Carnival pledges to delay cruises to Cuba until Cuba-born passengers are allowed aboard

After a week of backlash from protestors and politicians, Carnival is reversing a policy that forbade Cuba-born travelers from booking a ticket on cruises to Cuba.

Carnival officials said Monday the cruise line is in talks with the Cuban government, and hopes that native Cubans will soon be allowed back to the country via ship. If not, Carnival "will delay the start of its voyages to Cuba accordingly."

The issue stems from a Cold War-era law that forbade Cubans from entering or leaving the country by boat.

"Cuba has for decades not allowed Cuba-born individuals to enter or leave the island by sea."

"Although Cuba-born travelers everywhere are allowed to enter and leave Cuba by air," Carnival CEO Arnold Donald wrote in a letter to employees on Monday, "Cuba has for decades not allowed Cuba-born individuals to enter or leave the island by sea. This applies to all those born in Cuba whether they reside in Cuba or anywhere in the world — not just Cuban-Americans who were born in Cuba."

The decision now rests in diplomatic hands, and even U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is weighing in.

"We should not be in a situation where the Cuban government is forcing its discrimination policy on us," Kerry said last week. "So we call on the government of Cuba to change that policy, and to recognize that if they want full relations and a normal relationship with the United States, they have to live by international laws, not exclusively by Cuban laws."

Two federal lawsuits were filed in Miami last week by Cuban-Americans who were denied tickets onboard the Cuban cruise. The lawsuits allege Carnival's admission to Cuban law is in violation of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

"We felt all along that the lawsuit was without merit or substance," Carnival spokesperson Roger Frizzell told Mashable in an email. "Today’s announcement makes it more so because we have updated our reservation process to accept all travelers."

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Carnival was the first American cruise company to gain Cuban approval to start regular trips from the U.S. The cruise is projected to start service on May 1 — depending on Cuba.

Tickets for the seven-day, 704-passenger cruise onboard the Adonia start at $1,800. The cruise, which will depart from Miami and make stops in Havana, Cienfuegos and Santiago de Cuba, will be the first cruise between the U.S and Cuba in over 50 years.

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