An American tour company on Thursday announced the launch of a new service to transport US citizens by boat from Jamaica to Cuba. Road Scholar, a Boston-based company, is offering the trips from Jamaica and Miami, with stops in Havana and other parts of Cuba.  Most travel by US citizens to Cuba is outlawed, but tens of thousands of Americans now visit the island legally on people-to-people tours, which are licensed by the U.S. Treasury Department.  People-to-people trips must have educational and cultural exchange itineraries in order to be approved by the US government.
The Road Scholar tour will use a cruise ship operated by a Canadian company, with Canadians and Europeans making up most of the other 1,000 passengers on the vessel.

One of the Road Scholar tours is an 11-night trip beginning in Montego Bay which heads to Punta Frances, located on a small island south of Havana and concludes with five nights in the capital.