New Jamaica cruise port to open, finally, sort of

by Chris Owen on

The first cruise ship will call at the new port of Falmouth, Jamaica next week, months behind schedule and not fully operational.

The port construction is a joint effort between between mega-ship maker Royal Caribbean International and the government of Jamaica. Originally scheduled to open last May, ongoing construction delays pushed opening the port back, rerouting giant sisters Oasis and Allure of the Seas to Costa Maya, Mexico instead. In fact, neither Oasis or Allure of the Seas will be stopping by until a currently slated March grand opening of the port as construction.

That’s not surprising as the port’s history and existing infrastructure date back to the late 18Th and early 19Th century when it was a central hub of the slave trade.

First to call at Falmouth will be Royal Caribbean’s Navigator of the Seas, a smaller ship with fewer guests on board starting January 7, 2011.

Once complete, the port’s master plan calls for 120,000 square feet of retail shopping and two berths capable of servicing the line’s Oasis-class ships. Located on the islands North side between Montego Bay and Ocho Rios, most tours and excursions currently offered at either port will be available from Falmouth.

When asked if popular tours from Ocho Rios would be possible from Falmouth tour operator Lincoln Stewart told me in November “Oh yeah mon, no problem but don’t hold your breath, no don’t hold your breath.”

We won’t.

Gadling t-shirts go on adventure travel around the world

by Sean McLachlan on


One of the best things about blogging for Gadling is seeing where my coworkers are off to next. Like me, they’re sure to pack that essential item for every adventure traveler’s kit: the Gadling t-shirt.

We’ve collected photos of Gadlingers flying their colors in some of the most remote parts of the world, and some places that are not so remote but equally rugged, such as the waiting area at JFK airport. Above we see Mike Barish in Rotorua, New Zealand , with his new girlfriend an ostrich who looks very jealous of Mike’s stylish choice in adventure apparel. Check out the gallery for a photo of him getting up close and personal with a lizard on the Tiwi Islands, Australia.

Mike says, “Something about my Gadling shirt seems to attract wildlife (sadly, that has also included mosquitoes). These two critters behaved themselves while I posed with them, but neither seemed particularly thrilled to share the spotlight with me. “

Also in the gallery you’ll see Annie Scott on the Zambezi River, Zambia, and at JFK; Jeremy Kressmann at Kuang Si waterfall near Luang Prabang, Laos; Sean McLachlan in Somaliland and the Jesse James Farm, Missouri; and Tom Johansmeyer heading to the airport.

We’re all busy planning our trips for 2011, so if you have any place you’d like us to write up, drop us a line. Our dance cards aren’t full yet and we’re a pretty flexible bunch. At least that’s what the ostrich says about Mike.

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Foreign visitor travel spending over $100 billion in United States

by Tom Johansmeyer on

Visitors from outside the United States brought close to $12 billion with them in October, making it the tenth month in a row that spending by this group grew year over year. On average this year, total travel and tourism exports have increased $1.4 billion a month. People are visiting us again!

According to data from the U.S. Department of Commerce, travel– and tourism-related exports reached $11.9 billion in October 2010, an 18 percent ($1.8 billion) gain relative to October 2009. The money foreign visitors spent on fares surged $709 million to $2.8 billion for the month, an increase of 34 percent. Travel receipts (i.e., everything but flights, boats, etc.) amounted to $9.1 billion for October 2010, up 13 percent year over year.

For the first 10 months of 2010, international visitors spent $111.5 billion on travel to the United States and on travel-related goods and services once in the country, up 11 percent year over year. Meanwhile, Americans spent $85.5 billion abroad during this period, up 4 percent year over year.

[photo by law_keven via Flickr]

The End of an Era: last roll of Kodachrome film has been processed

by Kraig Becker on

Dwayne’s Photo, located in Parsons, Kansas, hardly seems like a place where history is made. But that is exactly what happened yesterday when the photo shop processed the final rolls of Kodachrome film, effectively bringing the curtain down on one of the most well known brands in the history of photography.

Kodachrome film was originally introduced by Eastman Kodak back in 1935 and is widely recognized as the first successful color film in history. Over the past 75 years, it has been used by many of the world’s top photographers and has captured numerous iconic images. Kodachrome was well known for its outstanding color reproduction and the ability to be stored nearly indefinitely, which helped to garner its legendary status amongst professionals and amateurs. But the process used to develop the photos shot on the film is a complex one which gave rise to a number of photo labs that specialized in developing those images.

In June of last year, Kodak announced that they were ending production of Kodachrome, citing the rise of digital photography for its demise. The company had stopped processing the film themselves several years back, and years of declining sales saw most Kodachrome labs closed down. At the time of the announcement, Dwayne’s Photo was home to the last processing machine in the world, and earlier this year they announced that that machine would shut down on December 30.

With Kodachrome’s expiration date clearly defined, photographers across the globe sprung into action. Many had stockpiled the film over the years and they now scrambled to use their final rolls before the deadline. Yesterday, dozens of them, from across the U.S. and around the world, descended on Dwayne’s to have those final rolls processed. In the end, last roll of Kodachrome to ever be developed actually belongs to Dwayne’s owner Dwayne Steinle.

When that final roll of Kodachrome slipped through the processing machine yesterday, it truly did mark the end of an era. And while most of us have moved on to easy-to-use digital camera options, which offer instant gratification for a new generation of photographers, it is impossible to understate how important Kodachrome has been to the art of photography over the past 75 years. So the next time you pick up your fancy new digital to capture that perfect shot, take a moment to recognize a bygone era and remember that you’ll need to tweak that image in Photoshop just to try to equal the color captured with Kodachrome.

Disney Dream lets adults ditch the kids, at night anyway

by Chris Owen on

Disney Cruise Line’s new Disney Dream debut’s next month with all the bells and whistles one might expect from a new ship coming out these days. There’s an AquaDuck water-coaster on deck, virtual “portholes” for inside cabins and a whole lot of Disney magic for kids of all ages. Adults on this ship will receive special attention too with a new area created just for them.

Called “The District”, it is a section of the ship that caters to adults in the evening with a selection of lounges and nightclubs.

Skyline is an ever-changing cocktail bar that celebrates some of the world’s most famous cities. Tall “windows” (actually huge LCD display screens) line a wall and show guests some of the world’s most beautiful city skylines which change from day to day and transform from day to night as each day progresses.

Pink is a “chic cocktail bar” and is designed in French Art Nouveau featuring back-lit glass “bubbles” inset into the walls to create an effect of cascading Champagne.

Evolution is a trendy disco that plays contemporary hits and classic favorites. During the day, Evolution provides dance classes, bingo, and arts and crafts. At night, Evolution caters to adults only, offering dancing, games, karaoke and a full bar serving mixed drinks.

687 is the sports bar. During the day, 687 provides family games and activities in a comfortable, casual setting; after 9:00 p.m., the venue transforms into a place for adults seeking more grown-up activities and games to enjoy over a beer, wine or mixed drinks.

Adult-only time is also available all day at the Cove Pool, a multi-level pool of varying depths with the Cove Cafe close by. Signature dining venue Palo, a reservations only premium restaurant open for dinner, is also just for adults.

Ditched kids are not just left to wander the decks though. Youth programs ranging from in-cabin baby-sitting to engaging age-appropriate group care is also available.

Photos courtesy Disney Cruise Line