Love is in the Air

It's that romantic time of year when the happily coupled make dinner reservations at très chic bistros and the rest of us curl up on the couch in pajamas, with a plate of brownies, to watch The Bachelor. Actually, I've never seen the show, but I hear the star is oh so dreamy. If you've been watching, you already know, and if you haven't, it might be time to start, because the Batch and the three lady loves that remain are off to gorgeous St. Lucia on Monday for an island escape. They'll be staying at elegant boutique hotel Cap Maison and no doubt frolicking coyly for the cameras in the shade of the beautiful Pitons. If you're looking for a way to whisk your own sweetie away to pop the question, Cap Maison is making it easy with their new Proposal Package. You'll get four nights in an oceanview villa suite with a private pool, a helicopter transfer on arrival, daily breakfast and dinner, an hour couples massage, a sunset cruise, a $75 beverage credit each night you stay and a private dinner at Rock Maison (better ask her here on the first night). The package rates start at $5,750 through March and $3,400 from April to December. If she says no after all this indulgence, I'm quite happy to put down the brownies and turn off the TV.

Love is in the Air

Caribbean Proposal

If you're looking for the perfect place to pop the question this Valentine's Day, St. Lucia's new Cap Maison is a pretty safe bet. Open for just over a year, the luxury resort has received a 100 percent "yes" rating to date for proposals among its ocean villas and along the sands of Smuggler's Cove Beach – pretty solid odds for any prospective groom. Among many successful engagement stories at the property, one recent proposal took place aboard the resort's luxury yacht, while another proposal occurred at Rock Maison – a private cocktail deck perched high in the hills – with a zip line delivering the ring to the couple's table. And now, you can even work with the resort's new Proposal Concierge to come up with a customized proposal plan that's all your own. Rates start at $435 per night through March 31 – just log on to capmaison.com to book your stay. And let us be the first to say congrats!

Caribbean Proposal

Last-Minute Romantic Getaway

If you've been craving a romantic escape but can't get away for Valentine's Day weekend, today's featured vacation package is definitely for you...

The Deal: Book a pre-Valentine's Day package at St. Lucia's all-inclusive Coconut Bay Beach Resort & Spa through February 12 and save up to 55 percent on your stay.

Why We Love It: With this last-minute deal, you'll enjoy nightly rates starting at just $128 per person – including all meals, snacks and drinks – and you can travel anytime through next Friday to take advantage of the savings. You and your sweetheart will also get a resort credit of $50 per night (up to $350) redeemable at the spa, resort store or toward island excursions.


How to Book It: Call 877-352-8898 or surf over to Ccbayresort.com to reserve your stay.

Last-Minute Romantic Getaway

St. Lucia Deals on JetBlue

To celebrate JetBlue's inaugural service between New York (JFK) and St. Lucia (UVF), the carrier is offering a limited-time special starting at just $129 each way. You only have till this Friday, October 20 to book it – but you can travel through February 8, 2010. Just log on to jetblue.com to reserve your seats, then surf over to our Editor's Picks page for exclusive savings at some of the island's top resorts like Ladera, Anse Chastanet and more.

St. Lucia Deals on JetBlue

Free Condos in St. Maarten...Seriously

So let's say you have a multi-million dollar mega yacht (I mean, who doesn't?) – and let's also say you're a big fan of cruising around the Caribbean. You're reading this blog, so at least that second part is probably true. Now the obvious question is, where to dock the thing on your many jaunts to St. Maarten? Lucky for you, big spender, the folks over at the luxury Porto Cupecoy village have an idea – and it's a cool one. To celebrate the grand opening of the property's new marina complex in December, your purchase of one of the 11 mega yacht slips will also get you a free residence valued up to $500,000! Yes, a free half-million dollar condo. I wouldn't make that up.

To check out the available marina slips and take photo and video tours of the rest of the 182-unit Porto Cupecoy property, just surf over to the promotion page on their site. And since we know you love free stuff, don't forget to visit our own contest page, then enter our two new social media promotions – the Facebook Fan Frenzy and the Win a Stay at Coconut Bay Contest – for your chance to win free vacations in St. Lucia and Bermuda!

Free Condos in St. Maarten...Seriously

New JetBlue Routes in the Caribbean

In airline news this week, JetBlue has announced new Caribbean routes taking effect throughout October, with special limited-time fares for vacationers who act quickly.

On Monday, the airline celebrated its inaugural flight from New York (JFK) to Bridgetown, Barbados (BGI) – the carrier's first voyage to that island. And through December 16, travelers can cash in on special $99 one-way fares on daily service between the cities.

Meanwhile, the airline is preparing to launch a new route between New York (JFK) and St. Lucia's Hewannora Airport (UVF) on October 26, with round-trip service continuing three times per week between the two stops. Fares through the end of October are running around $170 each way, and more deals are expected to follow.

