MIAMI, Sept. 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/
-- Fathom, Carnival Corporation's (NYSE/LSE:
CCL; NYSE: CUK) 10th and newest cruise brand, has added
two Cuba sailing dates for fall 2016 – the result of strong pent-up
demand by travelers choosing to take a cruise vacation to explore
Cuba with Fathom, the only U.S. cruise line sailing from the U.S.
to one of the most desired destinations in the Caribbean.
The additional cruises will take place the weeks of Sunday, Oct. 9, and Sunday, Nov. 6. For both week-long cruises,
Fathom's Adonia will depart Port
Miami on Oct. 9 and
Nov. 6 for three destinations in
Cuba, including two days in
Havana. The Adonia will return to
Miami on the following Sunday for
each of the cruises. Bookings are now being accepted for both
voyages through travel agents or via Fathom's website
(www.Fathom.org) or calling Fathom toll-free at 1-855-932-8466.
"Carnival Corporation made history when Fathom arrived in
Havana on May 2 of this year, and we continue to strengthen
our relationships as the only U.S. cruise company sailing to Cuba
from the U.S. – and we are very grateful to Cuban officials for
granting us two new dates to accommodate more travelers wanting to
sail with Fathom to visit their remarkable country," said
Tara Russell, president of Fathom,
referring to the first time in more than 40 years a U.S. cruise
line has sailed from the U.S. to Cuba.
"Since our inaugural voyage in early May, we have experienced
strong, continued demand from travelers wanting to travel to Cuba
with the comfort, convenience and peace of mind that comes with
cruising with Fathom. Our bookings for the fall are strong, and the
word is spreading: Going on a cruise with Fathom to Cuba is the
best, easiest and most enjoyable way to visit this unique
country."
Added Russell: "Because demand is so strong, we encourage
travelers to book as soon as possible for the October 9 and November
6 cruises, as we expect brisk sales for the new sailings on
our small premium ship, the Adonia. For people interested in
other dates for our Cuba sailings, we are almost sold out for the
year with only a small number of staterooms available for a few
remaining fall cruises to Cuba, and we have extremely strong demand
for 2017."
Fathom's seven-day cruises from Miami to Cuba visit the historic ports of
Havana, Cienfuegos and
Santiago de Cuba. In post-cruise
surveys, Fathom guests are giving high marks for a great experience
at all three destinations, which would otherwise be challenging to
visit, and on the Adonia, which houses 700 travelers, providing a
sense of intimacy that guests are enjoying.
The experience includes Fathom's unique shore excursions --
featuring several included in the overall price of the cruise --
that provide travelers with fun and engaging options for enjoying
the country. Some highlights include the island's famously friendly
people, Spanish and French colonial architecture, traditional Cuban
music and dance, restaurants with genuine Cuban cuisine, museums,
cathedrals, coastal fortresses, the cannons on San Juan Hill, the
shores of Cojimar that were Ernest
Hemingway's favorite fishing village, and lively
nightlife including the famous Tropicana Club, and much more.
Fathom's travelers self-certify and can enjoy the island with
approved activities.
Highlights of each destination include:
- Havana: Cuba's colorful
capital is best known for the Spanish-influenced architecture of
Old Havana, the classic American cars that cruise the island and
its thriving nightlife. But its historic castles, fortresses,
cathedrals, mansions and public buildings vie for attention with
the city's lively music and entertainment scene, an eclectic and
sophisticated mix of museums, art galleries, music, dance and
open-air festivals that take full advantage of the island's sunny
Caribbean climate.
- Cienfuegos: This coastal city is the center of
Cuba's sugar, tobacco and coffee trades, and is known to Cubans as
the Pearl of the South for its collection of French-influenced
Neoclassical buildings and wide seaside boulevards, with a downtown
that has been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Near the
entrance to the city's spectacular natural bay stands the great
stone fortress of Castillo de Jagua, built in 1745 to protect the
city against pirate attacks. The city offers a chance to enjoy
musical performances, delicious food and charming settings.
- Santiago de Cuba:
Capital of the Spanish colony of Cuba from 1522 to 1589,
Santiago de Cuba is considered the
birthplace of salsa dancing and the Cuban revolution. With its
watchtowers and cannons used in the Spanish-American War still
well-preserved, Cuba's second largest city is home to the popular
festivals of Carnaval and the Fiesta del Fuego, as well as to many
of the country's most famed musicians and artists and some of its
most-visited historic sites.
