Carnival to Start Charleston-Havana Cruises in 2019

Carnival Cruise Line will start offering trips from Charleston to Cuba next year, according to an announcement from the company. Prices start at $334 a person, according to their website.

The Carnival Sunshine will depart Charleston Nov. 21, 2019, for a four-day cruise with a daylong call in Havana.

The Sunshine will also offer five-day cruises featuring Havana and Freeport in 2020. They depart Jan. 6, Feb. 3 and 17, March 2, 16 and 30 and April 13 and 27.

The 3,002-passenger, 102,853-ton Carnival Sunshine will be the largest cruise ship ever to call in Havana and will also be the first cruise to Cuba from Charleston, according to the announcement.

Carnival is also starting Cuba cruises next year from three cities in Florida — Carnival Triumph from Fort Lauderdale, Carnival Paradise from Tampa and Carnival Victory and Carnival Sensation from Miami.

"Cuba has proven to be extremely popular with our guests and we’re delighted to provide even more opportunities to experience and explore this fascinating destination with these new voyages departing from four key East Coast homeports, including the first Cuba cruises from Charleston," Carnival Cruise Line President Christine Duffy said in a statement.

The Cuba cruises comply with regulations of the U.S. Department of Treasury that permit travel operators to transport approved travelers to Cuba to engage in activities as defined by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Office of Foreign Assets Control, according to the announcement.

Source: The Post and Courier (Portland)