Regent Seven Seas Adds New Immersive Luxury Cruises to Cuba for 2019

Regent Seven Seas Cruises, the only North American luxury cruise line to be granted permission to offer voyages to Cuba, is adding more visits to the Caribbean island on two itineraries in 2019 and 2020. Havana is also being added into Seven Seas Navigator’s April 25, 2020 voyage, here during a recent call in New York City © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com

MIAMI – Regent Seven Seas Cruises, the only North American luxury cruise line to be granted permission to offer voyages to Cuba, is adding more visits to the Caribbean island on two itineraries in 2019 and 2020. Seven Seas Mariner will offer the line’s first immersive Cuba itinerary on her October 15, 2019 voyage, calling on Havana, Cienfuegos and Santiago de Cuba, providing guests more opportunities to engage in group, people-to-people activities intended to enhance contact with the Cuban people, and to immerse in the island’s culture. Havana is also being added into Seven Seas Navigator’s April 25, 2020 voyage.

“We are proud to have been the first North American luxury line to call on Cuba and are delighted to offer more opportunities for travelers to visit such a historic and culture-rich destination,” said Jason Montague, president and chief executive officer of Regent Seven Seas Cruises. “On these eight future sailings that visit Cuba, guests will be treated to informative presentations from experts and scholars, as well as enjoy our distinctive, highly personalized service from every member of our exceptional staff and crew.”

As part of Regent Seven Seas Cruises’ most-inclusive luxury experience, guests have the widest selection of free and unlimited, expertly crafted Cuba shore excursions in compliance with the Office of Foreign Assets Control’s (OFAC) regulations. Guests can meet with the people of Cuba and explore the island’s music, art, history and culture while enjoying as many shore excursions as their time allows.

In Havana, guests can walk in the storied steps of Ernest Hemingway and learn about the city’s Baroque, neoclassical and Renaissance architecture. From Cienfuegos, guests can visit Valle de los Ingenios (Valley of the Sugar Mills) and Trinidad, both deemed World Heritage sites for their well-preserved, Colonial-era architecture, and learn about traditional pottery methods at a family-owned workshop along the way. Santiago de Cuba will offer even greater context to events that changed the course of Cuban history, where guests can visit San Juan Hill and learn about the 18^th century battle which led to the end of Spanish rule.

Seven Seas Mariner made Regent’s maiden call on Havana in April 2017. Travelers can choose among eight future itineraries that offer guests an opportunity to visit Cuba. Seven Seas Mariner’s October 10, 2018 voyage, will call again on Havana on its trans-Panama Canal voyage to the South Pacific, while the ship’s new October 15, 2019 voyage will offer three Cuban ports. Caribbean itineraries that also visit Havana are Seven Seas Navigator’s November 11, 2018 and April 25, 2020 voyages; and Seven Seas Voyager’s December 6 and 16, 2018, February 6, and March 5, 2019 voyages.

Regent Seven Seas Cruises offers one the world’s most inclusive luxury experiences with a four-ship fleet that visits more than 450 destinations around the world. Seven Seas Mariner’s upcoming 2018 drydock refurbishment will conclude Regent Seven Seas Cruises’ $125 million refurbishment program to elevate the elegance of the whole fleet to the standard set by Seven Seas Explorer. In early 2020, Regent will launch Seven Seas Splendor. The cruise line’s fares include all-suite accommodations, round-trip business-class air on intercontinental flights from U.S. and Canada, the largest collection of free, unlimited shore excursions, unlimited internet access, highly personalized service, exquisite cuisine, fine wines and spirits, prepaid gratuities, ground transfers and one-night, pre-cruise hotel package for guests staying in Concierge-level suites and higher.

For more information about the world’s most inclusive luxury experience, or to make a reservation, contact a professional travel agent, visit www.RSSC.com, or call 1-844-4REGENT (1-844-473-4368).

