Thomson Dream is to dock in Cuba today, marking the return of British cruise operators to the island after almost a decade.

The flagship of United Kingdom-based Thomson Cruises will dock in Havana carrying 1,700 passengers as part of a three week tour of the region.

Pictured: Thomson Dream will be call at Havana later today

The return of Thomson Dream to Cuba is being taken by the Communist-run Caribbean island as a sign European cruise companies are starting to return.

Spanish and Russian-owned vessels have already called this year.

However, American based cruise lines – usually operating out of Miami – are barred from docking in Cuba under the terms of a decades old trade embargo between the United States and the island.

The vessel will be the largest to dock for six years.

Cruise operations in Cuba dwindled following comments from then leader Fidel Castro that ships brought “rubbish, but little income”.

Canadian and Russian vessels are expected later in the year.

Thomson Dream will make three-week round trips to Montego Bay up to April 2011 and then switch to the Mediterranean before returning to Montego Bay in November.

City.Mobi

Also in the Caribbean today, City.Mobi is celebrating the success of its new city guide to Havana. 

City.Mobi offers the most comprehensive mobile travel guides available, with over 800 cities in 200 countries listed. Each is developed by the City.Mobi team to combine into a single global travel directory.

However, each city retains its own mobile identity via a dedicated domain. Already on offer are Brussels.Mobi, London.Mobi, Sanfrancisco.Mobi and Sydney.Mobi.

Havana.Mobi is the latest in this illustrious line up, offering click to call functionality – which means no scribbling down telephone numbers.

Most entries are also linked to websites where users can quickly access more detailed information if needed.

Other key features include information on accommodation, restaurants, attractions, entertainment, nightlife, shopping, and transport.

City.Mobi guides include user reviews and traveller utilities such as a translation guide, currency converter, news and local weather guide.