Cruises to Cuba from the United States are once again legal, after a ban of half a century. Slowly but surely, the US companies will begin offering numerous and diverse packages, gradually as America will relax its embargo and Cuba will continue down the road of openness and democratization.
That being said, at the moment there are only two options available, ready for booking, if you want to embark on a cruise to Cuba with a US departure. Nevertheless, there is the practical alternative of leaving from Canada or Mexico for your cruise. 2016 will see an increase in the flow of tourists to the famed island.
If you are willing to spend a pretty penny for a complete Cuban experience, both on-shore and at sea, then check out what you have at your disposal, and what makes the small island so fascinating a place.
Cuban Attractions
Before embarking on the description of the cruises, here are some wonders of the island that should catch your eye, and make the prospect of a visit an even more inviting one:
- Music and Dance – in Cuba is the result of the interaction of Iberian instruments and musical traditions with the African addition of polyrhythmic percussion giving birth to the Son Cubano. The popularity of forms such as the habanera, bolero, rumba, and mambo are further examples of the true melting pot that is the Cuban music scenery.
- Cuisine – in the same fashion as the music, Cuban cuisine has a founding Native American layer, upon which the Spanish, French (from nearby Haiti) and African influences merge. Rice and beans are the staples of the repertoire, found in dishes such as the Boliche or the Fufu de Platano.
- Drinks – rum is the second thing that pops into everyone’s mind when the word “Cuban” is uttered. Therefore, drinks originating from Cuba include the Mojito, El Presidente, Cuba Libre or the Havana Cooler.
- Tobacco – associated with La Revolucion through Fidel Castro and El Che, the Cuban cigar is regarded as the companion of the lonely soldier and a (now former) much sought-after contraband in the United States. Torcedores are those who manufacture the cigar by hand, an art that still survives in present-day Cuba.
Cruises to Cuba with a US Departure
After the quiet retirement of El Lider Maximo, his brother, and successor, Raul, has achieved great strides in the relation between Cuba and the United States. Nevertheless, the uncertain political and economic foundation means that not many US-based tourism companies have dared to truly venture into Cuba.
The reestablishment of diplomatic relation in 2014, coupled with the 2015 ending of the travel ban means that a few companies have announced their intention of once again focusing on Cuba as a major destination, including cruise operators. Although some projected programs have been announced and then canceled because of the political ambivalence on the subject of Cuba, in 2016 and 2017 two major operators are taking reservations in what has the potential of being a voyage of discovery or, better put, of rediscovery.
As a side note, there are many cruises that include Cuba on their itinerary as part of a grand Caribbean tour, however, we are listing the companies that focus a cruise solely on the island.
FATHOM TRAVEL has added Cuba as a major cruise destination on their offer starting with May of 2016. The MV Adonia is the 704-passenger piece of Eden, the operator’s sole vessel that will be your home for a week filled with activities as diverse and picturesque as the Latin American zeitgeist itself.
The climate and the laws of demand make the peak of the season be the May to August interval, with a low in October and November. To express this in financial figures, packages for the effervescent period start at $2600-$2700 (with the most luxurious option somewhere around $9000), while the cheapest option available is for the month of October – with packages beginning at $1800.
Departing from Miami, Florida the Adonia will circle Cuba from east to west, in the 8 days planned, with the focal points of the journey being the cities of Havana, Cienfuegos, and Santiago de Cuba. Due to matters regarding Cuban policy on tourism, and especially US tourists, the whole trip is very structured, the ideological premise of the program being a cultural exchange.
Fathom prides itself in supplying the best service available, and under their slogan of “what’s included? Just about everything”, tourists will not concern themselves with drags such as securing ground transportation, travel regulations or a bit of an introduction on the customs and culture of Cuba.
The boat itself is an enjoyable microcosm – with a length of 592 feet, 12 decks, a beam of 84 feet and a crew of about 400 available to tailor your every whim. Highlights on the ground include a two-day exploration of the colorful life in Havana in the footsteps of Ernest Hemingway, a day of musing along the UNESCO World Heritage site of Cienfuegos, capped off by a day in the former colonial center of Santiago.
ZEGRAHM Expeditions offers a radically different Cuban experience. They bet on inducing a mix of adventure and high-end luxury in the mind of several dozen large-pocketed customers. A 17-day air, land and sea odyssey that begins on 29th of March 2017 is proposed for just somewhere north of $17 000.
Leaving Miami on a chartered flight to Havana, the lucky adventurer gets to spend three days in Cuba’s capital city for an intense Latin American experience. Next, the guests embark on Le Ponant, a three mast, 300 feet luxury yacht.
The itinerary means to explore the whole coastline in a clock-wise design, the opposite of Fathom’s. The highlights of the rest of the undertaking are:
- Matanzas, the “city of bridges”, where there is a rancher’s experience on offer.
- Diving and snorkeling at Cayo Guillermo.
- Native American relics in Holquin.
- Sugarcane and cocoa plantations around Baracoa.
- A taste of colonial life in Trinidad.
After completing the Cuban circle, the second time in Havana is noted for a festive, farewell dinner in a landmark restaurant. On your seventeenth day (it takes longer than the Olympic Games) you will board your chartered flight back to Miami, with a tale of adventure without the dangers that lurked for the conquistadors.
For those who enjoy a complete experience, these two types of cruises to Cuba come as welcomed addition to the landscape available for US tourists who do not wish to get overly complicated by first traveling to Canada or Mexico. There is a projected relaxation of the political environment, so the future surely holds a diversification in the operator’s offers.
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