Jamaica Bobsled Ride!

Jamaica Bobsled Ride!

Hi Everyone,

I received this press release from Carnival and thought it would be of
interest. If you have missed any of my news' postings, they are
available on my web site.

Best regards,
Ray
LIGHTHOUSE TRAVEL
800-719-9917 or 805-566-3905
http :// www .lighthousetravel,com


UNIQUE BOBSLED SHORE EXCURSION/TOURISM ATTRACTION OPENS IN OCHO RIOS,
JAMAICA
Jamaica bobsled ride, eco-tours, island culture and heritage to be
featured at new multi-million-dollar attraction

MIAMI (July 1, 2008) — Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE/LSE:
CCL; NYSE: CUK) has partnered with Rain Forest Trams Ltd., a local
bank and businessmen to develop Rainforest Bobsled Jamaica at Mystic
Mountain, a new eco-friendly attraction in Ocho Rios, Jamaica.
The facility welcomed its first visitors in a “soft opening”
held earlier today. Grand opening festivities are set for late July.
Rainforest Bobsled Jamaica was developed by Mystic Mountain
Ltd., a partnership between Rain Forest Trams Ltd and Jamaican
businessmen Horace A. Clarke, and O.J. and Michael N. Drakulich,
Carnival Corporation & plc, and the Development Bank of Jamaica.
The expansive multi-million-dollar tourism attraction features
an exciting and unique Jamaican Bobsled ride through the lush tropical
forest, a chairlift journey over the verdant countryside, a zip-line
canopy adventure through the treetops, an island culture and heritage
center, as well as mountaintop dining and shopping venues.
Rainforest Bobsled Jamaica at Mystic Mountain covers more than
100 acres stretching from the Coast Road entrance near Dunn’s River
Falls to more than 700 feet above sea level at the peak of Mystic
Mountain. The site supports a diverse ecosystem of natural springs,
tropical foliage, native trees and a variety of colorful bird species.
Mystic Mountain’s tours and rides have been designed to have minimal
environmental impact and physical footprint.
“The Caribbean is vital to the continued growth and success of
the North American cruise industry and Carnival Corporation & plc is
very pleased to support the development of this spectacular
attraction,” said Graham Davis, director of port operations and
destination development for Carnival Corporation & plc. “In addition
to serving as an example of responsible, sustainable tourism
development, the Mystic Mountain complex will have tangible economic
benefits, including creating numerous job opportunities for the local
community,” he added.
Cruise ship guests and visitors can view and explore the
indigenous seaside tropical forest ecosystem via three exhilarating
excursions:

Rainforest Bobsled Jamaica
Custom-designed bobsleds celebrating the Jamaican Olympic
bobsled teams of the 1980s and ’90s travel on winding, plunging
stainless steel rails on a 3,280-foot gravity-driven ride through the
forest. The bobsled track was laid to avoid disturbing the natural
landscape, curving around ancient trees, hugging majestic cliff faces
and limestone outcroppings through narrow chutes of dense forest.
Riders control their rate of descent with an in-sled handbrake,
allowing for either a leisurely tour through the forest or a
pulse-quickening ride. At the end of the ride, the bobsled slides to a
graceful stop and is slowly pulled back by cable to the top of the
mountain, completing the entire circuit in approximately six minutes.

Rainforest Sky Explorer
Located at the park’s Coast Road entrance, this
state-of-the-art chairlift soars above the treetops through the heart
of the tropical seaside forest canopy. The ascent on Sky Explorer
skims the top of the trees, providing panoramic views of the
picturesque coastline and close-up views of tropical treetops on the
way to the centerpiece of the attraction, the 700-foot peak of Mystic
Mountain. The return ride on Sky Explorer carries riders just below
treetop level, but high above the forest floor to provide a sense of
immersion in tropical wilds.

