Empress confirmed to Cuba from January 2017

[BeachChik]

:confused:Yet according to your posts your past travels have included a number of places that are quite poor in those freedoms, such as China, Viet Nam, Singapore, etc.

 

Someone always points this out on every three that talks about Cuba.

 

I have been to quite a few countries (cruises and land travel) and yes some of them with similar issues. However I am also one of those that will not visit Cuba. Is it hypocritical? Possibly. But everyone is at some point.

 

Living in Florida it is on the news all the time about Cuban refugees being found off the coast. I personally will not go somewhere where thousands die each year trying to escape. That is my choice just as it would be yours to go.

 

People do tour groups to North Korea. I can't imagine why anyone would go there but again that is their choice.

 

I don't get why people are so bothered by others choices.

[Paulette3028]

Living in Florida it is on the news all the time about Cuban refugees being found off the coast. I personally will not go somewhere where thousands die each year trying to escape. That is my choice just as it would be yours to go.

 

People do tour groups to North Korea. I can't imagine why anyone would go there but again that is their choice.

 

I don't get why people are so bothered by others choices.

 

My personal interest in visiting Cuba comes from growing up in NY in the 50's and 60's when many people who left Cuba settled in our community and became members of our synagogue. I would like to get a view of what they left behind (albeit it may be much different today or not).

 

I can't imagine myself traveling to N. Korea where remaining there as a captive of the government is possible -- that for me would be a poor travel plan.

 

But like you, I don't get so bothered by others' choices.

[TravelerThom]

...I don't get why people are so bothered by others choices.

I am not bothered by where people choose to go or not go. There are always lots of valid reasons in both directions, and indeed no requirement to even have a reason for your choice.

 

I agree that everyone is hypocritical at some level, but I am NOT perceiving high levels of hypocrisy on this thread. However living in Florida for part of the year (I'm in FL now), I am bothered by high levels of hypocrisy that are common in parts of the state. I am immensely troubled that individuals (and their descendants) who were involved with the oppressive secret police under the prior dictatorship in Cuba have managed to infringe for over half a century on MY freedom to travel, all in the name of "freedom". Note that this is NOT an endorsement of oppression that exists under the current regime.

 

Thom

[CRUISEBOY305]

Hope you all booking Cuba aren't to disappointed !!!! If I rated all my travelling I have done Cuba would be my least favourite. Just came back again in Jan ( sons wedding ) and find they have nothing at all to offer. Food is horrible and very very expensive ! They sure have learnt how to charge, CUC which is there type of currency is pretty close to the US dollar . Lunch cost us $75 CUC's in downtown Veradero. Bugs are pretty bad , service is non existing . Most days your fighting to get a towel in your room.

 

the same argument can be made about several other islands in the Caribbean yet, we still go. :rolleyes:

Edited March 14, 2016 by CRUISEBOY305

[Paulette3028]

I am not bothered by where people choose to go or not go. There are always lots of valid reasons in both directions, and indeed no requirement to even have a reason for your choice.

 

I agree that everyone is hypocritical at some level, but I am NOT perceiving high levels of hypocrisy on this thread. However living in Florida for part of the year (I'm in FL now), I am bothered by high levels of hypocrisy that are common in parts of the state. I am immensely troubled that individuals (and their descendants) who were involved with the oppressive secret police under the prior dictatorship in Cuba have managed to infringe for over half a century on MY freedom to travel, all in the name of "freedom". Note that this is NOT an endorsement of oppression that exists under the current regime.

 

Thom

 

So you live in a state when you are not in FL that doesn't have 'high levels of hypocrisy' -- I doubt it. Unless you are living the rest of the year, under a rock.

[TravelerThom]

So you live in a state when you are not in FL that doesn't have 'high levels of hypocrisy' -- I doubt it. Unless you are living the rest of the year, under a rock.

Point well taken. I was not intending to imply that other places where I live do not have high levels of hypocrisy (but for the most part they don't even think about the particular item under discussion in this thread).

[Paulette3028]

Point well taken. I was not intending to imply that other places where I live do not have high levels of hypocrisy (but for the most part they don't even think about the particular item under discussion in this thread).

 

In our current political environment (not meaning to hijack this thread) where you live (when not in FL) there is probably plenty of hypocrisy going on.

 

I am immensely troubled that individuals (and their descendants) who were involved with the oppressive secret police under the prior dictatorship in Cuba have managed to infringe for over half a century on MY freedom to travel, all in the name of "freedom". Note that this is NOT an endorsement of oppression that exists under the current regime.