 

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Apple Vacations Launches Third Cuba Tour to Accommodate Traveler Demand

NEWTOWN SQUARE, PA – With Apple Vacations’ tours to Cuba completely sold out for 2015, and 2016 departures selling quickly, the tour operator has created an exclusive eight-night Seascape Discovery tour. This new tour features one pre-night in Miami, four nights in Havana at the IBEROSTAR Parque Central, three nights in Varadero at the IBEROSTAR Varadero, comprehensive sightseeing tours, interactions with local artists, salsa lessons, a boat ride through an underground river, pottery demonstrations, rum and cigar tastings, and authentic Cuban cuisine.

“Following the extremely successful Cuba tour program we launched in July, we have added a third tour for 2016,” said Tim Mullen, President of Apple Vacations. “Cuba is a hot selling destination and we are meeting the demand of travelers looking to immerse themselves in Cuban culture, and engage with the Cuban people,” he added.

The eight-night Seascape Discovery is priced from $5,550 per person, based on double occupancy, with the following departure dates: Feb. 13, March 26, April 30, May 28, June 25, July 30, Aug. 27, Sept. 24 and Oct. 29, 2016.

Prices include Cuban health insurance, charter flights departing from Miami (connecting flights from other US cities available), Cuban tourist visa processing, and U.S. taxes and fees. A Cuban departure tax of $25 per passenger will be collected upon check-in at Miami International Airport.

The leading vacation wholesaler is working with US-based Cuba Travel Services, a Cuba-licensed operator that charters flights from Miami to Cuba with XTRA Airways and American Airlines. Connections to Miami can be arranged from all major U.S. gateways.

Travel to Cuba must be booked 64 days in advance of departure to allow ample time for the processing of required documentation.

Travelers will receive an orientation in Miami to ensure familiarity with Cuban laws, policies and traditions prior to arrival in Cuba.

For more than 45 years, Apple Vacations has provided affordable, top quality vacation packages from U.S. departure cities nationwide to vacation destinations throughout Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America, Hawaii and Europe, as well top North and South American ski resorts. Apple Vacations has been consistently voted “Best Tour Operator to Mexico and Latin America” by readers of the leading travel trade magazines.

Cuba Travel Services Inc., with offices in California and Florida, arranges daily, non-stop, direct public charter flights between the United States and Cuba. Cuba Travel Services, Inc. is licensed by the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) as both an authorized Carrier Service Provider (CSP) and Travel Service Provider (TSP) in travel related services to Cuba. As a full service charter and tour operator, Cuba Travel Services provides professional services to individuals, groups, families, educators, students, professionals and organizations, under Specific or General Licenses issued by the U.S. Treasury Department.

Visit www.applevacations.com/cubatours/ for more information.

 

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Gap Adventures Announces 2011 Cuba Trips

President Obama eased restrictions on "purposeful" travel to Cuba, facilitating the ability for religious, civic and academic groups from the U.S. The Administration stated, "These measures will increase people-to-people contact; support civil society in Cuba; enhance the free flow of information to, from, and among the Cuban people; and help promote their independence from Cuban authorities." Photo of Viva Cuba Libre sign, which means long live free Cuba, supplied by Gap Adventures.

While ice and snow pile up across North America, United States relations with Cuba are thawing. Gap Adventures (www.GapAdventures.com), a leading adventure travel company based in Toronto, Canada,, announced details of its 2011 trips to the island, which offer travelers the chance to soak up the sun and immerse in Cuba’s culture while changes within and outside the country continue. Offering unique homestay options, the most competitive pricing in the industry, and only local Cuban guides, the adventure tour operator expects a significant increase in bookings to Cuba.

“Our travelers rely on us to provide unique, life-changing travel experiences, and this is an ideal time for adventure seekers to take advantage,” says Gap Adventures founder Bruce Poon Tip. “Not only is the world view of Cuba changing, but Cuba is changing dramatically and rapidly, so opportunities are fleeting to experience the island at this exciting juncture,” Poon Tip adds.

Gap Adventures offers affordable trips of 8, 9, and 15 days for active travelers seeking off the beaten path experiences away from resorts or large groups. In 2011, the company continues its commitment to changing people’s lives with local homestays and competitive pricing.

