PHOTO: Will the Pearl Mist be among the first cruise ships to visit Cuba? (Courtesy of Pearl Seas Cruises)
When President Obama announced he was working toward restoring diplomatic relations with Cuba, it set off a storm of excitement and speculation about a new, untouched destination for American vacationers.
Most cruise lines undoubtedly escalated planning for the day when they can dock or drop anchor in Cuba after decades of sailing around the 780-mile-long island. Publicly, though, most cruise line executives spoke vaguely of the "opportunity" and "potential" in Cuba.
But Pearl Seas Cruises makes no bones about its desire to sail to Cuba, and even issued a press release on Jan. 7 that says it is exploring itinerary options.
"What we're looking at right now is the logistical side - what would make a good itinerary and what ports can we operate to," said Charles Robertson, president and CEO of Pearl Seas, which operates the 210-passenger Pearl Mist. "We're getting ready so once the regulatory environment becomes clear, we can begin operating quickly."
PHOTO: CEO Charles Robertson says Pearl Seas is "getting ready so once the regulatory environment becomes clear, we can begin operating quickly."
Pearl Seas is considering cruises along both the Southern and Northern coasts of Cuba, possibly beginning in South Florida (Miami is 230 miles away). Itineraries of varying length are being considered, but all will explore Cuban culture, heritage, education, economy, history and more, the press release said.
Robertson said the press release was issued to respond to a deluge of questions about Cuba from consumers and travel agents.
"We've gotten a lot of inquiries from travel agents, and we're working with them to try and find good ways to make Cuba available to the traveling American public," Robertson told TravelPulse. "People view us as a likely company to get there early. That's the kind of thing we do - go to unusual places rather than large tourist destinations."
So how soon could the Pearl Mist visit Cuba? "We hope - and I emphasize the word hope - in 2017, based on what we know now, and there's a lot we don't know," Robertson said. "But we're learning."
Why such interest in Cuba? "It's interesting, and it's close," Robertson said. "People's parents had gone there on vacation before Castro took over. There's just some mystique about it, and people want to go."
Having such a small ship means Pearl Seas wouldn't have to wait for infrastructure improvements such as dock or cruise terminal expansions. The Pearl Mist could anchor and easily tender its passengers ashore. Plus, its well-off, educated and curious clients are eager to go. "This really is in the sweet spot of the kind of thing we do," Robertson said.
The Pearl Mist is registered in the Marshall Islands, unlike the ships and riverboats in its sister company, American Cruise Lines, which fly the U.S. flag. The Pearl Mist currently operates cruises in the Great Lakes, Canadian Maritimes and New England. Caribbean and Panama Canal cruises are scheduled for the 2015-16 winter season.
American Cruise Lines has been growing quickly, and plans to introduce its second 150-passenger paddlewheeler, the American Eagle, on the Mississippi River in late March. It will be the company's seventh ship.
Are similar growth plans in the works for Pearl Seas? "We may have something to say about that in the first or second quarter," Robertson said.
Stay tuned.
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