Sail to Cuba on Princess's sister line Fathom

[donaldsc]

I don't know how you and your brother traveled to Cuba but I am aware that the U.S. still has travel restrictions. This may get taken off from this site but a simple google search explains the restrictions.

Can Americans Travel to Cuba?

 

If you’re wondering whether Americans can travel to Cuba, the answer is yes but not without a host of restrictions. Since the relationship between the U.S. and Cuba was restored in December 2014, Americans have been able to travel to Cuba under 12 categories of authorized trips. The Obama administration recently loosened sanctions, allowing Americans to travel to the country independently, as long as they complete a form declaring the visit an educational journey.

 

Cuba tourism is still technically outlawed, so if you want to book solo travel opting for an educational visit, you’ll need to plan a people-to-people trip, where you meet Cuban citizens in normal daily life settings, such as schools and community centers. Previously, Americans visiting for educational purposes were required to have a fully booked cultural itinerary, which meant booking a trip with a tour company, which could come with an average weekly price tag of $2,000 to $3,500 per person.

 

 

Is this anything similar to what you experienced? Just curious. I was also once told that traveling TO Cuba wasn't the problem...getting back into the U.S. MIGHT create a problem.

 

The trips that my brother and I did were escorted people-to-people trips. However, we did not feel that we had handlers trying to guide where we went on off-tour time or to stop us from talking to locals. We had free time although not as much as we would have liked because we had a defined schedule to keep. Not all the meals on the trip were included and we could and did walk into any restaurant we wanted to eat. Often people would engage us in very open and candid conversation while we were eating. It would have been amazing to be there when Obama did the initial meeting with Raul.

 

You can of course fly to Canada or Mexico and then fly to Cuba. Your passport will not be stamped by the Cuban government so the US will not know that you went to Cuba. There are also escorted trips run out of Canada which may give you more free time than the one that we took.

 

DON

[JohnS43]

Is there some reason that cruise ships that don't carry US passengers haven't been traveling to Cuba without such restrictions for some time now? Are there not enough non-US passengers to make such trips economically feasible for cruise lines? I know that many Canadian and European tourists fly to Cuba for vacation-- would they not also be interested in cruising there?

[chrysalis]

Is there some reason that cruise ships that don't carry US passengers haven't been traveling to Cuba without such restrictions for some time now? Are there not enough non-US passengers to make such trips economically feasible for cruise lines? I know that many Canadian and European tourists fly to Cuba for vacation-- would they not also be interested in cruising there?

 

Cruise ships have been going there.....

[Potstech]

It's doubtful you would have had much of a "social impact". It's been reported that all Cubans working in the tourist industry are employees of the state, are tasked with telling the official party line, are closely monitored by the Cuban government, and must turn over all revenue to the Cuban government who promptly pays them in worthless pesos. The only "social impact" you would have is increasing the wealth of the Cuban Government.

 

Exactly. Precisely and agreed

[Christine Frances]

This has already occurred. We went to Cuba last year. My brother went this year and also a few years ago. According to him. Cuba was much better on his first trip than the recent one.

 

What is your problem with the current US restrictions? They did not impact our trip or his trips at all.

 

BTW - the reason that trips to Cuba are expensive is that the Cuban government knows that people want to go and charges the tour companies high prices for the privilege. I guess that that is what you cal capitalism.

 

DON

 

I actually think that it is Carnival Corp (Fathom) that is capitalizing on this and taking advantage of the opportunity to offer US citizens a way to visit Cuba Canadians and Europeans go to Cuba because it is relatively inexpensive holiday (re hotels, food, tours etc) compared to the rest of the Caribbean islands.

[Christine Frances]

It's doubtful you would have had much of a "social impact". It's been reported that all Cubans working in the tourist industry are employees of the state, are tasked with telling the official party line, are closely monitored by the Cuban government, and must turn over all revenue to the Cuban government who promptly pays them in worthless pesos. The only "social impact" you would have is increasing the wealth of the Cuban Government.

 

Not exactly. Cuban's for the last few years have been able to run their own businesses ie opening B&B's , owning restaurants, operating tours. The Cubans are warm and friendly, will talk about anything, and are cautiously optimistic about opening their country to the US. They are very proud and have an incredible culture. They are looking forward to more "material" things that are lacking because of the blockade but are healthy and well educated.

