Belize Vacation Deals

If you've been thinking about a Belize vacation, this latest wave of travel deals should give you four great reasons to make it happen this Fall...

1. Cayo Espanto

With the luxury resort's Private Island Massage & Spa package – available through December 15 – your five-night stay in the 2,100-square-foot Casa Auroroa villa offers savings of up to $9,000 over rack rates. For $499 per person per night, your stay includes all meals, snacks and drinks, a daily massage plus an additional daily spa treatment of your choice, a day at sea including fishing and snorkeling, airport transfers and all taxes and resort fees.
www.aprivateisland.com

2. St. George's Cay Resort

The seven-night Sink Into Our World package gives certified divers the chance to explore the Belize Barrier Reef on five guided dive excursions, then return to luxury accommodations in one of the resort's 12 lagoon cabanas. You'll also enjoy all meals and non-alcoholic drinks, plus a $50 credit at the Island Spa, with package rates starting at just $1,500 per person for your entire stay through November 15.
www.gooddiving.com

3. Tranquility Bay Resort

Through December 15, guests can enjoy a seven-night stay in a one-bedroom oceanfront room – including daily dinner and use of the resort's water sports amenities – for $999 per person. The package also includes round trip air transfers from Belize City to Ambergris Caye, and boat transfers to and from the boutique hotel.
www.tranquilitybayresort.com

4. Kanantik Reef & Jungle Resort

Guests of the coastal eco-lodge between November 1 and December 15 can enjoy complimentary nights on four and seven night vacations. Just book four nights in one of the resort's 25 oceanfront cabanas and pay for only three, or book seven nights and pay for only five – a savings of up to $650 per couple.
www.kanantik.com

Affordable Caribbean Updates

The latest episode of our hit TV show Affordable Caribbean is scheduled to air this Saturday at 8 AM EST on the Travel Channel, so stay tuned for insider tips on the best places to stay, eat and save a buck in the British Virgin Islands.

As we mentioned in a previous post, some viewers have reported occasional scheduling issues with their cable providers, so to help we've just created a programming widget on the Affordable Caribbean web site...just enter your zip code and you'll find all of the show's upcoming air times in your area.

Hope you enjoy the next episode, and as always we'd love to hear your feedback here on the blog or on our Facebook fan page!

Half Off in St. Martin

I'm a sucker for a good sale, and this new one from the Radisson St. Martin Resort, Marina & Spa is definitely worth sharing. For two weeks only, you can cash in on the Sunshine & Paradise at Half the Price sale and enjoy the resort's best deal of 50-percent-off room rates for high season, starting at just $248 per night double occupancy. You could be lazing on the beach on the island's très chic Anse Marcel for a lot less between January 3 and April 10 of next year – but you have to book by October 23 to take advantage of the savings. Just surf over to the Radisson site to reserve your room.

Fourth Night Free in San Juan

On my last trip to San Juan, I had the chance to stay at the newly renovated Conrad San Juan Condado Plaza. I loved the posh decor, the comfy rooms and the small stretch of beach right outside, but best of all was the hotel's central location – just outside of historic Old San Juan and within easy walking distance of all of the upscale shops and hot international restaurants that line Ashford Avenue.

For a limited time this Fall, the resort is offering a new Four For Free vacation package giving guests a fourth night free on any three night stay through December 19 – and even better, rooms start at just $139 per night double occupancy. Just log on to the Conrad site to book your stay, then sign up for our weekly e-newsletter packed with other great travel specials like this one.

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.

Special Rates and Packages for Trinidad's Carnival

If you're thinking of checking out Trinidad's exotic festival of Carnival next February 11-16 (just a few months away now!), we've got the scoop on area hotels' special rates and vacation packages just for the event. And trust us, you'll want to book early before the masses descend on the island and the properties sell out, as they have in years past.

The Carlton Savannah: The new boutique hotel is offering a five-night package for February 12-17 including breakfast and starting at $1,523 based on double occupancy.
www.thecarltonsavannah.com

Courtyard by Marriott: This hotel is walking distance from many of the event venues, and it's offering a Carnival package between February 12-16 that includes breakfast, starting at $299 per night double occupancy.
www.marriott.com

Coblentz Inn: This boutique property in is offering a Carnival Special that includes breakfast and a stocked mini-bar on arrival, starting at $275 per night double occupancy between February 12-16.
www.coblentzinn.com

Kapok Hotel: The upscale 94-room hotel is offering a five-night package for any dates between February 10-17 starting at $1,450 double occupancy, including daily breakfast buffet.
www.kapokhotel.com

L'Orchidee Boutique: The 12-room hotel is offering a five-night package between February 12-18 including breakfast and two tickets to Taste of Carnival, Girl Power, Saturday Night Carnival Party, Sunday All-Inclusive Carnival Party, Dimanche Grande Show and the Ash Wednesday Maracas Bay Cool Down. Rates start at $2,150 double occupancy including taxes.
www.trinidadhosthomes.com

Hyatt Regency Trinidad: The oceanfront resort is offering a Carnival special for four-night-minimum stays between February 10-17 that includes daily breakfast, and starts at $299 per night double occupancy.
www.trinidad.hyatt.com

Anyone been to Carnival before? Leave us a note and tell us your experience, then surf over to our Facebook page to share your photos with other CT+L readers and fans!

Journey Through History in Colombia

On Friday, I spent a wild and exciting evening at home in my PJs (who knows how to have fun? - this girl) watching the film version of Gabriel García Márquez's classic novel, Love in the Time of Cholera. The movie was ok (I preferred the book) but I've had Cartagena on my mind ever since. The romance! The history! I decided immediately to add the coastal Colombian city to my mental bucket list of places to travel soon. And then, lo and behold, I came in this morning to find this great special from the Hilton Cartagena just waiting in my inbox...

With the hotel's Romantic Journey Through History package, guests can enjoy deluxe accommodations, daily breakfast for two at Las Chivas Restaurant, a three-hour tour of the historic walled city, and a horse-drawn carriage ride – plus you'll get a fruit basket and special souvenir for your stay. Rooms start at $235 per night double occupancy...just use booking code P6 when you reserve your room on the Hilton Cartagena site, or email them directly here. And if you need a travel buddy, I'm available.