March 23, 2016
Lynne Sladky/AP
The cruise ship Carnival Destiny passes the southern most point of Miami Beach, Fla. as it heads out to sea.
According to the Miami Herald, the Carnival Corporation will begin round-trip cruises from Miami into the port of Havana, Cuba, in May.
The news came Monday during President Obama’s historic visit to the island. The cruise between the U.S. and Cuba will be a first in more than 50 years, the Miami Herald said.
To meet the qualifications from Americans to travel to Cuba, Carnival Corp. is looking to its cultural exchange programs, one of the 12 approved categories .
“(Carnival Corp.’s Fathom brand’s) 704-passenger Adonia will take guests on seven-day itineraries around Cuba,” the Herald said.
The sailings will leave from PortMiami on Sundays and circumnavigate the island, with stops in Havana, Santiago de Cuba and Cienfuegos, it said. Prices start at $1,800 per person, plus a Cuban visa, fees, taxes and port expenses.
Russell said the cruise line will handle visa and affidavit processing for passengers, including those who book in the 40 days before Fathom’s first sailing to the island.
According to the Miami Herald, “Tours will be focused on “voluntourism,” experiences that can range from meeting with Cuban groups and exchanging cultural information to teaching locals English.”
Read the full Miami Herald article here.
