US travel to Cuba

There is a robust discussion regarding President Trump's change in US policy for travel to Cuba on the Oceania board. NCL has sent out a press release that is optimistic. If you are on one of these cruises this winter, I would suggest you watch the updates carefully since the upcoming US regulations may change things dramatically whether or not you have booked a cruise already.

Such an unfortunate turn of events to isolate Cuba. Although, when we went on a land trip last November, I understood more clearly why the expatriate Cuban community in the US wants to ruin Castro's legacy. They lost businesses, homes, and family. Many were jailed or lost their lives. That being said, Batista was no charmer and the seeds of revolution were planted deeply. There are a lot of lessons for us in history.

Not to worry. It does not look like President Trumps reversal of policy regarding Cuba will have any effect on the Cruise line. He is rolling back the rule on un-escorted visits, reestablishing the ban on independent travel. This basically shut out travel to the Resort and beaches. The Cruise lines tours are all considered as falling under the permitted visa exceptions.

I was on the very first Regent (Mariner) call in Havana this April. There is nothing you can do independently. Your supposed to exchange your money in the port arrival hall into special "Tourist Pesos" those can be used to by trinkets, cigars and rum. The vendors them have to take that Tourist Peso to the Govn't run bank and exchange it for official Pesos. The Govn't takes a reported 20% fee.

If you want to time warp back to 1959, Havana is the place to visit.

J

602/41

(398 days till Diamond Status:p)

When you say that there is nothing that you can do independently, I assume that this means that you can't get a taxi to take you for a long ride along the coast (or anywhere else)? And, am also assuming that tourists (specifically those from the U.S. since there isn't a restriction that I know of for Canadians and 99% of citizens from other countries in the world) cannot buy real peso's.

While we really enjoyed Havana on our visits, there is so much more to see than Havana. Unfortunately, going there through Mexico or Canada seems to be the only way one can enter the country and be able to do pretty much what you want to do. On the other hand, when we were there they still took U.S. dollars (2003) and there wasn't an issue of purchasing pesos.

It is good news (fingers crossed) that cruise ships should be able to continue sailing to Cuba!

I have been twice. once on an American land base tour. i took a taxi to the national hotel and back. no big deal. end of march went by taxi to a dinner show and back to ship. many of us wandered around at night.

Besides the port arrivals hall you could get money across the street from ship. i also went out alone for coffee in morning and lunch both days.

Not sure if I want to go back again

We did have to use the tourist peso's and most of our tour was packed with interesting lectures, site visits, and dining, we did have a free night in Havana where we hailed a cab, had dinner in the old section, and got a cab back to the Nacional. No restrictions whatsoever. The Cuban people are eager to resume a relationship with the US and their economy may flourish as a result of it.

I often think back on the post Vietnam war years - our bitterness over that war and the subsequent communist rule. Now it is a thriving capitalist economy. And, look at how our relationship and attitude towards China has changed despite the influence of Taiwan.

I saw this on twitter from @marcorubio:

Americans who travel to Cuba can stay & spend with any non-military business on island. Now it's up to Castro govt. to allow them to benefit.

Any news from Celestyal? We are booked for July 7 and I have not seen any statement from them. The Celestyal board is a very quiet one.

So it sounds as if you can do things independently which is great! Getting outside of Havana is really interesting - lovely coast line (very pristine - even though there are some oil wells on the beaches). We purchased some lovely wooden carvings for very little money (thinking back, wish I had given them a little more than they were asking for as I'm sure they could use the money). I also feel that you don't stand out as much as "tourists from the U.S." when you are outside of Havana as there are thousands of tourists from all over the world.

We got word from our TA, everything looks OK---however they are going to watch this for a few months. We booked "O" on this one because it's just a better cruise for us 7 days in Cuba. We did hired the old cars for a tour, so I hope that;s still a go. Since this cruise is all Cuba, we'll be watching just in case we need to cancel-the last thing I want is a cruise around the Miami and other sunny places.

Cuba was briefly discussed on "Face the Nation" this morning. Here is a transcript of the question and answer:

JOHN DICKERSON: Let me ask you about Cuba. Speaking of consequences, there are new provisions the president has put in place to put pressure on Cuba for its human rights record. But when the president-- go ahead.

MARCO RUBIO: Go ahead. I'm sorry. No, no. I wouldn't view it just as putting pressure. I really don't. I think this is an effort to strengthen individual Cubans. Understand what this does. This basically says that American travelers to Cuba, they'll continue to fly on commercial airlines or get there in a cruise.

