Carnival's Cuba Sailings from Charleston Remain on Schedule

A threatened rollback of Obama administration policies that loosened restrictions on travel to Cuba hasn’t affected previously scheduled ocean cruises from Charleston to the island nation — at least for now.

Carnival Cruise Line has seven Charleston-to-Cuba sailings planned beginning in November and running through next year. Its Sunshine pleasure ship is scheduled to make the voyages, which depart from Union Pier.

A Carnival spokesperson told the Travel Agent Central website that the company is monitoring the situation but has no plans to alter its Cuban itineraries. Carnival said passengers will receive a message if there are any changes to their trips.

Carnival Cruise Line currently has no plans to cancel trips from the Port of Charleston to Cuba, despite the Trump administration’s announcement that it will restrict travel to the communist country. The voyages are scheduled on Carnival’s Sunshine, which will call Charleston home beginning next month. Provided/Andy Newman/Carnival Cruise Line

A Royal Caribbean spokesperson said the cruise line is “reviewing the recent statements to evaluate their impact on our guests and our company.”

The same goes for airlines that fly from the U.S. to Cuba, including American, Southwest, Delta and United. Those carriers told The New York Times that they are not canceling any trips, but will comply with any new regulations set by the Trump administration.

Trump in 2017 banned Americans from staying in hotels owned by a company with ties to Cuba’s defense ministry. The move was meant to undo some of President Barack Obama’s efforts in 2015 to thaw the U.S. relationship with the island nation, including lifting a decades-long ban on tourism-related travel.

Carnival has three itineraries for its Cuba cruises originating in Charleston. There is a four-day sailing that only goes to Havana and two five-day trips, each with a port call in addition to Havana — one in Freeport and the other in Key West.

Source: The Post and Courier