Cuba RCCL Agreement ?

[ssb]

With Carnival announcing cruises with Cuba when will RCCL have agreement.

 

Probably reason RCCL retaining smaller ships out of Port Canaveral?

[Debitoo]

With Carnival announcing cruises with Cuba when will RCCL have agreement.

 

Probably reason RCCL retaining smaller ships out of Port Canaveral?

I hope they announce soon. If not, I plan on booking Carnival (gasp!) to go to Cuba before it's ruined by tourists.

[RFerrington]

That's a very interesting theory (re: Maj). Sounds reasonable.

[bouhunter]

What Carnival is setting up right now isn't "normal" cruises. Very expensive and they are required to do "humanitarian" and "people to people" things. Not just a go there and lay on the beach cruise at this point.

 

First reports say the ship must stay there 7-8 days and it holds 700 passengers. Freedom or Oasis it will not be..... :)

Edited July 7, 2015 by bouhunter

[bouhunter]

I hope they announce soon. If not, I plan on booking Carnival (gasp!) to go to Cuba before it's ruined by tourists.

 

Tourism will "ruin" it more than 50 years of brutal dictatorship?:rolleyes:

Edited July 7, 2015 by bouhunter

[tlatrice]

What Carnival is setting up right now isn't "normal" cruises. Very expensive and they are required to do "humanitarian" and "people to people" things. Not just a go there and lay on the beach cruise at this point.

 

Right! I heard that they price is $3000 pp!!! :eek:

[Ken at the beach]

With Carnival announcing cruises with Cuba when will RCCL have agreement.

 

Probably reason RCCL retaining smaller ships out of Port Canaveral?

 

I doubt that you'll see Cuba a a stop from Port Canaveral on the short cruises. Out of Miami yes but out of port Canaveral it's a bit far.

[Big_G]

I hope they announce soon. If not, I plan on booking Carnival (gasp!) to go to Cuba before it's ruined by tourists.

 

Pack your coveralls.

[Aquahound]

I hope they announce soon. If not, I plan on booking Carnival (gasp!) to go to Cuba before it's ruined by tourists.

 

It's not Carnival Cruise Line. It's on their subsidiary line, Fathom. The ship is currently a P&O ship (Adonia).

[Debitoo]

Tourism will "ruin" it more than 50 years of brutal dictatorship?:rolleyes:

Yup....Just wait.:p

[Ken at the beach]

Tourism will "ruin" it more than 50 years of brutal dictatorship?:rolleyes:

 

Actually there is quite a lot of tourism in Cuba already. Canadians and those from Europe have been enjoying Cuba for many years.

[rpettus]

Actually there is quite a lot of tourism in Cuba already. Canadians and those from Europe have been enjoying Cuba for many years.

 

So true!:D

[tampacruiser]

I read online today not to expect any mainline cruises to Cuba any time soon. The Carnival ship is one of it's subsidiaries and its only going to Cuba. The article said you wont see this on your typical mainline Caribbean cruise because even if they get the approval the ship will only be allowed to go from the US to Cuba and make no other stops at any other countries.

Edited July 7, 2015 by tampacruiser

[chengkp75]

What Carnival is setting up right now isn't "normal" cruises. Very expensive and they are required to do "humanitarian" and "people to people" things. Not just a go there and lay on the beach cruise at this point.

 

First reports say the ship must stay there 7-8 days and it holds 700 passengers. Freedom or Oasis it will not be..... :)

 

As per the Treasury Dept website, to qualify for the humanitarian or cultural exchange license, "free time and recreation must be limited to that consistent with a full time operation in Cuba." Carnival's rep in news reports today stated that passengers will have to do 8 hours per day of "work". Frankly, since the exemptions have been in place since 2011, I see the creation of Fathom, and the cruises to the DR as merely mechanisms to get a cruise ship to Cuba. Fathom is not really interested in social impact, it is interested in Cuba.

[UMDelt]

General tourism-related travel to Cuba is still not permitted. American travel must fall into one of 12 categories:

 

1. family visits
   
2. official business of the U.S. government, foreign governments, and certain intergovernmental organizations
   
3. journalistic activity
   
4. professional research and professional meetings;
   
5. educational activities
   
6. religious activities
   
7. public performances, clinics, workshops, athletic and other competitions, and exhibitions
   
8. support for the Cuban people
   
9. humanitarian projects (Related to bouhunter's post above)
   
10. activities of private foundations or research or educational institutes
    
11. exportation, importation, or transmission of information or information materials
    
12. certain export transactions that may be considered for authorization under existing regulations and guidelines
    

Source: whitehouse.gov

 

Interesting article in USA Today about JetBlue's "expansion" into Cuba: http://www.usatoday.com/story/todayinthesky/2015/07/03/jetblue-flights-havana-cuba/29625009/

[chengkp75]

As a side note, visitors to Cuba must have "non-US" health coverage. Cuba will gladly sell you a temporary policy for the time you are in Cuba.

[RSLeesburg]

As per the Treasury Dept website, to qualify for the humanitarian or cultural exchange license, "free time and recreation must be limited to that consistent with a full time operation in Cuba." Carnival's rep in news reports today stated that passengers will have to do 8 hours per day of "work". Frankly, since the exemptions have been in place since 2011, I see the creation of Fathom, and the cruises to the DR as merely mechanisms to get a cruise ship to Cuba. Fathom is not really interested in social impact, it is interested in Cuba.

 

 

I agree - very clever way of getting their foot in the door.

[reedprincess]

I hope they announce soon. If not, I plan on booking Carnival (gasp!) to go to Cuba before it's ruined by tourists.

 

As opposed to the over 3 million tourists Cuba receives each year? The number one visited island in the Caribbean? Somehow the tourists have managed to not ruin it yet....

MSC, another good sized cruise line, is planning to home port MSC Opera out of Havana starting Dec 22, 2015 - with no US ports in the cruise (Cuba, Jamaica. Caymans and Cozumel), so no worries about trying to circumvent or whitewash the US embargo.... Looks like they'll have the lock on first mainstresm full size cruise Liners out of Cuba....woukd much rather cruise them than fathom/Carnival....

Edited July 7, 2015 by reedprincess

[Mim Lloyd]

Cuba is already a very popular tourist destination with Europeans and has been for many years, especially with us British and Germans.

[Aquahound]

Cuba is already a very popular tourist destination with Europeans and has been for many years, especially with us British and Germans.

 

But do they have a Diamonds International, Del Sol, or Cariloha yet? That's when it'll be a true Caribbean destination. ;)

[micco69]

Wonder when RCCL will send a ship to Cuba? The Majesty of the seas would make a good fit to cruise to Cuba it would fit well into the country. But they screwed up by putting her in PC.

[chengkp75]

Until RCI sets up a social impact cruise like Fathom, they won't be allowed to call in Cuba. There are special circumstances that allow Fathom to bring US citizens to Cuba.

[Priusprof]

Wonder when RCCL will send a ship to Cuba? The Majesty of the seas would make a good fit to cruise to Cuba it would fit well into the country. But they screwed up by putting her in PC.

Probably when they see a demand from their core customers. The country has been closed to US visitors for 55+ years. The last thing I need to see is a run down Communist island.

[micco69]

Probably when they see a demand from their core customers. The country has been closed to US visitors for 55+ years. The last thing I need to see is a run down Communist island.

 

Well we see run down islands plus RCCL goes to Russia and China. So what the difference.

[mostlylurker]

Id love to see Cuba- it would be a fascinating experience particularly because of the history. But hey I lived in grenada for a couple of years. Maybe you just have to be a little adventurous to appreciate.