Havana, March 1(RHC)-- Despite Washington´s advise to US citizens not to travel to Cuba, Carnival Cruise Line is announcing 17 additional sailings to the Caribbean island.

A news release on Carnival's webpage explains that "Our inaugural cruises to Cuba aboard Carnival Paradise from Tampa were met with exceptional guest response and we're thrilled to expand upon the program with our first Cuba cruises from Miami featuring Havana and some of the most beautiful islands in the Caribbean and The Bahamas."

The statement was made by Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line, who added that "Cuba is a sought-after destination and we're delighted to provide our guests with even more opportunities to experience and explore this fascinating island," she added.

The new offer will include the ship Carnival Sensation in 2019 and the five-day Cuba voyages will be the line's first to operate round-trip from Miami and feature a day-long call in Havana as well as stops at popular Caribbean and Bahamian ports, including Grand Turk, Grand Cayman, Nassau, and the private destinations of Half Moon Cay and Princess Cays, the announcement reads.

The voyages complement a series of voyages to Cuba departing from Tampa aboard Carnival Paradise taking place  during the 2018-19 season.

The announcement adds that guests sailing on Carnival's Cuba cruises can select from nearly 20 different shore excursion experiences that showcase the island's vibrant culture, majestic beauty and centuries-old architectural landmarks.

The line makes it clear that, the visits to Havana comply with regulations of the U.S. Department of Treasury that permit travel operators to transport approved travelers to Cuba to engage in activities as defined by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Office of Foreign Assets Control.

According to official statistics, nearly 620,000 US nationals visited Cuba in 2017, despite current US regulations and Donald Trump's administration telling US nationals to avoid visiting Cuba.