PORT CANAVERAL, Fla. – Several passengers from the Norwegian Sun said they are disappointed about not going to Cuba during their trip.
The cruise ended up going to the Bahamas instead after President Donald Trump banned all U.S. cruise lines from traveling to Cuba.
The new restriction is part of a push to cut off money to the communist island's government.
An Atlanta couple, Randall and his wife Teresa, told us they planned their trip in November.
"A soon as the captain came on I knew what it was about. We read an article in Key West and as soon as the captain came on and made an announcement, I knew what it was," he said.
Other passengers stayed in good spirits and said the quick change was not that bad.
"They had a Cuban souvenir shop, so we took advantage and maybe in the future we will get a chance to go back to Cuba," Bryan Akers said.
The Norwegian Sun is the only ship that has been making stops in Havana during its cruises from Port Canaveral.
Norwegian Cruise Line released this statement:
“On June 4, 2019, the United States government announced new and immediate travel restrictions to Cuba. As a result, we have ceased all calls to the country and are modifying previously scheduled sailings as appropriate. We share our guests’ disappointment and frustration caused by this unexpected change. Like them, we were surprised by this sudden modification to policy. We thank you for your patience and continued support as we navigate through this recent development. Guests who booked Cuba sailings with us will be contacted very shortly with a detailed communication. We ask that they please bear with us as we carefully work through each sailing."
Guests booked on cruises to Cuba through Sept. 2 have two options:
Cuba Travel Policy Update 6/6/19 (Tweet 4/7): See full update here: https://t.co/zzK7fam0Iz pic.twitter.com/Vlu8BADwDn
— Cruise Norwegian (@CruiseNorwegian) June 6, 2019
Sailings beyond Sept. 2 will be automatically canceled and refunds will be applied to the original form of payment. Guests impacted by these cancellations are offered a 20% discount off current cruise fares on any new voyages booked by Aug. 5 for sailings no later than Dec. 31, 2020.
"We are so very sorry for this last-minute change but we do look forward to welcoming our guests on board soon and providing an exceptional vacation experience. With our world-class team, our innovative fleet and over 300 destinations to visit, we know they will have the vacation of a lifetime no matter the destination,” a spokesperson for Norwegian Cruise Line said.