MIAMI – Carnival Corp. will soon offer cruises traveling from PortMiami to Cuba, the company announced Tuesday.
The cruises to Cuba are expected to set sail beginning in May 2016 via the company's new fathom brand, which focuses on trips where passengers sail to a destination in order to volunteer there.
In a news release, the company said the new brand is a "social impact travel brand providing purpose-oriented, social impact experiences" that will initially begin with cruises offered to the Dominican Republic in April 2016.
"We are excited about receiving U.S. approval as the very important first step to ultimately take travelers to Cuba under the existing 12 criteria for authorized travel. We look forward to working with the Cuban authorities for their approval to help make the social, cultural and humanitarian exchanges between U.S. citizens and the people of Cuba a reality," said Arnold Donald, president and CEO of Carnival Corp.
"We know there is strong demand from travelers who want to immerse themselves in Cuban culture, so this is a historic opportunity for us to enable more people to experience Cuban society. It is also an important opportunity for our new fathom brand to expand its positive influence in the world with this potential to add full-week immersion sailings to Cuba to its already planned full-week social-impact itineraries to the Dominican Republic beginning in the spring of 2016."
The weekly seven-day voyages will depart from PortMiami aboard the MV Adonia, a 710-passenger cruise ship.
Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez acknowledged Carnival's important corporate presence in South Florida, and at the same time, the county's futile effort a few years ago to end business ties with companies doing business with Cuba.
"There is a court order that says that if Miami-Dade County - the commissioners etc., step in the way of the State Department's determination of how to do business, if it's legal or not, it actually can be contempt of court," Gimenez said.
"If a vessel is allowed to berth and is within the legal parameters, the vessel is coming in," said Port Director Juan Kuryla.
The first voyage will be to the northern Dominican Republic's new port of call, Amber Cove, which will serve as the fathom brand's home base.
Prices for a seven-day trip to the Dominican Republic start at $1,540 per person, and prices to Cuba start at $2,990 per person. Fares vary depending on the season.
Click here for more information about the cruises.
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