

The rates are quoted per person, per package and include service charges and taxes. For groups of 6 or more divers, transfer service from St. Kitts to Nevis is included. Each dive is a 2X tank guided boat dive for a minimum of 2 persons and includes tanks, belts and weights.

The resort will host you at their ‘Manager’s Cocktail Party’. Wi-Fi service is provided at no cost. For more information visit www.ouliebeachresort.com  for reservations email reservations@oualiebeach.com  or call 869.469.9735.

Getting to Nevis from the U.S. is simple. Several U.S. carriers offer non-stop, same day service from the major gateway cities to St. Kitts with a 7 minute connection to Nevis by air or a 20 minute ride by ferry. Hotels will happily arrange ferry transfers to and from St. Kitts. American Airlines is enhancing its daily Miami to St Kitts service by adding two non-stop flights on Fridays and Sundays. American Airlines also has non-stop service from New York to St. Kitts on Sundays and Wednesdays. US Airways has service from Charlotte to St. Kitts on Saturdays and Delta also flies from Atlanta to St. Kitts on Saturdays. Continental, Delta, United Airlines, USAir and JetBlue provide service from several U.S. cities to San Juan, Puerto Rico with convenient connections to Nevis on Cape Air and Air Sunshine.

Nevis is part of the Federation of St. Kitts & Nevis and is located in the Leeward Islands of the West Indies. For more information about the island of Nevis, please contact the Nevis Tourism Authority, USA Tel 1.407.287.5204 visit our website www.nevisisland.com  or our Facebook page — The Island of Nevis, West Indies.

Travelers must book by Nov. 30, 2012, for stays from Jan. 1 to April 30, 2013. The offer applies to all room categories.

In addition, travelers at the three participating Mexican resorts will receive a $50 daily resort credit with a three-night stay ($150 credit maximum).

The Caribbean resorts are offering guests a $50 daily resort credit with four-night stays.

The Renaissance Aruba Resort and Casino is offering a $40 daily resort credit with five-night stays ($200 credit maximum).

Use promotional code LLF when booking.

Participating resort properties include the Aruba Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino; Renaissance Aruba Resort & Casino; JW Marriott Cancun Resort & Spa; CasaMagna Marriott Cancun Resort; Curacao Marriott Beach Resort & Emerald Casino; Grand Cayman Marriott Beach Resort; CasaMagna Marriott Puerto Vallarta Resort & Spa; St. Kitts Marriott Resort & The Royal Beach Casino; and the Frenchman’s Reef & Morning Star Marriott Beach Resort.

Guests looking for a “digital detox” can retreat to a Braincation zone at each resort where they can enjoy areas with no cell phones or electronic devices in use.

The Braincation zones will operate on the honor system. Signs indicating an electronics-free environment will be designed to encourage guests to disconnect, relax and enjoy peaceful reading, conversation or other tech-free pursuits.

According to Michelle Bozoki, director of marketing and ecommerce for Marriott and Renaissance Caribbean and Latin America Resorts, a recent survey conducted by the resort collection asked more than 1,000 travelers how they deal with the demands of staying digitally connected to their social media, work and family while traveling.

“We wanted to find out how travelers felt about being constantly connected and whether or not they felt they could fully relax during their vacation,” said Bozoki.

“The majority of respondents felt that staying connected to work added to their stress while vacationing and reported instances of being annoyed by mobile device abuse such as loud cell phone conversations.”

Results from the survey, which was conducted with 1,184 respondents, 53 percent of which were male and 47 percent of which were female, included:

• 85 percent of respondents said they had experienced being annoyed by someone talking loudly into their cell phone when traveling.

• 50 percent of respondents reported checking their emails and voicemails multiple times per day while on vacation.

• 39 percent reported checking their emails and voicemails at least once per day during their trip.

• 36 percent said they check their emails and voicemails on the beach.

• 30 percent provide their cell phone numbers to clients while on vacation.

• 31 percent admitted to being tempted to throw their mobile device into the ocean.

• 44 percent reported connecting to their social channels while vacationing.

• 82 percent used their social channels to keep in touch with family and friends.

• 66 percent utilized their social channels to upload and share photos via Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, Pinterest, etc.

