Florida companies approved to start ferry service between Florida and Cuba

Ferry service for authorized U.S. travelers between Florida and Cuba could start within the next few weeks, now that four companies have received approvals from the U.S. Treasury and Commerce departments.

It's the first time such approvals have been handed out since the U.S. imposed a trade embargo on Cuba nearly five decades ago, the Sun Sentinel reports. The companies are based in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and Orlando, and will charge passengers less than what it would cost to take a charter flight. For now, the ferries can only take passengers from 12 categories who no longer need a license in advance to visit Cuba, including people who are visiting family and people taking a religious pilgrimage.

The companies are hoping to start service within the next few weeks. Havana Ferry Partners, for example, wants to launch a 200-passenger vessel between Key West and Havana. It would likely cost around $300 to $350 round trip, and passengers could bring up to 200 pounds of luggage free of charge. There are still some companies waiting for their licenses, but they're not worried about missing out on a business opportunity. "We know ours is coming," says Brian Hall of CubaKat, based in the Jacksonville area. "One ferry company can't pull this off by itself. There's so many people who want to go to Cuba."

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