And another route between New York (JFK) and Kingston, Jamaica is scheduled to begin on October 30, with fare specials still to be announced.

But the new routes aren't the only ones getting the low-fare treatment: JetBlue is boasting unbelievably low Fall airfares between Fort Lauderdale and Nassau, Bahamas starting at $29 each way, and fares between Orlando and Montego Bay, Jamaica starting at $69 each way.

Whatever island you choose, just log on to the JetBlue site to book your trip, then surf over to our Travel Specials page to find the perfect hotel deal.

New JetBlue Routes in the Caribbean

Let Someone Else Pay for Your Caribbean Wedding

Big news, brides and grooms...St. Lucia's luxury Windjammer Landing Villa Beach Resort just announced a new promotion that allows you to pay for your destination wedding with your Sun Dollars resort credits. Here's how it works: For each dollar you spend on your room, you'll get 50 percent back as Sun Dollars...so spend $100, get $50 back and so on.

To sweeten the deal, the resort is freezing rates for honeymooners, so couples can cash in on rooms starting at just $200 per night. And the resort's destination wedding packages start at less than $900, so depending on your room category and the length of your stay, it's possible that your entire wedding could be complimentary. Still have Sun Dollars to spare after tying the knot? They're also redeemable toward on-site dining, wine, spa treatments, excursions and more. Love free massages? I do.

Let Someone Else Pay for Your Caribbean Wedding

All You Can Jet - Unlimited Caribbean Travel

In other JetBlue news, the airline just announced an unbelievable promotion for Fall...through August 21, travelers can purchase an All-You-Can-Jet Pass for $599 and enjoy unlimited travel between September 8 and October 8. You can use the pass as often as you like during that time, and it's valid anywhere JetBlue flies - a total of 57 hubs including Aruba, the Bahamas, Barbados, Jamaica, Mexico, Puerto Rico, St. Lucia and St. Maarten.





When traveling internationally the $599 price tag is exclusive of taxes and government fees, which vary by destination, but many Caribbean round-trip flights run close to that promotional price anyway, so the pass could offer huge savings to frequent Caribbean travelers and island hoppers.

Just log on to the JetBlue web site for more information and to purchase your pass.

All You Can Jet - Unlimited Caribbean Travel

Caribbean Sale on JetBlue

Speaking of St. Lucia, my favorite Caribbean carrier JetBlue just announced an inaugural service to the island's Hewanorra International Airport from New York (JFK). The flights - on sale since Wednesday - are valid for travel between October 26 and November 14. And for a limited time they're going for just $99 each way plus taxes.

Also included in the $99 one way fare promotion are two previous Caribbean destinations: Barbados and Kingston, Jamaica - though the promotional dates vary for those islands.

The sale ends June 17 so check out the JetBlue web site for more details and to book your trip...

Caribbean Sale on JetBlue

Resort and Spa Savings on St. Lucia

Windjammer Landing Villa Beach Resort on St. Lucia just announced a sweet deal for spa-lovers and I wanted to share. This summer, guests of the 60-acre beachfront resort can save three ways:

1. Reduced room rates as low as $200 per night, double occupancy
2. Sun Dollars resort credits of 50 percent of your room rate, good toward food and beverage, island excursions and more...So if your room is $200 per night, you'll receive an extra $100 per night back in credits
3. Savings of 30 percent on all Serenity Spa treatments, including facials, body wraps and massages

All three offers can be combined on the same stay, and kids 11 and under stay free too, so it's great deal for couples and even better for families. The low rates and Sun Dollar credits are available for travel through December 20, but the spa incentive is only good through September 30, so be sure to check out the Windjammer Landing site and book this summer if you want to cash in on all three deals.

Resort and Spa Savings on St. Lucia

It's Easy Being Green

Here’s a fitting bit of news for Earth Day: Jalousie Plantation on St. Lucia is going to make it guilt-free for golfers to ride in carts, rather than hoofing it from hole to hole, with the island’s first environmentally friendly hybrid solar-powered golf cart. The zero-emissions cart is the first in what the hotel hopes will be an entire fleet of green carts and mini-buses. Guilty admission: My favorite part of any golf game is riding the cart. Feeling better about it already.

It's Easy Being Green

Amy's Back On Island Time

Breaking news: According to E!Online, erstwhile St. Lucia resident chanteuse Amy Winehouse will be headlining the 18th annual St. Lucia Jazz Festival on May 8. Better catch this show, cause you won’t be able to see her in the States — she had to drop out of the famed Coachella music festival, held each year in the Southern California desert, because she couldn’t get a U.S. visa. The undoubtedly talented Winehouse originally rocked up on St. Lucia’s shores a few months ago to dry out from years of alcoholism and drug abuse and found the chilled-out pace agreeable; according to published reports, she also found hiding behind beach chairs and stealing other guests’ drinks agreeable, so if you do go, keep a tight grip on your beverage.

Amy's Back On Island Time