Team TPG's on the First US Cruise to Cuba!
Nearly a year ago, Carnival announced that it would begin cruising from the US to Cuba this May. That seemed a bit ambitious at the time, but Carnival's Fathom line opened up bookings in March, and, right on schedule, the first cruise departed Miami for Havana on May 1.
Given that Cuba is very much a TPG favorite, we decided to send TPG Senior Editor Kaeli Conforti on the first cruise (paying our own way, of course), which sails to Havana, Cienfuegos and Santiago de Cuba before returning to Miami this weekend.
Kaeli's now exploring Cuba with limited connectivity, but before she set off, she shared the following on Instagram:
My home for the next seven days, Fathom Adonia, the first American cruise ship allowed to sail to Cuba for the first time in more than 50 years. Honored and thrilled to be a part of this amazing, historic event. I can't wait to tell my grandkids about it someday.
Fortunately, the ship does have Wi-Fi, but it's unclear when and where it's offered. It's also a bit pricey, available at 50 cents per minute or with packages of 100 minutes for $35 or 250 minutes for $62.50.
As we can see from Kaeli's tweets, the Fathom Adonia received a very warm welcome when it pulled into Havana for the first time:
Today, Kaeli's exploring Havana for the second day, where she's enjoying a handful of (government-mandated) cultural exchange opportunities and 90-degree weather. Yesterday, she experienced live Cuba music and dancing during lunch, including an incredible performance by one of the Fathom group's youngest travelers:
Go Kaeli's new friend! We can't wait to check out Kaeli's other experiences, which apparently included a tour of the Hotel Nacional, which perhaps one day could be available on points and miles.
For more incredible Cuba content, follow Kaeli on Instagram and Twitter and check out the #carnivalincuba hashtag.
Will you be cruising to Cuba?
TPG featured card
at Bilt's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 1X | Earn up to 1X points on rent and mortgage payments with no transaction fee |
| 2X | Earn 2X points + 4% back in Bilt Cash on everyday purchases |
Pros
- Unlimited up to 1 Bilt Point per dollar spent on rent and mortgage payments
- Elevated everyday earnings with both Bilt Points and Bilt Cash
- $400 Bilt Travel Portal hotel credit per year (up to $200 biannually)
- $200 Bilt Cash annually
- Priority Pass membership
- No foreign transaction fees
Cons
- Moderate annual fee
- Housing payments may include transaction fees, depending on the payment method
- Designed primarily for members seeking a premium, all-in-one card
- Earn points on housing with no transaction fee
- Choose to earn 4% back in Bilt Cash on everyday spend. Use Bilt Cash to unlock point earnings on rent and mortgage payments with no transaction fee, up to 1X.
- 2X points on everyday spend
- $400 Bilt Travel Hotel credit. Applied twice a year, as $200 statement credits, for qualifying Bilt Travel Portal hotel bookings.
- $200 Bilt Cash (awarded annually). At the end of each calendar year, any Bilt Cash balance over $100 will expire.
- Welcome bonus (subject to approval): 50,000 Bilt Points + Gold Status after spending $4,000 on everyday purchases in the first 3 months + $300 of Bilt Cash.
- Priority Pass ($469/year value). See Guide to Benefits.
- Bilt Point redemptions include airlines, hotels, future rent and mortgage payments, Lyft rides, statement credits, student loan balances, a down payment on a home, and more.