[url=http://www.DTcuba.com]http://www.DTcuba.com[/url]

The company Pullmantur, the oldest tour operator in Spain, started up operations in Cuba with the cruise ship Holyday Dream.

Executives from the Pullmantur Cruises division said that Cuba has become a sort of main port for a voyage that begins in the city of Cienfuegos.

The voyages includes a stop on Isla de la Juventud (Isle of Youth), where travelers can enjoy a day at the beach, and ends in Havana, where they stay more than 24 hours.

The Holiday Dream, which is 200 meters long, 50 meters high and weighs 39,000 tons, can accommodate 1,047 passengers and is likely to be insufficient to meet the growing demand for that offer in the future.

During its maiden voyage, the ship carried 500 passengers, who were later joined by 400 vacationers who were flown by Air Pullmantur from Madrid to the Cuban capital.

The company, which started up cruise operations four years ago and already owns five ships, plans to carry more than 160,000 passengers in 2005.