If you blink, you can miss a wealth of new Cuba offerings as new products and tours to the once forbidden Caribbean island seem to be pumping out daily. To keep you ahead of the game, Travel Agent breaks down the latest Cuba offerings that we think you can make some money on.
Delta Vacations Adds People-to-People Tours to Cuba Offerings
Travelers who want to visit Cuba now have more options with Delta Vacations, as the company recently announced that it has expanded its portfolio to include escorted tours that help travelers satisfy the People-to-People Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) requirements.
The packages are available for purchase with travel beginning April 30. Clients can choose a guided experience to Havana and Varadero spanning eight days and seven nights or a shorter option of six days and five nights in Havana.
Each experience will allow travelers to immerse themselves in the local culture with activities around the country that include visits to historical sites like the El Morro Castle, Old Havana, Vinales and Finca La Vigia, Ernest Hemingway's home. With these activities, participants will also have the opportunity to converse and interact with locals.
For example, a Cuba history scholar will provide Cuba's perspective on the Spanish American War of 1898 while walking the grounds of El Morro Castle.
Also, a local guide will explain the history and architecture during a walking tour of Old Havana. The tours include accommodations, most meals, all educational exchange activities, ground transportation and an English-speaking guide to navigate travelers throughout the trip.
By booking a package with Delta Vacations, customers will receive 1,000 bonus miles in addition to the credited flown miles for flight and hotel packages to Cuba through the SkyMiles program.
Visit www.delta.com/cuba-travelpackages
Kempinski Plans to Open Five-Star Hotel in Cuba This Spring
Kempinski Hotels has announced that it will open its first hotel in Cuba in the second quarter of this year.
The Gran Hotel Manzana Kempinski La Habana will have 246 rooms and suites and is located within the historic Manzana de Gomez building in the heart of Old Havana, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Guests can choose from 246 luxury rooms and suites, ranging in size from 430 feet to the presidential suite’s roughly 1,600 feet. Other hotel highlights include a rooftop terrace and swimming pool with views of the city.
There will also be a spa managed by Resense, three restaurants, a lobby bar, a cigar lounge, and a business center.
Visit www.kempinski.com
Carnival Paradise to Add Havana, Cuba, Calls Starting in June
Following the launch of cruises from the U.S. to Cuba on Carnival Corporation’s Fathom brand last year, the company’s Carnival Cruise Line brand has received approval to sail to Cuba.
The line said it will add calls at Havana to select Carnival Paradise voyages from Tampa beginning in June 2017.
The overnight visits to Havana will take place on 12 four- and five-day cruises aboard Carnival Paradise, departing from the Port of Tampa starting June 29, 2017.
Four-day cruises will depart June 29, July 13, August 24, September 7 and 21, and October 5 and 19, 2017 as well as May 3, 2018, and include a daytime and overnight visit to Havana. Five-day voyages will depart August 14 and 28, September 25 and October 9, 2017, and include a daytime and overnight visit to Havana as well as a stop in either Cozumel or Key West.
Carnival Paradise guests will be able to choose from a range of shore excursion experiences that showcase Cuba’s culture, along with the island’s people and architectural landmarks.
Aboard Carnival Paradise, guests can enjoy an array of amenities and a full schedule of daytime activities and nighttime entertainment. A variety of dining options include two full-service main dining rooms and poolside choices. The ship also has a 12,000-square-foot Spa Carnival health and wellness facility and an exclusive Serenity adults-only retreat. Popular family-friendly programming includes Seuss at Sea in partnership with Dr. Seuss Enterprises and featuring the Green Eggs and Ham Breakfast with The Cat in the Hat and Friends and supervised activities for kids in three age groups. Four swimming pools and a 115-foot-long water slide are additional features.
The visits to Havana comply with regulations of the U.S. Department of Treasury that permit travel operators to transport approved travelers to Cuba to engage in activities as defined by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Office of Foreign Assets Control.
The new voyages can be booked now.
Visit www.goccl.com
Audley Travel Announces Launch of Cuba Tours to U.S. Market
While Audley Travel has operated trips to Cuba from its United Kingdom office for the last five years, it recently launched Cuba tours to the United States market for the first time.
