La Habana

Cuba

It was Hemmingway’s favourite haunt and it’s on every traveller’s bucket list, so let the shabby grandeur of Havana work its tender charms and fall in love with the rhythm and pulse of this city so long closed to mass tourism. Drink in the years of colonial history amid a colourful backdrop of emerging modernity, and be transported – both figuratively and literally if you count the fantastic 1950’s automobiles that mosey around waiting to pick up a tourist or two – by another era. Equal parts shabby, chic, timeworn and magnificence; Havana is a city that defies all definition. Full of charm, culture, a troubled past and promising future this is perhaps the Caribbean’s most interesting destination. Five decades of American embargo have made Havana, along with the rest of Cuba, an authenticity hunter’s dream. However, with the recent relaxation in entry laws, the times they are a-chaging, so now is the time to travel.

Day at Sea

Days at sea are the perfect opportunity to relax, unwind and catch up with what you’ve been meaning to do. So whether that is going to the gym, visiting the spa, whale watching, catching up on your reading or simply topping up your tan, these blue sea days are the perfect balance to busy days spent exploring shore side.

Santiago De Cuba

Cuba

If ever a city could talk, then Santiago de Cuba would have a lot to say! With its revolutionary history and distinguishing Afro-Caribbean style, this is a city that puts passion at the top of its list. Much like New Yorkers and Angelinos, Londoners and Mancunians, Habaneros and Santiguans enjoy an amical rivalry; if Havana is the sexy little sister, then Santiago is its more responsible older sibling. Like the rest of Cuba, Santiago has a timeworn, once-majestic feel; yet despite this it holds its head high and is considered the culture capital of Cuba. Rumour has it that Son – a precursor dance to Salsa – was born here, while the balcony in Parque Cespedes that Fidel Castro gave his victory speech from in 1959 is still intact. Castro’s ashes have been laid to rest in the city cemetery such was his love for the city.

Day at Sea

Days at sea are the perfect opportunity to relax, unwind and catch up with what you’ve been meaning to do. So whether that is going to the gym, visiting the spa, whale watching, catching up on your reading or simply topping up your tan, these blue sea days are the perfect balance to busy days spent exploring shore side.

Bimini

Bahamas

The lovely little dual islands of Bimini consists of two main islands—North Bimini Island and South Bimini Island— as well as countless cays. Located just 50 miles off Florida’s coast, Bimini is the closest Bahamian island to the United States, and as such is the most “American” if all the Bahamian Islands. Yet, the miles and miles of pristine beaches are witness to the fact that yes, this is the Bahamas and yes, this is paradise indeed. Perhaps Bimini’s most famous resident was none other than Ernest Hemmingway, who considered it his favourite escape. Yet, the islands’ history dives deep. Due to their proximity to the US mainland, the islands served as a speakeasy and offered the chance to buy alcohol during prohibition. As expected, Rumrunners were rife in those days and would keep their “stores” on the Bimini’s beaches. The islands chequered history does not stop there though. Bimini also boasts an influence in Martin Luther King Jr.

Fort Lauderdale (Florida)

United States