Cuban-Born Americans Can Now Legally Set Sail for Cuba

Cuban-Americans may now join the flood of travelers heading to the island nation by air and by sea, thanks to a reversal in an odd Cuban law that allowed Cuban-Americans to depart and return to the country only by plane.

According to Fortune, Carnival Cruise Corporation—the first U.S. line to travel between the two countries in more than half a century—faced discrimination charges when it refused to book Cuban-born Americans on its inaugural Fathom sailing.

While Carnival was abiding by a Cold War-era law, Cuban-Americans—and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry—put pressure on the company to postpone its trip until the law was reversed.

Today, the Cuban government said Cuban-Americans could enter and leave Cuba by commercial vessels as early as Tuesday, April 26—allowing Carnival to lawfully book Cuban-Americans on the ship leaving for Havana on May.

In a statement, the Cuban government said the policy change was made with “the intent of promoting mutually beneficial bilateral cooperation.” 

Melanie Lieberman is the Assistant Digital Editor at Travel + Leisure. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram at @melanietaryn.