First cruise ship sails from US to Cuba after 40 years as relations thaw

The first cruise ship to Cuba from a US port in almost 40 years has arrived at Havana harbour, launching a new era of commercial travel between the two countries after half a century of Cold War opposition.

The Adonia, which left Miami on Sunday en route for Havana with about 700 passengers onboard, was seen off amid both celebrations and protests.

“We will never forget this day as we enter the city,” said Captain David Box as the Adonia pulled into the harbour.

“This is an awesome event for our travellers and crew,” he added, citing the historical significance of the voyage.

Restarting the cruises was part of President Barack Obama's hopes to increase tourism to Cuba after he visited the country in a bid to restore diplomatic relations – providing opportunity for economic growth to the island nation. US cruises to Cuba could generate some $80m of much-needed revenue for the Caribbean country, according to estimates from the US-Cuba Trade and Economic Council.

The historic cruise also comes after Cuba loosened its policy banning Cuban-born people from arriving to the country by sea – a prohibition first put in place when Cuban exiles used to launch attacks from the water following the Cuban revolution.

Arnold Donald, the of Carnival, the cruise firm of the Adonia, said it was a poignant moment for many.

"Times of change often bring out emotions and clearly the histories here are very emotional for a number of people," he said.

Yet a boat carrying activists protesting against the cruise set sail, reportedly from nearby waters in Florida, before the ship's departure on Sunday.

They were carrying signs addressed to Raul Castro, the country's President, saying "Castro why do you ask Cubans for a Visa to visit their own country?" in reference to travel restrictions on residents.

Many Cubans have left their country for the US, lured in part by a policy specific to Cubans that they will be granted residency if they reach its shores.

The 704-passenger ship will also visit the ports of Cienfuegos and Santiago de Cuba on the seven-day trip, which is the first of its kind since 1978. It is expected to arrive in Havana on 9 May.

The cruise is among the many changes in US-Cuban relations since a thaw between the former Cold War foes began in late 2014. It follows years of strained relations involving US intervention in the country and Fidel Castro's communist reforms beginning in 1959.

Since then, his brother Raul has eased restrictions on Cubans wishing to leave the country, although some still exist.

Mary Olive Reinhart, a retired parks service ranger, told the Miami Herald that she and some friends from Philadelphia were drawn to the voyage by the sense of adventure.

"It's exciting to go places where we're forbidden. For me, I want to be at home in the world – the whole world," she said.

Additional reporting from Press Association and Miami Sun-Sentinal