US cruisegoers destined for Cuba will have to change their vacation plans.
The Trump administration today banned cruise voyages between the US and the island country in an effort to stop money-making tourism, the Associated Press reports.
President Donald Trump has tightened restrictions on travel and remittances to the island nation in response to its support for the Nicolas Maduro regime in Venezuela.
The new rules reverse Obama-era policies that in December 2014 began warming US-Cuba relations, including allowing tourists to visit.
Arnold Donald-led Carnival Corp sends five ships from its flagship Carnival Cruise Line fleet to Cuba from several US ports.
Carnival declined to comment on the ban.
It also sails two Holland America Line vessels to the communist country.
Royal Caribbean Cruises and Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings also offer regular voyages to Cuba, which the US considered a "state sponsor of terrorism" until April 2015.
Royal Caribbean is assessing the impact on its Cuba itineraries while cancelling its 5 and 6 June sailings to the island, spokesman Owen Torres said.
"We are communicating with our guests about those changes," he told TradeWinds.
"We will provide other updates as needed."
Norwegian did not immediately return an email seeking comment.
Premium loss
Cuba is a relatively small part of cruise capacity — about 2% for Carnival, 3% for Royal Caribbean and 4% for Norwegian — but is a big money maker, UBS analyst Robin Farley said.
"And while the ships routes can be adjusted to focus on other Caribbean and Bahamian ports, based on our industry checks, Cuba itineraries generate premiums of as much as 20% over comparable Bahamas itineraries," she wrote in a note to clients.
