Cuba Cruise celebrated the launch of its first season in Cuba at an exclusive reception earlier this week attended by international and Cuban dignitaries.

Special guests were treated to a preview of the onboard entertainment, VIP tours of the Louis Cristal ship and gripping presentations by Cuba Cruise President, Dugald Wells and the ship’s Captain, while onlookers lined up to snap photos of the stunning ship at port.

“We are truly grateful for the warm welcome to Cuba,” said Wells. “Throughout the event, we were overwhelmed with positive comments and the sheer excitement for today’s first sailing. It’s going to be a spectacular season.”

At the reception, guests enjoyed an astounding preview of onboard entertainment, directed by Marie-Josée Lévesque from Quebec’s Cirque Fantastic and Enrique Nunez from the National Theatre of Cuba. A nationwide hero in Cuba, Nunez has arranged over 16 compositions specifically for the cruise and has even composed a special Cuba Cruise song.

The show’s diverse talent overwhelmingly impressed the audience, including ambassadors from Austria, Serbia and Cyprus, Cuban government officials and domestic and international media. The preview showcased a sampling of classic musical numbers and duets, circus acrobatics, comedy and of course, traditional Cuban music and dance.

The first cruise departs Havana at midnight tonight. Passengers will circumnavigate the island, exploring Holguin, Santiago de Cuba, Montego Bay (Jamaica), Cienfuegos and Punta Frances before returning to Cuba’s vibrant capital on December 23rd, 2013. The inaugural season runs from now until March 24th, 2014 with a lead-in price of $586 CAD.