On June 29, Carnival Cruise Line hosted a bon voyage celebration in honor of the line’s first cruise to Havana, Cuba. Guests aboard the Carnival Paradise, including Executive Vice President of Guest Shipboard Operations Gus Antorcha, and representatives of Port Tampa Bay, Ybor City Museum Society, celebrated with Cuban culture, music, food and drinks, as well as a donation of $25,000 to Tampa’s Ybor City Museum Society.
The voyage marks the first of 12 cruises to Havana Carnival will offer, each with a daytime and overnight call in the city to provide travelers the opportunity to explore the historic location. Cruises will sail between four and five days, with five day journeys also stopping in either Cozumel, Mexico, or Key West, Florida. Additional cruises are scheduled for July 13, August 14, 24 and 28, September 7, 21 and 25, October 5, 9 and 19, 2017, and May 3, 2018.
Also presented at the event was the “World’s Largest Cuban Sandwich at Sea.” The 10-foot-long sandwich held the traditional Cuban sandwich ingredients; white bread, five pounds of sliced ham, 50 pounds of marinated and roasted pork, six pounds of Swiss cheese, one gallon of dill pickles and mustard and mayonnaise.
In honor of the rivalry between Tampa and Miami on which city makes the most authentic sandwich (Tampa adds Genoa salami), half of the sandwich included eight pounds of the deli meat to salute the city’s large Italian population.
Carnival Paradise has a 12,000-square-foot spa and wellness center and an adults-only retreat. For the kids, the ship offers the Seuss at Sea program in partnership with Dr. Seuss Enterprises. Young guests can enjoy a Green Eggs and Ham Breakfast with The Cat in the Hat as well as supervised activities for three different age groups. There are also four pools and a 115-foot water slide.
For more information visit the website at carnival.com.
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