Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings plans sailings on ships from two of its brands, Norwegian Cruise Line and Oceania, including port calls in Havana as part of longer Caribbean itineraries, while Royal Caribbean will also sail on two lines, Royal Caribbean International and Azamara Club Cruises, they announced on Wednesday.
In May, Carnival Corp became the first US company in decades to sail to Cuba. Carnival's Cuba trips take place on its Fathom brand, which alternates week-long trips to Cuba with week-long trips to the Dominican Republic.
All of these cruises are subject to US rules that ban pure tourism by American travellers to Cuba. Instead the cruises must be "people to people" trips themed on permitted categories of travel such as cultural exchanges.
Norwegian's CEO, Frank Del Rio, was born in Cuba and emigrated in 1961 at age seven with his family to the US after the failed US-backed Bay of Pigs effort to overthrow Fidel Castro.
"This is truly a dream come true for me and I cannot wait for our loyal guests to experience the sights and sounds of my hometown of Havana and get to know its rich culture and its warm and welcoming residents," he said in a statement.
On the US side, all of the cruise companies had been allowed to proceed with plans to sail to Cuba as part of the Obama administration's policy of opening up relations between the two countries.
Some in the travel community are concerned that Donald Trump may reinstate restrictions on travel to Cuba.
The president-elect's intentions are unclear but three days after Fidel Castro's death, the president-elect tweeted: "If Cuba is unwilling to make a better deal for the Cuban people, the Cuban/American people and the US as a whole, I will terminate deal."
Norwegian and Royal Caribbean did not immediately respond to requests for comment on whether they are concerned that Trump might tighten travel to Cuba.
Source: AAP