According to an Audley Travel news release, the company feels the five years experience of selling Cuba tours "means they have had years to vet local guides, taste the best bites, and uncover the most unique experiences that other companies are just beginning to scratch the surface on."
Because Cuba’s hotel options are limited compared to other countries, Audley has selected a portfolio of private family houses – or casas particulares – allowing guests an exclusive insider view of Cuba. As a guest in a local's home, a client can enjoy a home cooked meal while being treated like family in this personal setting.
Each client will be paired with a "chauffeur-guide" for the length of their trip. This guide will serve as an ambassador to Cuba’s dynamic culture. For lovers of experiential travel, Audley can provide off-the-beaten path experiences, highlighting the day-to-day life of Cuba’s people.
Some other experiential offerings Audley can provide include a private performance from an internationally accomplished violinist and a visit to a local hospital to witness Cuba’s famous public health system.
A 10-day, tailor-made tour of Cuba starts from $5,730 per person including a private chauffeur-guide, daily cultural activities, hand selected accommodations with breakfast and daily private tours.
For those wanting to take in the entire island, Audley recommends their 15-day "Cuba Uncovered," which spans both the east and west side of Cuba visiting a selection of highlights. This itinerary starts at $8,995 per person.
Visit www.audleytravel.com
Norwegian Cruise Line to Offer Cuba Cruises Through December
Norwegian Cruise Line has announced that it will extend its weekly roundtrip cruises from Miami to Cuba onboard Norwegian Sky, the largest vessel sailing to Cuba, through December. Together with the five previously announced cruises in May 2017, these 25 additional cruises, which start in June 2017, all include an overnight stay in Cuba's capital of Havana.
Norwegian Sky will sail four-day roundtrip cruises from Miami each Monday, with an overnight in the capital of Havana as well as a call on Great Stirrup Cay, Norwegian's private island in the Bahamas. The ship will dock in the heart of Havana, offering guests the opportunity to visit historical sites such as Old Havana, a UNESCO World Heritage Site; view art and listen to the local music scene; and visit with Cuba's residents through people-to-people exchanges. Norwegian will offer a selection of 15 half and full-day OFAC-compliant shore excursions, where guests aboard Norwegian Sky will have the opportunity to have a farm to table dining experience, explore the flora and fauna of Soroa, see modern Havana in an American classic car and more.
Norwegian Sky's sailings to Cuba will also include a call to Great Stirrup Cay, Norwegian's private island destination in the Bahamas that was recently enhanced, with additional features to be added through summer 2017.
Guests sailing on Norwegian Sky will also enjoy unlimited complimentary beverages as a part of the ship's all-inclusive program.
Norwegian Sky's four-day cruises to Cuba will open for sale on February 21.
Visit www.ncl.com
Fathom Announces Savings for Cruises to Cuba
Fathom, one of Carnival Corporation’s 10 cruise brands, has announced significant savings for deluxe staterooms for its week-long cruises to Cuba.
Travelers who book by March 31 for Fathom’s cruises to Cuba between March 5 and May 28 can save up to 28 percent off the standard rate. Choices feature:
- Premium balcony staterooms starting from $2,999 with an additional $150 shipboard credit.
- Ocean view staterooms starting from $2,499 with a $75 shipboard credit.
Shipboard credits can be redeemed for a treatment at Fathom’s full-service spa, dinner at the ships specialty restaurant or on any item from one the on board retail stores.
The new offer follows Fathom’s recent announcement that allowed travelers to book six upcoming voyages known as the “Cultures of Caribbean” for $399 that will visit the Dominican Republic and Santiago de Cuba.
Prices for ocean view and balcony staterooms to Cuba from March 5 to May 8 start at $2,499 and $2,999 per person based on double occupancy and includes all meals on the ship, lunch while in the three ports, on board experiences and select on-shore activities. To secure a spot on a future sailing, a non-refundable $600 per person deposit is required at the time of the booking and final payment is due 90 days prior to departure.
Visit www.Fathom.org and keep visiting www.travelagentcentral.com for all your latest travel news. Be sure to follow Travel Agent’s Joe Pike on Twitter @TravelPike and Instagram @pike5260.