“Through homestays our travelers connect directly with a local family by enjoying meals and staying overnight at their home,” says Leah Griffin, Destination Manager, Central America & Caribbean. Griffin says that it is an immersive cultural experience that few travelers get to know.

Travelers can explore the island for 8 days on either the Cuba Libre (CCL) or Central Cuba Adventure (CCCA). While both offer ample time in nature and at the beach, the Central Cuba trip provides more time to relax on Cuba’s famed white beaches. Travelers on the Cuba Libre trip can explore the world-famous Robaina tobacco plantation, walk through the pincushion hills, and wander amongst orchids and lush mountain coffee plantations during this week-long tour through the ‘Garden Province’ of Cuba. Both trips include a local homestays with Cuban families and options to snorkel crystal clear waters full of colorful coral and walk the footsteps of pirates along the Guanahacabibes Peninsula.

Gap Adventures’ 9-day Cuba Explorer (CCCE) trip offers travelers the chance to tour bustling Havana in a vintage car, explore natural Cuba, and take in some historic sites on this comfort service level adventure. In addition to tobacco plantations, travelers can visit the Che monument and take a guided tour on the cobblestone streets of Trinidad.

“The music in Cuba is mind-blowing, and our CEOs (Chief Experience Officers) are passionate about their culture and having a great time, so they know the best places for great live music,” Griffin says. Optional salsa dancing lessons get people on their feet, where they can dance with locals for a truly memorable experience.

Another great way to leave behind the manicured resorts of Varadero and discover the real Cuba is on Gap Adventures’ 8-day Cycle Cuba (CCB). Active travelers can get their blood pumping while biking in the El Rosario mountain ranges, walking in pirate footsteps, and relaxing in the sun on some of Cuba’s most incredible beaches. This tour of the less-travelled western side also includes rum sampling at a distillery, a tour of a tobacco operation, and plenty of time to walk and relax in Havana.

For travelers with more time Gap Adventures offers a 15-day Cuba Colonial (CCC) adventure. In addition to salsa dancing with the locals in Santiago and Baracoa, the heart and soul of the county’s music, travelers can bond with the Cuban people during meals and 10 homestay nights. This trip has plenty of options for all tastes and interests, including snorkelling at Ancon Beach, live music at the Casa de la Trova, the Revolution Museum, and hiking in Topes de Collantes National Park.

For more than 20 years Gap Adventures has demonstrated unparalleled commitment to authentic, small group adventure travel. The company offers a wide array of features and benefits (http://www.gapadventures.com/about-us/why-travel-with-gap-adventures/) for seasoned globetrotters and those new to adventure travel, from the industry’s first lifetime deposits, to industry-leading 24/7 service, no single supplements, a commitment to sustainable tourism, and opportunities for travelers to give back and support sustainable development projects in the places they visit.

Already, one million of the two million international visitors to Cuba annually are from Canada.

The Obama administration issued new rules easing restrictions on US citizens travelling to Cuba. The changes, which do not require Congressional approval, will be enacted within two weeks. The measures will allow eligible students and academics; religious, and other NGO’s to  conduct “purposeful” travel to the island. This could ultimately set the stage for the administration to lift the decades-old travel ban, enabling individuals and tourists to travel.

The first Cuban Communist Party Congress in 14 years will take place in April, and many expect Cuba’s Congress to authorize the first major overhaul of the island’s Soviet-style economic model in 50 years, which could create opportunities to increase tourism.

About Gap Adventures

Gap Adventures is a world leader in the adventure travel industry offering small group adventures on all seven continents and beyond to more than 100,000 global travelers annually. The award-winning trips, which focus on culture, nature and active travel, are ideal for those with a sense of adventure – people who want to leave the beaten path and authentically immerse themselves in a local culture or environment to experience the real world in a sustainable manner. Demonstrating its ongoing cultural, social and economic commitment to responsible tourism, Gap Adventures established the Planeterra Foundation, as a way the company and its passengers can give back to the communities visited. For more information, visit www.gapadventures.com and www.planeterra.org.

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