Cruises to Cuba coming?

By Shawn Dake

United Caribbean Lines is a company without ships that isn’t anywhere near starting service yet, but has come up with an interesting concept.  They plan to use converted Danish ferries for service from Tampa, Florida to Havana, Cuba, with a possible secondary service to Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula.   The overnight voyages would take 18 hours each way.  Should Cuba open up to U.S. tourism this line could be riding in on the first wave.  Perennial cruise executive, Bruce Nierenberg is the man behind this latest venture.

United Caribbean Lines proposed livery.

Travel to Cuba is currently banned for most, but not all U.S. citizens.  Cuban-Americans with relatives on the island are permitted to travel on charter flights, and do so in great numbers, from Miami, Tampa, New York and Los Angeles.  The concept of taking them to Havana by ship is not approved at present, although Nierenberg is said to be in the process of seeking permits from the U.S. Treasury Department.  The idea is that with a comparable cost, and the ability to take more goods and supplies along with them, people would opt to go by sea instead of air with the added amenities of dining, shows, movies and entertainment.   The concept of a mini-cruise on converted ferries is not something new to Nierenberg who three decades ago was CEO of Scandinavian World Cruises which later evolved into the one-day SeaEscape Cruises.   Proposed fares would be $350 round-trip based on double occupancy of a cabin, or $150 in an airline-style seat in a lounge.  For families traveling together, third and fourth guests would be charged half fare.  The vehicle decks of the ferry could be used for transporting larger items like bedding, appliances, medicine and clothing that are either not available or too expensive to be purchased in Cuba.

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