MIAMI — Carnival Cruise Line’s bon voyage party for Carnival Paradise, the cruise line’s first ship to sail to Cuba, included the ‘World’s Largest Cuban Sandwich at Sea’ as well as Cuban culture, music, cuisine and libations, all at Port Tampa Bay.

Carnival Paradise set sail for Havana yesterday, marking the first of 12 four- and five-day cruises, each with a daytime and overnight call at Havana. Additional cruises in the series depart July 13, Aug. 14, 24 and 28, Sept. 7, 21 and 25, Oct. 5, 9 and 19, 2017; as well as May 3, 2018. Five-day voyages add a stop in either Cozumel or Key West.

The gargantuan 10-foot-long ‘World’s Largest Cuban Sandwich at Sea’ contained the traditional ingredients of all Cuban sandwiches: a light white bread, five pounds of sliced ham, 50 pounds of marinated and roasted pork, six pounds of Swiss cheese, one gallon of dill pickles and mustard and mayonnaise.

“Carnival is the only cruise line with a year-round ship in Tampa and we have a long-standing partnership with the local community, so it is exciting that we are inaugurating our cruises featuring Havana from this city with its very large Cuban population and strong affinity for Cuban culture,” said Carnival’s Executive Vice President of Guest Shipboard Operations, Gus Antorcha.

As cruise lines ramp up their Cuba product, airlines are cutting back following lower-than-expected demand and grim outlooks for Cuba-bound routes out of the U.S. following President Trump’s June 16 announcement once again restricting individual U.S. travel to Cuba. Cruise lines and airlines can still operate to the island, however the airlines will have a tough time filling planes.

Southwest Airlines is the latest to cancel routes, saying it will drop flights to two Cuban destinations, citing its struggles to attract passengers and a tougher U.S. stance toward the island nation.

Southwest’s service to Varadero and Santa Clara will end Sept. 4. It will continue to fly to Havana from Fort Lauderdale and Tampa.

A Southwest vice-president, Steve Goldberg, says the decision to drop Varadero and Santa Clara comes after an analysis of performance the past few months that leaves no clear path to sustainability in the markets. Goldberg also cited the continuing U.S. prohibition on tourism to Cuba for Americans.