Charter company Apple Vacations has announced that it will begin selling trips to Cuba beginning July 9, offering five- and seven-night itineraries to the destination that's become the hot spot for American travelers.
"This is in direct response to vacationers," said Tim Mullen, president of Apple Vacations. It also positions the company well should the travel embargo put in place by the U.S. Treasury Department be fully lifted in the future, he added.
Currently, travel to Cuba must be under one of 12 preapproved categories.
The Apple Vacations tours are classified as "Educational Activities," known as "People-to-People." They begin Sept. 5 and will be available for purchase beginning July 9. Apple is arranging the trips with U.S.-based Cuba Travel Services, a Cuba-licensed operator that charters flights from Miami to Cuba with Sun Country Airlines and American Airlines.
The five-night Havana Getaway, which provides a cultural overview of Cuba's historic capital, is priced from $2,233 per person, based on double occupancy. A seven-night "Colors of Cuba" program, which adds a stay in the colonial town of Trinidad, begins at $2,733 per person, based on double occupancy. Details at www.applevacations.com/cuba.