Traveling with the Jones

The Fathom Adonia docks in Old Havana at the San Francisco cruise terminal for two days at the during its 7-day cruise to Cuba.

This post is to share the daily programs “Soundings” from the two days in Havana on the Fathom Adonia 7-day cruise to Cuba.

Click here to view the daily programs for the first two days of the May 29th Fathom cruise to Cuba.

As previously noted, the May 29th Fathom cruise to Cuba did not follow the standard itinerary. Due to a very brief minor engine/power loss issue, the ship had to return to Miami, and the port schedule was altered. This cruise spent days 2 and 3 in Havana, with the included people-to-people tours in reverse order.

Day 3, Fathom cruise to Cuba daily program (front cover)

Day 3, Fathom cruise to Cuba daily program (Havana arrival instructions/evening schedule)Day 3, Fathom cruise to Cuba daily program (details of Best of Havana bus tour)

Day 4, Fathom cruise to Cuba daily program (front cover)

During our second day in Havana, we had the Havana walking tour. Normally, this tour is on the first day in Havana.

Day 4, Fathom cruise to Cuba daily program (tour description)

Day 4, Fathom cruise to Cuba daily program (details for day 2 in Havana and evening program after sail-away)

PLEASE NOTE: this was not the regular Fathom Cuba cruise schedule. Also the programming on the Fathom cruise to Cuba continues to evolve and be refined.

These were two fantastic days in Havana. I completed the Best of Havana bus tour on the first day, and went back out in the evening with some other women from the ship. We walked to the cafes and bars around the San Francisco Plaza and cruise terminal. Plaza de San Francisco faces the harbor at the entrance to Old Havana.  Calle Obispo is a pedestrian-only street nearby with nightlife.

On day two in Havana, I did part of the included walking tour, and also took a side trip out of town by taxi to the Ernest Hemingway Museum, which I highly recommend.

Other posts covering my Fathom cruise to Cuba:

• Cementerio de Cristobal Colon, Havana, Cuba
• A Look Around the Adonia Cruise Ship from Fathom
• Reflecting on My Visit to Cuba: People to People Interactions Were the Best
• A Visit to Fusterlandia in Havana, Cuba
• Visiting Finca La Vigía, the Ernest Hemingway Museum in Cuba
• 50 Interesting Facts about Cuba

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I sailed on the May 29th departure of the Fathom 7-Day Cuba Cruise on the Adonia.Sailing round-trip out of Miami, the Adonia makes alternating 7-day cruises to Cuba and the Dominican Republic. Some guests sail for two weeks to enjoy both unique experiences.

Many people considering a cruise want to know “what’s the day-to-day experience like?” One of the best way to get a feel for that is to review daily programs from a recent cruise. I am posting scans of the daily programs here, but with a major caveat: the May 29th Fathom cruise to Cuba did not follow the standard itinerary. Due to a very brief minor engine/power loss issue, the ship had to return to Miami, and the port schedule was altered.

Still, you can get a sense of what the Fathom Cuba cruise is like, from these programs called “Soundings.”

Cuba Cruise Program, Day 1 (front page)

The “getting to know Cuba” session on day 1 is not to be missed. You learn all of the mechanics of visiting Cuba, with details on changing money to how the tours work.

Cuba Cruise Program, Day 1 (back page)

Note the dining and bar venues, and the hours for each. They are listed on the back page in the upper right hand corner for each day.

Cuba Cruise Program, Day 2 (front page)

NOTE: Day 2 of the Cuba cruise is usually in Havana. On the May 29th sailing, day 2 became an unplanned day at sea. A highlight was the pre-20th century: Cuba history lecture, which provided terrific background on Cuba.

Cuba Cruise Program, Day 2 (morning and afternoon schedule)

Cuba Cruise Program, Day 2 (evening schedule)

Cuba Cruise Program, Day 2 (back page)

Look for the daily programs for the two days in Havana in a future post.

Compare the daily programs for the 7-Day Fathom Cruise to the Dominican Republic here.

Have you sailed on the Adonia? What was  your favorite part of the experience?

