Cruising Cuba
Group IST is offering Havana to Cienfuegos cruises on the Panorama megayacht. (Group IST
By Phil Marty, Special to Tribune Newspapers
1:29 p.m. CDT, July 15, 2014
Since the U.S. government has somewhat loosened restrictions on visits to Cuba by Americans, the island nation has been turning up on a lot of people's bucket lists. Group IST has a new Havana-to-Cienfuegos tour that's unique in that it's a cruise by 49-passenger mega-yacht, rather than a strictly land-based venture. Because the U.S. doesn't allow travel to Cuba by sea, the package includes round-trip air from Miami. The eight-day/seven-night cruise spends the first two nights in Havana before moving on to Cabo San Antonio, Cayo Largo, Trinidad and Cienfuegos. (On alternate weeks the itinerary operates in reverse.) Time spent ashore will concentrate on people-to-people interaction and cultural immersion, as required on all trips to Cuba by U.S. citizens. The trip is priced as low as $4,490 per person double occupancy, depending on cabin class and travel date. Port taxes of $375 are extra. All meals and tours are included, as well as Cuban visa and mandatory Cuban medical insurance. Info: 800-833-2111, groupist.com/cuba
http://www.chicagotribune.com/travel/sc-trav-0715-trips-20140715,0,3587006.story