deerstalker
https://www.blackenterprise.com/epic-cruise-trinidad-carnival-tourism/
By Noel Walker
Visionary entrepreneur Johnny Mack has transformed the Trinidad Carnival experience through an innovative solution to one of the island’s biggest tourism challenges: severe accommodation shortages during the world-famous festival. As CEO of EPIC Carnival Experience, Mack has pioneered the first “all-inclusive floating hotel” in Trinidad during the island’s famed Carnival celebration.
The concept is brilliantly simple yet revolutionary: a Royal Caribbean cruise ship that sails on a 9-day journey from a neighboring Caribbean island, then remains docked in Port of Spain for five of those days during Carnival. Having completed its second year in March 2025, EPIC has quickly become a game-changer for Trinidad Carnival tourism.
“Trinidad only has 2,500 hotel rooms in the entire country,” Mack explained, his eyes lighting up with passion. Forty thousand to 50,000 people travel to Trinidad for Carnival, creating a critical need for an elastic lodging supply. I created EPIC not only to offer an enhanced experience but also to address an economic necessity due to insufficient accommodations.”
A Carnival Baby with Music in His Soul
Born in Trinidad on Carnival Monday morning in 1980, Mack describes himself as a “real bona fide carnival baby.” His heritage reflects Trinidad’s diverse cultural makeup—his father is first-generation Chinese-Trinidadian, and his mother was born in Morocco.
Mack’s journey took him from playing rugby for Trinidad’s national team at just 17 to attending UC Berkeley on scholarship. In the early 2000s, he began producing concerts for Caribbean artists like Sean Paul and Damian Marley in California before establishing himself in Hawaii’s music scene.
“When I did my first music festival, I was 23 years old, and I had like 4,000 people,” Mack recalls with a nostalgic smile. “From there, I started evolving music festivals in Hawaii and then on the West Coast.” By 27, he had produced a three-island music festival featuring Lauryn Hill that attracted 12,000 attendees.
His reputation in the industry continued to grow exponentially. His events would go on to showcase artists like Snoop Dogg, Cardi B, and Usher, drawing enormous crowds exceeding 35,000 people, experiences that gave him invaluable insights into creating immersive events he would later apply to EPIC.
Overcoming Industry Barriers
Creating EPIC Carnival Experience required overcoming significant hurdles, particularly convincing a major cruise line to dock in Trinidad for an extended period.
“No cruise liner wanted to come to Trinidad & Tobago because they were on a global security hazard list,” Mack revealed. “They refused to port more than one night. From 2015 until just before COVID, I kept knocking on everybody’s doors. Just before COVID, Royal Caribbean opened up and said they were willing to do this.”
The persistence paid off, but the financial commitment required was substantial. “The average cruise ship is gonna be at least $3.54 million just to charter. Then on top of that, you have insurance, which is like $50,000. Then the cruise ship also wants you to hit on-board revenue figures… that’s another $1.2 million.”
As a Caribbean promoter in an industry dominated by major corporations, Mack operates with a different approach. “We handle business with a little bit more cultural family nuances and leniencies. We live more in the gray area than in the black and white. We’re open to making things work.”
The Caribbean entertainment industry maintains its independence in ways few other sectors have managed. “In the Caribbean diaspora, someone like Vybz Kartel, Beenie Man, Capleton, or Buju will come to North America, and Live Nation will not own their tour. It will be someone from the diaspora owning the culture.”
Economic Impact and Cultural Mission
EPIC isn’t just a business venture—it’s an economic engine for Trinidad and a platform for cultural exchange that comes straight from Mack’s heart.
“Based on the last budget, we spent about $500,000 U.S. on local Trinidad production, labor, transportation, marketing—all our needs. We spent about $1.2 million buying tickets to fetes, and then the average person spent about $1,000 on their carnival costume,” the EPIC CEO details. “Let’s say 1,000 people bought carnival costumes, that’s about $1 million there immediately.”
The business model solves multiple problems simultaneously. It provides affordable accommodations when hotel prices surge and flights become prohibitively expensive.
“Flights during Trinidad carnival time are outrageous because of high demand; they have surge pricing. A flight that would have been $300/$400 is now $1,500,” Mack explains, gesturing animatedly. “For EPIC’s first year, we flew into Barbados, and for our second year, we flew into Puerto Rico. The numbers made sense. Flying into Puerto Rico from anywhere along the East Coast is like a $300 round-trip. We’re saving everyone at least $800-$1,000 on flights.”
The carnival entrepreneur continues, “The average hotel room in Port of Spain during Carnival per night is about $800 U.S., which is crazy. When I priced what it cost for one of the lower-tier rooms on EPIC, it’s about $400 U.S. a night, which to me is a steal when you’re getting food, drinks, and events.”
