Originally uploaded by Jim Skea.

The bay around Paquetá, Brazil.

A beach wedding in Barbados at the Crystal Cove Resort.

Originally uploaded by Mrs. Hot T..

A study commissioned by the Puerto Rico Hotel and Tourism Association shows tourists are choosing to spend their vacations in other Caribbean locations, rather than visiting the U.S. territory. Puerto Rico has historically been a top travel destination for tourists, but other Caribbean nations with improving their infrastructure and luring away visitors with their lower operating costs.

The Dominican Republic, which leads the Caribbean with 674 hotels offering nearly 60,000 rooms, has earmarked money for developing beaches, new golf courses, all-inclusive resorts and other attractions. Meanwhile, the tourism sector in Puerto Rico, which has 12,700 rooms in 145 hotels, has remained largely stagnant, officials said.

The web site idobarbados has tips for getting married in Barbados. No advance planning is even necessary for a wedding in Barbados. Couples can get a license on arrival in the country and an official ceremony can take place immediately after. The site has helpful information for anyone planning a Barbados wedding, such as how to obtain a license, information on fees and a list of churches. There is also a list of wedding planners and service providers.

Royal Caribbean cruise lines has announced it will launch the Blue de France as a ship aimed at French travelers. The ship will sail out of the Dominican Republic for Caribbean stops during the winter and sail a Mediterranean itinerary during the summer.

The Blue de France, for those wondering, is a 26-year-old ship that has been sailing for Pullmantur as the Holiday Dream. Those with long memories will remember it as Hapag-LLoyd’s original Europa.

Royal Caribbean says the ship will get a thorough overhaul — to the tune of 30 million euros — to transform into something unmistakably French in ambiance. Expect French decor, French food and, yes, a completely French-speaking staff.

Bermuda plans to put RFID tags into every vehicle in order to recover about $11 million in lost fines from non-compliant vehicles. According to the island’s Transport Control Department the electronic tags will only contain vehicle data and not information about drivers. A series of receivers and antennas will help track vehicles around the island, which has the highest density of motor traffic in the world.

Before traveling to the Caribbean it’s important to check with your insurance provider in case you need medical treatment. Many medical providers in the Caribbean may require payment in advance of providing service. And if you hope to be evacuated back to the United States for treatment it could cost you more than $50,000.

Your insurance company can tell you if your policy covers travel abroad and whether it covers an emergency evacuation. If not you can talk to your insurance or travel agent about getting supplemental coverage.

It’s also important to note that Medicare and Medicaid do not pay for treatment outside the United States. You will need to get a policy from your travel agent or an insurance company.

Here is a brief guide to electric systems used around the Caribbean. If you’re not familiar with the different plug types, you can see illustrations here.

• Anguilla, 110V, 60Hz, North American NEMA1-15, North American NEMA 5-15
• Antigua, 230V, 60 Hz, North American NEMA1-15, North American NEMA 5-15
• Aruba, 127V, 60 Hz, North American NEMA1-15, North American NEMA 5-15, European CEE7/7 Schuko
• Bahamas, 120V, 60 Hz, North American NEMA1-15, North American NEMA 5-15
• Barbados, 115V, 50 Hz, North American NEMA1-15, North American NEMA 5-15
• Belize, 110/220V, 60 Hz, North American NEMA 5-15, British BS-1363
• Bermuda, 120V, 60 Hz, North American NEMA1-15, North American NEMA 5-15
• Cayman Islands, 120V, 60 Hz, North American NEMA1-15, North American NEMA 5-15
• Dominica, 230V, 50 Hz, British BS-1363
• Dominican Republic, 110V, 60 Hz, North American NEMA1-15
• Grenada, 230V, 50 Hz, British BS-1363
• Haiti, 110V, 60 Hz, North American NEMA1-15, North American NEMA 5-15
• Jamaica, 110V, 50 Hz, North American NEMA1-15, North American NEMA 5-15
• Netherlands Antilles, 127/220V, 50 Hz, North American NEMA1-15, North American NEMA 5-15, European CEE7/7 Schuko
• Puerto Rico, 120V, 60 Hz, North American NEMA1-15, North American NEMA 5-15
• St. Kitts and Nevis, 230V, 60 Hz, British BS-1363
• St. Lucia, 240V, 50 Hz, British BS-1363
• St. Vincent, 230V, 50 Hz, North American NEMA1-15, British BS-1363
• Trinidad & Tobago, 115V, 60 Hz, North American NEMA1-15, North American NEMA 5-15
• Virgin Islands (British and U.S.), 115V, 60 Hz, North American NEMA1-15, North American NEMA 5-15