 

Thom

 

Politics no matter what country is filled with various degrees of hypocrisy. But it was our government that put in place the embargo that prevented you from travelling to Cuba in the last half century. If you still wanted to travel there, I imagine you could have found a way to do it through other countries.

 

There are cruise lines that have called on the ports in Cuba, is my understanding.

[Powersboyee2]

And now.....back to our regularly scheduled program. Lmao

[WinksCruises]

An additional source claiming Empress is destined for Cuba:

 

http://www.travelweekly.com/Cruise-Travel/Upgraded-Empress-could-become-Royal-Caribbean-Cuba-ship

Vicki Freed, Royal's senior vice president of sales, trade support and services, recently told a group of travel agents that inventory on the Empress will likely be parceled out month by month.

 

“We’re not going out too far, because we’re waiting for Cuba to open up,” Freed said at a CruiseOne/Cruises Inc. training seminar. “The minute Cuba opens up, we know this is the right-sized ship for Cuba.”

 

The short schedule for the Empress is another sign of how eager cruise lines are to launch service to Cuba and how they are marking time because of the lack of Cuban approvals.

 

“As of this moment, the Cuban government has not granted permission for any America-based cruise line to call to Cuba,” said Cynthia Martinez, a spokeswoman for RCCL.

[Sunkissed Mommy]

Hope you all booking Cuba aren't to disappointed !!!! If I rated all my travelling I have done Cuba would be my least favourite. Just came back again in Jan ( sons wedding ) and find they have nothing at all to offer. Food is horrible and very very expensive ! They sure have learnt how to charge, CUC which is there type of currency is pretty close to the US dollar . Lunch cost us $75 CUC's in downtown Veradero. Bugs are pretty bad , service is non existing . Most days your fighting to get a towel in your room.

 

 

I do not believe that the food in Cuba is horrible. I grew up in South Florida, with many Cubans friends, and I LOVED their mom's cooking. Maybe it's a matter of taste?

 

Bugs are bad everywhere there is water and heat.

 

While I've never been myself I know a lot of Canadians who love to vacation there. Again, I think it boils down to preference.

[AtlantaCruiser72]

An additional source claiming Empress is destined for Cuba:

 

http://www.travelweekly.com/Cruise-Travel/Upgraded-Empress-could-become-Royal-Caribbean-Cuba-ship

Vicki Freed, Royal's senior vice president of sales, trade support and services, recently told a group of travel agents that inventory on the Empress will likely be parceled out month by month.

 

“We’re not going out too far, because we’re waiting for Cuba to open up,” Freed said at a CruiseOne/Cruises Inc. training seminar. “The minute Cuba opens up, we know this is the right-sized ship for Cuba.”

 

The short schedule for the Empress is another sign of how eager cruise lines are to launch service to Cuba and how they are marking time because of the lack of Cuban approvals.

 

“As of this moment, the Cuban government has not granted permission for any America-based cruise line to call to Cuba,” said Cynthia Martinez, a spokeswoman for RCCL.

 

I have been saying this since Empress was announced to come back into the fleet. Cuba has port facilities and infrastructure to handle cruise passengers, and has been doing so for other lines (including Pullmantour) for years. The parceling out of sailings was a clear indicator from the beginning that RCCL was working on this behind the scenes. :D

[MADflyer]

I have been saying this since Empress was announced to come back into the fleet. Cuba has port facilities and infrastructure to handle cruise passengers, and has been doing so for other lines (including Pullmantour) for years. The parceling out of sailings was a clear indicator from the beginning that RCCL was working on this behind the scenes. :D

 

While Pullmantur did start sailing out of Havana in 2004, those cruises ceased immediately following Royal Caribbean Ltd.'s purchase of Pullmantur in 2006.

 

Cuba's push into opening up tourism had been slowed by Venezuelan and Chinese investment, but that influence seems to be waning.

 

I think the greatest influence on RCI's movement on the Cuba front was the announcement that MSC would be operating year-round out of Havana.

[MADflyer]

An additional source claiming Empress is destined for Cuba:

 

http://www.travelweekly.com/Cruise-Travel/Upgraded-Empress-could-become-Royal-Caribbean-Cuba-ship

Vicki Freed, .....

 

Thanks for the article. This fits perfectly with the port bookings and might indicate that RCI could send Empress to Cuba even earlier than the current January 2017 sailings, if they were to get approval as they already have the Miami and Key West stops booked.