• 64 percent update their status on Facebook or tweet via Twitter.

• 64 percent use their mobile device to check-in to a location or search nearby options.

Wi-Fi and other modern tech tools to allow guests to stay as connected as they want to be, but the Braincation tech-free zones will give guests the opportunity for a personal, rather than digital connection.

“Our resorts are located in some of the most beautiful settings in the world and we provide an escape from the stresses of work and today’s hectic lifestyles,” said Bozoki.

“Our hope is that we can encourage guests to take some time out for themselves and appreciate both the natural beauty of their environment and, more importantly, have a human connection with those traveling with them.”

The Marriott and Renaissance Caribbean & Mexico Resorts Collection includes

the Aruba Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino, CasaMagna Marriott Cancun Resort, CasaMagna Marriott Puerto Vallarta Resort & Spa, Curacao Marriott Beach Resort & Emerald Casino, Frenchman’s Reef & Morning Star Marriott Beach Resort, Grand Cayman Marriott Beach Resort, Renaissance Aruba Resort and Casino, JW Marriott Cancun Resort & Spa and St. Kitts Marriott Resort & The Royal Beach Casino.

St. Kitts has announced plans for the development of the first Park Hyatt hotel on the island, to open in winter 2014/15, following an agreement between Range Developments, a Dubai-based affiliate developer of Hyatt Hotels Corporation, and Kiawah Partners, the owners of Christophe Harbour where the future Park Hyatt will be located.

The Government of St. Kitts & Nevis has designated the planned development as an “Approved Project for Citizenship-by-Investment” as an added incentive to potential investors in order to help raise much-needed private equity for the US $150 Million project.

Senator Ricky Skerritt, Minister of Tourism & International Transport, said, “With its appeal to our target visitor, the affluent, experiential traveller, Park Hyatt will not only add much needed hotel rooms on St. Kitts, but it will also raise the profile of our destination within the overall travel market, while creating good jobs and ultimately helping to improve the quality of life for our citizens.”

Upon completion, Park Hyatt St. Kitts will feature 200 hotel rooms and 50 branded residential condominiums set within Christophe Harbour, the 2,500-acre community currently under development on St. Kitts’ southeast peninsula.

Phase one of construction will include the completion of 125 hotel guest rooms, two food and beverage outlets, a fitness center, a 12-treatment room spa and more than 7,000 square feet of meeting and banquet space.

The second phase of construction will include the completion of the 75 remaining guest rooms and a third food and beverage outlet. Dewan Architects will be responsible for the hotel’s architecture.

Park Hyatt St. Kitts will be situated just 15 minutes from the island’s Robert L. Bradshaw International Airport at picturesque Banana Bay, which boasts an unspoilt white sandy beach with spectacular views over the water toward Nevis. In accordance with the island’s commitment to sustainability, the project will be developed to protect the land and sea in ways both sensitive and harmonious to the environment, featuring a range of natural settings.

About Park Hyatt and Hyatt Hotels Corporation

Located in many of the world’s premier destinations, each Park Hyatt hotel is custom designed to combine sophistication with distinctive regional character. Hyatt Hotels Corporation, headquartered in Chicago, is a leading global hospitality company with a proud heritage of making guests feel more than welcome. As of March 31, 2012, the Company’s worldwide portfolio consisted of 488 properties in 45 countries.

About Christophe Harbour

Located on the more than 2,500-acre southeastern peninsula of St. Kitts, Christophe Harbour, when complete, will feature a super yacht marina as well as a collection of restaurants, shops, boutiques, villas and home sites and a Tom Fazio championship golf course. Christophe Harbour is an approved project for St. Kitts’ Citizenship by Investment Program. Visit www.ChristopheHarbour.com for more information.

About St. Kitts

Located in the northern Leeward Islands of the Caribbean, St. Kitts offers a diverse tourism product developed from the destination’s natural beauty, cultural heritage and rich history.

