The end of an Era?? I certainly hope not!

It may well be the end of cruises to Cuba just six months after several cruise lines were finally given the green light to use this Caribbean destination a a port of call.

I certainly hope it is not.  I enjoyed my honeymoon here 2 years ago, and I can hand on heart say it is one of the nicest if not the nicest holiday destination I have been to.  The people, the overall culture is just beautiful.  I had 2 weeks of pure sunshine, nothing was too much trouble for any of the staff, they constantly worked with a smile on their faces, even though some of the guests were not as polite as us.  The white sandy beaches, the clear blue water, if cruising was to stop here, it would be a crime that others get to miss out on this fantastic destination.

I know the country isn’t going to stop having visitors but there is something about stopping at a destination on a cruise ship that you just can’t shake.  You like to make the most of it whilst you are there, as I have said in my previous blogs, for the cruise is about destination, and Cuba is definitely up there, especially since we couldn’t do the trip to Havana when we were on honeymoon, as the trip wasn’t running and it was too far away to do the journey by bus.

With news that President Donald Trump is expected to stem the tide of US tourism to Cuba with his plans to announce a new policy regarding the destination, there is a very real possibility that the end of a whole new travel era may be ending before it even had a chance to fully pick up steam.

Just over a week ago, Fathom’s Adonia returned to Miami, Florida, after visiting Havana, Cienfuegos and Santiago de Cuba, Cuba for the last time.

Instead of renewing the line’s license, Adonia is set to rejoin the P&O Cruises fleet after news that Carnival Corporation’s newest brand will be continuing only with ‘impact travel’ experience opportunities, instead of sustaining as a ship operator.

Historically though, Fathom and Adonia’s contribution to conveniently cruising Cuba is not all lost as back in May 2016, the brand was the first to re-open the route between Miami and Havana in over 50 years.

In the months following this, several cruise lines followed suit such as; Azamara Club Cruises, Oceania Cruises, Pearl Seas Cruises, Regent Seven Seas Cruises and Royal Caribbean International.

Both Carnival Cruise Line and Holland America Line are also scheduled to head there, picking up where Fathom left off for the Carnival Corp.

Cruisers wishing to make the most of the ban being lifted, however, should be aware that upcoming cruises to Cuba, as well as regularly running roundtrips, are likely to be on the chopping block if Trump’s new policy alters US citizens’ legal permissions to travel to the Caribbean stop.

Carnival, Holland America and even Viking Ocean Cruises may not have a chance to go at all this year if travel is shut down immediately.

Royal Caribbean recently committed that far out with its Empress of the Seas on a total of 28 additional sailings to Havana; Norwegian’s voyages to Cuba are now also in jeopardy.