[BillOh]

Being born in '59 the possibility of a Cuba Cruise is interesting. While its a slight bend of this thread, when I first sailed on Voyager out of Miami headed into the Eastern Caribbean, I remember how close we got to Cuba and seeing some absolutely lovely barrier islands that had Coco Cay or Labadee type of locations all over them.

[ken3028]

While Pullmantur did start sailing out of Havana in 2004, those cruises ceased immediately following Royal Caribbean Ltd.'s purchase of Pullmantur in 2006.

 

Cuba's push into opening up tourism had been slowed by Venezuelan and Chinese investment, but that influence seems to be waning.

 

I think the greatest influence on RCI's movement on the Cuba front was the announcement that MSC would be operating year-round out of Havana.

 

It has been my understanding that companies who had their headquarters in the US could not easily do business with Cuba under the Embargo, which would explain why when Royal purchased Pullmantur in 2006 the sailings to Cuba ceased. There were specific exceptions, none of which would have applied to a cruise line, from what I read in an article from the NY Times.

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/19/business/us-businesses-assess-cuba.html?_r=0

 

In the article I did find it interesting to read that for tourists who will want to go to Cuba and stay in a 5 star hotel that experience may be 10 years away.....but floating hotels like cruise ships could certainly fill that gap, especially if they do an overnight stay.

 

Time will tell of course.

[CRUISEBOY305]

In the NY Times today

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/16/us/politics/white-house-cuba-restrictions.html?emc=edit_na_20160315&nlid=10744831&ref=cta&_r=1

[Merion_Mom]

Upgraded Empress could become Royal Caribbean Cuba ship

 

 

 

White House Eases More Restrictions on Travel to Cuba

[Jaredcg]

Port schedules now confirm that the Empress of the Seas will offer sailings to Havana, Cuba from the 7th of January of 2017.

 

 

 

RCI have booked Empress at Key West all the way through April of 2019 at this time indicating a long term deployment.

 

 

 

The ship will sail every other Saturday from Miami, with a Sunday stop at Key West and continue on to Havana from Key West.

 

 

 

The ship also sails with some frequency on Mondays from Miami, with Tuesday calls at Key West and then on to Havana from there.

 

 

 

It is unclear if there is a third alternating itinerary that does not call on Key West.

 

 

 

Empress should continue with shorter sailings from Miami up until that week in January 2017. The ship calls every 14 days on Grand Cayman through the end of November 2016.

 

 

Do you actually have a link to the port schedule? Or just a rumor you heard?

Edited March 15, 2016 by Jaredcg

[Merion_Mom]

Do you actually have a link to the port schedule? Or just a rumor you heard?

 

He checks the actual port schedules. :)

 

You can, too, just by going to the port schedule website.

[Jaredcg]

He checks the actual port schedules. :)

 

 

 

You can, too, just by going to the port schedule website.

 

 

I understand that and went to a few websites and saw nothing. Thought maybe he could link where he saw it as sites I checked do not show it....

[tomko2]

Would so love to go to Cuba by ship.

Fingers crossed.

[TravelerThom]

I understand that and went to a few websites and saw nothing. Thought maybe he could link where he saw it as sites I checked do not show it....

I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks that an actual link would be a LOT more useful than saying to go "to the port schedule website."

[ksadonnab]

Would so love to go to Cuba by ship.

Fingers crossed.

 

Yup - count me in. I have always joked about going, never really imaging that I would one day.

[Paulette3028]

In the NY Times today

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/16/us/politics/white-house-cuba-restrictions.html?emc=edit_na_20160315&nlid=10744831&ref=cta&_r=1

 

The article has two paragraphs that make me wonder what a cruise ship can do to offer the kind of 'educational excursions' that enable them to qualify and allow Cuban cities to be added as port stops.

 

From the article: "The Obama administration announced on Tuesday it would allow individuals to travel to Cuba for “people to people” educational trips and lift limits on the use of American dollars in transactions with Cuba, moving to wipe away stiff restrictions as President Obama prepares to make a historic trip to Havana next week to showcase a new era of engagement......

 

While Americans are permitted to make educational visits to Cuba in tour groups, the tourism ban enshrined in the embargo has barred individuals from traveling there on their own, a limitation that will be removed under Tuesday’s revisions."

 

It should be interesting to see what happens next.

[Paulette3028]

Her Majesty had the reputation to many of being a party ship, especially on the weekend itinerary.

 

Well move over Her Majesty since Royal is saying: "Royal is positioning the Empress as an “endless weekend” experience. There will be a DJ-driven pool party called Plunge and brunch available every day with complimentary Bloody Mary cocktails or mimosas." as they promote Empress.