The island’s stunning variety of tourism attractions include hiking through the tropical rainforest, riding the scenic railway that connects the island’s former sugar plantations, visiting the Caribelle Batik factory, touring Brimstone Hill Fortress National Park, the only man-made UNESCO World Heritage Site in the Eastern Caribbean, and more traditional pastimes such as watersports, golf, shopping, tennis, gourmet dining, gaming at St. Kitts’ exclusive casino or simply relaxing on one of the island’s sandy beaches. Accommodation ranges from intimate plantation inns to larger hotels and resorts.

St. Kitts and Nevis is currently served twice-weekly on Saturday and Tuesday from London Gatwick by British Airways, the first scheduled carrier to provide regular airlift to the island. The BA aircraft uses a three class, 280 seat Boeing 777 aircraft holding 40 Club World seats, 24 World Traveller Plus and 216 World Traveller seats.

For more information about St. Kitts, visit the website at www.stkittstourism.kn  or follow St. Kitts on on Facebook, Twitter and/or YouTube.

The southbound American Airlines flight will depart Miami at 4:45 p.m. and arrive in St. Kitts’ Robert L. Bradshaw International Airport at 8:35 p.m. on Fridays and Sundays. The northbound return flight will depart St. Kitts at 8:40 a.m. and arrive in Miami on Saturdays and Mondays.

The flights will use Boeing 737-800 aircraft with 144 economy class seats and 16 business class seats, and increases American Airlines’ service to St. Kitts from Miami to nine flights per week. American Airlines also operates a twice-weekly service to St. Kitts from New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport.

“These flights will meet the growth in demand that we anticipate in 2013 and are ideally timed for moving honeymoon and romance travelers as well as meeting and incentive groups, presenting us with more opportunity to build upon these key niche North American markets,” said Ricky Skerritt, St. Kitts’ minister of tourism and international transport.

Liz Harvey, president of Island Windjammers, said the three-masted motor-sail ship was purchased from Angermeyer Cruises, which has been operated Sagitta in the Galapagos Islands.

Built in 1961 by the Swedish Navy, Sagitta has 10 standard cabins with a double lower berth and single upper berth, along with an owner’s suite, a large aft cabin with a double bed and small refrigerator.

All cabins have a private bath, portholes and air conditioning. Harvey said the company might increase the capacity by two before the ship begins sailing for Island Windjammers.

The vessel also has an outdoor lounging area, indoor bar/lounge, dining salon and a library area. It is 120 feet long and 22 feet wide.

“Things have been going really well, and we’re very excited about the future,” Harvey said. “We’re really excited about Sagritta and the new itinerary.”

Sagitta will begin operating for Island Windjammers with three shakedown cruises starting Dec. 23; one of those is already sold out. “That’s when we work out the kinks and stretch the canvas,” Harvey said.

Island Windjammers was formed by the rabidly loyal fans of the defunct Windjammer Barefoot Cruises, which went out of business in 2007.

The new company started sailing in 2009, with a client base primarily made up of former Barefoot fans. “In the beginning, we had a lot of former Windjammer passengers, but now probably 80 percent of our clientele is new passengers,” Harvey said. “I think it shows that the market is out there for this type of cruise — unique, different, fun and very casual — and the word is spreading.”

The word is indeed spreading, because another new company, Windjammer Sail Adventures, began operating the 64-berth Mandalay in late July.

Harvey said the Mandalay is a neighbor in Diamant’s homeport of Grenada. “We really believe it helps draw attention to this type of sailing,” she said. “It’s great to have someone else offering slightly different cruises. We’re really glad have them in Grenada.”

The Diamant operates out of Port St. Louis, Grenada, and offers six-night cruises, Friday through Thursday, to Carriacou, Union Island, Bequia, Tobago Cays and Mayreau.

Fares for six-night cruises are $1,799 to $1,999 per person, double occupancy, including port charges, taxes, meals, snacks and beer, wine and rum punch. The owner’s suite on Sagitta sells for $2,199 to $2,399. Discounted sailings are offered on the company website’s specials page. Island Windjammers also offers nine- and 12-day cruises.

Island Windjammers pays travel agents 10 percent commission on the cruise fare, minus the port charges and taxes. “We get a fair amount of business from travel agents,” Harvey said. “We have a great relationship with travel agents, and we encourage and welcome their business.”

For more information, call Island Windjammers at  877-772-4549 or visit www.islandwindjammers.com