When Cuba opens up for normal tourism...

[LHT28]

I for one would love to visit Cuba. At the moment it is just too far for us to fly to Canada and then fly down to Cuba or to visit via Mexico and that to me is the least safest way to go. Hopefully, it the not too distant future more small cruise ships will be making their way down there and then we can perhaps board one of those. It would be great if they could leave from one of the cities in the U.S.

 

Jennie

"My cuba cruise" leaves from Jamaica so you could fly to the USA then to Mo Bay to pick up the ship

just an option

[Paulchili]

"My cuba cruise" leaves from Jamaica so you could fly to the USA then to Mo Bay to pick up the ship

just an option

 

...or cruise on Europa 2. It is supposed to be very nice (especially so if you speak German :D)

[Aussie Gal]

Paul, I believe that Europa 2 is very, very expensive and of course we are not German speaking unlike my daughter's in laws! Now if it were French, it would be a different matter. I would love it if Ponant or Oceania decided to cruise there. Small ships that can go into unusual ports. Still, who knows what may happen in a year or two. I will be keeping my eye on future developments over there.

 

Jennie

[Aussie Gal]

"My cuba cruise" leaves from Jamaica so you could fly to the USA then to Mo Bay to pick up the ship

just an option

 

Lyn,

 

That is a huge amount of flying and as we are getting older, we would prefer to spend less time in a plane than more time! Getting to Europe or returning home from there is becoming a chore now, especially spending over 24 hours plus in airports and on planes is just too long for us even flying up the front.

 

Jennie

[Paulchili]

Paul, I believe that Europa 2 is very, very expensive and of course we are not German speaking unlike my daughter's in laws! Now if it were French, it would be a different matter. I would love it if Ponant or Oceania decided to cruise there. Small ships that can go into unusual ports. Still, who knows what may happen in a year or two. I will be keeping my eye on future developments over there.

 

Jennie

 

Jennie,

Ponant just might go there. They have some very interesting itineraries.

Oceania will definitely go there as soon as possible - it is one of FDR's dreams (I believe).

Paul

[Aussie Gal]

Paul,

 

Thanks for the information. How are you? We will be on the Marina in April for the 33 day cruise to New York from Papeete and then four days later we are on the QM2 for the crossing to Southampton. We are looking forward to both cruises.

 

Jennie

[Pet Nit Noy]

Possibly, but probably not. It would be too hard to prove until they got back here to the states.

 

 

I don't know if what you've just written reflects your understanding or your friend's understanding of US regulations, but the potential for difficulty is at the US end. Once a US citizen's passport gets stamped from Cuba, US officials have the right to demand proof of compliance with Cuban travel regulations for a total of 5 years.

 

Here's the text from the State Department website. (Note the last sentence, in particular.)

 

" The regulations require that persons subject to U.S. jurisdiction be licensed in order to engage in any travel-related transactions pursuant to travel to, from, and within Cuba, or that the transactions in question be exempt from licensing requirements. Transactions related to travel for tourist activities are not licensable. This restriction includes travel to Cuba for tourist activites from or through a third country, such as Mexico or Canada. U.S. law enforcement authorities enforce these regulations at U.S. airports and pre-clearance facilities in third countries. Travelers who fail to comply with Department of the Treasury regulations may face civil penalties and criminal prosecution upon return to the United States."

 

I know I said I wouldn't write any more about your friend's behavior, but you keep posting new and erroneous information.

Edited December 20, 2015 by Pet Nit Noy

[theriac]

Nothing I said has been wrong as you erroneously stated. As i said it would be too hard to prove until back in the states which is ultimately what you said.

 

Also I am stating my friends understanding, but still all he has to do is write "I had fun on the beaches of Havana" and post a picture at which point he will fulfill what he applied for and reported on his trip.

 

I appreciate you posting the regulations so I can show him and his girlfriend as I doubt they actually read them in depth it at all.

[Paulchili]

Paul,

 

Thanks for the information. How are you? We will be on the Marina in April for the 33 day cruise to New York from Papeete and then four days later we are on the QM2 for the crossing to Southampton. We are looking forward to both cruises.

 

Jennie

 

Jennie,

That sounds like a wonderful trip. We did the Valpa to Papeete on the Marina a couple of years ago.

