Tag Archives: Havana

Ambassador’s Ambience Kicks Off 40-Day Cruise to the Caribbean

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Ambassador’s Ambience Kicks Off 40-Day Cruise to the Caribbean

Ambassador Cruise Line’s Ambience recently kicked off one of the company’s longest cruises this year, a 40-day voyage to the Caribbean.

Sailing roundtrip from Tilbury, the “Jewels of the Caribbean Sea” itinerary is highlighted by visits to a wide range of destinations in the region.

As part of the voyage, the Ambience will become the only mainstream cruise ship to sail to Cuba in 2026, with a 13-hour visit to Havana scheduled for Feb. 16, 2026.

The cruise started with a visit to Ponta Delgada in the Azores after departing from the United Kingdom on Jan. 30, 2026.

The Ambience then crossed the Atlantic for destinations in Antigua and the British Virgin Islands, such as Antigua and Tortola.

Following its visit to Cuba, the ship is also scheduled to sail to George Town in the Cayman Islands, Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic and Fort-de-France in Martinique.

Other ports of call include Montego Bay and Ocho Rios in Jamaica, as well as Bridgetown in Barbados and Castries in St. Lucia.

Before arriving back in Tilbury in early March, the Ambience also sails to Basseterre in St. Kitts and St. Vincent.

Upon returning to the United Kingdom, the Ambience embarks on a series of spring cruises to Northern Europe, visiting Scandinavia, the Baltic, the British Isles and more.

For the summer, the 1,578-passenger ship adds visits to more destinations, including Portugal, Spain, Madeira, the Canaries and Iceland.

The vessel’s deployment is also highlighted by a 31-night cruise to the Mediterranean scheduled for early November, which sails roundtrip from Tilbury and features ports of call across North Africa, the Adriatic, Sicily and more.

In related news, Ambassador’s Ambience recently underwent a three-week drydock refurbishment in the United Kingdom.

The multi-million-dollar refurbishment included technical work, as well as improvements to public areas and staterooms.

Virgin Voyages to feature Key West instead of Havana

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With Cuba cruises from the U.S. no longer permitted, Virgin Voyages’ four-day “Havana After Dark” cruises will be replaced with a four-day cruise featuring Key West.

The new itinerary will be called “Fire and Sunset Soirees” and will include a sunset departure from Key West and a midnight departure from Bimini.

All Virgin cruises will visit the line’s Bimini Beach Club but only the Key West itinerary will offer a “late-night beach bonfire soiree” in Bimini.

Virgin said the evening will feature artistic fire installations that draw their inspiration from the fireball sculptures on Necker Island, home to Virgin founder Richard Branson.

Virgin also detailed two seven-day holiday sailings. “Holidaze and Nights” and “New Year’s Ahoy” will call in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic, and feature late-night sailaways in Bimini and San Juan.

Wendy Williams was named captain of the Scarlet Lady, Virgin Voyages' first ship.

Wendy Williams was named the captain of the Scarlet Lady, Virgin Voyages’ first ship.

Virgin also said it has appointed a captain for its first ship, the Scarlet Lady. It said that Wendy Williams will become the first Canadian woman to be captain of a ship for a major cruise brand. Virgin said the appointment is in keeping with its Scarlet Squad program, an initiative dedicated to bridging the gender gap in leadership roles across the maritime industry.

So close yet so far: Disappointment on the Norwegian Sun

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Image result for Norwegian sun

Lori Osgood’s clients were eager to visit Cuba for the first time this week when they were to cruise into Havana aboard the Norwegian Sun. The group had been planning their family cruise since last November.

It was not to be.

The Trump administration’s new regulations implemented on Tuesday forced cruise lines to immediately remove Cuba from all itineraries.

“They were excited to soak in all that Havana had to offer — the sights, sounds, people and culture,” said Osgood, a Cruise Planners travel advisor in Jacksonville, Fla. “They are disappointed that they missed their chance.”

Instead of Havana, the Norwegian Sun’s passengers headed to Nassau, Bahamas. Norwegian informed passengers with an announcement on the ship.

“I sell a fair amount of Cuba and am saddened that many of my clients who were planning to travel there will not have the opportunity to do so, at least not in the foreseeable future,” she said.

As for cruise travellers already booked for Cuba, she will spend “a few extra hours to make sure our clients who were supposed to go to Cuba are well taken care of.”