Rainforest Zip-Line Tranopy Tour
A series of tree-to-tree platforms sends riders gliding
through the coastal forest on this customized zip-line canopy tour.
The guided tour covers virgin areas of the mountain, flying through
the canopy via a zip line along a series of interconnected tree- and
land-based platforms. The tour ends at the mid-station of the
Rainforest Sky Explorer chairlift, which returns zip-line riders to
the park entrance. At the summit of Mystic Mountain is the
Jamaican Railway Station & Mystic Pavilion. Designed by acclaimed
Jamaican architect Ann Hodges, the traditional three-story building is
a replica of an early 20th-century Jamaican railway station. The site
provides views of Jamaica’s north coast and the hills and valleys of
St. Ann. The 9,000-square-foot multilevel rail station features a
lookout tower with spectacular panoramic views of Ocho Rios and the
harbor, a bar and restaurant, retail outlets, and a photo shop while
serving as the boarding point for Bobsled Jamaica.

Adjacent to the Rail Station, Mystic Pavilion features
displays and memorabilia celebrating Jamaica’s culture, great moments
in the country’s sporting events and promotion of environmental
awareness and conservation of natural resources.
Endeavoring to maintain the pristine beauty of the Jamaican
landscape, Mystic Mountain developers paid close attention to
minimizing the environmental impact of the various attractions during
construction. The chairlift foundations were installed by helicopter
to significantly reduce ground disturbance and eliminate the necessity
of building a road to transport equipment. The latest design in
chairlift towers — the F tower — also was specifically selected to
reduce impact on the forest environment. More than 3,400 feet of
bobsled track was hand-carried through the forest and laid hugging
natural limestone cliffs through the sloping hilly interior.

All Carnival Cruises can be booked by contacting your travel
professional.

About Carnival Corporation & plc
Carnival Corporation & plc is the largest cruise vacation
group in the world, with a portfolio of cruise brands in North
America, Europe and Australia, comprised of Carnival Cruise Lines,
Holland America Line, Princess Cruises, The Yachts of Seabourn, AIDA
Cruises, Costa Cruises, Cunard Line, Ibero Cruises, Ocean Village, P&O
Cruises and P&O Cruises Australia.
Together, these brands operate 88 ships totaling more than 167,000
lower berths with 18 new ships scheduled to be delivered between
October 2008 and June 2012. Carnival Corporation & plc also operates
Holland America Tours and Princess Tours, the leading tour companies
in Alaska and the Canadian Yukon. Traded on both the New York and
London Stock Exchanges, Carnival Corporation & plc is the only group
in the world to be included in both the S&P 500 and the FTSE 100
indices.

About Rain Forest Trams Ltd
Rain Forest Trams Ltd promotes environmental consciousness and
seeks to conserve endangered natural resources through innovative,
educational and sustainable world-class tourism experiences.
Established in 1997, the company has developed and operates five
highly acclaimed eco-tourist destinations in Costa Rica, St. Lucia,
Dominica and Jamaica consisting of thousands of hectares of rain
forest.

Re: Jamaica Bobsled Ride!

>         The expansive multi-million-dollar tourism attraction features
> an exciting and unique Jamaican Bobsled ride through the lush tropical
> forest, a chairlift journey over the verdant countryside, a zip-line
> canopy adventure through the treetops, an island culture and heritage
> center, as well as mountaintop dining and shopping venues.

Sounds fun - and, assuming it's in a secured area, something appealing
to do in that dodgy port call besides walk up the Falls.

Mark

Re: Jamaica Bobsled Ride!

My cow got pickpoked in Jamascia, its not a safe or freindly country(I am a
senior)
"Mark (SF)" <mark@markkatzenberger,com > wrote in message
news:59b5ce9b-9801-4a30-9433-53095d5f831c@w5g2000prd.googlegroups,com ...
> The expansive multi-million-dollar tourism attraction features
> an exciting and unique Jamaican Bobsled ride through the lush tropical
> forest, a chairlift journey over the verdant countryside, a zip-line
> canopy adventure through the treetops, an island culture and heritage
> center, as well as mountaintop dining and shopping venues.

Sounds fun - and, assuming it's in a secured area, something appealing
to do in that dodgy port call besides walk up the Falls.

