When it comes to travel, it often feels like the world is wide open to exploration. Especially when it comes to cruises, there’s hardly any place that you can’t go. After all, with cruises sailing to the farthest corners of the globe, it’s difficult to imagine that any place would be off limits.
However, for years, U.S. travelers were prevented from sailing to Cuba. So while you could enjoy a trip down the Nile or the Amazon, if you were a U.S. citizen, you could not find your way to Havana. All of that changed in 2015, when the travel embargo was lifted for U.S. travelers to Cuba. And since then, the tourism industry there has begun to bloom.
Naturally, the cruise industry was interested in getting on board with this new opportunity. And, as a result, multiple cruise lines have now created itineraries with Cuba in mind. After all, a Cuba cruise feels only natural, as the island is conveniently reached by boat and just a short sail from Florida.A
A recent story indicates that more cruises may begin to dock on this once-forbidden island.
Royal Caribbean’s Azamara Quest docked in the harbor of Havana on March 31st. This is the first Royal Caribbean vessel to arrive in Cuba. The company’s CEO Adam Goldstein was one of the passengers on the ship for its maiden voyage. He explained, “The ships of our company visit almost 500 ports around the world. But there has been exactly one place where we have been wanting to go to for 50 years and that is Havana, Cuba. This really fills in an opportunity that we have wanted to provide to our guests for decades.”
Carnival, Pearl Seas and Norwegian Cruise Lines have also created Cuban voyages, contributing to the huge increase in tourism that the island has seen in the past year and a half. According to the Cuban Ministry of Tourism, 110,000 cruise vacationers are expected this year.
Here for You, Wherever You Need Us
We are always glad to hear of a new and exciting place to set sail, especially one like Cuba, which many people have anticipated visiting for decades. However, as a maritime law firm, we feel it is our responsibility to remind travelers to keep their guard up when abroad.
We completely understand the excitement involved with getting to experience Cuba. However, that should not come at the expense of your own personal safety. Due to the fact that tourism is now the second largest source of income for the Cuban economy, it is likely that the government will be especially vigilant of keeping cruise passengers–and all other tourists for that matter–out of harm’s way. However, you can never be too conscious of where you are going and spending your time.
If you choose to vacation in Cuba, we have no doubt that you’ll have an exciting vacation with memories to last a lifetime. However, keep your safety a top priority so that the memories you make are good ones. And if you do find yourself suffering from accident or injury during your cruise vacation, you can rest assured that we are here to help.
Our team is adept at helping clients navigate complex issues around the world. No matter where you’ve traveled, a maritime lawyer on our team will gladly be on hand to take the legal worries off of your shoulders. So if you have questions about your situation and are ready to take the next step, do not hesitate to contact us.
Published on April 3, 2017
Categories: Cruise Ship Law, International Maritime
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