2007 Cruise 
|
Cruises to Cuba Coming 2010
19.10.09
Two British cruises lines have Havana and Santiago, Cuba, on itineraries for cruises coming in 2010 and 2011.
America has a very rich shared history with the island of Cuba, which has gone largely ignored for several decades due to political reasons. Not only is Cuba the largest and nearest Caribbean island to the United States, it was once a premier tourist destinations for all of the East Coast.
The rich nightlife of Havana, filled with salsa-inspired rhythmic music, rich cigar smoke and the sound of brimming casinos made Cuba a haven for Americans looking for a break from daily life, especially during the Prohibition Era.
The good news is that you could have some opportunities to cruise to Cuba, in 2010 and 2011. The bad news is that you will have to sail there on either a German or a British ship.
Two British cruise lines have announced plans to make Cuban ports of call in the next two years, both will sail to Havana and one will visit the second largest Cuban city, Santiago.
The Fred Olsen Line Braemar is already scheduled to sail to both ports on three different itineraries. The November 12 sailing starts in Barbados and sails to Curacao, Aruba, Ocho Rios Jamaica, Costa Maya and Cozumel before it reaches Havana. The ship stays overnight in Havana before it sails for Grand Cayman and Montego Bay.
The November 27, 2011 sailing of the Fred Olsen Braemar will sail from Barbados to Dominica and Tortola before it lands in Havana for an overnight stay, arriving early Wednesday and leaving late Thursday night. Following Havana it sails to Playa del Carmen, Cozumel, Ocho Rios, St Lucia and back to Barbados. The ship will arrive in Havana early in the morning and stay until late thee next evening.
The December 9th and February 18, 2011 cruises have the same itinerary as the November 27 sailing.
The March 5 and April 2, 2010 sail dates of the Braemar begin in Barbados and sail to St Lucia, St Martin and Grand Turk before it arrives in Santiago Cuba, some 540 miles from Havana. Santiago is a very historic city, the second most important city after Havana. The site was the starting point for expeditions by Hernando Cortes in 1518 and in 1538 by Hernando de Soto. It was also the home of bandleader Ricky Ricardo.
Santiago is also the site where the Spanish army suffered its worst defeat during the Spanish American War after the destruction of its fleet in the Santiago harbor. Castro declared victory in the Cuban Revolution there in 1959.
Now another British cruise line, Thompson Cruises, has just announced it will include Havana on three different itineraries. The sailings will be upon the new "Thomson Dream," a vessel they are acquiring from Costa Cruises. The ship is currently the Costa Europa.
Thomson Dream will offer the Cuban Adventure, the Caribbean Experience and the Classic Caribbean cruise, all with visits to Havana starting in December 2010. The Caribbean Experience will sail from Barbados to Havana, with an overnight stop there. Cuban Adventure will sail from Montego Bay to Barbados, with a three-day-two-night call in Havana along the way. The Classic Caribbean cruise will sail from Havana to Montego Bay, Jamaica.
Banditos- Mamasitas-Costa Maya: Costa Maya Cruise Port Overview
If you build it they will come. Costa Maya, the newest port in the Western Caribbean, may be located on a peninsula but in effect it feels more like a private island created from scratch expressly for cruisers. Costa Maya is located on the Caribbean Sea approximately 100 miles south of Playa del Carmen and quite close to the border of Belize. Costa Maya is what you'd expect if, say, Disney World decided to create its own private island in Mexico: a man-made tourism village with bars, restaurants, shops and pools at the ready. The faux village itself was created solely to woo cruise passengers and it has a myriad of facilities -- pools, restaurants, bars, shops and a small beach (though it's too rocky to swim). Since Costa Maya first began accepting cruise passengers in February of 2001, the developers have added a beach house and water sports area, which is actually well away from the main village and is typically used by cruise lines as a shore excursion option. Beyond that? What's interesting is that in developing an entire destination out of scratch in a place whose only settlement was the nearby village of Majahual, 200 residents strong, the folks who created Costa Maya had to build everything. They worked with Coca-Cola to install water sanitation systems (and yes, it is safe to drink water within the Costa Maya confines). They built brick-paved roads and concrete cottages for the employees who pretty much all come from elsewhere and needed housing. For travelers who just want to get into the "don't worry, be happy" mindset, the lure of Costa Maya can pretty much consume the day. Those who want to venture further have intriguing options, too. The region is home to some lesser known (but still important) Mayan ruins. The site most cruise passengers come here to see is Chacchoben, a city dating back to around 350 A.D. If Costa Maya -- and Majahual -- feel shiny new these days it's because they are. In August 2007, Hurricane Dean, a five category storm, came ashore here and created much havoc and destruction. In Costa Maya. The port, which was closed for 14 months for rebuilding, required cosmetic facelifts for its restaurants, shops and pools. The Uvero Beach Club, which was totally destroyed, was completely rebuilt.
Costa Maya Cruises - News
|
Cruises to Cuba Coming 2010 The November 12 sailing starts in Barbados and sails to Curacao, Aruba, Ocho Rios Jamaica, Costa Maya and Cozumel before it reaches Havana. |
Floating 'Oasis of the Seas' lines up ports of call
Floating 'Oasis of the Seas' lines up ports of callCruise passengers can book underwater explorations that include instruction and equipment. Costa Maya, Mexico:Costa Maya was once a trading post for the Oasis of the Seasall 20 news articles »
|
|
Details: Oasis of the Seas with a western one, stopping in Labadee and Costa Maya and Cozumel, Mexico. Rates start at $729 per person double occupancy for a seven-night cruise. |
Beatles tribute cruise to set sail on Royal Caribbean in March 2010
The itinerary for this cruise out of Fort Lauderdale is as follows: Belize City, Belize; Costa Maya, Mexico; and Cozumel, Mexico, before returning to Fort and more »
|
|
Thomson Cruises Will Sail to Cuba in 2010-2011 This cruise sails from Barbados to Havana, visiting multiple Caribbean islands and Central American ports, including Roatan, Costa Maya and Cozumel. and more » |
Ecstasy back in port a little more fabulous
13 through April 11, the Voyager of the Seas will depart Sundays, calling at Roatan, Honduras; Cozumel and Costa Maya, Mexico, one week and at Montego Bay,
|
Cruises Directory
Costa Maya Cruise Excursions Guide for Shore tours and Shore ...
Costa Maya Excursions Guide to shore tours for cruise ship passengers visiting ... Welcome to the all new and updated Costa Maya Cruise Excursions website! ...
Costa Maya Cruises - Cruise Critic
Indeed, Costa Maya was only recently carved out of the ... Since Costa Maya first began accepting cruise passengers in February of 2001, ...
Costa Maya - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The beach at Costa Maya, looking toward the cruise ship pier. ... approximately 60km south of the Costa Maya cruise port, the fishing village of ...
Costa Maya, Mexico Port Information, Cruise Reviews and Shore ...
What is Costa Maya Like? What is the Weather Like? Where Does the Ship Dock? ... village of Majahual (also spelled Mahahual), in the heart of Costa Maya, cruise ...
Scuba Dive in Costa Maya - with Costa de Cocos Resort
Welcome to Costa de Cocos Resort, Diving Day Trips in Chetumal Bay from the Costa Maya Mahahual Cruise Ship Port. ... the Mahahual Costa Maya Cruise Ship Port, ...
Costa Maya Cruise
Costa Maya port of Mahahual, south coast of yucatan peninsula estate of quintana Roo place of hundred of mayan ruins and caribbean sea atractions