Miami travels to the sound of Cuba
Miami, a nearby city and a settlement for Cuban emigrants, becomes the strategically most suitable embarkation port to reach Havana.
They say whoever strikes first strikes twice and **Apple Vacations** just started offering trips through their company Road Scholar, while jet blue it has chartered a weekly charter from Miami and another from New York to Havana, becoming the first North American airline to fly to Cuba in decades.
But the biggest investment on the island is being made by the **shared room service AirBnB** that has won a twenty billion dollar contract with the Cuban government. Airbnb has moved so fast that it has taken its competitors by surprise, becoming the business company that invests the most in Cuba in fifty years. With their network of private houses converted into bed and breakfasts, they are managing to change Cuban laws by turning individuals into private entrepreneurs who sell their rooms through independent web pages. Today there are more than two thousand AirBnB rooms on the island of Cuba.
The map of AirBnB in Cuba
The five decades of embargo end and you can legally visit the country without the need for an entry license, albeit with certain restrictions . At the last fair cruise shipping in Miami, several companies announced their intention to travel to Havana from Miami. The presidents of Royal Caribbean , Norwegian Cruise Line , Carnival and MSC Cruises were very hopeful, although they pointed out that there are still obstacles to overcome such as lack of infrastructure.
Frank J. del Rio , president and general manager of Norwegian Cruise Line, of Cuban origin, stressed that his signing looks forward to the opportunities of the cruise ship market in Cuba . "We are ready for Cuba. Our expectation is to consider the Caribbean island as a tourist destination of great interest," he said proudly. For its part, Carnival Corp. plans to offer trips from Miami to Cuba, becoming the first cruise company in the United States. united that will visit Cuba since the 1960 trade embargo . The trips will be through its new brand, Fathom, which focuses on trips where passengers sail to a destination to volunteer. "This is an important first step for our company and for the cruise industry," said CEO Arnold Donald, "It kicks off our plan to build a long-term experience for the industry in Cuba."
Cruise arriving at the Malecon
The one-week voyages will take place aboard the Adonia , which has capacity for 710 passengers. The ship is relatively small for the industry: Cruise ships sailing under the company's namesake line can carry nearly 3,000 passengers. Adonia will not have a casino or Broadway shows . And visitors shouldn't expect to spend their time in Cuba scuba diving or jet skiing. Every day, under current United States regulations, will have to spend at least eight hours involved in some type of cultural experience.
Donald pointed out that the small size of the Adonia allows it to enter Cuban ports that are not ready to accommodate large ships. Carnival expects high demand for its voyages, so it has set a base price of $2,990 per person, plus taxes and port fees. The starting price for a trip with similar service on the same ship to the Dominican Republic is $1,540 per person . The itinerary is still being finalized while Carnival awaits approval from the Cuban government. The ship is expected to visit several ports and passengers will sleep on board each night. The license for Carnival comes as part of recent Treasury Department approvals for six passenger vessels.
The government did not reveal the name of the companies that received these licenses or what their specific line of business is. They could be ferries, chartered yachts, or cruise ships. Of those six, four are authorized for passengers and crew to spend the night on board , even when docking at a Cuban port. The ships aren't authorized to call at other countries, so Cuba isn't likely to become one of four or five stops on a typical Caribbean cruise anytime soon.
Follow @mariateam
*** You may also be interested in...**
- Havana Guide
- 48 hours in Miami
- Places to visit in Cuba
- All the articles of María Estévez
Welcome to the country of sound