[SwissDave]

Cruise ships have been going there.....

 

 

Thousands of non Americans have been travelling to Cuba by ship or air each year. Those who fly mainly go to one if the many AI resorts. Cruisers have usually been on the smaller ships of TUI group or P&O from Europe.

[JohnS43]

Thousands of non Americans have been travelling to Cuba by ship or air each year. Those who fly mainly go to one if the many AI resorts. Cruisers have usually been on the smaller ships of TUI group or P&O from Europe.

 

So do they preclude American citizens from these cruises? Or do they just not let them off the ship in Cuba? Because Americans would be subject to many restrictions that would not apply to the rest of the passengers.

Edited May 19, 2016 by JohnS43

[chrysalis]

So do they preclude American citizens from these cruises? Or do they just not let them off the ship in Cuba? Because Americans would be subject to many restrictions that would not apply to the rest of the passengers.

 

No, they don't preclude Americans from these cruises...

 

Yes, Americans can get off the ships....

 

Americans are not subjected to restrictions by Cuba just because they are Americans

[JohnS43]

Right, but they're subject to restrictions by the US Government, I wondered if the cruise ships would not want to be accused of facilitating the circumvention of US laws, which could potentially have serious repercussions. (Although with the gradual easing of restrictions, this is probably less of an issue than it would've been a few years ago.)

 

So for those Americans who'd like to visit Cuba but do not want to be subject to the rules about education, people-to-people humanitarian outreach, etc., they can just do a non-Fathom cruise that originates in another country?

[Mrs.Gosse]

I just saw this advertised yesterday too. I had seen the first cruise go out a few weeks ago and thought it was so interesting that it was a working Cruise, so to speak. My husband has no interest in going to Cuba but in a few years when we may have the ability to do a vacation style cruise and not a working Cruise I would love to stop in for at least one day in Port. I would prefer to go there than Key West that I can drive to.

[ceilie1]

Not exactly. Cuban's for the last few years have been able to run their own businesses ie opening B&B's , owning restaurants, operating tours. The Cubans are warm and friendly, will talk about anything, and are cautiously optimistic about opening their country to the US. They are very proud and have an incredible culture. They are looking forward to more "material" things that are lacking because of the blockade but are healthy and well educated.

 

What you are saying Christine is right on. Having travelled to Cuba for over the past 20 years we find Cuba is much safer than many of the other Caribbean countries .We have seen Cuba slowly change.You will not see a lot of begging in the streets.Nor will you see the army walking around with guns. You may see them at the ports as you will in any country...Canada included.

The Cuban people are very friendly,well educated and are very healthy. Their schools have computers,a great number of Cubans have cell phones and computers and there are a number of internet cafes.Most hotels are now getting WiFi .We have friends who have B&B's and they are all usually full during the tourist season,as people are flying in and travelling on the own around Cuba. We regularly get emails and text messages from our friends in Cuba.

Anyone thinking of going to Cuba should do so with an open mind and forget about all the negative publicity and make your own decision about the country and the people. Get away from the hotels (do not be afraid to leave the hotels) and see the country and Cuban people.

[callmedeb]

Anyone thinking of going to Cuba should do so with an open mind and forget about all the negative publicity and make your own decision about the country and the people. Get away from the hotels (do not be afraid to leave the hotels) and see the country and Cuban people.

 

Hear Hear.

 

Having travelled to Cuba at least once a year for the past 15 years (half the time as a solo female) I can honestly say that Cuba is the island I feel safest on. I am not a naive traveller either I've felt more threat in a so called democratic state than I ever have in Cuba.

 

Are there problems? Yup. Just like any other country struggling with change and trying to emerge from their third world status.

 

The people, for the most part, are open, honest, hardworking and educated. They are not kept unaware of the outside world as some seem to think, and man do they love to talk - about anything - but especially politics. If that's them being restricted? I'd hate to seem them with free speech, lol.

 

You can argue that the government has their hands in everything and I'd agree with you. But that can be said about anywhere. There is propaganda on both sides of the story though.

 

As an aside, I have never understood why Americans are content to do business and travel to China, but not Cuba. Aside from the $$$$$ to be made in China... oh wait.

 

If you don't want to go to Cuba, don't. Your choice. I think you're missing out, but that just leaves more Cuba for me.

 

Deb