By Felicia Schwartz 

WASHINGTON -- Two American cruise lines said Wednesday that they have received permission from the Cuban government to begin trips to Cuba next year, expanding the scope of business ties between the U.S. and its longtime adversary.

The announcements by Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. and Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. come as the Obama administration is pushing for completion of a number of business deals in Cuba before President-elect Donald Trump takes office . The Obama administration sees such deals as key to making the diplomatic and commercial opening to the island permanent.

General Electric Co. and Alphabet Inc.'s Google unit, among other companies, are expected to make announcements in the coming weeks, officials have said. A third cruise line, Pearl Seas Cruises also is expected to obtain approval. Carnival Cruise Line began trips to the island earlier this year.

Royal Caribbean and Norwegian said the Cuba stops would comply with regulations enforced by the Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control and that the trips would involve activities that fall under the U.S. government's "people-to-people" exchange license.

"Our guests have expressed real interest in having the opportunity to experience Cuba, and we look forward to bringing them there," said Richard Fain, chairman and chief executive of Royal Caribbean. Royal Caribbean said it would announce additional details about the trips in the coming days.

Norwegian said all three of its cruise brands -- Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises -- will offer service to Cuba next year. Its first trip to Cuba will be in March.

Frank Del Rio, president and CEO of Norwegian, said that as a Cuban-American he was especially excited to start service to the island.

"This is truly a dream come true for me and I cannot wait for our loyal guests to experience the sights and sounds of my hometown of Havana," he said.

Regular tourist travel to Cuba remains prohibited in the U.S. and Congress must act to fully lift the trade and travel bans. Since announcing in 2014 that the U.S. would move to normalize ties, President Barack Obama has taken steps to loosen trade and allow for certain types of travel, prompting a flood of American travel to the island as well as a flurry of initial business deals. Commercial flights to the island began in September to smaller cities, and the first airline flights to Havana began last week.

Mr. Trump sent mixed signals during his presidential campaign about Mr. Obama's Cuba policy, more recently taking a harder line. After former Cuban dictator Fidel Castro died last month, Mr. Trump threatened to end the U.S. thaw with Cuba if Havana refuses to make "a better deal" for Americans and for the Cuban people.

On Wednesday, more than 100 restaurateurs, bed-and-breakfast operators and other entrepreneurs in Cuba sent a letter to Mr. Trump urging him to push to lift the embargo and advance Mr. Obama's policies. They said in the letter that they had benefited from changes in Cuba that have allowed more space for private-sector businesses to operate as well as better internet and phone service and increased contacts with American travelers and businesses.

"Reforms made by the U.S. government to allow for increased travel, telecom services and banking have helped substantially as we attempt to grow our businesses," they said. "As a successful businessman, we're confident that you understand the importance of economic engagement between nations. Small businesses in Cuba have the potential to be drivers of economic growth in Cuba and important partners of the U.S. business community."

The letter was spearheaded by U.S.-based pro-normalization advocates. Four Cuban women who signed the letter were in Washington this week for meetings at the White House, with lawmakers and others.

One of them, Marta Elisa Deus Rodriguez, the founder of a company that provides accounting services for private businesses in Cuba as well as a delivery company and a business magazine, said she saw the U.S. opening as important for growing her companies.

"That's why I hope the new administration does not change this policy. I fear that if we turn the clock back, my business will suffer," she said.

U.S. and Cuban officials are meeting in Havana on Wednesday to take stock of efforts to engage with one another since the thaw began, including in human rights, civil aviation, law enforcement, claims and environmental issues, among others.

Write to Felicia Schwartz at Felicia.Schwartz@wsj.com

 

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

December 07, 2016 16:23 ET (21:23 GMT)

Copyright (c) 2016 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
General Electric (NYSE:GE)
Historical Stock Chart
From Feb 2024 to Mar 2024 Click Here for more General Electric Charts.
General Electric (NYSE:GE)
Historical Stock Chart
From Mar 2023 to Mar 2024 Click Here for more General Electric Charts.