By
Rebecca Gibson |
This article was first published in Spring/Summer 2018 issue of the International Cruise & Ferry Review. All information was correct at the time of printing, but may since have changed.
Tom McAlpin is no stranger to the cruise industry. With 30 years’ experience behind him, half of which was focused on starting up Disney Cruise Line, he is well placed in his role as president and CEO of Virgin Voyages (VV).
In 2017, Florida’s Port Tampa Bay emerged as one of the leading US homeports for cruise lines sailing to the island nation of Cuba. The port continues to play a key role in the US-Cuba cruise market in 2018, particularly because both Carnival Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean International offer four-and five-night itineraries to the island’s capital Havana.
This summer, Royal Caribbean will deploy Majesty of the Seas at Port Tampa Bay to sail itineraries with calls in Cuba, making 2018 the second consecutive year the cruise line has offered a summer programme from the city. The vessel will replace Empress of the Seas, which was the first Royal Caribbean ship to spend the summer season in Tampa in 2017. Royal Caribbean will also continue to offer winter cruises from Tampa to the Caribbean in 2018 – something the company has been steadfast in doing since 2002. This winter, Brilliance of the Seas will offer four-day itineraries, while Rhapsody of the Seas will sail seven-day voyages. Together, the summer and winter programmes enable Royal Caribbean to have a year-round presence in Tampa.
Carnival now has two cruise ships based year-round in Tampa after bringing back Carnival Miracle in January 2018. The vessel sails seven-day voyages that include calls in Cuba, and complement Carnival Paradise’s four-day itineraries.
“There is a long history of Cuban heritage and connection with Tampa and it’s a natural fit,” said Gus Antorcha, chief operating officer at Carnival Cruise Line when Carnival Paradise embarked on her inaugural sailing from the port to Cuba in summer 2017.
Tampa’s Cuban – and Spanish – heritage goes back more than six generations when the earliest of traders used to send cattle from the US to the island nation in return for tobacco leaf and cane sugar. The city’s proximity to Cuba – less than 300 nautical miles – has made cruising out of Port Tampa Bay a natural embarkation point for multiple cruise lines as the US and Cuba continue to show more signs of open exchange over time.
Cruise guests can start to get a feel for Cuban life before they embark on their voyage, or carry on their vacation when they return by heading to Ybor City, Tampa’s famous Latin quarter. Founded in the early 1880s by Spanish and Cuban immigrants, the cultural gem is a unique asset for the Tampa Bay area. The area took on a uniquely Cuban flair and thrived, creating the largest cigar manufacturing industry in the US throughout the first half of the 20th century.
Not only does Tampa boast a strong Cuban heritage and provide easy access to the island via sea, but the city is also located close to six of the world’s major theme parks.
“In many ways, our industry considers it an embarrassment of riches to have all of this around us,” said Raul Alfonso, chief commercial officer at Port Tampa Bay. “There is the proximity to Busch Gardens, Walt Disney World, Universal Studios Florida, SeaWorld Orlando, Legoland and all the top theme parks that make Florida the tourism destination it is.”
Together these tourist attractions, combined with the easy access to several of the top-rated beaches that line Florida’s west coast, the Ybor City cultural influence and the city’s close proximity to Cuba and the Western Caribbean, help Port Tampa Bay to attract more than one million cruise passengers every year. The port is also less than 20 minutes’ drive from the award-winning Tampa International Airport, and offers abundant parking facilities. This makes it easy and hassle-free for guests to travel to and from the port, ensuring they enjoy an exceptional experience whenever they start or end their cruise at Port Tampa Bay.