Check out these posts about my Fathom cruise to Cuba:

• Cementerio de Cristobal Colon, Havana, Cuba
• A Look Around the Adonia Cruise Ship from Fathom
• Reflecting on My Visit to Cuba: People to People Interactions Were the Best
• A Visit to Fusterlandia in Havana, Cuba
• Visiting Finca La Vigía, the Ernest Hemingway Museum in Cuba
• 50 Interesting Facts about Cuba

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On a recent 7-day Cuba cruise on the Fathom Adonia, some friends and I enjoyed dinner at the Ocean Grill.

This Cuban and Dominican Republic inspired specialty restaurant requires reservations and has a $25 per person cover charge.

Choosing an appetizer is a tough decision at the Ocean Grill. The Ananas and Avocado features rum-flamed shrimp with grilled pineapple, complemented with avocado and lime cilantro vinaigrette.

The Seafood Salpicon is a combination of grilled octopus, calamari and shrimp tossed in a mojito vinaigrette. It’s served with a crispy yaniqueque,  a popular fried bread and beach snack in the Dominican Republic. Our waiter recommended this appetizer and brought one for the table to try. I found the seafood fresh, light and delicious.

Two of my dining companions enjoyed the Cuban Ropa Vieja, made of Cuban-style shredded beef and a deep-fried plantain basket.

Our waiter also wanted our table of five to try the Mofongo and Agauji, which are fried balls of pork pate and plantain, served with a cup of garlic consommé for dipping. The presentation was beautiful, but I found the appetizer a little dry and heavy.

The Ocean Grill restaurant menu, created by Chef Emil Vega, emphasizes the flavors of Cuba and the Dominican Republic.

For my entree, I chose the Rock Lobster and Shrimp Asopao, which was grilled Caribbean lobster tail on a bed of shrimp risotto. The lobster was flavorful but tough to extract from the shell.

In addition to offering reasonably-priced wines at sea, the Ocean Grill wine list includes pairing notes to match with your menu choices.

Best of all are the dessert choices. Pudin de Pan Isleno (traditional island bread pudding), is coated with a sauce of dark aged rum, and accompanied by mascarpone cream and macadamia nuts. This was my favorite item on the entire menu, and according to our waiter, a favorite of many guests.

Another popular dessert option is the Majarete Creme Brûlée, a classic Cuban sweetcorn custard served with sweet potato “bisquits.” This is not your everyday Creme Brûlée; it’s more like a sweet corn pudding.

The food, the wine and the service were all special at the Ocean Grill restaurant on the Fathom Adonia. We finished our meal with a spectacular sunset; be sure to request a back window table and check the daily program for the time of sunset when you make your reservation at the Ocean Grill.

What’s your favorite specialty restaurant on a cruise ship?

Are you a cruising foodie? Do you like to try specialty restaurants on cruise ships? Check out these posts:

• A Look at the Tamarind Restaurant Menu on Holland America’s Nieuw Amsterdam
• A Look at Holland America’s Updated Canaletto Restaurant Menu
• A Look at the Sabatini’s Menu on Princess Cruises’ Star Princess
• A Peek at Holland America’s New Pinnacle Grill Menu
• An Evening at Le Cirque onboard the Veendam
• 7 Favorite “Naughty” Pleasures on the Seabourn Sojourn
• Dining at the Crab Shack on the Star Princess Cruise Ship
• 11 Days of Menus from the Seabourn Sojourn World Cruise

For more details on my Cuba cruise, check out these posts:

• A Visit to Fusterlandia in Havana, Cuba
• Visiting Finca La Vigía, the Ernest Hemingway Museum in Cuba
• Cementerio de Cristobal Colon, Havana, Cuba
• Reflecting on My Visit to Cuba: People to People Interactions Were the Best
• Adding Cuba to My Travelers’ Century Club List of 325 Destinations
• 50 Interesting Facts about Cuba

Follow us on Twitter or interact with us on Facebook

Or, check out our boards on Pinterest and/or our photos on Instagram.