Caribbean: Santa Claus is coming to town

Premium product gets booked up early and agents should recommend clients book a year in advance if they’re looking for an exclusive resort. However, there’s still product available for those clients whose thoughts are only now turning to this Christmas.

Capacity is tight which is good news for agents because prices are holding up well so there’s good commission to be made. However, bookings need to be secured in the next few weeks, as operators are already reporting the first hotels have sold out over the festive period.

Jetlife Caribworld long-haul managing director Chris May said: “The festive season has sold well in advance. Capacity is already in short supply on peak dates, with most of the smaller boutique islands sold out well in advance to returning guests.”

Thomas Cook head of product Jeannette Linfoot added: “Christmas is strong. There are high load factors. There’s still availability, but certain hotels that are in high demand are starting to stop sales.”

Royal Caribbean senior marketing manager Mark Persad said Norwegian Dawn, sailing to the Caribbean from New York, was already fully booked for this Christmas.

“With more people – British and American – looking to get away for Christmas, it has become a very busy time for us,” he said.

There’s also a small market for visiting friends and relatives that agents can cash in on, with many choosing to stay in commission-earning hotels rather than with family.

Sandals managing director Bobby Stewart said: “They tend to stay with friends or family, then book into a resort for a short break.”

Over Christmas many homes, particularly in more rural villages, open up and welcome in friends and tourists alike. People will make their way from home to home enjoying the Christmas food.

Trinidad and Tobago Tourism UK account manager Nova Alexander said: “Agents should definitely recommend clients get out and about. The Caribbean people are friendly and will welcome tourists.”

Homes are also decorated with lights and many are repainted for Christmas.

Telling clients about local festivals, Caribbean traditions and Christmas dinner with a twist will all help to secure the sale. Here is Travel Weekly’s guide to some festivities with a Caribbean flavour.

Although many hotels will offer the traditional turkey, roast potatoes, stuffing and all the trimmings, clients can enjoy some uniquely Caribbean festive fare. A popular drink is sorrel, made from sorrel sepals, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, sugar, orange peel and rum. It’s usually served over ice. Alternatively, suggest Creole rum eggnog.

Christmas dinner usually consists of chicken, oxtail or curried goat. A Jamaican speciality is gungo peas with rice, and there’s also lots of suckling pig served.

In Jamaica, clients shouldn’t miss out Jamaican christmas cake. Whatever recipe it’s made from, it will have been soaked for months in rum, and possibly red wine or vanilla.

Christmas celebrations kick off in St Lucia on December 13, which is the island’s National Day. There’s usually a big concert in the evening, preceded by a day of local fun and games.

A tradition from the Caribbean’s West African heritage is the dancing of masquerades. In Jamaica this is known as Junkanoo, where it’s still a big event, particularly in rural areas. Traditional characters include the horned Cow Head, Policeman, Horse Head, Wild Indian, Devil, Belly-woman, Pitchy-Patchy and a House Head that carries an image of a big house on his head. Dates for the parades vary between islands, so check with the relevant tourist board if clients don’t want to miss out.

The St Kitts National Carnival runs over Christmas, and celebrations include calypso king and queen competitions, beauty pageants and the Regional Caribbean Queen show. On New Year’s Day there’s the Parade of the Troup, where local bands take part in street parades that fill the St Kitts capital, Basseterre. On the final day of the carnival, January 2, there is a Last Lap encore parade of costumed bands and street dancing.

In St Lucia, clients should also look out for the Festival of Light, which is a major show held in the centre of the capital city, Castries, where locally made Christmas lanterns are paraded.

If clients really want an authentic experience with the locals, they should go to church on Christmas Day. The service is usually followed by a community party.

Santa arriving on water skies, roast turkey and trimmings by the pool and reggae Christmas parties are just some of the attractions provided by hotels for guests over Christmas.

As well as a reggae beach party, guests at Windjammer Landing Villa Beach Resort in St Lucia can enjoy a six-legged race called a Jammerthalon. Guests at Coco Resorts and Spa celebrate Midnight Mass in the St Lucia village of Gros Islet, and then join the celebrations at the bars and restaurants.

Rex Resorts director of sales and marketing Martin Grass said: “Most of our clients over Christmas are from the UK so we offer traditional British fare with a local Caribbean flair. It is interesting the way different clients like to spend the festive period. Some like to enjoy the day relaxing on the beach, while others like to make a big thing of Christmas Day and bring all their presents to open. Some even bring a small tree.”

Traditionalists need look no further than Fred Olsen’s cruise ship Braemar, where Christmas Caribbean-style means decorations, carol singing, turkey, plum pudding and mince pies. Passengers receive presents from Santa, and there is also a Boxing Day pantomime to entertain the passengers.

Not surprisingly the US cruiselines bend over backwards on the big day. Carnival Cruise Lines and Holland America Line decorate the ships and serve a turkey dinner but realising that some people want to escape the festivities, they also promise that it’s not “in your face”.

On Royal Caribbean ships, Santa arrives with presents for the kids, and there is turkey, tinsel and trees. Norwegian Cruise Line also has decorations and Christmas trees, and there’s a turkey lunch on offer in one of the ship’s restaurants.