This Cruise Ship Is the Newest Way to See Cuba

Interest in travel to Cuba has surged this year, and now there's a new way to see the island: by cruise ship. The just-announced itinerary for the 48-passenger Panorama will let travelers explore Cienfuegos, Cuba before embarking on a seven-night sail to Havana. The new offer, from International Expeditions, makes its first departure late this year and is operated as a legal, people-to-people trip open to any American visitor.

"In addition to a historian-led walking tour of 500-year-old Trinidad," writes Emily Harley of International Expeditions in an email, "travelers [will] stop on the island of Cayo Largo, home to a sea turtle breeding center, the remote western Guanahacabibes Peninsula, and venture into the Viñales Valley." Because the trip is operated as a people-to-people tour, there are ample opportunities to interact with local dance and theater groups and meet Cuban artists, she says.

"This is BIG news," writes cruise expert Linda Allen in an email. "Being there before Cuba changes is on the wish list for many, and even non-cruisers can appreciate the comfort of seeing Cuba by ship." Staying aboard the Panorama means avoiding surprises at Cuban hotels, which often are not as nice as those that travelers expect when visiting other Caribbean islands. "Cuba is a country still lacking in basic tourism infrastructure outside of Havana," Harley acknowledges.

The Panorama, a three-masted vessel with both sail and motor power, has a dining room, two bars, a sun deck, and a swimming platform for use at anchor. In recent years, it sailed the coastlines of Albania, Croatia, Greece, and Montenegro.

Trips will span ten days total, staring in Miami, where guests will spend the night before flying by charter to Cienfuegos (or nearby Santa Clara, depending on departure). After a night in Cienfuegos, guests sail for seven nights aboard the Panorama before disembarking in Havana and returning to Miami by air.