Cuba

[ssb]

Royal is hoping to be going into Cuba as early as end of 2016 from possibly San Diego, Galveston , and Florida with alternating itineraries.

Information from an authoritative source ! Good Galveston is in the mix. :)

[Keith1010]

That would be nice for Galveston.

 

Keith

[Clarea]

Royal is hoping to be going into Cuba as early as end of 2016 from possibly San Diego, Galveston , and Florida with alternating itineraries.

Information from an authoritative source ! Good Galveston is in the mix. :)

It would certainly make me consider cruising from Galveston.

[Keith1010]

ssb, any idea when we'll know about Galveston or for that matter any of the ports for sailings going to Cuba.

 

Keith

[swscruiser]

Getting to or from San Diego Would have to travel thru the Panama Canal which would make it an interesting port for alternating cruises.

[George C]

Would love to see RCCL cruise Cuba from Galveston.

[jonbgd]

Any new port for cruising out of Galveston would be appreciated

 

Cuba would be HUUUUUUUUUUUGE:p

[ssb]

To Quote

 

The world’s largest cruise company could be heading to Cuba.

Starting in May, Carnival Corporation plans to offer trips from Miami to the Caribbean island nation, the company announced on Tuesday. Carnival says it would become the first American cruise company to visit Cuba since the 1960 trade embargo. The trips will be through its new brand, fathom, which focuses on trips where passengers sail to a destination in order to volunteer there.

CEO Arnold Donald called the Cuba plans “an important first step” for his company and for the cruise industry.

“We’re certain this is the tip of the iceberg in what’s going to come in the years to come,” Donald told the Associated Press.

[ssb]

Any new port for cruising out of Galveston would be appreciated

 

Cuba would be HUUUUUUUUUUUGE:p

 

YES Cuba would be huuuuuuuuuuuuge!

 

Jon

Have you missed that Carnival cruises has had 2 - 21 days cruises recently

From Galveston to San Juan

to Eastern Carib

back to San Juan

then to Southern Carib

back to San Juan

then back into Galveston ?

Edited March 2, 2016 by ssb

[Keith1010]

Time will tell.

 

Who would have guessed a 18 months ago we would be even discussing this.

 

Keith

[ssb]

Time will tell.

 

Who would have guessed a 18 months ago we would be even discussing this.

 

Keith

 

For sure Keith ! :)

As the world turns!

Edited March 2, 2016 by ssb

[JimAOk1945]

There is a short Cruise Critic article about the Carnival ship, Fathom, at the link below.

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/reviews/cruiseline.cfm?CruiseLineID=206

 

According to the Fathom website, at present the only itineraries offered are from Miami to Cuba and the Dominican Republic.

 

https://www.fathom.org/

 

It would be nice if Royal Caribbean would add some new itineraries out of Galveston. We can hope.

[ssb]

There is a short Cruise Critic article about the Carnival ship, Fathom, at the link below.

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/reviews/cruiseline.cfm?CruiseLineID=206

 

According to the Fathom website, at present the only itineraries offered are from Miami to Cuba and the Dominican Republic.

 

https://www.fathom.org/

 

It would be nice if Royal Caribbean would add some new itineraries out of Galveston. We can hope.

 

Its all in negotiation! Here is hoping !

[JimAOk1945]

Its all in negotiation! Here is hoping !

 

This is great news! Please keep us updated when you hear more!

[ssb]

Royal Caribbean International is negotiating deal with Cuba and US for possible alternating cruise itineraries out of Miami, Galveston and San Diego for Cuba.

Carnival has one already out of Miami.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ABC NEWS

US eases security for ships visiting Cuba

Updated 28 mins ago

WASHINGTON --

The Obama administration is making it easier for U.S. cruise ships, cargo vessels and even ferries to travel back and forth between the United States and Cuba with much less hassle.

The U.S. is removing Cuba from the list of countries considered security risks because of insufficient security in their ports.

That means U.S. ships that have visited Cuba won't be subject to onerous additional security measures before re-entering American ports. No longer will all ships have to be boarded by the U.S. Coast Guard, though the Coast Guard still can conduct random checks.

The announcement comes three days before President Barack Obama heads to Cuba for the first presidential visit in generations. Obama has been easing restrictions on U.S. travel and commerce in Cuba.

[ssb]

Royal will have to bring a smaller ship to Galveston for canal ! They are buying back their smaller ships from a sister company just for that reason.

[ssb]

Royal will have to bring a smaller ship to Galveston for canal ! They are buying back their smaller ships from a sister company just for that reason.

 

A smaller ship for Cuba ports also.

Edited March 17, 2016 by ssb

[Galveston Cruiser]

The Panama Canal, when finished, will handle larger ships. That's the reason it is being enlarged.

[jonbgd]

A smaller ship for Cuba ports also.

 

Hey Lee

The Empress of the seas will probably be the first to go to Cuba from RCCL

http://www.travelweekly.com/Cruise-Travel/Upgraded-Empress-could-become-Royal-Caribbean-Cuba-ship

 

And I did miss the CCL 21 day long cruises when were they:confused:

[ssb]

Hey Lee

The Empress of the seas will probably be the first to go to Cuba from RCCL

http://www.travelweekly.com/Cruise-Travel/Upgraded-Empress-could-become-Royal-Caribbean-Cuba-ship

 

And I did miss the CCL 21 day long cruises when were they

 

Great News :)

[ssb]

Carnival Cruises has been approved to sail to Cuba beginning May 1st. This marks the first time in over 50 years a cruise ship is approved to travel from the U.S. to Cuba.

[Thorncroft]

It's my understanding that Havana can't handle the larger ships. Something like 2000 passenger max is what I'm hearing. I don't think that any of the ships in Galveston would qualify, would they?

[ssb]

It's my understanding that Havana can't handle the larger ships. Something like 2000 passenger max is what I'm hearing. I don't think that any of the ships in Galveston would qualify, would they?

 

Yes .

The Port is an issue in Cuba .

The trends have been toward larger ships in Galveston.

Hopefully just until this international change in circumstances.

We shall see?

Hear is hoping!

Edited March 22, 2016 by ssb

[ssb]

To quote from another site:

 

"Is Empress of the Seas Going to Cuba?"

 

 

"The ports of Cuba can not handle many of the new, larger cruise ships being built by Royal Caribbean making Empress of the Seas the perfect fit, both in size and deployment schedule, to visit the island.

If you look at the Adonia, Fathom’s first ship to call on Cuba, it is an eight deck, 30K gross ton vessel that holds slightly over 700 passengers. While the Empress of the Seas holds over twice as many passengers, this nine deck ship is only slightly larger than the Adonia weighing in at 48K gross tons. It is by far the smallest ship in Royal Caribbean’s fleet with the next smallest ship, Majesty of the Seas, being 50% larger than Empress of the Seas.

Plus, cruisers can only book cruises on Empress of the Seas through July of this year. This is odd as basically all other ships in the Caribbean are booking through the end of 2016 with some ships booking all the way until April 2018. This would suggest that Royal Caribbean is uncertain where Empress of the Seas will go after only four months in operation. Could it be that RCI is trying to get Empress into Cuba before the end of the summer?"