Cuba positions itself as attractive destination for cruisers

A growing number of cruise companies already include Cuba in their routes. Traveling to the Caribbean island with their luxury, large passenger ships is a sign of the increasing and positive image of our country as a safe destination.

Seventeen companies with twenty five cruisers are operating in Cuba. At the end of last tourist season, more than five hundred thousand visitors had visited the island, which meant a 67% increase from the previous year.

According to the minister of Tourism of Cuba Manuel Marrero, new and exclusive cruisers should start its operations this year with seven hundred thousand tourists expected.

Last February, the luxury American cruise company Regent Seven Seas Cruises —sole US cruise company with granted permission to offer voyage to Cuba— announced more trips to the Caribbean destination in 2019 and 2020.

Carnival Cruise also added 23 voyages to the Caribbean with some stopovers in Cuba 2019-2020.

Cuba’s main ports are located in Havana, Cienfuegos, Santiago de Cuba, and Cayo Largo del Sur, with international arrivals and departures. Meanwhile, other locations like Casilda, Antillas, Puerto Frances, and Maria la Gorda serve as stopovers.

Recently, it was spread the news that a new investment program to augment the two cruise terminals in Havana to a total of six in 2024 is being set into motion.

The management of these terminals will be in charge of the Cuban firm Aries and world’s major cruiser operator Global Ports Holding.

Translated by Sergio A. Paneque Diaz / CubaSi Translation Staff