The "Semester at Sea" cruise returns to Havana

This year, after a successful exchange with Cuban university students, the American cruise ship MV Explorer, part of the international studies academic program "Semester at Sea" sponsored by the University of Virginia, returns to Havana, the final destination of its itinerary before returning to the United States, reports the digital site Cubadebate. Since departing from London on August 23, the ship has been carrying 709 passengers, of which 624 are university students, primarily from the United States. The cruise visits 16 countries, embodying a philosophy and learning method that combines rigorous teaching with the creation of life experiences to promote a deeper understanding of international reality and respect for different cultures. Cuba has been part of the Semester at Sea route since 1994, but in 2004 the George W. Bush administration imposed restrictions on academic and cultural exchanges between Cuba and the U.S., truncating this fruitful connection between the two societies. During that period, which was crucial in the history of the country due to economic hardships, there were ten visits, during which students met with President Fidel Castro on seven occasions. Fortunately, this year—like last year—the ship has received permission to visit the island, and on the morning of Saturday, November 29, the visitors will disembark at the Cruise Terminal of the Port of Havana, where they will stay until Wednesday, December 3. Currently, the MV Explorer is sailing from Salvador de Bahia, Brazil, to Barbados, which it will reach on November 22. From Bridgetown, it will set sail for Havana on November 24, with three new crew members: one student and two Cuban professors invited to give lectures during the journey on the history and culture of the island. The students participating in this edition come from 248 universities across all 50 U.S. states and Puerto Rico, in addition to around 50 young people from other nationalities who enrolled in the academic expedition. Source: Radio Cubana.cu