Simons Chase 
It was a typical Spring Miami day when on April 17th, 2016 I boarded the 704-passenger vessel, MV Adonia, for a lunch gathering with a select group of people responsible for the creation of the Fathom brand and the re-purposing of a small ship with a big concept, to yoke industry behemoth, Carnival Corporation, into … Read more
There is a freight of circumstance knotted around that contrasts you will find in Cuba. As you have probably heard, Cuba is not like any place you’ve been before. Witnessing the outward detail of her majestic decay contrasted against the inner beauty of her people will challenge you – and in ways that can be … Read more
Havana’s restaurant scene moves in three dimensions: style, size and quality – and all are constant in flux, cooking up exciting new alternatives, making Havana’s restaurants a reflection of the broader unleashing of Cuba’s once dormant commercial energies. In Cuba, private restaurants, called paladares (pl) or paladar, are where much of the innovation is happening. … Read more
By some estimates, when Cuba transitions to a market oriented economy and resolves its various disputes with the U.S., the island nation will require more than $50 billion of investment to modernize its economy. Recent improvements in U.S.-Cuba relations have opened up some avenues of economic cooperation in terms of both trade and investment, but … Read more
In the past year, it’s been hard to miss glimpses of charming Old Havana streets and her majestic skyline appear as a colorful backdrop for numerous high profile feature film, TV and concert events. With the détente between the U.S. and Cuba, American production companies and event planners have rushed in to seize on Cuba’s … Read more
As of March 2017, there were reports emanating from the Cuban government that premium gasoline would be rationed in the coming months. According to official Cuban data, the island nation’s economy fell 0.9% in 2016 despite significant increases in the travel and tourism sector. (Readers should note that the Cuban government tracks and publishes very … Read more
Last year, the Obama administration further adjusted Cuba-specific restrictions on importing Cuban cigars for personal use. “For personal use” is important because it means you can bring them back in your luggage from your trip to Cuba (or elsewhere), but it remains illegal to sell Cuban cigars in the U.S. The tax free limit is … Read more
Oceania Cruises announced yesterday ten new sailings, called Journeys to Cuba, for 2018. Sailing roundtrip from PortMiami, itineraries range in length from 7 to 10 days and include calls in Havana, Cienfuegos, and Santiago de Cuba. Earlier this month, Marina became the first of Oceania Cruises’ ships to call on Cuba. The small ship cruise format appears to … Read more
In September 2016, Albert A. Fox Jr faced a $100,000 fine from U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) for alleged violations of the U.S. embargo against Cuba during two trips to the island over recent years. This January, the government settled the case against the pro-Cuba/anti-embargo Fox for $10,000. el Nuevo Herald, … Read more
Seeing the world through the lens of a great artist is a rare experience, but today there is an immersive way to combine art and travel if you are willing to explore a little. Visit Cuba and gain the sensation of the Cuba that Nobel prize winning author Ernest Hemingway experienced as a backdrop to … Read more
