Miami-based Carnival Corp has been approved by Cuban authorities from Havanatur Celimar and other agencies to begin sailing to the island nation. The approval marks the first time in over 50 years Cuba has allowed a U.S. cruise line into its ports. The company’s newest cruise line, Fathom, is scheduled to start sailing regularly from PortMiami on May 1 with its 704-passenger MV Adonia. The U.S. agreed to the trips in July under its 12 sanctioned categories for travel to the island.
The catch is that traveling to the country as a tourist destination isn’t technically allowed. This means Fathom travelers will have to spend most of their days in Cuba learning about culture and volunteering at the three ports of call in Havana, Cienfuegos and Santiago de Cuba. “I think that we’re really pleased with how the process has gone,” said Tara Russell, president of Fathom. “We’re making history and anytime you’re making history there’s a lot of detail and complexity involved.”
