Jetsettersblog

at Port de Plaisance, Thursday March 1st, 2012!

Simpson Bay, St. Maarten – These young energetic musicians are no strangers to the island, they actually made their debut on this same stage in 2010 for St. Maarten’s ChildFest. Their funky mix of music seemed an obvious choice to bring back to the island for the 2012 St. Maarten Heineken Regatta.

NexCyx began in 2004 as a musical experiment on the University of West Indies campus in Barbados. Since then, it has evolved into a celebrated entertainment outfit, with a repertoire of original hit music, and a solid—and growing—fan base.

The Barbadian pop band is an artistic mishmash of a self-taught pianist turned producer (André), a drumming prodigy (Chad), an accidental bass guitarist (Kris), a one-woman dancer-singer-rapper (Mahalia) and a hardcore rocker (Russell).

NexCyx exudes an unmistakable energy—it’s fresh, upbeat, bold and unmistakable.

In 2010, when they welcomed Chad, the drumming wonderchild, to their lineup, they dished out an extra serving of youthful swagger. Together, they’re just what the music industry ordered, it seems. And the fans are eating the group up!!

In under a decade, NexCyx has played at a range of venues throughout North America and the Caribbean region, while holding down a demanding gig schedule in Barbados, where their singles are in heavy rotation at local stations.

“Gossip Girl,” released in 2009, became the band’s breakout single and instantly landed as a fan favorite. Hits like “Queen,” “OnThe Floor” and the socially conscious “Take A Minute,” also followed, etching a place for NexCyx on the international music stage—and ushering in a new era of fandom.

The Band’s favorite memories are: A high school auditorium filled with screaming students belting out the band’s hits word for word tops the cake for Russ, opening for Erykah Badu and Angie Stone to wild applause, hopping on to the SXSW stage two years in a row, and performing to rave reviews at a concert headlined by Jamaican musical duo, Brick and Lace are some other great memories..

NexCyx defines their music as follows:” if it were an icecream, it would be loaded with nuts (lots of them), chocolate, gummi worms and tequila—with a cherry on top.”

That said, there is a distinctive camaraderie that the band shares, which musical groups the world over struggle to achieve.

That NexCyx is on the right track is obvious. There’s an MTV Artist of the Week accolade in their history already—and an Artist of the Month title from Rockwired.com. And now they can add performing at the prestigious St. Maarten Heineken Regatta to their resume.

Be there, Thursday March 1st to experience Nexcyx kick of the 32nd edition of the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta.

All the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta parties are free and open to the public. Food and drinks are available each night. Parking at Port de Plaisance is easy, safe and free.

For full information on the 2012 St. Maarten Heineken Regatta, including entry information, the Notice of Race, photos, videos, party and band information, and much, much more, visit www.heinekenregatta.com

Simpson Bay, St. Maarten – There’s more than one way to enjoy the legendary “Serious Fun” that’s become the trademark for the annual St. Maarten Heineken Regatta, the 32nd edition of which is scheduled for March 1-4. Thanks to a website that links sailors looking for boats and skippers searching for crew (www.gocrew.net), as well as the pay-to-play opportunities from Ondeck ocean racing (www.ondeck.co.uk), all you really need is a pair of boat shoes and a plane ticket to sunny St. Maarten.

Ondeck offers a couple of different ways to get on the racecourse. You can charter one of the yachts – with a skipper or as a bareboat – from their race-ready fleet that includes a Santa Cruz 37, a Beneteau First 40, Beneteau 40.7s and Farr 65s. Or, you can sign up for a slot on one of Ondeck’s official entries.

No experience necessary!

The St. Maarten Heineken Regatta crew forum at gocrew.net is another great option for sailors to get out on the water and in the middle of the action. Registering is free and easy. Log on to the website, check off your experience (beginner, medium, good, expert or pro), note your preferred crew position, and even jot down a note.

The active site is not only for sailors looking for rides, but also for skippers with space onboard for an extra hand or two.

The 48-footer Scarlet Oyster is one of the latter. “We have one crew vacancy left,” reads their note on the forum. “Scarlet Oyster is a very successful UK-based Oyster Lightwave 48 that’s been recently refurbished to optimize her racing rating and is fully equipped with top racing sails. Our skipper Tim Thurbron is also highly accomplished, and won his St. Maarten Heineken Regatta class in 2011. He is an excellent skipper, incredibly knowledgeable and with a ‘non-shouty’ coaching approach.”

