Fathom Unveils Details on New Cuba Onboard Programming

MIAMI, June 29, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Fathom, the pioneer in social impact travel and Carnival Corporation's (NYSE/LSE: CCL; NYSE: CUK) 10th and newest brand, today announced additional onboard activities designed to enrich travelers' cultural experience to Cuba aboard the MV Adonia. In addition to discovering an array of new onboard programming, travelers now have exclusive access to Cuban-made merchandise from a local design store, Clandestina, aboard the ship.

"We have been listening to our travelers and creating new experiences onboard based on their feedback to facilitate rich immersion and to provide more robust insight into the culture and people of Cuba," said Tara Russell, president of Fathom and global impact lead for Carnival Corporation. "We want them to dive deeply into Cuba's culture and fall in love with both the country's beauty and its people alongside fellow travel companions."

Fathom's onboard team of Experience Guides will provide a glimpse into the Cuban culture. From local customs and currency to informative seminars and Cuban dance classes – travelers will have a base of knowledge before ever setting foot in their three Cuban destinations. Fathom's new onboard programming for Cuba voyages includes:

Getting to Know Cuba / Introduction to Havana
This program provides vital information for the week ahead to ensure travelers get the most from their time in Cuba, and a comprehensive Havana overview.

Getting to Know Cienfuegos 
The Pearl of the South, Cienfuegos, is known for its remarkable beauty, which is deeply intertwined with the city's French roots. Travelers learn the history of Cuba's third largest port that includes sites such as Parque Marti and the Cantores de Cienfuegos.

Getting to Know Santiago de Cuba
Once the Spanish capital of Cuba and the birthplace of Castro's 26th of July Movement, Santiago de Cuba is rich in history. Travelers learn about the culture and people of Santiago, and discover why the land of "Ron, Son, and Revolución" has birthed many unique genres of music and ideologies.

Pre-1950's Cuban History 
Cuba's pre-revolutionary history tells the tale of Spanish colonialism, Caribbean resources, pirates, and the pride of the people. During this program, travelers get a closer look into the historical development of Cuba's culture and see why many fall in love with the spirit of the Cuban people.

Havana Architecture Bingo 
Havana is an architectural playground with a multitude of styles ranging from Baroque mansions to contemporary offices. Travelers learn about Havana's unique buildings and styles during a fun and interactive game of bingo.

Cuban Coffee Games
The role of coffee is deeply engrained in Cuban culture as the most important export in the country. Travelers discover how coffee made its way to the island and why coffee from the Sierra Maestra is considered to be the finest in the world.

Havana / Cienfuegos / Santiago de Cuba Bands
The influence of music and art on Cuban culture can be seen and heard on nearly every block. Cuban bands join the sailings from Havana to Cienfuegos and Cienfuegos to Santiago de Cuba, adding their sound to the ship's onboard entertainment options. Travelers experience live, authentic Cuban music, playing classic and contemporary hits as well as original compositions for their listening pleasure.

Shop Handcrafted Products from Cuban Entrepreneurs 
In addition to the wide range of interactive activities, Fathom has partnered with Clandestina, a Cuban design store in Old Havana, to feature their local merchandise, including clothing, toys, handbags, posters and other design products onboard. The gift shop is the first store outside of Cuba to sell Clandestina products.

Founded by Cuban creatives, the designer brand is well-known for its signature Vintrashe Collection, which features toys made from recycled plastic and decorated by hand, as well as t-shirts and handbags designed by local artists and made with second-hand fabrics and up-cycle techniques by a team of seamstresses in a rural town of south Havana.

Clandestina is a platform for Cuban talent to showcase their ingenuity. "Each time Fathom travelers purchase our products, they support independent entrepreneurship," said Idania del Rio, Co-Founder and Owner of Clandestina. "They are taking home a unique design product that is 'authentically Cuban'."

Prices for seven-day itineraries to Cuba start at $1,899 per person, excluding Cuban visas, taxes, fees and port expenses and including all meals on the ship and lunch while in the three ports, onboard experiences and on-the-ground activities. Prices will vary by season. To secure a spot on future sailings, a fully refundable $600 per person deposit is required for all cabin categories and occupancy levels. Final payment is due 90 days prior to departure. To reserve a spot on future sailings, travelers may call Fathom toll-free at 1-855-932-8466 or work with a travel professional. Learn more at www.Fathom.org.

About Fathom Travel to the Dominican Republic
Fathom is a different kind of cruise that combines one's love of travel with the desire to make a difference in the world. Fathom is defining a new category of travel, Social Impact Travel. Part of the Carnival Corporation (NYSE/LSE: CCL; NYSE: CUK) family, Fathom offers consumers authentic, meaningful travel experiences to enrich the life of the traveler and work alongside locals as they tackle community needs in the Dominican Republic. Fathom is unique in that it leverages Carnival Corporation's expertise and scale for a one-of-a-kind business model to create long-term collaboration with its partner countries, allowing for sustained social impact and lasting development. Fathom will serve the sizable and growing market of potential social impact travel consumers – approximately one million North Americans – in addition to global travelers already pursuing service-oriented travel experiences worldwide.

Sailing aboard the MV Adonia, a 704-passenger vessel redeployed from Carnival Corporation's P&O Cruises (UK), Fathom will engage, mobilize, educate and equip travelers on every Dominican Republic trip allowing for rich personal enrichment and thousands of impact activity days per visit– and tens of thousands of travelers a year to communities of promise, providing unprecedented scale for impact.

About Fathom Travel to Cuba
Recently earning U.S. and Cuban government approvals, Fathom was the first cruise company to sail from the U.S. to Cuba in more than 50 years. Fathom's round-trip culturally immersive cruise itinerary will initially feature experiences in the Cuban port cities of Havana, Cienfuegos, and Santiago de Cuba, providing travelers the opportunity to see the vast island and enjoy a rich and vibrant culture that until now most U.S. travelers have only seen in photographs. Designed for rich immersion and ease of travel, the Fathom Cuban itinerary offers passengers a comfortable cabin including all the amenities of a modern hotel, plus the convenience of having to unpack only once. Every night, Fathom travelers return to the comforts of the MV Adonia, where they can relax knowing that all the details of getting from location to location in Cuba are handled.

For more information about Fathom or to book a voyage, contact your Travel Professional, call Fathom toll-free at 1-855-932-8466 or visit www.Fathom.org.  

SOURCE Fathom

Related Links

http://www.Fathom.org