It's official: Carnival Paradise to visit Cuba from Tampa

Havana will be added to select Carnival Paradise voyages from Tampa. These overnights will be featured on 12 four- and five-day cruises starting June 29.

Four-day cruises will depart June 29, July 13, Aug. 24, Sept. 7 and 21, and Oct. 5 and 19, as well as May 3, 2018, and include a daytime and overnight visit to Havana. Five-day voyages will depart Aug. 14 and 28, Sept. 25 and Oct. 9, and include a daytime and overnight visit to Havana as well as a stop in Cozumel or Key West.

Carnival is the second Carnival Corp. & plc brand to get the nod from Cuban officials, after Fathom—which became the first US-based cruise operator to sail to the island last May after a 50-year gap. The Fathom brand will be going away after May this year, and approval for another of the company's brands had been long anticipated.

Last December president and ceo Arnold Donald reiterated that approvals for 'hopefully more than one brand' would get the green light for the June period and beyond.

Carnival president Christine Duffy called Cuba 'an island jewel unique from anywhere else in the Caribbean,' adding: 'We are thrilled to have this rare opportunity to take our guests to this fascinating destination.'

The sailings are designed to comply with US regulations for allowed people-to-people travel.

Port Tampa Bay president and ceo Paul Anderson welcomed the news.

'Carnival has been our long-standing partner for over 20 years. We are excited to play host to the hundreds of thousands of Carnival passengers that will come to and from Port Tampa Bay to the exotic and exciting destinations that Carnival has to offer,' he said.

Until early this month, no US-based lines were approved for Cuba cruises beyond May. First Royal Caribbean got the nod for additional sailings on Empress of the Seas into November, then Norwegian Cruise Line's Norwegian Sky was OKd for weekly departures from June through December.

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