Fathom, Carnival's new cruise brand focusing on voluntourism, made history May 2, 2016 when it became the first U.S. ship to arrive in Havana in more than 50 years—and one passenger will have the special honor of being the first visitor to disembark on Cuban soil. Arnaldo "Arnie" Perez, a Cuban-American who works as Carnival's general counsel, had been selected to be the very first person to step off Fathom's Adonia ship and into the port of Havana. Although Cuban-born individuals have been able to visit Cuba by air, arriving by sea has not been permitted. This caused wrinkles for Fathom when news broke that Cuban-born citizens might not be able to book passage on the Adonia for its historic sailing. However, an arrangement was worked out, and Fathom reps estimate that ten to 25 Cuban-born individuals were on the ship. This will not be Perez's first time returning to his native Cuba. Once Fathom became the first cruise company to secure sailings from the United States, Perez made several trips to the island to work out legal negotiations. However, when he walked off the Adonia, he was the first Cuban-born person to arrive legally in Havana by sea in more than 50 years. Perez has been with Carnival since 1992 and is a graduate of Columbia Law School. "Travel is a way to connect people," Carnival's CEO Arnold Donald told reporters gathered on the ship before its May 1 departure. "It's a way to recognize common things, and to move forward." And in the case of Perez, it's a meaningful and symbolic way to return home.