Cruising with history

Voyages to Antiquity enlisted the expertise of historian and author Dr Carrie Gibson to craft their itineraries around Cuba and the Caribbean.

Her extensive knowledge means the cruise company is able to give travellers the best possible experience while on board.

We caught up with Dr Gibson about why she can’t get enough of Cuba. Your book ‘Empire’s Crossroads: A History of the Caribbean from Columbus to the Present Day’ has been a huge inspiration for Voyages to Antiquity and its cruises to Cuba and the Caribbean. What was your inspiration to write this book? The Caribbean really called out to me in part because it is such a diverse region. The British, Spanish, Dutch, French, and even Danish and Swedish had colonies here, and the legacy from that time is that each island has a unique history and culture. Much of the academic scholarship is forced to be quite specific. So people who work in English sources tend to write about the English speaking-islands, likewise with French or Spanish. Yet, as everyone who sails around it will see, these islands are so intimately linked, and they have been so for hundreds of years. I wanted Empire’s Crossroads to reflect those connections. In addition to the islands’ relationship to each other, I also wanted to illustrate the Caribbean’s importance to the wider world as well. It continues to be a global crossroads. Tell us about your experiences travelling in Cuba.

Any time spent in Cuba is always an adventure! For me, one highlight is just strolling around Havana at dusk, when the fading tropical sunlight hits the colourful buildings. It’s like being in a photograph.