Carnival's Adonia cruise ship sails into port in Havana, Cuba in this 2016 file photo.ADALBERTO ROQUE/AFP/Getty Images
Carnival Corp said on Wednesday its cruises will no longer sail to Cuba following the Trump administration’s ban on U.S. travel to the Caribbean island.
The new restrictions are aimed at pressuring Cuba’s Communist government to reform and stop supporting Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.
“Due to changes in U.S. policy, the company will no longer be permitted to sail to Cuba effective immediately,” Carnival said.
The U.S. State Department said on Tuesday the United States will no longer permit visits to Cuba via passenger and recreational vessels, including cruise ships and yachts, as well as private and corporate aircraft.
Royal Caribbean Cruises said on Tuesday its ships sailing Wednesday and Thursday would no longer stop in Cuba, while Norwegian Cruise Line said it was monitoring the situation.
The U.S. Commerce Department has told Reuters the ban would be effective Wednesday, giving cruise lines no grace period to change destinations and creating confusion among cruise passengers.
Carnival said the guests currently aboard its Carnival Sensation cruise that set sail on June 3, would now stop in Mexican island Cozumel on Thursday instead of Havana, adding that the guests would receive a $100 onboard credit for the inconvenience.
Carnival has three cruise lines that sail to Cuba.
“We are working as quickly as possible to secure alternative itineraries for the remainder of our Cuba voyages and expect to have information for sailings further out in the next 2-3 days,” Carnival said.