Royal Caribbean International has expanded its sailings to Cuba in 2018 with new itineraries, new destinations, and more sailings across two ships, Majesty of the Seas and Empress of the Seas. The four- to eight-night Cuban itineraries will continue to sail to the city of Havana, but now include stops at the new ports of Santiago de Cuba and Cienfuegos on the southeast coast.
Departing from Miami year-round, the Empress of the Seas cruises will include seven-night “Best of Cuba” itineraries to Cienfuegos, Havana, and Nassau, Bahamas; five-night sailings to Key West, Florida plus a night in Havana; and an eight-night trip to Cienfuegos, Santiago de Cuba, Grand Cayman, and Labadee, Haiti.
The Majesty of the Seas journeys will continue the four- and five-night trips to Havana that include day and overnight stays, departing from Tampa from April to October 2018, and Ft. Lauderdale from November 2018 to March 2019. All Royal Caribbean sailings to Cuba will offer shore excursions.
On the Empress of the Seas, Royal Caribbean has incorporated Cuban culture throughout with Cuban menu items served at the Café Royal, salsa music and dancing in Boleros Latin lounge, and on-board activities inspired by the island. Empress has 11 guest decks, carries 1,602 guests at double occupancy and has 795 staterooms.
The two new destinations – Santiago de Cuba and Cienfuegos – have a range of attractions, activities, and historical sites. Cienfuegos includes attractions like a botanical garden with more than 2,000 plant species on display, the 950-seat Tomas Terry Theatre, and the Santa Isabel Boulevard. In Santiago de Cuba, guests can see the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Castillo del Morro, the Sierra Maestra foothills and historic sites like Revolution Square.
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