Cruise-line chaos: What to know if you booked a trip before Cuba travel ban
Cruise companies scrambled Wednesday morning to re route their Cubabound ships after learning they were no longer allowed to sail to the Caribbean island with less than 24 hours notice from the Trump administration.
The four biggest cruise companies in the world — all headquartered in South Florida — are diverting ships to ports in Mexico and the Bahamas as of midnight Tuesday and offering passengers compensation for the missed visit to Cuba.
Cruise Lines International Association, the industry’s lobbying group, estimates the new regulation will affect 800,000 passengers who have already booked.
Here’s what you should know if you’ve booked a cruise to Cuba:
Carnival Cruise Line is offering a full refund for cancellations on Cuba cruises booked through July. The Carnival Sunrise ship, carrying around 3,000 passengers, was scheduled to dock in Havana Thursday, but will sail to Cozumel, Mexico instead. Passengers on board will get a $100 credit.
Royal Caribbean’s Empress of the Seas ship will sail to Nassau, Bahamas and company’s private island Coco Cay, Bahamas, instead of Havana. The company’s Majesty of the Seas ship will sail to Costa Maya, Mexico, instead of Havana. People who have booked with Royal Caribbean can cancel their current bookings for a full refund, or keep their rerouted trips and receive a 50 percent refund.
Norwegian Cruise Line and Holland America Line, whO each have two ships with sailing to Cuba, did not make information about their new itineraries and cancellation policies immediately available.
MSC Cruises is reworking the interary for MSC Armonia and will update passengers on new plans by end of day Thursday, June 6.
Several other U.S.-based cruise companies, including Seabourn, had planned to start service to Cuba this year. Among them was Virgin Voyages, Miami’s newest cruise company, which planned to sail to Cuba on its first ship’s maiden voyage from PortMiami next year. In a statement, Virginy said it will announce its re-routed itineraries soon. The company’s current policy allows for passengers to change their bookings without penalty, and the company will be announcing a policy specific to Cuba bookings next week.
Taylor Dolven: 305-376-2052, @taydolven