“Sailor Stuart,” on the other hand, is an experienced sailor looking for a hot boat. “Looking for a ride on a serious racing boat,” he writes. “I own and campaign a Figaro and have experience in all areas. Have done foredeck on J/105s, Beneteau 36.7s and J/24s. Thousands of miles double and singlehanded. Very easy going and laid back but competitive and very capable with 30 years sailing experience.”

The crew forum is most definitely not just for guys, though. “I am a 26-year-old female who is interested in sailing the Heineken Regatta this year to expand my sailing experience,” writes Carly Meyer. “I have been racing in Southern California for over three years. I have done many major local regattas on boats including the Farr 30, Farr 40, Express 37, and have sailed from Honolulu to Kauai on a Peterson 68. Feel free to email me and I can provide a sailing resume.”

While many of the listings are free, there are also some individual boats with space available on a cost basis, including a Jeanneau 49 with a professional skipper.

The slots, which cost a little over a thousand dollars, “include race entry, berthing and food while racing.” On the other hand, there’s “Captain Ron,” who has a “competitive Grand Soleil 50, (and is) looking for fun crew with experience.” Yes, there’s something for just about everyone.

But the most intriguing note of all might be this one: “Looking for a boat to crew on. It will be a big surprise for my husband. Please make his dream come true!!!!!”

The St. Maarten Heineken Regatta: For doers and dreamers. Is this the year your wish will come true?

For full information on the 2012 St. Maarten Heineken Regatta, including entry information, the Notice of Race, photos, videos, party and band information, and much, much more, visit www.heinekenregatta.com

MLT Vacations launched a Caribbean sale offering up to 10,000 bonus miles per person and reduced rates or additional amenities at select resorts throughout the Caribbean through the Delta Vacations and United Vacations brands. The sale is open for bookings through Feb. 18, for travel April 1 to Sept. 30.

MLT is promoting its Caribbean product in an effort to build on an impressive year in the Caribbean in 2011, when the company grew business in the Caribbean by 46 percent over the previous year.

MLT Vacations offers a variety of hotels, rental cars and activities in the Caribbean. MLT Vacations manages multiple vacation brands, including Delta Vacations, in partnership with Air France Holidays and Alitalia Vacations, United Vacations, and Worry-Free Vacations.

For more information, call 800-727-1111.

Post-Thanksgiving cruise on the Allure of the Seas!
Sailing November 25, 2012

PIED PIPER TRAVEL is thrilled to announce that Leslie Jordan will, once again, be our featured headline entertainer for our Post-Thanksgiving cruise, which this year will be on the Allure of the Seas!

Due to enormous popular demand, because of the huge success of his appearance on last year’s cruise, Leslie will make an encore engagement! He will do a private, just for our group, comedy show one night and be one of our judges for this year’s PIED PIPER game show, details to be announced! In case some of you are not familiar with Leslie’s work, here’s a brief bio to remind you:

For such a diminutive (4′ 11″) frame, character actor Leslie Jordan has a tall propensity for scene-stealing. He hails from the South, as his dead-giveaway drawl quickly exposes, and was raised in a highly conservative, deeply religious atmosphere in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Avid L.A. theatergoers will probably recognize him for such prone-to-misfit characters as Brother Boy, an institutionalized drag queen, in “Sordid Lives,” and Peanut, a habitual barfly, in “Southern Baptist Sissies.” His own one-man testimonials, such as the off-Broadway “Hysterical Blindness” and the more recent “Like a Dog on Linoleum,” show an actor quite adept at baring his soul and exposing his childhood agonies on stage amidst laughter and tears.

He was also given the chance to recreate his Big Brother role in Sordid Lives (2000) to the big screen. Noted for his wonderfully wicked recurring role as a (very) small thorn in Megan Mullally’s side on the popular “Will & Grace” (1998) sitcom.

Playing the snide, mincing and unconvincingly homophobic hanger-on Beverley Leslie, the actor plays the hilarity up for all its worth.

Among his many Guest Starring appearances on television, audiences will remember him for his recurring roles on “Boston Legal,” “Ugly Betty,” and “Reba.”

Leslie can also be seen in the new critically acclaimed feature film, ‘The Help.’

We know that Leslie’s show on our cruise with be another hysterical performance and we’re thrilled that he will be joining us. Don’t miss your chance to be a part of the fun.

In addition to our onboard private entertainment, PIED PIPER will have private group parties, including our infamous mid-cruise costume party, private group dining tables and other events just for our group. We’ll also be offering private group shore excursions and a beach bash in St. Maarten! Our Post-Thanksgiving cruise groups are always our largest and the most fun! Make your reservation today while space is still available!