Trinidad’s Unique Economic Landscape
Unlike many of its Caribbean neighbors, Trinidad’s economy isn’t built on tourism—a fact Mack explains with the insight of someone who truly understands his homeland.
“Trinidad is not built on tourism like Jamaica, Barbados, and these other islands. We’re built on natural gas and oil, and resources,” Mack explains with pride. “We have something called the Pitch Lake. It’s a never-ending asphalt lake; we have a never-ending supply of it. So we’ve never built infrastructure.”
This resource-rich economic foundation explains the country’s limited hospitality infrastructure. “It makes no sense to build a new hotel, but it did make sense to bring a cruise ship that could come in and be a viable opportunity for Trinidad.”
Future Growth and Vision
The venture’s rapid growth is evident in its early ticket sales for the upcoming February 11-20, 2026 voyage.
“Right now, for the upcoming year three, we’ve sold 426 cabins, which we weren’t even able to launch this early for year two. We’re already halfway to our goal mark in March/April—one month since we launched EPIC this year,” notes the founder, excitement evident in his voice.
For Mack, this venture represents just the beginning of a larger vision that connects deeply to his personal story. “This is just the first step. I’m building an empire and a legacy where I can export my culture and share it with the world,” he declares. “The goal of EPIC is to expose pop America, pop Europe, to our culture, and make them feel at one with us.”
His ambitions extend beyond personal success to creating opportunities for his community. “Growing up in the Caribbean, we didn’t learn about 401(k) plans, life insurance, or having a trust for kids. Everything we have, we had to build ourselves. If I could help my community have a leg up, I want to do that for my family, and Trinidad.”
As our interview concludes, Mack’s phone rings with the distinct sound of soca music—a fitting reminder of the rhythm that drives both the man and his mission. “Carnival isn’t just an event for us—it’s who we are. And now, we’ve found a way to share that with the world.”
RELATED CONTENT: St. Thomas Carnival Brings Shabba Ranks, Beenie Man, Pressure, And More
By Noel Walker
Visionary entrepreneur Johnny Mack has transformed the Trinidad Carnival experience through an innovative solution to one of the island’s biggest tourism challenges: severe accommodation shortages during the world-famous festival. As CEO of EPIC Carnival Experience, Mack has pioneered the first “all-inclusive floating hotel” in Trinidad during the island’s famed Carnival celebration.
The concept is brilliantly simple yet revolutionary: a Royal Caribbean cruise ship that sails on a 9-day journey from a neighboring Caribbean island, then remains docked in Port of Spain for five of those days during Carnival. Having completed its second year in March 2025, EPIC has quickly become a game-changer for Trinidad Carnival tourism.
“Trinidad only has 2,500 hotel rooms in the entire country,” Mack explained, his eyes lighting up with passion. Forty thousand to 50,000 people travel to Trinidad for Carnival, creating a critical need for an elastic lodging supply. I created EPIC not only to offer an enhanced experience but also to address an economic necessity due to insufficient accommodations.”
A Carnival Baby with Music in His Soul
Born in Trinidad on Carnival Monday morning in 1980, Mack describes himself as a “real bona fide carnival baby.” His heritage reflects Trinidad’s diverse cultural makeup—his father is first-generation Chinese-Trinidadian, and his mother was born in Morocco.
Mack’s journey took him from playing rugby for Trinidad’s national team at just 17 to attending UC Berkeley on scholarship. In the early 2000s, he began producing concerts for Caribbean artists like Sean Paul and Damian Marley in California before establishing himself in Hawaii’s music scene.
“When I did my first music festival, I was 23 years old, and I had like 4,000 people,” Mack recalls with a nostalgic smile. “From there, I started evolving music festivals in Hawaii and then on the West Coast.” By 27, he had produced a three-island music festival featuring Lauryn Hill that attracted 12,000 attendees.
His reputation in the industry continued to grow exponentially. His events would go on to showcase artists like Snoop Dogg, Cardi B, and Usher, drawing enormous crowds exceeding 35,000 people, experiences that gave him invaluable insights into creating immersive events he would later apply to EPIC.
Overcoming Industry Barriers
Creating EPIC Carnival Experience required overcoming significant hurdles, particularly convincing a major cruise line to dock in Trinidad for an extended period.
“No cruise liner wanted to come to Trinidad & Tobago because they were on a global security hazard list,” Mack revealed. “They refused to port more than one night. From 2015 until just before COVID, I kept knocking on everybody’s doors. Just before COVID, Royal Caribbean opened up and said they were willing to do this.”
The persistence paid off, but the financial commitment required was substantial. “The average cruise ship is gonna be at least $3.54 million just to charter. Then on top of that, you have insurance, which is like $50,000. Then the cruise ship also wants you to hit on-board revenue figures… that’s another $1.2 million.”