A highly popular element of Fathom's Cuban cruise vacation is
enjoying the island while staying and sailing on the intimate and
well-appointed Adonia, with guests appreciating the amenities of a
modern hotel and convenience of unpacking their suitcases just
once, with dining, entertainment and specially designed programs
about Cuba part of the cruise. Another popular benefit: Fathom
takes care of providing traveler visas and medical insurance in
Cuba for its guests.
"Our travelers love that Fathom does all of the intricate
planning so they can spend more time having a fun and memorable
travel experience," Russell said. "Our guests also love knowing
that when they are done exploring, they can return to the Adonia
and relax and rejuvenate with excellent food, entertainment, and a
beautiful spa. Many of our guests enjoy trading stories about their
adventures with their fellow travelers. It is a fantastic way to
experience such an enchanting country, and it makes for an
unforgettable trip to always remember."
"Cruising aboard Fathom was the perfect way to travel to Cuba –
the experience blew me away," said Kimberli
McCallum, a recent Fathom traveler from St. Louis. "It was my first cruise and I can't
believe how much I loved it! My husband and I were sitting on our
cabin's balcony one evening wondering why we had waited so long to
cruise. Plus, visiting Cuba was better than I ever imagined.
Havana is so beautiful and the
art, the music and the people were all amazing!"
Seven-day itineraries on Carnival Corporation's Fathom brand
generally depart from PortMiami on Sundays at 3:30 p.m. Eastern Time. The ship arrives at its
first destination, Havana, the
following morning (Monday) at 11 a.m.
Eastern Time. The Adonia returns to its homeport, PortMiami,
at 7:30 a.m. Eastern Time the
following Sunday.
Prices for seven-day itineraries to Cuba start at $1,599 per person, excluding Cuban visas, taxes,
fees and port expenses, and include all meals on the ship and lunch
while in the three ports, onboard experiences and on-the-ground
activities. Prices will vary by season. To secure a spot on future
sailings, a fully refundable $600 per
person deposit is required for all cabin categories and occupancy
levels. Final payment is due 90 days prior to departure. To reserve
a spot on future sailings, travelers may call Fathom toll-free at
1-855-932-8466 or work with a travel professional. Learn more
at www.Fathom.org.
About Fathom Travel
Fathom is the newest brand in the
Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE/LSE: CCL; NYSE: CUK)
family, which carries nearly 11 million travelers a year to
communities around the world. Fathom invites travelers to
embrace the possibilities ahead and offers a different kind of
cruise that combines one's love of travel with the desire for
meaning and purpose. Fathom pioneered a new culturally
immersive category of travel called social impact travel. What sets
Fathom apart is the rich and playful onboard and onshore journey,
its alongsided partnership approach with
its partner countries paired with a unique business model
that allow travelers to travel deep, build community with
like-minded travelers and become immersed in another
culture.
Fathom offers uniquely different round-trip voyages
from Miami to two of the Caribbean's most desired destinations: the
Dominican Republic and
Cuba. In the Dominican Republic, travelers have the
opportunity to work side by side with local residents in existing
programs to create enduring social impact in the lives of
children, families and communities. In Cuba, travelers visit
the port cities of Havana,
Cienfuegos and Santiago de Cuba and enjoy on-the-ground
activities that provide the opportunity to interact directly with
Cuban people and gain insight into their everyday lives, rich
culture and history.
The Fathom experience is brought to life aboard the
704-passenger MV Adonia. The smallest ship in the P&O fleet,
the Adonia is the ideal home base to engage, mobilize,
educate and equip travelers on every Dominican Republic trip allowing for personal
enrichment and thousands of traveler impact days per month,
providing unprecedented opportunity for collective impact. For
Cuban voyages, passengers enjoy premium accommodations including
all the amenities of a modern hotel, plus the convenience of having
to unpack only once while seeing the breadth of the island. Every
night, Fathom travelers return to the comforts of the Adonia, where
they can relax knowing that all the details of travel are
handled.
For more information about Fathom or to book a voyage, contact
your Travel Professional, call Fathom toll-free at 1-855-932-8466
or visit www.Fathom.org.
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SOURCE Fathom