French Cruise Line Ponant Gets the Nod to Take Americans to Cuba

French luxury line Ponant earned approval from the Cuban government Thursday to start taking Americans to the island in 2017, making it the second cruise line gain the opportunity to take American travelers to Cuba.

Carnival Corporation’s Fathom brand obtained Cuban approval on March 21 for sailings beginning May 1, marking the first time a U.S. cruise line will sail to the island nation in more than 50 years.

Ponant, which has previously taken Europeans to the island, will now operate seven- and eight-night itineraries aboard its 64-passenger sailing yacht, Le Ponant.

“Ponant has been introducing Europeans to Cuba in the past and we are now delighted to offer Americans this enriching opportunity from a most comfortable setting aboard a cruise on Le Ponant,” said Navin Sawhney, Ponant’s CEO for the Americas.

Ponant is the second cruise line to gain approval to take Americans from the U.S. to Cuba. Carnival’s Fathom brand was the first.

Non-Cuban born Americans will be able to participate in people-to-people trips, one of the 12 visa categories authorized for American travel to Cuba. Cuban Americans born on the island are not allowed to travel there via sea, according to Cuban law.

Sailings on Le Ponant will run from January to April of 2017 and 2018, with stops in Havana and Santiago de Cuba, a Ponant spokeswoman said. The cruise line expects to publish its full itinerary and pricing for the voyages in the coming days. Ponant’s current Caribbean sailings begin at about $6,000 per person.

Fathom’s seven-day itinerary includes a two-day stop in Havana and one-day stops in Cienfiegos and Santiago de Cuba. The 704-passenger Adonia will take passengers on cultural immersion trips every other week beginning in May.

Source: The Miami Herald