TRIP HIGHLIGHTS

• 7-Day Cruise to Cuba

• Tour of Following Cities: Havana, Santiago de Cuba, Cienfuegos Free Time in Port of Havana Area

• Cultural Immersion into Cuba

• Interact with Local Cubans

RATES Per person

Double -- Inside Cabin
(Group of 2): TBA
Double -- Ocean View Cabin
(Group of 2): TBA
Double -- Outside Balcony Cabin
(Group of 2): TBA
Double -- Suite Balcony Cabin
(Group of 2): TBA

Contact us for single pricing.

Price includes flights, visa, taxes, on board tips, meals, daily side tours, but not additional excursions (Havana has an option for that otherwise, the trip is pretty much set with daily excursions)

INCLUDED IN TOUR

• Professional tour director

• Professional motor coach driver

• All flights (regional airport departures may cost more)

• Step on guides for city tours

• Top quality accommodations – 4 Star and above

• Many meals on tour, equal amount of breakfasts and lunches/dinners

• Tips on all meals

• All taxes, fees, visas, etc. included in total price of tour

• Personalized service

• Final documents for trip details, 8 weeks prior to departure

• Luggage handling

• Much, much more!

NOT INCLUDED IN TOUR

• Every meal not included – guests are informed about how much more money to expect to pay for meals prior to departure

• Tips for tour director and driver
  ($5 - $6 per person per day is recommended. Bluebird Guided Tours also tips our tour directors and drivers individually)

• Baggage Fees when flying (~$25 per direction per bag)

• Personal expenses (souvenirs, other personal costs, etc.)

ABOUT THE SHIP

The 704-passenger Adonia, refurbished in 2011 and scheduled to be refreshed again in March 2016, will serve as a comfortable home base throughout your trip. With restaurants, lounges, bars, pools, a spa, a state-of-the-art gym, and all the other amenities of a 21st-century passenger ship, you’ll never lack for opportunities to relax. Thoughtfully prepared Cuban-inspired meals will nourish your body. And, of course, there’s the infinite mystery of the wide open sea around you. So your spirit gets some much-needed nourishment, too.

ITINERARY

Day 0: Arrive to Miami
Many will fly into Miami today and stay the night to wake up and board the Fathom Adonia tomorrow, which will travel to Cuba for the next week.

Day 1: Arrive to Miami – Depart for Cuba
Embarkation in Miami for Cuba today! Those not already in Miami will arrive to Miami International Airport and go directly to the Fathom Odonia for a day at sea on your way to Cuba! Each night will be spent on the cruise ship for the remainder of the trip with days (not at sea) spent on the island of Cuba!

Day 2: Havana
Your onshore adventure begins, appropriately enough, with the flavors of Old Havana. And the flavors, you’ll find, come in every variety. After an authentic Cuban lunch, you’ll dive deep into the city’s 16th-century heritage with a walking tour of Old Havana. Enjoy the opportunity to savor a local coffee in Plaza Vieja where a few questions may lead to a local Cafe owner explaining the role of tourism in Old Havana or showing you how coffee beans are roasted. Visit San Francisco de Assisi Square to discuss the role of religion on the island with patrons of the square’s beautiful cathedral. Stumble upon the famous booksellers’ market in Plaza de Armas to explore literature and antiques with the local merchants. Afterwards, visit with local artists at Taller Grafico Experimental, where you will learn about one of the world’s oldest printmaking techniques, known as “grabado.”After the day exploring and navigating the city, enjoy the option of a relaxing evening on the ship or experience the heat of a Havana night at one of the cities tropical Cabarets – tonight there is an option for an additional excursion.

Day: 3 Havana
After waking up to a beautiful Caribbean sunrise in the port of Havana, begin your second day in Cuba with an incredible agenda of activities designed to highlight the city’s premier attractions. After lunch head out on a panoramic tour of the city will take you up the famous Paseo del Prado and past Parque Central, where passionate baseball fans can be overheard debating greats, and the Gran Teatro de La Habana, home of the Cuban National Ballet, newly re-opened after a 2-year renovation. Enjoy views of the El Capitolio, currently under extensive renovations, and the scenic sights of the famed Reina Street where Art Nouveau buildings, colonial houses and Art Deco homes line the corridor.

Stand in the Plaza de la Revolucion under the watchful eyes of colossal iron sculptures of Che Guevara and Camilo Cienfuegos and talk to passionate Cubans about their national hero, Jose Marti, below the monument memorializing his commitment to the people of the island. A short drive from Plaza de la Revolucion, a local guide will share the stories and secrets of the 140-acre Cementerio de Cristobal Colon, whose central avenues, sculptural monuments and elaborate baroque-style mausoleums make this massive cemetery almost a city of its own.

