Carnival and the Cuban government have struck a deal to allow the cruise line to serve the island nation without discriminating against Cuba-born travelers.
“Carnival Corporation worked closely with Cuba to allow its cruise ships to operate in a similar manner as current air charter operations in Cuba, starting with its historic voyage on May 1,” the travel company said in a statement.
Last week, the Cuban government said it would bar Cuban-born Americans from traveling on cruise ships. Initially, the company agreed to the Cuban government’s demands that barred Cuban-born Americans from participating, and it informed Cuban-Americans born on the island who tried to buy tickets that they could not make the trip.
But that prompted a Miami couple to file a discrimination lawsuit over Carnival’s decision. It also forced Secretary of State John Kerry to advise Carnival not to go forward with its trips under those rules.
“American citizens, Cuban-Americans, have a right to travel, and we should not be in a situation where the Cuban government is forcing its discrimination policy on us,” Kerry said in an interview with the Miami Herald and CNN en Espanol. “So we call on the government of Cuba to change that policy and to recognize that if they want full relations and a normal relationship with the United States, they have to live by international laws, not exclusively by Cuban laws.”
Carnival then pushed the Castro regime to allow cruise ships to operate in the same manner as air charter operations, which don’t discriminate against Cuba-born Americans in transporting them to the island. Cuba eventually came around, and will allow Cuban-born Americans to participate.
“This is a positive outcome and we are extremely pleased,” Carnival CEO Arnold Donald said Friday. “We want to extend our sincere appreciation to Cuba and to our team who worked so hard to help make this happen.”
Carnival is the first U.S. cruise company to gain approval from the Cuban government to begin regular trips from the United States. It’s planning week-long voyages with stops in Havana, Cienfuegos and Santiago de Cuba.
