Cruise ship Disney Wonder rescued 12 Cuban migrants in the Caribbean at the weekend.
The migrants, in an unseaworthy vessel described as “rustic”, were spotted at around 8pm on Saturday evening.
They were taken to the next port of call in the Cayman Islands the next day, according to the Miami coastguard.
News outlets in the US report an increasing number of Cubans are trying to reach the US after relations between the two countries were normalised.
They fear a current law that grants them US residency if they reach the country could be ended.
Cruise ship operators have agreed to notify the authorities if they spot migrants in dangerous vessels and to rescue them if necessary.