|
Join
us
on this historic
Valentine
cruise
to
Cuba!
February
14 - 21, 2018 |
|
After more than 30 years, travelers
can once again visit Cuba, a country celebrated for its distinctive
musical, dance, literary and art traditions. Whether you’re drawn to the
graceful lines and embellishments of Spanish colonial buildings, lively
urban murals in bright, bold, saturated colors, or the deep, dense
foliage of the Cuban countryside, you’ll find much to explore on this
cruise to Cuba.
Imagine touring
Havana’s most famous dance academies, watching masters perform, then
perfecting your own salsa technique in a class at El Salon Fiesta.
Settling in for an evening of live jazz and traditional Cuban dining in
a paladar, one of Havana’s home-based, family-run restaurants. Exploring
La Terrazas, a UNESCO Biosphere, where Cuban doctors rely on indigenous
flora and fauna to concoct alternative medicines. Or retracing the steps
of Ernest Hemingway, including his favorite cafes, water holes and the
setting that inspired The Old Man and the Sea.
When you return to your ship at the end of each memorable day, relax in
elegant comfort as you continue your Cuban immersion. Whether you’re
sipping a refreshing mojito on your suite’s private verandah, savoring
gorgeous Cienfuegos Bay from the Panorama deck or posing for selfies
with your friends, this is a delightful way to
experience CUBA!
This 7-day
cruise on Holland America’s Veendam, includes two ports of call in CUBA
(including an overnight in Havana!). Sailing roundtrip from Ft.
Lauderdale, ports include: Havana and Cienfuegos in Cuba and Grand
Cayman Island.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Wednesday - February
14, 2018 |
Fort Lauderdale, Florida |
----- |
5:00 p.m. |
|
Thursday - February
15, 2018 |
At Sea |
----- |
----- |
|
Friday - February 16,
2018 |
Havana (La Habana),
Cuba |
8:00 a. m. |
----- |
|
Saturday
-
February 17, 2018 |
Havana (La Habana),
Cuba |
----- |
2:00 a.m. |
|
Sunday - February 18,
2018 |
Cienfuegos, Cuba |
7:00 a.m. |
4:00 p.m. |
|
Monday - February 19,
2018 |
Georgetown, Cayman
Islands |
8:00 a.m. |
5:00 p.m. |
|
Tuesday - February 20, 2018 |
At Sea |
----- |
------ |
|
Wednesday - February 21, 2018 |
Fort Lauderdale, Florida |
7:00 a.m. |
|
|
 |
|
Ship Facts
Ship's Registry: The
Netherlands
Guest capacity: 1,350
Gross Tonnage: 57,092 grt.
Length: 719 feet
Beam: 101 feet
Maximum speed: 22 knot |
|
Ms
Veendam |
|
Grandly proportioned and
recently enhanced, ms Veendam offers an
onboard experience defined by spacious comfort and
the latest amenities. Guests aboard Veendam
enjoy a multi- million dollar art and antique
collection, wide teak decks, elegant dining rooms
and spacious staterooms.
|
|
Your Cuban adventure begins in
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
where you board your luxury ocean liner and begin your journey towards
CUBA!
|
After a relaxing day at sea being pampered by the staff on your new
floating home, you arrive at Havana (La Habana), Cuba
where you will have plenty of time to explore while our ships
spends an overnight in port.
 While
most Americans have never been there due to the U.S. government’s
embargo of Cuba which started in 1962, the very word Havana still evokes
a set of specific images—candy-colored vintage cars puttering along
picturesque streets; smiling musicians playing familiar tropical tunes
whose rhythms are so infectious that nearly everyone is seduced into
dancing; cigar-smoking and rum-sipping locals against a palm-fringed
background. There’s a reason these have become the stereotypical visual
symbols of Cuba’s capital city, but dive beneath the surface and you’ll
find so much more: world-class sports matches, centuries-old historic
sites and even a Chinatown in midst of a cultural revival. And while
Havana may not be a global culinary capital (for the moment, at least),
you can find plenty of delicious dishes served in friendly casual
restaurants run out of private homes or in more-upscale spots with city
and water views. As for shopping, you’ll definitely be able to purchase
unique souvenirs to take home, from photo books about Cuban culture sold
at the island’s only English-language bookstore to a hand-blended
perfume or cologne packaged in a bottle that looks like a throwback to
another era. |
Our next stop is Cienfuegos,
Cuba!
