All aboard! Royal Caribbean and Norwegian can now set sail from Florida to Cuba, many of the cruises are from Port Tampa Bay.
The parent companies of cruise giants Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line announced they had received Cuban government approval for the brands to operate voyages to the country from Florida.
Royal Caribbean announced Friday that its 2,270-passenger Empress of the Seas, will call Port Tampa Bay its homeport for the 2017 summer season offering a series of four- and five-night sailings including port calls to destinations in Cuba.
Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (NCLH) said all three of its brands – Norwegian Sky, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Mariner -- are approved to operate voyages to the country starting in March.
The company said Oceania's 1,250-passenger Marina would be the first of its ships to sail to Cuba with a voyage from Miami scheduled for March 7. The upscale vessel will call at Havana as part of a broader Caribbean itinerary.
Marina then will operate several more Caribbean cruises out of Miami through May that include calls at Havana. Many of the Havana calls will be multi-day stops.
Regent's 700-passenger Seven Seas Mariner will call on Havana during two cruises in April, and Norwegian's 2,004-passenger Norwegian Sky will offer a selection of four-day voyages that will overnight in Havana in May.
You may be wondering what the trip will be like to the communist country with restrictions for tourists.
Royal Caribbean says you have to have your passport and a $75 Cuba tourist visa arranged by the cruise line.
Plus, more forms to fill out: you have to explain why you're in Cuba and keep a log of your activity while on the island.
U.S. visitors still are limited in the activities they are allowed to do in the country by the terms of the USA's five-decade-old embargo. The embargo specifies that activities fall within one of 12 approved categories. The categories include educational pursuits such as people-to-people exchanges.
Travelers won’t have the ability to get off the ship and leisurely wander around on your own. Royal Caribbean says shore excursions are restricted and have to be booked onboard. There are options like guided tours through old Havana with specific photo stops.
If you’re looking to bring back Cuban cigars or rum, that’s okay, as long as it's for personal use.
But how will you pay? Credit cards most likely won't be accepted by shops and vendors who don't have the technology. You can exchange the dollar for the Cuban Convertible Peso.
A caution about booking now, while the Obama administration loosen travel restrictions to Cuba over the past year, it could all change once President Elect Trump takes office in January. He has recently tweeted, "If Cuba is unwilling to make a better deal for the Cuban people, the Cuban/American people and the US as a whole, I will terminate the deal.”
Port Tampa Bay and Royal Caribbean are ready to fire up the salsa music saying they're excited to introduce culture-seeking travelers to Cuba from Tampa.
“This is truly historic for Port Tampa Bay to have cruises to Cuba and we are thrilled that Royal Caribbean has chosen Port Tampa Bay to offer the largest ship to sail to Cuba from the United States. To have three Royal Caribbean ships in 2017 is exciting for cruise passengers seeking new and innovative experiences,” Paul Anderson, port president and CEO, said.
“Royal Caribbean guests will have the opportunity to sail out of Port Tampa Bay all year long for the very first time. We are excited to welcome the Empress of the Seas this summer, and we look forward to continuing to be a great partner with Royal Caribbean and a top cruise port for them for years to come,” he said.
The ships will be the first from established cruise brands to sail from the USA to Cuba in decades. The only other cruise vessel sailing from the USA to Cuba is the 704-passenger Adonia, which flies the flag of Fathom, a little-known, one-ship brand launched earlier this year by Carnival Corp. (CCL).
Adonia began bi-weekly voyages to Cuba in May but soon will end the trips. Fathom has struggled to gain traction with consumers, and Carnival Corp. announced last month that the brand would shut down its cruise operations next spring.
The newly announce voyages by major brands are likely to be a bigger hit than the Fathom sailings as they appear to be focused on the Cuban capital of Havana, which is the key draw in the country for most Americans, and they're not too drawn out, said longtime industry watcher Mike Driscoll, editor of Cruise Week. The Fathom trips include stops in the secondary Cuban cities of Santiego de Cuba and Cienfuegos, which have less appeal to Americans, and last a full week.
"This is what the public wants," said Driscoll. "They want overnight stays in Havana as part of a (broader) Caribbean cruise or short trips (from Miami) to Havana, such as Norwegian Sky will be doing. In the old days (before the U.S. embargo of Cuba), short cruises to Havana were by far the most popular."
In a research note to investors issued Wednesday, Wells Fargo analyst Tim Conder suggested the approvals would be a boon for the cruise business. Net yields for the entire industry are likely to get a boost in the Caribbean as a result of the demand for the trips.
"It further enhances guest access to a highly desirable cruise destination," Conder noted.
In a statement accompanying Wednesday's announcement, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings CEO Frank Del Rio said he was proud that one of Oceania's vessels would be the company's first to visit Cuba. Del Rio founded Oceania Cruises and is a Cuban-American.
“This is truly a dream come true for me, and I cannot wait for our loyal guests to experience the sights and sounds of my hometown of Havana and get to know its rich culture and its warm and welcoming residents,” Del Rio said.
Royal Caribbean Cruises chairman and CEO Richard Fain said in a statement that the company's customers have "expressed real interest in having the opportunity to experience Cuba, and we look forward to bringing them there."
The Cuba calls planned for the five lines will provide an opportunity for "people-to-people" exchanges between Americans and Cubans as allowed by U.S. rules governing visits to Cuba, the companies said.
