A few months ago we watched as two hurricanes crossed the Caribbean almost back-to-back sadly hammering our friends in many of the islands with a path of destruction. Almost immediately the cruise industry responded with support that appeared in many forms whether it be rescue operations, delivery of critical supplies, or simply remaining committed to sailings within the region providing much needed tourism dollars in a part of the world that greatly depends on travel as a source of jobs and income.
While we did need to alter many of our Caribbean itineraries avoiding some of the hardest hit areas while they rebuild their infrastructure, Windstar remains committed to offering outstanding itineraries within the region. In fact, three of our ships are sailing on updated itineraries in the Caribbean during this season.
Last week, I had the pleasure of sailing on Star Pride from San Juan, Puerto Rico on our Caribbean Treasures itinerary. I wanted a first-hand look at the region. And I wanted an opportunity to personally show the industry and the traveling public that the Caribbean remains a vibrant vacation option despite the recent events.
On every island I visited, I was greeted with warm, welcoming smiles and local people who wanted me to return from my trip with a simple message: “The Caribbean is open and ready for visitors.” In Old San Juan on the island of Puerto Rico one of the hardest hit islands, a shopkeeper told me that he and his neighbors had electricity, that their stores were open, and all they needed now were customers to come in and buy things. Yes, I saw electrical trucks stringing new wires on new poles, traffic lights that were out with police directing traffic, and areas where vegetation had clearly been destroyed. But I also saw the green grass returning to the area around El Morro Castle, clear roads, and an area quickly recovering, anxious for visitors to return.
Onboard, some of the Star Pride guests told me that they had considered cancelling their vacations out of guilt- that they felt it inappropriate to be on vacation in an area that had recently been hit hard. But by the end of the journey many realized that by continuing with their plans, they had personally contributed to the recovery efforts.
I encourage you to look in more detail at the images and links in this issue from my trip to get your own understanding that a Caribbean cruise remains a great option this winter. And then I ask you to share this story with your clients and ask them to continue traveling to the Caribbean.
Best,
Steve