But when they get there, they have to spend their money primarily with individual Cubans who own private businesses, which is what everybody who supported the Obama opening was always bragging about. They were saying there was all these new small businesses. Well, we want to put them in a privileged position.

And so American travelers to Cuba will have to spend their money with them instead of the Cuban military. That was the goal of this, is to empower individual Cubans to be economically independent of the Castro military and of the Castro regime.

Can anyone explain what is meant by the "Cuban military"? On our tour it seemed that we received services from private individuals rather than the government (with the exception of govt' lectures, schools, old age home, etc.). The rest, including restaurants, vintage car taxi drivers, and the bus company seemed like private businesses. Perhaps not, but I remember our guide talking about tax incentives to private entrepreneurs to develop businesses.

Such an unfortunate turn of events to isolate Cuba. Although, when we went on a land trip last November, I understood more clearly why the expatriate Cuban community in the US wants to ruin Castro's legacy. They lost businesses, homes, and family. Many were jailed or lost their lives. That being said, Batista was no charmer and the seeds of revolution were planted deeply. There are a lot of lessons for us in history.

Then why are we not ceasing travel or doing any kind of business with China, Saudi Arabia, Russia to any of the other countries around the who treat their citizens as badly or far worse than Cuba?

wripro - agree with you on this one but do not want to get political on CC.

In terms of "private" businesses, they pay a pretty penny (or peso) to the government in order to be in business. As with the "tourist pesos" being traded at banks for a 20% charge, the government gets their share. Still, IMO, tourists being there does put money into the pockets of locals.

bus companies are gov't. very much so.. private so called restaurants have some gov't control.

Since all the buses are owned by the Govn't (read Military) it is foolish to think that much of any money paid by the Cruise line for tours goes directly into the hand of private parties.

j

We visited Havana in April on Regent Mariner.

All the buses and tour guides are operated by the government.

Farm to table restaurants are operated privately. However the farms must sell their products to the government, which, in turn, sells the products to retail stores and restaurants. Lots of black market there.

We took a private taxi one afternoon and were able to go anywhere in Havana.

Wherever we went, only Cuban pesos were accepted. No US dollars. The charge to exchange $$ to pesos was 10%. We brought euros with us and there was no exchange charge.

According to what I have read, all cruise ships will continue as we did.

All commercial flights will continue, as well. So I really do not see any real change for US tourism.

We did travel out of Havana one morning. It seemed to be very poor. ( quite like so many carribean islands)

I can understand the feelings of the United States Cuban community. So many injustices. This new policy seems to try to satisfy both them and the tourists.

I found the trip fascinating and was very glad we had the opportunity to do it.

"A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds." --Ralph Waldo Emerson.

Cuba is right off U.S. shores and is actively sending military assistance to North Korea as well as constantly undermining U.S. interests in Central and South America as well; Cuba is one of the last supporters of the evil Maduro regime in Venezuela, which is causing increasingly devastating hardships for its people (many of whom have fled to Brazil and elsewhere) due to its Cuba-exported communism. Most importantly, the prior Administration did not extract any significant human rights or other concessions in return for its change in policy. All that was achieved was to help prop up a totalitarian regime.

Unlike with China, Russia, and other world powers, there is no significant upside for the U.S. in showing Cuba any special tolerance until it changes its horrible human rights record.

Hello, Can you tell me if we go on a cruise to Cuba, but do not plan to take any of the cruise tours and just want to walk around on our own, is this OK?

Not to worry. It does not look like President Trumps reversal of policy regarding Cuba will have any effect on the Cruise line. He is rolling back the rule on un-escorted visits, reestablishing the ban on independent travel. This basically shut out travel to the Resort and beaches. The Cruise lines tours are all considered as falling under the permitted visa exceptions.

 

I was on the very first Regent (Mariner) call in Havana this April. There is nothing you can do independently. Your supposed to exchange your money in the port arrival hall into special "Tourist Pesos" those can be used to by trinkets, cigars and rum. The vendors them have to take that Tourist Peso to the Govn't run bank and exchange it for official Pesos. The Govn't takes a reported 20% fee.

 

If you want to time warp back to 1959, Havana is the place to visit.

 

J

602/41

(398 days till Diamond Status:p)

Yes - you can walk around on your own - take taxis, etc. However, I would recommend taking at least one tour in order to get a sense of the place.

Yes, the Old Car Tours are really great I've been told. We booked ours.

Yes the old cars are great to look at but we didn't specifically ask for one for our transfer to the airport and was picked up in a late model SUV (the same type of vehicle that took us from Havana to Varadero - about 100 km from Havana). Keep in mind that if you go very far, the older cars do not have air conditioning.