You may read all about this cruise, with the itinerary and our discounted group rates, at the following address:

www.piedpipertravel.com/gaygroupcruises/cruise-info.php?id=81
(Please note that our discounted group rates are only guaranteed while group space is still available, so please make your reservation as soon as you can!)

To make a reservation, please click on the ‘Book Now’ tab on our webpage and complete and submit the online reservation form. It’s that easy!

Sint Maarten – Sonesta Resorts Sint Maarten swaps Northern chills for Caribbean sizzle with the Hot Winter Sale.

Guests can enjoy a 35% discount on Ocean View category rooms or higher at two beachfront properties: entertainment hub Sonesta Maho Beach Resort & Casino and white-sand oasis Sonesta Great Bay Beach Resort & Casino.

Now more than ever, Sonesta Resorts in Sint Maarten – ranked #5 among “Top 25 Destinations in the Caribbean & Mexico “ by TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice Award 2011 – are the place to get the most from your vacation.

Hot Winter Sale rates at $195 per room, per night for Sonesta Great Bay Beach and $205 per room, per night for Sonesta Maho Beach.

Offer applies to Ocean View category rooms or higher.

Must be booked between January 13 and March 28, 2012 for travel through March 31, 2012.

For more information on the Sonesta Resorts Sint Maarten’s Hot Winter Sale, please call 1-800-SONESTA or visit

www.sonesta.com/stmaarten

Several St. Maarten hotels and resorts are offering reduced winter rates and value packages.

The “Hot Winter Sale” from Sonesta Great Bay Beach Resort & Casino and Sonesta Maho Beach Resort & Casino offers travelers 35 percent off rates and free breakfast daily.

The offer applies to new reservations made by March 28, 2012, for travel through March 31, 2012. Reduced rates start at $123 at Great Bay and $140 at Maho, per room, per night, double occupancy.

The Westin Dawn Beach Resort & Spa is offering a “Sunsational Savings 2012″ package featuring a free night to guests who book a minimum of six nights, plus daily breakfast for two and a complimentary room.

The offer is valid for new reservations booked by Dec. 11, 2012, for travel through Dec. 18, 2012. Rates start at $360 per room, per night, double occupancy.

Guests enjoy 20 percent off rates when booking five nights through the property’s “Escape the Winter Luxury Promotion” at the Coral Beach Club.

The reduced rates start at $520 per room, per night, double occupancy. This offer applies to new reservations for travel from Jan. 7 to April 14, 2012.

The Divi Little Bay Beach Resort is offering a five-night “Romance Package” featuring one-bedroom ocean front accommodations, daily breakfast, beachside candlelit dinner, a couples massage, a chilled bottle of champagne in a souvenir ice bucket with two champagne flutes, and chocolate covered tropical fruits.

This offer applies to new reservations made by Dec. 23, 2012, for travel from Jan. 1 to Dec. 23, 2012.

Carlson, a global hospitality and travel company, today announced the Radisson Blu Resort, Marina & Spa, St. Martin, will reopen its doors on Dec. 15, 2011. The property was closed in May to undergo a renovation in excess of USD 10 million, strengthening the hotel’s position as the leading upper-upscale resort on the French side of the island.

The Radisson Blu Resort, Marina & Spa, St. Martin is a premier 18-acre resort property in French St. Martin, offering guests 1,600 feet of beachfront in Anse Marcel, and an exclusive water taxi service between the airport and resort marina. The property features 63 suites and 189 guestrooms; a 7,000 square foot ballroom; a full-service spa (Le Spa) and fitness center.

There are three on-site dining venues, including complimentary full breakfast buffet at Le Marché, a wide selection of the region’s finest rums and tapas at Le Lobby Bar, and world-class cuisine and panoramic views of the Caribbean Sea at C Le Restaurant.

“We have made a number of significant upgrades over the past seven months to ensure our guests have a comfortable and relaxing experience during their stay at the Radisson Blu Resort, Marina & Spa, St. Martin.

Our investment in this property reinforces our commitment to our guests and employees, and supports our strategy to further expand our Caribbean portfolio in the future,” said Javier Rosenberg, chief operating officer, Radisson, and executive vice president, Carlson Hotels, Managed Hotels, Americas.

Key upgrades to the property include replacing the air onditioning and domestic hot water systems with new state-of-the-art systems to ensure an overall improved guest experience.