Mark

Re: Jamaica Bobsled Ride!

Ray Goldenberg wrote:
> Hi Everyone,
>
> I received this press release from Carnival and thought it would be of
> interest. If you have missed any of my news' postings, they are
> available on my web site.
>
> Best regards,
> Ray
> LIGHTHOUSE TRAVEL
> 800-719-9917 or 805-566-3905
> http :// www .lighthousetravel,com
>
>
> UNIQUE BOBSLED SHORE EXCURSION/TOURISM ATTRACTION OPENS IN OCHO RIOS,
> JAMAICA
> Jamaica bobsled ride, eco-tours, island culture and heritage to be
> featured at new multi-million-dollar attraction
>
> MIAMI (July 1, 2008) — Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE/LSE:
> CCL; NYSE: CUK) has partnered with Rain Forest Trams Ltd., a local
> bank and businessmen to develop Rainforest Bobsled Jamaica at Mystic
> Mountain, a new eco-friendly attraction in Ocho Rios, Jamaica.
> The facility welcomed its first visitors in a “soft opening”
> held earlier today. Grand opening festivities are set for late July.
> Rainforest Bobsled Jamaica was developed by Mystic Mountain
> Ltd., a partnership between Rain Forest Trams Ltd and Jamaican
> businessmen Horace A. Clarke, and O.J. and Michael N. Drakulich,
> Carnival Corporation & plc, and the Development Bank of Jamaica.
> The expansive multi-million-dollar tourism attraction features
> an exciting and unique Jamaican Bobsled ride through the lush tropical
> forest, a chairlift journey over the verdant countryside, a zip-line
> canopy adventure through the treetops, an island culture and heritage
> center, as well as mountaintop dining and shopping venues.
> Rainforest Bobsled Jamaica at Mystic Mountain covers more than
> 100 acres stretching from the Coast Road entrance near Dunn’s River
> Falls to more than 700 feet above sea level at the peak of Mystic
> Mountain. The site supports a diverse ecosystem of natural springs,
> tropical foliage, native trees and a variety of colorful bird species.
> Mystic Mountain’s tours and rides have been designed to have minimal
> environmental impact and physical footprint.
> “The Caribbean is vital to the continued growth and success of
> the North American cruise industry and Carnival Corporation & plc is
> very pleased to support the development of this spectacular
> attraction,” said Graham Davis, director of port operations and
> destination development for Carnival Corporation & plc. “In addition
> to serving as an example of responsible, sustainable tourism
> development, the Mystic Mountain complex will have tangible economic
> benefits, including creating numerous job opportunities for the local
> community,” he added.
> Cruise ship guests and visitors can view and explore the
> indigenous seaside tropical forest ecosystem via three exhilarating
> excursions:
>
> Rainforest Bobsled Jamaica
> Custom-designed bobsleds celebrating the Jamaican Olympic
> bobsled teams of the 1980s and ’90s travel on winding, plunging
> stainless steel rails on a 3,280-foot gravity-driven ride through the
> forest. The bobsled track was laid to avoid disturbing the natural
> landscape, curving around ancient trees, hugging majestic cliff faces
> and limestone outcroppings through narrow chutes of dense forest.
> Riders control their rate of descent with an in-sled handbrake,
> allowing for either a leisurely tour through the forest or a
> pulse-quickening ride. At the end of the ride, the bobsled slides to a
> graceful stop and is slowly pulled back by cable to the top of the
> mountain, completing the entire circuit in approximately six minutes.
>
> Rainforest Sky Explorer
> Located at the park’s Coast Road entrance, this
> state-of-the-art chairlift soars above the treetops through the heart
> of the tropical seaside forest canopy. The ascent on Sky Explorer
> skims the top of the trees, providing panoramic views of the
> picturesque coastline and close-up views of tropical treetops on the
> way to the centerpiece of the attraction, the 700-foot peak of Mystic
> Mountain. The return ride on Sky Explorer carries riders just below
> treetop level, but high above the forest floor to provide a sense of
> immersion in tropical wilds.
>
> Rainforest Zip-Line Tranopy Tour