As a Caribbean promoter in an industry dominated by major corporations, Mack operates with a different approach. “We handle business with a little bit more cultural family nuances and leniencies. We live more in the gray area than in the black and white. We’re open to making things work.”
The Caribbean entertainment industry maintains its independence in ways few other sectors have managed. “In the Caribbean diaspora, someone like Vybz Kartel, Beenie Man, Capleton, or Buju will come to North America, and Live Nation will not own their tour. It will be someone from the diaspora owning the culture.”
Economic Impact and Cultural Mission
EPIC isn’t just a business venture—it’s an economic engine for Trinidad and a platform for cultural exchange that comes straight from Mack’s heart.
“Based on the last budget, we spent about $500,000 U.S. on local Trinidad production, labor, transportation, marketing—all our needs. We spent about $1.2 million buying tickets to fetes, and then the average person spent about $1,000 on their carnival costume,” the EPIC CEO details. “Let’s say 1,000 people bought carnival costumes, that’s about $1 million there immediately.”
The business model solves multiple problems simultaneously. It provides affordable accommodations when hotel prices surge and flights become prohibitively expensive.
“Flights during Trinidad carnival time are outrageous because of high demand; they have surge pricing. A flight that would have been $300/$400 is now $1,500,” Mack explains, gesturing animatedly. “For EPIC’s first year, we flew into Barbados, and for our second year, we flew into Puerto Rico. The numbers made sense. Flying into Puerto Rico from anywhere along the East Coast is like a $300 round-trip. We’re saving everyone at least $800-$1,000 on flights.”
The carnival entrepreneur continues, “The average hotel room in Port of Spain during Carnival per night is about $800 U.S., which is crazy. When I priced what it cost for one of the lower-tier rooms on EPIC, it’s about $400 U.S. a night, which to me is a steal when you’re getting food, drinks, and events.”
Trinidad’s Unique Economic Landscape
Unlike many of its Caribbean neighbors, Trinidad’s economy isn’t built on tourism—a fact Mack explains with the insight of someone who truly understands his homeland.
“Trinidad is not built on tourism like Jamaica, Barbados, and these other islands. We’re built on natural gas and oil, and resources,” Mack explains with pride. “We have something called the Pitch Lake. It’s a never-ending asphalt lake; we have a never-ending supply of it. So we’ve never built infrastructure.”
This resource-rich economic foundation explains the country’s limited hospitality infrastructure. “It makes no sense to build a new hotel, but it did make sense to bring a cruise ship that could come in and be a viable opportunity for Trinidad.”
Future Growth and Vision
The venture’s rapid growth is evident in its early ticket sales for the upcoming February 11-20, 2026 voyage.
“Right now, for the upcoming year three, we’ve sold 426 cabins, which we weren’t even able to launch this early for year two. We’re already halfway to our goal mark in March/April—one month since we launched EPIC this year,” notes the founder, excitement evident in his voice.
For Mack, this venture represents just the beginning of a larger vision that connects deeply to his personal story. “This is just the first step. I’m building an empire and a legacy where I can export my culture and share it with the world,” he declares. “The goal of EPIC is to expose pop America, pop Europe, to our culture, and make them feel at one with us.”
His ambitions extend beyond personal success to creating opportunities for his community. “Growing up in the Caribbean, we didn’t learn about 401(k) plans, life insurance, or having a trust for kids. Everything we have, we had to build ourselves. If I could help my community have a leg up, I want to do that for my family, and Trinidad.”
As our interview concludes, Mack’s phone rings with the distinct sound of soca music—a fitting reminder of the rhythm that drives both the man and his mission. “Carnival isn’t just an event for us—it’s who we are. And now, we’ve found a way to share that with the world.”
RELATED CONTENT: St. Thomas Carnival Brings Shabba Ranks, Beenie Man, Pressure, And More
As Disneyland kicks off its 70th celebration event, media was invited to attend an all-new live show that is bringing the magic of Mickey Mouse and friends to life at Disneyland Resort! Debuting May 16, 2025, “Disney Jr. Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Live!” is set to enchant young audiences at the Disney Theater in Hollywood Land, Disney California Adventure Park.
Inspired by the beloved Disney Junior series Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and the upcoming reboot Mickey Mouse Clubhouse+, this interactive stage production invites kids and families to join Mickey and Minnie as they prepare for a fun-filled party. When their friends Goofy, Daisy, and Pluto are missing, the duo embarks on a musical adventure to find them, culminating in a high-energy finale that brings everyone together.
The show is packed with original songs and interactive moments designed to get little ones singing, dancing, and clapping along. It’s a vibrant celebration that captures the spirit of the original series while introducing new elements from the forthcoming Mickey Mouse Clubhouse+.
