It was exciting news when Carnival Cruise Line announced that ships from their sister line, Fathom, would be the first to visit Cuba in decades. But the Miami Herald reports that at least one group of Americans aren’t celebrating, and, ironically, it is Cuban Americans.
As it turns out, Cuban law prohibits Cuban born citizens from entering the country, even if they have since become citizens of the United States. Herald columnist Fabiola Santiago says that Carnival spokesman Roger Frizzell informed her that the line was “just following the laws that have been set up. We have requested a change in policy, which has not yet been granted, but our hope and intention is that we can travel with everybody. We will continue to have conversations [with Cuba], and that’s the process we would work through.”
As of Saturday afternoon, there was no mention of the ban on Fathom’s website or Twitter feed (@fathomtravel). A message on Carnival’s main Twitter feed (@carnivalcruise) reads, “Carnival doesn’t sail to cuba. Sister line @fathomtravel does and emphathizes with the concerns voiced and hope in the future everyone can travel together.”
Fathom will begin operating cruises from Miami to Cuba on May 1.
