We got the news today that we had been waiting for.  The first cruise line ever to be granted permission to visit Cuba from US waters was given the green light today, at the same time of the historic visit to Havana  by President Obama.  “We have been waiting for this good news for a long time”, said Malori Asman, Chief Amazement Officer of Amazing Journeys. Those in the travel industry who know Malori know that she has been asking for  the past few years when this destination would be available, and made each sales rep promise to let her know as soon as Cuba opened up as a cruise destination.  The announcement that came today traveled fast from Havana to Miami to Pittsburgh when Malori received a call.  “We’re going!”, said Ron Fenska, Vice President of Sales for Fathom Travel, “Our team is in Havana and we signed the contracts today!”

Onboard the 704 passenger Adonia, passengers will participate in onboard programming including a variety of activities covering an array of interests such as Cuba’s customs and culture, conversational Spanish lessons and geographic-inspired entertainment.  Our Amazing Journeys onboard programming will take it a step further and offer additional programming and discussions on topics involving the Jewish aspect of Cuba and its effects on the community under communism where no organized religion was allowed.  In addition, during our two days at sea, enjoy Cuban music, learn to dance the salsa, watch Cuban movies and learn to mix the perfect mojito or Cuba Libre.

On land, the ship will visit three Cuban cities, including Cienfuegos, Santiago de Cuba and an overnight in Havana allowing for nearly two days there.  The included shore excursions will provide immersion into Cuba’s history with walking tours and architectural tours, culture and special interest tracts such as visiting artists homes, a visit to the home of Ernest Hemingway, visits to hospitals or a cigar factory.  In addition, Amazing Journeys has already been in contact with the Jewish community and will include visits to synagogues, the only functioning pharmacy on the island, located inside of the synagogue and visits with locals from the Jewish community.

According to Malori, Cuba is so close but a world apart. She will be going on the second ever sailing from Miami in over 50 years, leaving on May 15 in preparation for our group cruise over New Year’s.  To receive more details on this cruise, sign up for our Cuba interest list at info@amazingjourneys.net

by Malori

It’s been a week since returning from our Amazing Journeys people-to-people mission to Cuba.  We saw and did so much in just a weeks time, it’s hard to put it all down in words.  Traveling to Cuba is like heading back to the late 1950’s or earlier.  The cars, the hotels, the ideas, billboards of Castro with anti-American posts, it’s hard to believe only 90 miles away is the US where we are free to believe what we want and free to do just about anything we want.  We can get our hands on any kind of goods and services.  The people of Cuba cannot.  For example, for the average citizen, it is illegal for them to have an email address.  Think about that for a moment.  Our guide had only been on the internet four times in his life!  Imagine!  He has seen only four movies, and up until very recently, was not able to step foot into a hotel where foreigners stay. For a country with 11 million people, there are only 750,000 cars and half of those belong to the government.  To purchase a car can cost from $100,000 to $250,000 USD.  The things we take for granted, like a refrigerator, can cost upwards of $5,000 and it is the type and style we used in the 60’s.

Rationing is still the method used for food distribution.  Eggs are limited to 10 per month.  After that, you need to find it on the black market.  Milk is cut off after a child turns seven years old.  Flour, butter, bread… it’s all rationed.

We got to visit with the Jewish Community and were happy to see that with the help of the JDC and those who contribute to it, the Jewish community, while shrinking to a fraction of the size it was, is a robust community.  Those from the “outside” world have seen to it that there are clothes to wear, medicine to be had and Judaica to hold services for Shabbat and holidays.  The teens are even given the opportunity to go on a Birthright trip to see Israel and develop a strong connection to the country and her people.

Visiting Cuba is like peeling back the layers of an onion.  We believed it to be a certain way, because that’s what we were taught.  Fidel Castro, Bay of Pigs, Communism.  But what we found is a people who cannot wait to get out and get with modern society.  It’s going to take a lot of time and money to bring Cuba back to her glory days of the 1950’s when time stood still.  Now that the US has lightened restrictions, more people are able to visit (currently there are 500,000 US citizens per year visiting Cuba, with 80% of those being Cuban born American’s, coming back to visit with family).  Next month, the American Embassy will re-open when John Kerry brings the American flag back to Cuba.

The people of Cuba are excited to see what will come of this new beginning.  It brings hope to a country that had, for so many years, none.