Peruse the halls of the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, where you can feel the pride of the Cuban people emanating from the beautiful artwork adorning the walls. Spanning five centuries, the art housed at Bellas Artes is some of the country’s finest and is a testimony to the vital role art plays in Cuban culture. Enjoy a break from the sun inside the museum discussing this comprehensive collection with local art enthusiasts.

The last few decades have seen the birth of a number of transformative community projects in Havana. During this part of the day you will visit local residents committed to neighborhood improvement projects and experience firsthand how vision and passion can change a community. Visit the home of famed Cuban artist Jose Fuster, who has turned his entire neighborhood into a mosaic maze inspired by the styles of Picasso and Gaudi, or the community art project of Muraleando, taking a community workshop on one of Cuba’s many traditional art forms.

Other groups of travelers will have the opportunity to visit the Arte Corte project where a former state barber has transformed his neighborhood into a cultural center dedicated to improving the lives of local residents, or Callejon de Hamel (“Hamel’s Alley”), which is a small backstreet that houses a comprehensive and eclectic collection of traditional and folkloric art.

Once back on the ship in the evening, join some of your new friends for drinks and dinner inspired and created by Caribbean chefs specifically for the Adonia or relax and take advantage of one of the many amenities found on the ship.

Day 4: Day at Sea

Day 5: Cienfuegos
During a walking tour of Cienfuegos, it won’t take you long to see why the city’s historic center, with its remarkable collection of French-influenced Neoclassical buildings, has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage site. And it won’t take you long to realize why the Cubans call this small but shining port city, with its wide seaside boulevards and sparkling bay, La Perla del Sur: The Pearl of the South. On your morning walk, you’ll visit a pharmacy, a market, and a local ration store, meeting local residents and learning about Cuba’s country-wide ration and dual currency systems.

Your morning exploring Cienfuegos also includes a trip to Teatro Tomas Terry, where a special performance has been planned for Fathom’s travelers. Finished in 1889 to honor Venezuelan industrialist Tomas Terry, the 950-seat auditorium takes its influence from French and Italian architects and is embellished with Carrera marble, hand-carved Cuban hardwoods, and whimsical ceiling frescoes.

Your morning in Cienfuegos will feature a private performance by the world renowned Cantores de Cienfuegos, with an opportunity afterwards to hear directly from the musicians about their lives, their training and their roles as music professors at area schools.

Day 6: Santiago de Cuba
Your final port is Santiago de Cuba, capital of the Spanish colony of Cuba from 1522 until 1589 and still the island’s most important city after Havana. Considered the birthplace of “ron, son, and revolucion”, the watchtowers and cannons used in the Spanish-American war still protect and guard this port city. Your full day in Santiago de Cuba includes lunch in a local Paladar where the chef and staff will answer questions about the rich and colorful history of their city and their cuisine.

After lunch, your tour of Santiago de Cuba continues with panoramic drives that provide views of the city’s most famous attractions like San Juan Hill, Antonio Maceo Revolution Square, and the Plaza de Marte. Dive deep into the city’s colonial past as you tour the UNESCO World Heritage site of Castillo de San Pedro de la Roca, a coastal fortress constructed in 1637 to protect Santiago de Cuba. Inside the fort, explore the country’s most complete and best-preserved examples of Spanish-American military architecture and artifacts alongside local history enthusiasts.

A short distance away from Castillo de San Pedro de la Roca lies the Santiago city center, with opportunities to see and discuss the Casa de la Trova, Parque Cespedes, or the Catedral de la Cuidad with local residents, and steps away is the Santa Ifigenia Cemetery, where Cuban National Hero Jose Marti was laid to rest and where you can also witness the changing of the guard that protects his tomb.

Before returning to the ship, you’ll spend a portion of the day visiting a community arts centers dedicated to preserving the identity of Santiago’s people. Some travelers will learn about the importance of dance in Santiago at the Cutumba and Macumba, while some will be inspired by the voices of the Coro Madrigalista. Other travelers will visit one of the famous music clubs of Santiago where they will be welcomed in to learn more about the sounds unique to the eastern side of the island.

Day 7: Day at Sea

Day 8: Return to Miami
Land in Miami today to finish your Cuban adventure! Fly home today back to your original departure location. Thank you for a fantastic trip and we hope to see you again on an upcoming trip!