The city of Cienfuegos is also the capital of the province of the same
name. A port city on Cuba’s southern coast, Cienfuegos has played an
important role in Cuba’s history since it was founded in 1819, when the
island was still Spanish territory, and today it remains one of the
country’s important commercial centers—a transit point for coffee,
sugarcane and tobacco. It has both welcomed and resisted incursions from
various people and interests over the past two centuries. Both as the
heart of Cuba’s sugar industry and as the birthplace of famous Cubans
past and present, such as singer Benny Moré and baseball stars José
Abreu and Yasiel Puig, the city looms large in Cuban consciousness, but
it isn’t always on visitors’ itineraries, which is a shame. Cienfuegos
boasts numerous attractions that give a fuller, more complex view of
Cuban life, culture and history. This fact was recognized by UNESCO in
2005, when the organization inscribed the old center of Cienfuegos, with
its many stately neoclassical buildings and “harmonious overall
townscape” (to borrow UNESCO’s description), onto its World Heritage
List.
|
|
Our final
port stop is Georgetown, Cayman Islands!
 The
western end of Grand Cayman Island contains one of the most delightful
cities in the Caribbean. Underwater. In the shallow waters West Bay, you
can swim into Stingray City, where the rays will let you touch, feed,
and hold them. About a mile west, on the other side of the island, lies
Seven Mile Beach, an emblematic stretch of Caribbean idyll. And just
south is Georgetown, the country's capital. The town is a crayon box of
shops (look for a piece of colorful Caymanite or black coral),
restaurants, and history, including the Cayman Islands National Museum
and the Maritime Treasure Museum. The harbor offers endless water
activities for cruise guests, including snorkeling, scuba diving, and
glass-bottom boat tours.
The Cayman Islands have
everything you would want from a Caribbean destination—warm breezes,
clear seas and a laid-back attitude—but the archipelago also has
something you might not expect: an exciting culinary scene. Between the
celebrity chefs who’ve set up shop on Grand Cayman and the 135 or so
resident nationalities that have helped season the island’s giant
melting pot, this is, hands down, one of the best places to eat in the
Caribbean. In and around George Town you’ll find such an amazing array
of culinary offerings, you’ll fear for the future of any buttons, snaps
or hooks on your waistband.
And that’s where the island’s other chief pleasures come in: There’s
enough walking (whether along the fabled Seven Mile Beach, around
historic sites or through lush gardens) as well as the stunning
swimming, snorkeling and diving to be done to counter the effects of . .
. So. Much. Good. Food. Or at least you can begin to. Oh, and one
warning: Should you wind up at Rum Point—Grand Cayman’s castaway beach
imago—there’s a good chance your ship is, by your own design, sailing
without you.
|
|
 Today
you will enjoy another relaxing day
AT SEA
as we head back to Fort
Lauderdale. This will be your last chance to enjoy your floating paradise—the
Ms
Veendam! Choose from an array of
onboard activities that allow you to pursue new interests or relax and
rejuvenate. Learn how to edit, display and share your vacation videos
and photographs through the Digital Workshop powered by Windows®. And
explore the wonders of our world through exclusive BBC Earth natural
history content through onboard activities, concerts and films. Enjoy
onboard cooking shows and hands-on workshops in partnership with
America’s Test Kitchen. The Greenhouse Spa & Salon offers spa
treatments, a thermal pool and lounge and a variety of salon services.
The fully equipped Fitness Center includes state-of-the-art cardio and
weight machines, as well as classes in Yoga, Pilates, indoor cycling and
more. On deck, enjoy The Retreat, a private resort-style pool experience
offering sophisticated poolside amenities and service.
|
|
Sadly your wonderful
adventure must come to an end as we arrive back in
Fort Lauderdale
on Wednesday and prepare to head home. However, we will always
carry with us fond memories of this very special time. |
|
***Note:
All U. S. and Canadian citizens must carry a
passport
that is valid for six months beyond the duration of the cruise.
Please make sure that your passport is valid through
August
22, 2018!
***
While it doesn't happen often, please note that if the cruise line
decides at any time that any specific port stop is not safe for its
passengers,
it reserves the right to deviate from the scheduled route and change,
substitute or omit any ports of call.
|
|
Questions?
Please call:
(540) 887-8491
Or e-mail:
lynette@travelingtroubadour.com
©2017 Traveling Troubadour, L. L. C.
|
|
|
