Carnival aims to launch Cuba cruises

Associated Press

The world’s largest cruise company could be heading to Cuba.

Starting in May, Carnival Corp. plans to offer trips from Miami to the Caribbean island nation, the company announced Tuesday. Carnival says it would become the first American cruise company to visit Cuba since the 1960 trade embargo. The trips will be through its new brand, Fathom, which focuses on trips in which passengers sail to a destination to volunteer there.

The weeklong cruises will be aboard the Adonia, which carries 710 passengers. The ship is relatively small for the industry; ships sailing under the company’s namesake line carry nearly 3,000 passengers. Adonia won’t have a casino or Broadway shows. And guests shouldn’t expect to spend their time in Cuba snorkeling or riding Jet Skis. Each day, under U.S. regulations governing Cuba visits, they will have to spend at least eight hours involved in some type of cultural experience.

Carnival is expecting high demand for the voyages and has priced them accordingly. Prices start at $2,990 per person plus taxes and port fees. A similar service-oriented trip on the same ship to the Dominican Republic starts at $1,540 per person.