The property’s spacious accommodations that showcase contemporary Euro-Caribbean furnishings were completely re-carpeted and marina suite rooms were converted to tile floorings.

The 7,000 square foot ballroom features upgraded air conditioning and lighting and sound systems, and the wooden floors have been redone.

The resort gardens were also landscaped and feature enhanced lighting. The breakfast buffet at Le Marchéhas been upgraded and will now offer additional breakfast items including hot and cold selections which will vary daily.

Guests will also now be able to enjoy snacks and beverages poolside at the resort’s new pool bar, which will offer a new cocktail menu and expanded wine list.
In addition to property improvements, guests will benefit from a higher level of customer service including faster check-in and check-out.

During the seven month renovation period, over 170 employees remained on payroll and received close to 500 hours of training to provide an elevated level of hospitality service, in keeping with the Radisson brand’s Yes I Can!SM service philosophy and 100% Guest Satisfaction Guarantee.

Carlson appointed a new general manager, Jean-marc Jalbert, for the Radisson Blu Resort, Marina & Spa, St. Martin last month. Jalbert has worked across Europe and the United States for Sofitel Luxury Hotels, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts and independent Relais & Châteaux properties. His most recent experience includes more than eight years with Sofitel in a number of properties and capacities, including general manager and vice president of Food & Beverage for the Americas.

“We value the support of our guests and employees during this past year and look forward to sharing the many new property enhancements with them when we reopen.

The enhanced meeting facilities and overall guest experience at the property will strongly reinforce the Radisson Blu Resort, Marina & Spa, St. Martin as the premier destination for your next stay in the Caribbean,” said Jalbert, general manager, Radisson Blu Resort, Marina & Spa, St. Martin.

Special seasonal promotional rates start at USD 185 for Guest Rooms and USD 355 for Marina Suites.

About Radisson Blu Resort, Marina & Spa, St. Martin
The Radisson Blu Resort, Marina & Spa, St. Martin is a luxury resort nestled in the picturesque cove of Anse Marcel, on the Northwest coast of the French side of St. Martin.

Located 25 minutes from Princess Juliana International Airport via the resort’s exclusive water shuttle service, the full-service hotel is spread over 18 acres and comprised of 63 suites and 189 guestrooms. The hotel features C Le Restaurant, which offers gourmet French and Caribbean cuisine, as well as outdoor massages and state-of-the-art spa treatments at Le Spa.

www.radissonblu.com/resort-stmartin

About Carlson

Carlson is a global hospitality and travel company headquartered in Minneapolis, Minn. Carlson encompasses more than 1,071 hotels, including Radisson®, Country Inns & Suites By CarlsonSM, Park Inn by Radisson and Park Plaza®; more than 900 T.G.I. Friday’s® restaurants; and a majority stake in Carlson Wagonlit Travel®, the global leader in business travel management. Carlson operates in more than 150 countries and its brands employ 170,000 people. http://www.carlson.com

Sonesta Resorts Sint Maarten is offering a Hot Winter sale offering 35 percent off ocean view category rooms or higher at two beachfront properties, the Sonesta Maho Beach Resort & Casino and the Sonesta Great Bay Beach Resort & Casino. Under the offer, rates start at $195 per room, per night for Sonesta Great Bay Beach and at $205 per room, per night for Sonesta Maho Beach. Stays must be booked between Jan. 13 and March 28, 2012, for travel through March 31, 2012.

CasaSandra – Isla Holbox, The Mexican Caribbean
Infusing CasaSandra with her unique sensibilities and an artistic touch, Pablo Milanes´ muse and co-author, Sandra Perez, has created a getaway that is both refreshing and exquisite with new Reiki Sessions. Leave the chaos behind and start the New Year at CasaSandra with Master Reiki, Celina Gonzales, who with an expertise in constellations and reflexology cured her own battle with cancer. Helping soul searchers get in tune with the universal power (Chi-Ki), Celina combines light and a calm environment in her practices. Sessions start at $240. www.casasandra.com

The Jewel Dunn’s River Beach Resort & Spa – Ocho Rios, Jamaica

Located a stone’s throw away from the spectacular Dunn’s River Falls in Ocho Rios, Jamaica, the new all-inclusive, adults-only Jewel Dunn’s River Beach Resort & Spa is the ideal destination for friends, couples, honeymooners and idyllic weddings.

