Cuba Cruise’s M/V Louis Cristal called in Havana’s Sierra Maestra Terminal last week, wrapping up the final sailing of the Canadian company’s 2015/2016 season. The trailblasing initiative charmed international travellers with the unsurpassed wonder and beauty of the Caribbean’s most talked about island. No longer the forbidden fruit for many Americans, Cuba agreed to normalise relations with the United States early this year, signaling an unprecedented shift in U.S. travel to Cuba. At the forefront of Cuba’s transformed travel scene, Cuba Cruise is now gearing up for its third run, from December 18th, 2015 to March 28th, 2016.

“Our last season in Cuba proved to be our most exciting one yet. We experienced a record surge of American interest in our cutting-edge cruise program, welcoming more U.S. travellers aboard than ever before,” said Dugald Wells, Cuba Cruise President. “As new developments come into play, we anticipate a significant portion of our guests will come from the emerging American market in 2015/2016.”

Cuba Cruise now offers a brand new way for Americans to experience Cuba. Launched in January 2015, the exclusive People-to-People cruise program is offered in partnership with the U.S. non-profit organisation Fund for Reconciliation and Development (FFRD), which authorises legal travel to Cuba under the new general license introduced by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). Highlights of the cruise include Cuban-guided day trips to historical, social and religious places of interest, like Santiago de Cuba, Trinidad and Cienfuegos, dance and Spanish language workshops, onboard lecture series from a University of Havana professor, and one-on-one conversations with Cubans onboard and ashore.

From around the world, veteran cruisers, vacationing families, snowbirds, honeymooners and beach bums weren’t shy to speak up about their weeklong escape to Cuba’s pristine shorelines, cobblestoned capital, charming countryside, and colonial villages. Positive reviews and testimonials have lit up international travel websites and blogs, such as Cruise Critic and TripAdvisor, and across social media channels, like Facebook and Twitter.

Cuba Cruise’s seven–night sailings offer families, friends and couples the chance to explore the island’s top tourist attractions and off-the-beaten path highlights from the comfort and ease of a modern cruise vessel.