You can check out a quick snippet of the show in clip below
“Disney Jr. Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Live!” is part of Disneyland Resort’s 70th-anniversary festivities, adding to the excitement with this fresh, family-friendly attraction . Replacing the former Disney Junior Dance Party!, this new show continues the tradition of engaging young audiences with beloved characters and lively performances. So be sure to check it out on during your next stay over at Disneyland, it’s a good time for kids and adults too!
The post The Happiest Place on Earth Celebrates with Disney Jr. Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Live! appeared first on Black Girl Nerds.
Revisiting a chaotic, heart-wrenching world that still makes more sense than 2025 America
Lately, revisiting the games that shaped my love for storytelling, chaos, and connection feels less like nostalgia and more like a survival tactic. Escaping into fictional worlds where battles have a purpose, where loyalty, sacrifice, and resilience still mean something, has been a balm for my tired soul. And when I think about the games that gave me that kind of refuge, Gears of War is always at the top of the list.
Now, let me be clear: I don’t love every entry in the Gears franchise unconditionally. Some of the later games? Yeah…they’re like when your favorite TV show keeps getting renewed even after the story’s been told (I’m looking directly at you, Grey’s Anatomy). You appreciate the effort, but deep down, you know the magic isn’t quite the same. But Gears of War One through Three? Those are sacred to me. Those games built a world that somehow felt brutal, raw, and still full of heart.
Gears wasn’t just about mowing down Locusts with chainsaw bayonets (though, let’s be real, revving up that Lancer was pure serotonin). It was about the bond between Marcus Fenix, Dom Santiago, Damon Baird, and Augustus “Cole Train” Cole. That brotherhood wasn’t some paint-by-numbers bro-fest. It felt earned. It was messy and tender under all the armor and growling. Marcus was the stoic backbone who’d throw hands before throwing words. Dom was the soul. He was worn down, hurting, but still hopeful. Baird was the snarky genius who never knew when to shut up. And Cole? Cole was the party, the heart, the reminder that joy could still exist even when the world was actively trying to kill you.
I still remember the devastation I felt when Dom died. I’m talking “turn off the console, sit in the dark, stare at the wall like you just got hit by a truck full of feelings” levels of devastation. Dom wasn’t just a squadmate; he was the emotional core, the reminder that grief changes you, but love — even broken, battered love — still matters. I admittedly sobbed like a baby.
The action? Absolutely unhinged in the best way possible. Giant worm tunnels. Skydiving into enemy territory without a plan. Chainsaw duels that somehow made sense. Gears said, “Logic is optional,” and we said, “Another one, thank you.” There was something therapeutic about jumping into a world that was loud, bloody, and chaotic. A world where at least you knew who the enemy was. Unlike today, where half the time the enemy is some dude on a podcast explaining why basic human rights are “up for debate.”
And honestly? That’s why Gears hits harder now than ever. The story wasn’t just about fighting monsters. It was about survival after everything you trusted collapses. It was about rebuilding from ashes, protecting the people you love even when you’re bone-tired, and pushing forward when the world feels like it just wants you to quit. In today’s world, where every news cycle feels like a boss battle you didn’t level up enough for, that message feels more real than ever. Gears didn’t promise a clean victory. It promised that the fight — the messy, heartbreaking fight — was still worth it.
Gears of War didn’t promise a clean victory. It promised that the fight was still worth it, even when it broke you along the way.
Maybe that’s why, when everything feels like it’s on fire, I find myself picking up my Lancer again. Not to forget what’s happening, but to remind myself that even when things are bad, you fight, you love, and you protect your people. You might scream into the void a little (or a lot), but you keep moving. It’s the emotional equivalent of duct-taping your cracked phone and insisting it “works just fine.”
Now, there’s talk of Netflix adapting Gears of War into a few live-action projects, and I’m cautiously optimistic. I say cautious because…well…Netflix also gave us that Resident Evil series, and I’m still in therapy for that. But with the original Gears creators deeply involved, there’s real hope that it’ll be the brutal, beautiful, heart-wrenching chaos we deserve.
Until then, I’ll keep chainsawing my way through Locusts, ugly crying over Dom, and cracking jokes like my life depends on it. Because honestly? Some days, it kind of does.
Cover image via Gearsofwar.com
Want to get Black Nerd Problems updates sent directly to you? Sign up here! Follow us on BlueSky, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Twitch, and Instagram!
The post Finding Comfort in Chaos: Revisiting ‘Gears of War’ in a World That Feels Like It’s Falling Apart appeared first on Black Nerd Problems.
“We bought the wrong house.”
That’s the intro to a Michigan man’s TikTok, which has earned over 194,000 views as of writing. True to his TikTok username @seans.crazy.life, Sean shared a rare conundrum he never thought his family would have to deal with: Becoming accidental squatters.