PEARL SEAS CRUSIES to CUBA?

[RJB]

Has anyone taken them to Cuba? Small ship looks interesting but know nothing about them. Any help? Thanks a lot. :):) Bad spelling sorry.

[Go-Bucks!]

Has anyone taken them to Cuba? Small ship looks interesting but know nothing about them. Any help? Thanks a lot. :):) Bad spelling sorry.

One poster on this board says he lectures for this cruise line. He says Pearl Seas forces its passengers to purchase their excursions or wont let you off the ship. Many other cruiselines use similar bullying tactics, but to a lesser degree. No one has to use ship excursions unless you want to.

[RJB]

One poster on this board says he lectures for this cruise line. He says Pearl Seas forces its passengers to purchase their excursions or wont let you off the ship. Many other cruiselines use similar bullying tactics, but to a lesser degree. No one has to use ship excursions unless you want to.

Thanks for the post. Does not look like a ship I would want to sail on. We like to do some of our own private shore excursions and if they force you to use theirs it would be a deal breaker. Just thought a small ship to Cuba would be nice but need to look for another one or go a little larger. Thanks :):)

[victory2020]

Oceana has a nice 7 day with 3 different ports just like Pearl Seas. My neighbor went on Pearl - seems like a ship you go on if you want to see a distant, sanitized view of Cuba.

[RJB]

Oceana has a nice 7 day with 3 different ports just like Pearl Seas. My neighbor went on Pearl - seems like a ship you go on if you want to see a distant, sanitized view of Cuba.

WE booked Oceania for 9 days but thought a smaller ship might be better. Guess not. Thanks for the replies

[Go-Bucks!]

I went on Oceania and had a great time!

 

Someone, though, posted that Azamara has a Cuba Immersion cruise where they stay 2-3 days in each of the ports....sounds great. Plus, Azamara ships are small.

 

We had 2 days & overnight in Havana and I would have liked at least one more day there. Cienfuegos was my favorite port and would also have liked 2-3 days there. Santiago de Cuba was my least favorite and one day there was enough for me.

[Richard in Panama]

One poster on this board says helectures for this cruise line. He says Pearl Seas forces its passengers topurchase their excursions or wont let you off the ship. Many other cruiselinesuse similar bullying tactics, but to a lesser degree. No one has to use shipexcursions unless you want to.

 

I think you are talking about me, but you either totally misread, or wish to misinterpret my post, or just vent about cruise line excursions. This is not at all what I said. ALL CUBA EXCURSIONS ARE INCLUDED ON PEARL SEAS CUBA. You don't buy shore excursions. No one is selling anything.

 

Regulations for US citizens traveling to Cuba have been tightened by the Trump administration. You must be on an authorized people-to-people educational trip sponsored by anapproved organization or travel company, which must include cultural,people-to-people encounters. There is a whole list of hotels, restaurants,and stores which the Trump administration feels are either owned or controlled by the Cuban military which you cannot use. Of course you can, but it is against the US restrictions. Can you flout the law and just hope on a plane and do what you want? I guess. And people have been doing this for years even although it was illegal. But if you want to follow the law, you obey the law.

 

Guests are expected, by Pearl Seas and the US Treasury Department which approves, regulated, and by the law can ask for proof of what you did in Cuba for up to five years under the new regulations of the Trump administration. This is different from what it was under Obama. UNDERSTAND THAT YOU HAVE LOTS OF FREE TIME TO DO WHAT YOU WANT TO DO. People can choose to hang out on the ship, enjoying the free drinks, or go off on their own and meet the Cuban people and do their ownpeople-to-people experience. And people DO go off and have wonderful encounters and adventures on their own. It is totally up to you.

 

The Cuban people are warm, wonderful, open and they love US Americans. Just like most people in the US, people in Cuba can distinguish between their feelings about governments and policies, and their feeling about people. People to people we have no problems!

 

Please, let's keep the boardsfactual and honest and not just post inaccurate information. Thankyou! Richard