Agrandir

For the time being, Cuban ports are rigged to accommodate cruise liners, and the places around the archipelago where landings are feasible are welcoming dozens of thousands of visitors every year. But only for the time being since nobody dares to cast any doubts on the superb opportunities Cuba has for the development of this particular industry.

First of all, Cuba's strategic position in the Caribbean –highly coveted since the coming of the conquistadors- sounds like sort of hackneyed expression, but it's really far from it.

A glimpse at one of the pages of a magazine dealing exclusively with cruises proves that the so-called Gulf Key Theory is fundamental for sailing across the region. Vessels that never reach this neck of the woods for unforeseen circumstances simply border its coastline en route to other islands.

Secondly but not least, Cuba is blessed with tourist charms and historic, social and cultural values that turn the greatest of the Antilles into a tempting stopover for most recreational ships.

Already used to the arrival of huge liners, the cities of Havana and Santiago de Cuba have laid out the proper infrastructure to ease passengers' tours down the historic core of Old Havana, the military fortresses of the colonial rule, restaurants and famous bars, monuments, squares, major architectural works, museums, art galleries, theater performances, musicals, dance shows, nightclubs and nearby spots.

Both passengers and crew members are so lured by the nation's capital that some companies have picked the Sierra Maestra terminal as their main port of call for their Caribbean operations. Others are scheduling two-day stopovers or make plans to stay overnight, an entitlement only granted to safe and eye-catching destinations.

Punta Frances, in the southern shore of the Isle of Youth, has panned out to be an undisputed break in the journey for taking a swim in an breathtaking beach, scuba diving, snorkeling or taking a hike into the region's unexplored environment.

These, however, are not the only points in the archipelago equipped with everything it takes to receive cruises. Ports like those in Cienfuegos and Casilda (Trinidad) have already accepted fairly big boats, while Jardines del Rey off the northern coast of Ciego de Avila has successfully carried out landings near its beaches, where passengers usually stay for long hours.

Harbors like Mariel (Havana), Matanzas and Nipe Bay (Holguin) are only waiting for an increase in the number of arrivals to implement reforms that would eventually lead them to opening up to cruises.

EASY COME, EASY GO Experts believe the possibility of making more than just one stopover in the country is one of the heftiest chances Cuba has to boost this industry, while others point to Cuba as the next heavyweight champion of the Caribbean among cruise destinations.

How long will it take for the island nation to reach the top of the wave? That's not a question that takes a crystal ball to find the answer. A basic analysis of the sector in the region is good enough to understand the final takeoff will come to pass as soon as the U.S. trade embargo on the island is lifted and American cruise companies will be allowed once again to chart Cuba in their trips.

No one can deny that U.S. cruise companies are by far the dominant forces of the big boat business. Only three of the big ones –Carnival, RCCL and P&O- move 85 percent of all cruise passengers coming to the Caribbean, with 70 percent of them hailing from the States. As a matter of fact, that figure accounts for 90 percent of the total annual tally in the region.

AGAINST ALL ODDS Despite the existing ban, though, that particular modality in the country is far from being bogged down. Estimates for the ongoing season point to 120 stopovers (some 77,000 passengers), including a few state-of-the-art vessels owned by Europe's top companies that put up quite a match for U.S. firms.

Experts explain that the fact of forging ties with cruise owners and seeing more boats docking in every year, reveals the country is by now joining the competitive mainline. That, of course, stands for a very important outcome in a market virtually controlled by the Americans.

On the heels of the decision to open up its ports to cruises back in 1995, Cuba has piecemeal increased the professional training of the personnel employed in the business, improved the infrastructure and stepped up overall organization in an effort to meet the highest demands and expectations among both passengers and cruise companies.

No wonder the streamlining process toward higher efficiency and competitiveness has moored onshore. Cuban authorities look to raising both aspects on a steady basis because Havana's beauty and tourist interest alone aren't good enough to draw in companies that give these elements a key role in their business.

That explains why the Sierra Maestra Terminal One was recently outfitted with Dolphin-style infrastructure that allows it to accommodate high-tech ships. On the other hand, investment is in the offing to notch up the number of piers from two to six in Havana alone, the country's premiere destination expected to take in around 80 to 85 percent of the total amount of arrivals.

Though the upcoming years will witness four piers for megacruises at the Sierra Maestra terminals one and three, and the number two in Casa Blanca, on the other side of the bay the strategy of Cuban operators is to create conditions in the ports of Mariel and Matanzas as alternatives to the excessive concentration of liners in the nation's capital that could eventually hamper both profitability and service quality.

At the same time, construction works of one of the largest shopping malls of the entire region are now underway at the Sierra Maestra Terminal Two. The mall will feature a variety of stores and services to complement the loading and unloading process, plus a number of facilities to operate fast ferries.

A DESTINATION CALLED TO MAKE IT BIG Research studies conducted by U.S. consulting firms and cruise companies themselves disclose an increasingly larger number of return visitors, a situation that compels owners of recreational vessels to go searching for new destinations in order to keep a tight grip on that percentage of travelers.

Still untouched, Cuba seems to be the missing piece of the industry's jigsaw puzzle in the Caribbean and the one that could blow away looming caginess on the part of operators. Its advantages are out of any question: geographical position, several ports of call and harbors, great sailing conditions almost all year round, experience in customs clearance process, tourist and immigration expertise, safety and an array of historic, cultural and recreational choices.

Once the U.S. ban is over, these and many other features will kindle the interest for those routes including the Cuban archipelago of roughly 70 percent of the 5 million passengers coming to Florida every year.

For the island nation, this unfettered flow will account for nearly 3.5 million passengers year in and year out, a figure that will definitely put Cuba on the route to the development of the industry.

By the time that happens, Cuban operators are gunning for more selectiveness toward ships and companies coming to the island in order to avoid gridlocks. Five megacruises unloading its human payload in Havana mean 10,000 people demanding a full-fledged infrastructure, proper transportation, restaurants, sightseeing spots and nightly offers galore.