Some timely announcements from the North Palm Beach Public Library:
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• This Wednesday at 12:00 p.m. we’ll be showing TCHAIKOVSKY-his life and music: Introduction and Early Life, Lecture 1 of 8, in the Obert Meeting Room. This is an 8-week series.  You can more information on this at this link.
•  Also, you may be interested in attending SHAKESPEARE'S LOVERS AND LADIES--Are Men Really from Mars and Women from Venus? on Thursday, February 1st at 5PM. It’s just in time for Valentine’s Day! Presenter Priscilla Costello looks at Shakespeare's treatment of love and lovers in both his comedies and tragedies.

PRESS RELEASE_MIAMI (January 28, 2018) – Carnival Cruise Line’s 2,124-passenger Carnival Miracle kicked off a year-round program of seven-day cruises from Tampa this weekend, doubling the line’s capacity at the port and further bolstering its position as the leader in Caribbean cruising. 

Carnival Miracle will offer the only year-round longer-length cruise program from Port Tampa Bay, offering an unbeatable mix of destinations that appeal to a broad range of consumers, including families seeking an attractive and affordable vacation option.

Carnival Miracle joins Carnival Paradise which operates year-round four- to eight-day voyages from Tampa to the Caribbean and Cuba.  Together, Carnival Miracle and Carnival Paradise will carry an estimated 280,000 passengers annually from Tampa – the most of any cruise operator.

“Carnival Cruise Line has been sailing from Tampa for nearly 25 years and we’re thrilled to add a second year-round ship to provide our guests with an even greater variety of fantastic cruise vacation choices from this convenient homeport,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line.  “We would like to recognize our partners at Port Tampa Bay and the Tampa community, as well as our valued travel agent partners, for their efforts in making Tampa one of our most popular and successful embarkation ports,” she added.

MIND THE GAP_ That's how riders are cautioned in the London Underground, and it also applies to this beach access stairway at Juno Beach Monday morning. So where did the sand go? A lot was washed up on the stairs. Maybe related to the high winds over the weekend? Enquiring minds want to know. (NPBL Photo)

CRUISE NEWS: Cuba continues to be a hot destination in 2018, and here are the top Cuba voyages from Azamara Club Cruises for 2018 and 2019 travel. As the first American luxury cruise line to bring guests to Cuba, guests can experience Azamara’s Destination Immersion – with longer stays and more overnights.

Sun-bleached buildings, swaying palms and exotic flavors await as the Azamara Quest and Azamara Journey, navigate to ports in Havana, Santiago de Cuba and Cienfuegos. While in port, guests can participate in featured Cuba shore excursions including the Old Havana Heritage Walking Tour and the Best of Havana, allowing travelers to have authentic experiences that bring the rich heritage and cultural treasures to life.

More information on Azamara's Cuba cruises is available here.

·        10-Night Circle Cuba Voyage

o   Sailing date of 11/10/2018
o   Azamara Journey

·        4-Night Key West & Havana Voyage

o   Sailing date of 11/20/2018
o   Azamara Journey

·        15-Night Cuba & Caribbean Holiday Voyage

o   Sailing date of 12/21/2018
o   Azamara Journey

·        9-Night Cuba Intensive Voyage

o   Sailing date of 1/15/2019
o   Azamara Journey

PRESS RELEASE_Palm Beach Marriott Singer Island Beach Resort & Spa invites guests and locals alike to ditch their living room armchair and microwaved chicken wings for world-class cuisine, live music and a viewing spot on its private beach to watch this year’s Feb. 4 Super Bowl LII faceoff between the Philadelphia Eagles and New England Patriots.

The resort’s Super Bowl Beach Bash begins at 4:30 p.m. (two hours before kickoff), and is $25 per person, and free for children under 5 years of age. A giant screen will be set up right on the sand projecting the big game, while chefs from the resort’s award-winning restaurant 3800 Ocean prepare Polynesian menu items at stations around the beach. Some of the dishes will include Polynesian Mango Chicken Wings, Peel and Eat Florida Pink Shrimp, Rum-Guava Glazed Chicken, Mahi, and New England Style Lobster Roll. Guests can enjoy bonfires with s’mores and live music throughout the evening. Food is included in the ticket price. Non-resort guests should check in at the lobby before being escorted down to the event. Interested parties can call 561-340-1700 for more information.