We are well. We just finished the Marina Lisbon to CPT and used a couple of the tour guides in West Africa that you so kindly recommended - thank you again.

Happy sailings.

Paul

[ronrick1943]

I think this is one port that one day or night wouldn't do it---think you'd need more time for this one. That's when it happens.

[donaldsc]

I totally disagree with you. I have done a 16 day land tour of Cuba and my brother has done two long land tours in Cuba. Although I cruise (my brother does not), neither of us would ever consider a cruise line tour of Cuba.

 

We both had 16 days to experience the country. We started in Santiago de Cuba and worked our way to Havana. We stayed in Cuban hotels, Some were really good and some were less so but all were clean with all the facilities you expect in a hotel.

 

Because we were a small group of 16 people, we ate in real Cuban restaurants where real Cubans eat instead of running back to the ship at night to eat ship food. In the evening we got to wander around town along with the people who lived there instead of sitting on the ship watching a show or at a bar. Some of us went to clubs in the evening where we were made to feel welcome.

 

True, a few of us had intestinal issues although we did not. What happened then is our guides took us to local clinics where we were treated at minimal cost. The treatments worked. Those who got sick might have felt down for a day but they coped and quickly got back to enjoying the trip.

 

We wandered into shops to buy stuff. Not tourist trinkets but real stuff. For example, I left my belt in my room one night so I had to figure out how to buy a belt. If we wanted snacks, we wandered into a grocery store to buy them. It may seem trivial but it was an interesting experience.

 

We visited artists, schools, dance groups, senior citizen clubs, and places like this. Again because we were a small group of 16 as opposed to large group off a cruise ship, we got the opportunity to talk to the people at the places we visited.

 

We did not waste time on sea days between ports as some of the current cruise ship visits to Cuba do. We got our full 16 days in Cuba. I saw one cruise offered recently where you only got to visit 3 ports in Cuba with one port being only half a day. We stayed at most of the places we visited for at least 2 nights so we got a sense of the towns we were at.

 

What I am getting at is that those of you who will do a cruise ship will not experience as much of Cuba as we did.

 

As I said, my brother has done 2 trips to Cuba. One was about 5 years a ago and one was this year. He said that the changes to the country between the 2 trips were really significant. If you wait until things are "normal" in Cuba and do it by cruise ship, my opinion is that you might as well not go. It is already almost too late.

 

DON

[bitob]

Agree. I would not recommend a cruise. Sterile. The travel within the country and staying on land is part of the experience. As is the dining. Cuba should be visited as a land trip. It is a fascinating country

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[RJB]

Agree. I would not recommend a cruise. Sterile. The travel within the country and staying on land is part of the experience. As is the dining. Cuba should be visited as a land trip. It is a fascinating country

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

I would not recommend going to Cuba at all. When it becomes a free country that will be another story. After Castro I would love to go there but not now. Lets not give a dictator any extra money to keep their people from being free.

[ellbon]

My wife just returned from Cuba. Abercrombie & Kent. She is still raving about it

 

I am going this winter but by a small 2000 guest ship with balconies.. i saw the A&K book.. If i enjoy this i will go back with A&K. they were not going in Jan and i had a break between two cruises. they had plenty of free nights for dinnerfs and i ithnk a beach hotel.. love to be able to snorkel Cuba.

[donaldsc]

I am going this winter but by a small 2000 guest ship with balconies.. i saw the A&K book.. If i enjoy this i will go back with A&K. they were not going in Jan and i had a break between two cruises. they had plenty of free nights for dinnerfs and i ithnk a beach hotel.. love to be able to snorkel Cuba.

 

A ship with 2000 passengers is not a small ship. A ship with 400 - 600 passengers is a small ship.

 

People certainly have strange ideas of what a small ship is today. One of my best cruises was on a ship with 50 passengers we we did one wonderful cruise on a ship with 22 passengers.

 

DON

[ellbon]

A ship with 2000 passengers is not a small ship. A ship with 400 - 600 passengers is a small ship.

 

People certainly have strange ideas of what a small ship is today. One of my best cruises was on a ship with 50 passengers we we did one wonderful cruise on a ship with 22 passengers.

 

DON

 

 

meant to say 200- good eyes. mine were tired last night