This coming year, the 250-guestroom resort welcomes couples to begin their journey with wedding and honeymoon packages as well as new, special services such as Dive-in Movies and pool concierge that make experiences at The Jewel truly uniquely priceless at no extra charge with the Jewel’s all-inclusive services. www.jeweldunnsriverresort.com 

Mystic Ridge Resort – Ochos Rios, Jamaica

Perched upon a lush breezy hillside above Ochos Rios, Jamaica, Mystic Ridge opens a boutique resort property equipped with deluxe suites and luxury rentals in December 2011.

The opening of this boutique resort signals a revival of tourism in Ocho Rios, offering travelers complete access to the area’s best beaches, dining and entertainment. (Website coming soon).

Pink Sands – Harbour Island, The Bahamas
Set along the legendary three-mile strip of pink-sand beach of Harbour Island, the resort recently launched Pink Sands Estates with access to resort amenities, restaurants, concierge service, housekeeping, tennis courts, in-room massage services, house manager, golf cart, and much more. Two, three-bedroom estate homes are now available to those looking for private getaways with families and friends.

Also, with new wedding and honeymoon packages, Pink Sands is the idyllic wedding destination that takes the guesswork out of wedding planning and makes honeymooning unforgettable. Rates start at $495 per night and estates rental start at $2,650 per night.

Estates ownership opportunities still available.

http://pinksandsresort.com 

Porto Maho – Sint Maarten

The Caribbean unveils its newest, most exclusive village: one that blends luxury with local character, contemporary design and an environmental ethos.

The crown jewel of Sint Maarten: Porto Maho. The Villas and The Vistas at Porto Maho invite residents into the island lifestyle of the Caribbean and the panoramic scenery of Simpson Bay Lagoon.

Touted as a destination within a destination, Porto Maho is an island sanctuary for the privileged few ready to call it home, yet enjoys immediate access to the island’s largest casino largest casino, exhilarating nightclubs, the region’s best duty-free shopping and an array of international restaurants. Starting at $4.2M. www.portomaho.com.

Rain Forest Adventures Dominica – More Trois Pitons National Park

Located within a mountain cloud forest at the edge of the Morne Trois Pitons National Park, Rain Forest Adventures Dominica launches the new electrifying Gorge Zip Challenge. The six-platform course zip challenge navigates three adrenaline-pumping lines through the rainforest canopy and reigns supreme as the Southern Caribbean’s highest zip line. Rates start at $46. www.rainforestadventure.com

SIMPSON BAY, ST. MAARTEN -

The 32nd edition of the St.Maarten Heineken Regatta is only four months away and organizers are in full preparation for what is expected to be another extraordinary event. The Sint Maarten Yacht Club Regatta Foundation, organizers of the event, is pleased to add Sea Hawk Paints as one of their presenting sponsors.

This family owned and operated business fits into the regatta family with ease as both the regatta and Sea Hawk strive to be on the cutting edge of technology and work hard to bring the best possible product to their customers.

“We are proud to be chosen as one of the Official Sponsor of the Heineken Regatta in 2012,” reported Erik Norrie, CEO of Sea Haw Paints. “Although we’ve sponsored individual yachts in regattas throughout the Caribbean for many years, including those in the Heineken Regatta, this is the first year that we will be an Official Sponsor,” he said. Sea Hawk Paints was established in Clearwater, Florida in 1978.
Entries are already pouring in for the St.Maarten Heineken Regatta and with entries such as Le Pingouin, an Open 60 entered by Brad Van Liew, and Antilope, a Grand Soleil entered by Willem Wester, the field is looking very promising for good competitive racing. The regatta organizers are please with the interest so far in the event and hope that the professional race management and challenging courses will attract even more competitive racers from around the world. This event which takes place March 1 to 4 2012 offers classes for all types of boats.

On March 1st the Gill Commodores Cup takes place and is a one day pre event for spinnaker classes only. On Friday March 2nd the main event begins in the crystal clear waters surrounding the island of St.Maarten and continues for three days, taking participants from the Dutch side of this majestic island to the French side and back. Fabulous days of racing are combined with even more action packed nights of concerts and notorious Heineken parties, giving the participants a well rounded, fun regatta experience that cannot be matched anywhere else in the world.

The final day of racing ends in the waters just outside of Simpson Bay and participants are treated to prize giving on the beach and a final concert that can last until the early hours of the morning.

Past musical artists have included the Black Eyed Peas, The Wailers, Shaggy and Wyclef Jean and the regatta staff are currently finalizing details for the Sunday night final musical act. For more information about the event or to contact the regatta organization visit www.heinekenregatta.com