U.S. Secretary of State Says Carnival Should Not Discriminate

In an April 14 visit to Miami, Secretary of State John Kerry added his voice to those calling for Carnival Corp. not to discriminate in declining to take Cuban-born passengers on its Fathom cruises to Cuba.

Asked in an interview with CNN en Espanol whether the Fathom trips should be postponed until Cuban born Americans are allowed to travel to the island by sea, Kerry said, "Carnival needs to not discriminate."

In a statement, Carnival has said that it is asking the Cuban government to waive its restriction on passengers arriving by sea, which it says prevents it from boarding Cuban-born passengers on the Fathom trips.

"It is our hope and intention that everyone can travel and we will continue to pursue a change in the regulation that puts cruising on the same footing as aircraft travel is today in Cuba," the statement reads in part.

Fathom's scheduled May 1 departure from Miami would be the first authorized cruise between the U.S. and Cuba in 50 years.

Source: Travel Weekly