Authentic Experience
I FIRST VISITED CUBA NEARLY 30 YEARS AGO, and thought the 1950s- era American cars cruising Havana’s streets were old then. And when I boarded Celestyal Crystal, which previously had been cruising fulltime through the Greek Isles, I thought it seemed an unlikely candidate for pioneering voyages to Cuba. After sailing aboard a weeklong cruise to the island, here’s what I found.
THE SHIP _ Originally launched in 1980, the 960-passenger Celestyal Crystal has been rebuilt, refurbished, and changed names and owners numerous times. With the ship now in Caribbean waters, the Greek mythological names of her decks (Hera, Zeus), dining rooms (Olympus, Amalthia), bars ( Helios, Thalassa), and other public areas seemed incongruous, but didn’t detract from their appeal.
I especially liked the wraparound promenade on Dionyssos Deck 5, which led aft to the breeze-kissed Thalassa bar, where I joined fellow passengers relaxing with mojitos and daiquiris under the stars. The casual Leda buffet near the pool was bustling at breakfast and lunch, while the two well-appointed dining rooms — where moussaka made way for Cuban roast pork — were the popular choices at dinner.
The double- deck Muses Lounge hosted daytime lectures and after-dinner entertainers such as singers, dancers, and acrobats, often with a Cuban spin. A disco, a small casino, and the smaller Eros Lounge provided other evening venues for music, dancing, drinking, and gambling, while a gym and spa offered chances to work off steam — or bathe in it. Wi-Fi is available only in public areas and outdoor space is sufficiently roomy. THE SCENE _ Cypriot-owned Celestyal Crystal has been sailing a weekly “Cuba Cruise” from Montego Bay, Jamaica, to Cuba and back each winter for the past three seasons. At first, the cruises attracted mostly Canadian and Euro- pean passengers, but in the wake of the recent U.S.- Cuban rapprochement, Americans are rapidly filling an increasing number of cabins. In fact, the cruises have become so popular that this fall, Celestyal Crystal will begin sailing to Cuba year-round.
Since most Americans could travel to Cuba only as part of a group before regulations were eased earlier this year, many of the U.S. passengers came on board under the auspices of an organized People-to-People program. Insightful talks on Cuban society by Cuban professors, “Dance like a Cuban” lessons (in my dreams!), and Cuban cooking classes were all part of the cultural stew, while shore excursions were largely designed for Americans to engage in approved educational pursuits. While Americans can now travel individually to Cuba, they are still supposed to adhere to higher purposes than, say, sunning themselves at a beach resort, and the cruise’s cultural enrichment programs and excursions fill the bill.
Along with its Greek captain and international crew, Celestyal Crystal employs dozens of Cubans — from dining room servers to cabin stewards,
theater performers to musicians — allowing for