> A series of tree-to-tree platforms sends riders gliding
> through the coastal forest on this customized zip-line canopy tour.
> The guided tour covers virgin areas of the mountain, flying through
> the canopy via a zip line along a series of interconnected tree- and
> land-based platforms. The tour ends at the mid-station of the
> Rainforest Sky Explorer chairlift, which returns zip-line riders to
> the park entrance. At the summit of Mystic Mountain is the
> Jamaican Railway Station & Mystic Pavilion. Designed by acclaimed
> Jamaican architect Ann Hodges, the traditional three-story building is
> a replica of an early 20th-century Jamaican railway station. The site
> provides views of Jamaica’s north coast and the hills and valleys of
> St. Ann. The 9,000-square-foot multilevel rail station features a
> lookout tower with spectacular panoramic views of Ocho Rios and the
> harbor, a bar and restaurant, retail outlets, and a photo shop while
> serving as the boarding point for Bobsled Jamaica.
>
> Adjacent to the Rail Station, Mystic Pavilion features
> displays and memorabilia celebrating Jamaica’s culture, great moments
> in the country’s sporting events and promotion of environmental
> awareness and conservation of natural resources.
> Endeavoring to maintain the pristine beauty of the Jamaican
> landscape, Mystic Mountain developers paid close attention to
> minimizing the environmental impact of the various attractions during
> construction. The chairlift foundations were installed by helicopter
> to significantly reduce ground disturbance and eliminate the necessity
> of building a road to transport equipment. The latest design in
> chairlift towers — the F tower — also was specifically selected to
> reduce impact on the forest environment. More than 3,400 feet of
> bobsled track was hand-carried through the forest and laid hugging
> natural limestone cliffs through the sloping hilly interior.
>
> All Carnival Cruises can be booked by contacting your travel
> professional.
>
> About Carnival Corporation & plc
> Carnival Corporation & plc is the largest cruise vacation
> group in the world, with a portfolio of cruise brands in North
> America, Europe and Australia, comprised of Carnival Cruise Lines,
> Holland America Line, Princess Cruises, The Yachts of Seabourn, AIDA
> Cruises, Costa Cruises, Cunard Line, Ibero Cruises, Ocean Village, P&O
> Cruises and P&O Cruises Australia.
> Together, these brands operate 88 ships totaling more than 167,000
> lower berths with 18 new ships scheduled to be delivered between
> October 2008 and June 2012. Carnival Corporation & plc also operates
> Holland America Tours and Princess Tours, the leading tour companies
> in Alaska and the Canadian Yukon. Traded on both the New York and
> London Stock Exchanges, Carnival Corporation & plc is the only group
> in the world to be included in both the S&P 500 and the FTSE 100
> indices.
>
> About Rain Forest Trams Ltd
> Rain Forest Trams Ltd promotes environmental consciousness and
> seeks to conserve endangered natural resources through innovative,
> educational and sustainable world-class tourism experiences.
> Established in 1997, the company has developed and operates five
> highly acclaimed eco-tourist destinations in Costa Rica, St. Lucia,
> Dominica and Jamaica consisting of thousands of hectares of rain
> forest.

I wish that some of the profits from this venture would actually support
the Jamacian bobsled and skeleton athletes. They are a great bunch of
young adults, trying to compete in sports that definitely cost money.
And, it is nice that the operators of the ride do some kind of "tribute"
to the members of past teams from the 80's and 90's, the original "Cool
Runnings" guys - Dudley Stokes and his crew. But, they should also
honor Winston Watts and his crew, who competed in the 2002 Olympic
Winter Games and just missed qualifying for the 2006 OWG,and the women's
bobsled crew from 2000-2002. And, they should have a picture of the
real coach of the original team - I know him and he looks NOTHING like
John Candy :-) I know the team has run out of money several times. It's
hard to compete when you don't know if you will be able to get to the
next race...