Cuban visas on NCL

[wendyp247]

I’m new to NCL . If we buy Visas from NCL can we book independent tours in Havana? Do we have to obtain our own Visa to book independent tours   How to book your own Visas for     Cuba ? TIA

[pizzalady1]

5 hours ago, wendyp247 said:

I’m new to NCL . If we buy Visas from NCL can we book independent tours in Havana? Do we have to obtain our own Visa to book independent tours   How to book your own Visas for     Cuba ? TIA

You can purchase the visas from NCL then go and do what ever you want to do. You can arrange for independent tours or go out and walk around or find an old car near the Capital and go for a ride or tour. No one cares. It seems that all the  cruise lines have a heavy hand and lie about what you can do while in Cuba.Have fun!

[mawoch]

Visa is for Cuba government.  The cruise line get this for you as part of your cruise billing.  You pick this up as you enbark.  The Cuba government considers you as a tourist. All you need to get off the ship in Cuba is the visa and your passport. 

 

As a traveler under US jurisdiction you need a OFAC general license to travel to Cuba.  You fill out a form for the cruise line self declaring what OFAC category you are traveling under.  You give the filled form to the cruise line on embarkation.  Likely the form is filed away and never looked at.  You do not need the form to get off the ship. If you are taking the ship's excursion only then the correct checkbox for OFAC category is "People to People - education" for which the cruise line is responsible to track your time.  If you are going on independent tours with Cuban private tour guides or if you are roaming around yourself then the "Support the Cuban People" is the right category to check.  Please do a search for these terms on Cruise Critic to see more explanation of these.

 

Mable