PRESS RELEASE_NORTH PALM BEACH, FL. January 23, 2018 - Old Port Cove Holdings, Inc. (“OPC”) of North Palm Beach, Florida, a leader in state-of-the-art marina properties has entered into an agreement to sell its portfolio of Palm Beach County assets to the largest owner/operator of marinas in the world, Safe Harbor Marinas, LLC (“Safe Harbor”). The sale includes all three full-service marina properties; Old Port Cove Marina, North Palm Beach Marina and New Port Cove Marine Center and associated amenities. Cumulatively these marinas can accommodate nearly 650 vessels ranging in size from 20’ day boats to 200’ Mega-yachts. The sale also includes the 48,000 square foot office/retail complex known as Cove Plaza as well as Sandpiper’s Cove Restaurant and Bar located on the water at Old Port Cove Marina.
 
Richard G. Morgan, President of OPC said “one of the numerous attractions in dealing with the Safe Harbor team was their commitment and dedication to providing the highest standards of excellence, quality and legendary customer service to the boating public. This dedication from Safe Harbor closely mirrors OPC’s own long established operational practice and commitment to its members and employees and the entire OPC team is thrilled and excited to become a part of the Safe Harbor family.” 
 
As owner/operator, OPC has been a leader in the marina industry in the Palm Beaches since the early 70’s. Its marina portfolio, which began with the flagship facility Old Port Cove Marina, was followed by the purchase of New Port Cove Marine Center in 1988 and North Palm Beach Marina in 1989. Over the years, all three of the marinas' docking facilities have been replaced from the water/ground up always keeping the environment and their boater friendly motto in mind.
 
Old Port Cove Marina was the first marina facility in Palm Beach County to be designated as a “Clean Marina” by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and North Palm Beach Marina and New Port Cove Marine Center soon followed furthering the company’s commitment to the conservation and protection of the Lake Worth Lagoon. 
 
“The Old Port Cove team and their first class collection of assets are a great addition to our ever-growing portfolio”, said Jason Hogg, Senior Vice President of Safe Harbor Marinas. We understand just how special these assets are, and we are committed to see them grow and thrive for years to come.”

PRESS RELEASE_SAINT-NAZAIRE, FRANCE – January 23, 2018 – Celebrity Cruises is excited to offer the world a glimpse of what will be the brand’s first ship in a new class in more than 10 years, as Celebrity Edge floated out of her dry dock at the STX France shipyard.

“This truly is an exciting moment for our brand,” said Lisa Lutoff-Perlo, President and CEO, Celebrity Cruises. “The float out process marks a milestone in the building of Celebrity Edge. With exterior construction complete, the amazing STX France team will now turn their attention to bringing all of the meticulously designed venues and transformational staterooms and suites to life.”

Celebrity Edge will spend her inaugural season sailing alternating seven-night eastern and western Caribbean itineraries before transporting guests to the stunning vistas of the Mediterranean with a range of seven- to 11-night sailings from iconic cities like Barcelona and Rome in 2019.

Homeporting in Fort Lauderdale, FL., Celebrity Edge will be making her first sailing November 21, 2018. Bookings are now open at www.celebritycruises.com/edge, or through a travel agent. Celebrity Edge will be joined by three sister ships in 2020, 2021 and 2022. Watch the video:

(PRESS RELEASE)_Miami, Fla. – January 19, 2018 – Brightline, South Florida’s first privately-funded passenger rail service, is expanding its outreach efforts to raise awareness about rail safety. The rail company is continuing to partner with Tri-Rail, the Palm Beach Transportation Planning Agency, the Broward Metropolitan Planning Agency, local law enforcement and cities and counties along the corridor.

"Increasing awareness about rail safety is of critical importance, which is why we continue working with our transportation partners to help spread the word,” said Patrick Goddard, Brightline’s COO and President. “For the past year, we have been engaged in the communities along the corridor, and we will continue these outreach efforts. We implore the public to be patient and not circumvent the safety devices in place to keep you safe. Your life is worth more than waiting a few extra seconds for a train to pass.”

As part of its expanded outreach plan begun in early 2017, Brightline will continue working with Operation Lifesaver to create an additional PSA campaign, including materials in English, Spanish and Creole; installing additional signage that warns motorists and pedestrians to stay off the tracks at grade crossings along the corridor; activating safety ambassadors; and attending community events and passing out rail safety information along the corridor.