Passengers must promise good behavior

By APRIL WITT
Herald Religion Writer

Anyone hoping to get aboard the Archdiocese of Miami's cruise to Cuba to see Pope John Paul II in January will have to show evidence of being a ``good Catholic'' and sign an affidavit swearing the trip is ``solely for religious purposes.''

The four-day trip on the Norwegian Majesty cruise ship will leave Miami on Jan. 23 with at least 1,056 passengers, the archdiocese said Tuesday, and will cost from $599 to $1,399 per person, based on the accommodations.

After weeks of planning -- and fielding complaints from some Cuban exiles in South Florida who bitterly oppose the cruise -- the archdiocese offered details of the trip Tuesday and said it's now accepting reservations through a Coral Gables travel agency.

``We expect to sell out within 10 days,'' said Nina Meyer, owner and manager of Vision Travel in Coral Gables, which will be open seven days a week to field an anticipated onslaught of applications. ``We've had about 40 calls in the last hour.''

South Florida first

For several days, the travel agency will take applications only from South Florida Catholics. Then reservations will be open to applicants nationwide, Meyer said.

The ship, owned by Miami-based Norwegian Cruise Line, can accommodate 1,056 passengers sleeping two to a room, more if some people are willing to have up to three roommates, she said.

To try to ensure that passengers are religiously motivated Catholics who will behave peacefully and not embarrass the church by taking part in any political confrontation, the archdiocese is requiring applicants to sign an affidavit and provide a written recommendation. A pastor or ``recognized authority as listed in the Official Catholic Directory of the United States Catholic Conference'' must sign a letter attesting that an applicant is ``known to me as a good Catholic.''

``Our purpose is to make sure that this is a religious pilgrimage,'' said Bishop Thomas Wenski, who is helping organize the trip. ``We don't want to take somebody who is going to go there thinking they are going to start World War III.''

Different viewpoints

Some Cuban exiles, especially in Miami, oppose the trip, saying Cuban-born Catholics should not return to the island as long as Fidel Castro is in power. Others, such as Bishop Agustin Roman, who was expelled from Cuba when Castro came to power, say they support the papal visit and the Miami pilgrimage but are personally unwilling to go. ``I'll go to the port to see them off,'' Roman said, ``but I'll stay here and pray for Cuba and the church.''

Archbishop John C. Favalora, who will lead the pilgrimage, defended it strongly Tuesday. ``The Catholics of Cuba are witnessing a renewal of the Christian faith on the island,'' Favalora said. ``We here in Miami join them in their spiritual journey. Let us raise our voices in prayer that the Holy Father's visit to Cuba will touch the minds and hearts of all Cubans, wherever they may be, and help bring about that true peace built on justice that all Cubans of good will long for.''

Given tensions surrounding the trip, both Vision Travel and Norwegian Cruise Line are taking security precautions but declined to discuss them. ``We can't speak specifically about that for obvious reasons,'' said Fran Sevcik, director of public relations for the cruise line. ``I can tell you we will take extraordinary measures so that all the passengers and crew members have a safe and pleasant cruise.''

Bilateral permission

The Cuban and U.S. governments have given the archdiocese permission to charter the ship and sail directly from Miami to Havana, said Peter Coats, Wenski's assistant. ``We have received official permission from the Cuban government and the port authority to enter the harbor,'' Coats said.

Each passenger must apply individually for a visa to enter Cuba, though. Those who pay for the cruise and are later denied a visa by the Cuban government will not get a refund unless the travel agency resells their room, Meyer said.

Passengers will not get a refund even if the trip to Cuba is canceled because the pope cannot go or the U.S. or Cuban government withdraws permission. In such an event, the archdiocese would have the right to select an alternative destination, such as the Bahamas or Key West, Sevcik said.

Must remain on board

The ship is scheduled to arrive in Havana harbor the morning of Jan. 24 and leave at 7 p.m. the next day. Even while the ship is docked in Havana, passengers will eat and sleep on board to abide by the U.S. embargo, which strictly limits how much U.S. citizens can spend on the island.

Underscoring that this is a religious pilgrimage and not a luxury vacation, the archdiocese plans to launch the cruise with an on-deck memorial service for the rafters who have died while crossing the Florida Straits seeking freedom. The trip will culminate with an outdoor papal Mass in Havana on Jan. 25.

``We're going to be praying all the way from here to Havana,'' Bishop Gilberto Fernandez said, adding that Cuban Catholics want South Floridians to stand and pray with them. ``They all want us to go by the thousands, as many as possible.''

Fernandez, who was born in Havana and jailed by Castro's government as a young priest, stressed that the trip will be difficult to make for many, given its cost, the risks and protests at home.

``Everybody has suffered a lot,'' Fernandez said. ``We understand how people feel.

``It's not going to be a luxury trip. It's going to be a real sacrifice. We are going to be offering it to the Lord.''

Copyright © 1997 The Miami Herald