Let me see a show of hands, who’s ready to hop on a cruise ship and visit Cuba?
I know I am!
Being American, the country famous for hand-rolled cigars, white-sand beaches, sweet rum and communism has been off limits. Of course, those crafty enough to figure a way into the land that time forgot have experienced the warm Havana nights and satisfied their curiosity for the country the rest of us are banned from traveling to.
Until now.
In June 2015, cruise giant Carnival Corporation & plc announced that they were creating a new cruise line called Fathom that would provide vacationers with a unique type of experience called “social impact travel.” Itineraries originally called for a 7-day trip to the Dominican Republic where passengers would immerse themselves in the culture of the island nation and partake in various volunteer activities once ashore to help the underdeveloped nation.
Many speculated at the time, and some still do, that Fathom was created with the sole intent on sailing to Cuba under the “social impact” clause. While we can all travel freely in and out of the Dominican, travel to Cuba could only be done by entering from a foreign country or by taking part in an educational or cultural trip led by an approved organization that met certain guidelines to be approved.
Approval for Fathom to being cruises to Cuba came on March 21, 2016 during President Obama’s visit. The first scheduled cruise is set to sail from PortMiami on May 1, 2016 and will call upon Havana, Cienfuegos and Santiago de Cuba during the week-long trip.
Now, before you start looking to book a cruise to Cuba, you need to keep in mind that things are going to be different from any other cruise you’ve been on. Very different.
First, the ship. Fathom will be using the 2001-built mv Adonia which has sailed for Carnival Corporation owned lines Princess Cruises and most recently P&O Cruises. She was last remodeled in 2011 and is currently getting a freshening-up for her Fathom debut. A small ship like this would make an excellent luxury vessel, but Fathom isn’t about that.
This may be a Carnival brand, but it isn’t Carnival! You’re not going to find bar staff slinging rum runners. There won’t be a lavish “Welcome Aboard” show. Forget the all-you-can-drink beverage packages and you can skip the Broadway-style production show after dinner, because there isn’t one.
Instead, be prepared to spend the days at sea learning skills that will be needed when you’re ashore helping the natives better their community. Belly-flop contests will be replaced by workshops and lectures on sustainability and environmental impact. Blockbuster movies on the big screen won’t be shown, but movies about the Dominican or Cuba will be.
Want to see if Lady Luck is on your side? Book a different cruise, because there’s no casino.
So what about food? According to Fathom, daily breakfast, lunch and dinner are included in your cruise fare as well as lunch during the on-ground activities. No mention of lavish buffets, so we can rule those out. Menus will be developed around local specialties so you can taste the culture of the area you are visiting. More in-depth cultural eating experiences are available at an additional cost, says the cruise line.
So far, it’s not really the cruise to Cuba you were thinking about is it? I didn’t think so. But let’s take a look at what Fathom says a typical week-long journey will feel like:
Day 1: You’ll board the Adonia and get settled in before taking part in a sail-away event. At night you’ll sit through the Fathom Vision Keynote.
Day 2 & 3: You arrive at your first port-of-call in Cuba where you’ll take part in various “cultural immersion” activities all day. Some of these activities include a guided tour of Cuba’s historical sites or a visit to an organic farm where you can learn about sustainable agriculture.
Day 4: As you travel to your next port-of-call, you’ll attend various workshops, featured events and the Fathom Interactive Festival. You can also hit up the spa or read a book in the ship’s library, and yes, there’s a pool so you can soak up some of the Caribbean sun.
Day 5 & 6: More on-ground “cultural immersion” activities during the day, a late night in Cuba celebration on the evening of Day 5 where local food and music will be the highlight and on the evening of Day 6, a sail away event as you depart.
Day 7: You being the return trip to Miami where you’ll attend a session called “Empowering the Next Wave of Travelers” and a “Guided Reflection” called “Envisioning and Understanding Your Future Impact Story. At the end of the day you’ll complete a Fathom Community Story Experience.
Are you convinced that a cruise to Cuba is your cup of tea yet?
For those accustomed to the luxury and leisurely pace a cruise vacation provides, this may not be for you. In fact, Fathom is targeting a very specific demographic of traveler for these social impact cruises: older Millennials, Gen Xers and baby boomers with a history of donating to causes or volunteering.
While you will have some free time to do what you want, most of your time on board will be spent preparing you for the time ashore. When ashore, you’ll be with your group working side by side with locals helping out or learning about their culture and their country’s history. After all, in order to qualify for this type of travel to Cuba, those activities and cultural immersion activities are required.
By now you’re probably wondering, “is Scott going to Cuba?”
I will be honest when I say, from the outside looking in, this isn’t the type of vacation I would want to take. I would much rather a ship with more amenities and entertainment options, a less structured day planner, the ability to tour the country on my own and not take part in many of the volunteer activities. That’s just my personal preference, after all, I would be going on this trip for explore, relax and… well, vacation!
This just seems like a lot of work.
I may have to sit this one out for a while until travel to Cuba is less restrictive and more cruise lines call upon it without the limitations of cultural cruising.
Unless Fathom can change my mind…