How can I get a visa?

[jabrown40]

We are planning on our cruise in November to Cuba on Viking. However, we have been told that Viking is providing a blanket visa for all passengers which will require us to remain with Vikings excursions. We have read where passengers on other cruise lines have been able to purchase a visa for $75 from the cruise ship. I have emailed Viking to see if this will be a possibility, but not holding out much hope. Is there another way for me to get a visa? I know there are online agencies, but has anybody been successful with these? Considering canceling,because we much prefer to do things on her own. Currently Viking only has about four excursions listed on their website, and they are all pretty lame. Considering that other categories higher up than ours get to book 1st, I'm not holding out much hope that the better excursions will still be available. So if we can get our own visa, it would be worth it.

 

 

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[VidaNaPraia]

Most of the airlines and their agencies seem to be providing tourist cards only for their passengers. (Don't know about cruise lines.) American Airlines is using the agency Cuba Travel Services. http://www.cubatravelservices.com/ Try them. U$80 by email/mail. They may agree to deal with other than AA passengers. info@cubavisaservices.com

Just make sure that wherever you buy, you get a PINK tourist card (for those leaving directly from the US), NOT a GREEN one.

 

You can also try the Cuban Consulate in Washington, DC, but they want photos and some other documentation, and are not easy to talk to for information. U$70

 

I don't know the details for each cruise line, but when it was described here, the one cruise line in question was using the "People to People" OFAC reason, but requiring passengers to choose "group" (cruise line excursions) or individual (DIY). Both are the same category according to OFAC.

[LHT28]

If that is their policy I would book with another cruise line

jmo

[jabrown40]

That's what I'm thinking also. I know this wasn't an issue with Oceania.

 

 

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[LHT28]

That's what I'm thinking also. I know this wasn't an issue with Oceania.

 

 

We are just letting O get the tourist car/Visa & as far as I know you can DIY

 

Maybe Viking does not understand the Visa/tourist card thing

 

Do not think it is the same as Russia where you have to do a tour

good luck

[VidaNaPraia]

Maybe Viking does not understand the Visa/tourist card thing

 

Or maybe they are more like the Road Scholar cruise, which is a group tour by ship, under the RS group visa, not transportation with available excursions like most of the cruises with each passenger having a tourist card.

[Snit13]

You might also want to check Azamara cruises. My friend checked out getting a visa on her/our own and found she/we could only save about $1. We are going with the RCCL visas for $75. She lives near Washington so may have checked with State Dept. She didn't share where she checked it out.

 

If I had known about Azamara's offerings, I think I would have booked with them instead of RCCL. I seem to recall 3 Cuban port offerings.

 

If you sail with RCCL you do NOT have to go on their shore excursions. We did book the 3 hour tour for the first day but we are going out on our own that evening and then will most likely do the Hop On Hop Off the bus the 2nd day.

[VidaNaPraia]

You might also want to check Azamara cruises. My friend checked out getting a visa on her/our own and found she/we could only save about $1. We are going with the RCCL visas for $75. She lives near Washington so may have checked with State Dept. She didn't share where she checked it out.

 

If I had known about Azamara's offerings, I think I would have booked with them instead of RCCL. I seem to recall 3 Cuban port offerings.

 

If you sail with RCCL you do NOT have to go on their shore excursions. We did book the 3 hour tour for the first day but we are going out on our own that evening and then will most likely do the Hop On Hop Off the bus the 2nd day.

 

The US State Department has nothing to do with visas for Cuba or any other country that requires one, nor would it have responsibility to keep up on latest changes, if any, to inform the US public. A visa/tourist card is a requirement of the country you are entering, in this case Cuba. That government controls distribution/sale of tourist cards/visas.

The cruise lines and airlines/agencies are buying visas/tourist cards in bulk from the Cuban government (perhaps from the Cuban Consulate in Washington, DC, the sole Embassy/Consulate in the US) and reselling them as a convenience, which may account for the variation in price across airlines/cruise lines.

[Snit13]

The US State Department has nothing to do with visas for Cuba or any other country that requires one, nor would it have responsibility to keep up on latest changes, if any, to inform the US public. A visa/tourist card is a requirement of the country you are entering, in this case Cuba. That government controls distribution/sale of tourist cards/visas.

The cruise lines and airlines/agencies are buying visas/tourist cards in bulk from the Cuban government (perhaps from the Cuban Consulate in Washington, DC, the sole Embassy/Consulate in the US) and reselling them as a convenience, which may account for the variation in price across airlines/cruise lines.

 

 

You are absolutely right. Senior moment. Sorry I am no longer as knowledgeable as I once was.

[VidaNaPraia]

Nothing personal. But so many people online seem to confuse the US government's OFAC requirements for travel to Cuba with the Cuban government's requirement for a tourist card to enter that country. Best to be very clear about which government oversees which requirement when addressing the issue.

 

 

Your friend may have checked with the Cuban Embassy/Consulate in Washington, DC, but they are notoriously difficult to get in touch with by email or phone. Perhaps a visit in person might have been effective.

[Snit13]

Nothing personal. But so many people online seem to confuse the US government's OFAC requirements for travel to Cuba with the Cuban government's requirement for a tourist card to enter that country. Best to be very clear about which government oversees which requirement when addressing the issue.

 

 

Your friend may have checked with the Cuban Embassy/Consulate in Washington, DC, but they are notoriously difficult to get in touch with by email or phone. Perhaps a visit in person might have been effective.

 

 

I once forgot to get a visa for Argentina and 3 hours before departing for airport had to change plans and go to Chile instead as we did not need a visa to visit there. Had to cancel hotel reservations and rebook before heading to airport. All went well but it would have been great to follow the original plans but we had an awesome time in Chile. I couldn't even claim Senior Moment at that time.

[LHT28]

I once forgot to get a visa for Argentina and 3 hours before departing for airport had to change plans and go to Chile instead as we did not need a visa to visit there.

That must have been a long time ago

 

You could pay the Reciprocity fee when you arrived there was no Visa required just pay the money & you are fine

US citizens no longer need to pay the fee

Edited June 7, 2017 by LHT28

[Snit13]

That must have been a long time ago

 

You could pay the Reciprocity fee when you arrived there was no Visa required just pay the money & you are fine

US citizens no longer need to pay the fee

 

Sometime in the 80's as I recall. I think when we were in Buenos Aires we had to pay a fee. We were there when we went to Antartica.

[VidaNaPraia]

There's a current TA thread mentioning not being able to get off a certain ship at all (?)

https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g147271-i387-k10554168-o30-Havana_giving_gifts-Havana_Ciudad_de_la_Habana_Province_Cuba.html

[Go-Bucks!]

There's a current TA thread mentioning not being able to get off a certain ship at all (?)

https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g147271-i387-k10554168-o30-Havana_giving_gifts-Havana_Ciudad_de_la_Habana_Province_Cuba.html

 

 

That has been removed.