Cruises to Cuba

[tortuga1975]

2 hours ago, lasvegascruising said:

I was waiting at the FLL airport on May 11 to fly home when I started talking two a mother and son who had just finished their Carnival cruise to Cuba that same day and were flying home also.  The mother told me that she had to take her own toilet tissue off the ship to use in the restrooms in Cuba.  I was shocked.  They said it was beautiful but very sad. 

This is true.  We went out for dinner and the restaurant was out of most of the food on their menu.

[EMOSEA]

I think a lot of us with booked cruises to Cuba are a little bit freaked out and stressed about the situation right now (I know I am). So, if someone comes across as rude, that's likely why. 

[quickrate]

for those that say Carnival has the right to change ports, you are right. But, I didn't pay the price I paid to go to Cuba to go to Nassau! My cruise is for next April, if they don't honor a;ready booked cruises, I will cancel. 

Pat

[FTLCruiseGal]

This is my opinion as to what they will do.  They will substitute either Jamaica or Grand Cayman as both are relatively close to Cuba.  They will give cruisers the choice to either accept the change in ports or use the monies they have paid toward another cruise.  I can’t see them giving a full refund.  Again, only my opinion, so don’t flame me.

[coevan]

3 hours ago, beacha said:

American citizens won’t be able to go at all. It’s not just cruises.

 

 

Read the article again, commercial aircraft is not restricted

[xenagurl]

For those who are interested in just going to Cuba, you can still fly there under "Support for the Cuban People" currently those rules are the same.

 

I wrote a blog on what I didn't and didn't bring while going there last month. Depending on where you go will depend on what you encounter of course, but I didn't experience the "abject hopelessness" and lack that I assumed would be there. In fact the opposite. I will say that doesn't mean that people aren't experiences a lack of basics, because it's definitely happening. High taxes and low wages don't help. Etc. A Doctor makes about 40CUC a month which is about $45USD 😕 So supporting the people by visiting via other means is definitely something appreciated by the hard-working people of Cuba. 

[v3cruiser]

Well i knew booking a cruise to cuba was always iffy. Let the chips fall where they may. Since nassau is already on my itinerary, hopefully if they cancel havana an overnight stay in old san juan would be ok with us. But it's still no havana. Looks like royal caribbean is taking care of those who will no longer be going to cuba, i think carnival will as well. 

 

 

[Bases5]

I know it’s not Carnival but I’m sure they will follow soon

 

[cruisecheap]

I booked a Cuba cruise early last year and was offered a full refund when there was concern about the policy changing. I just booked again to go to Cuba. I believe they will offer refunds for cruises months out and will travel to Cuba the next few weeks. My reading of the article is going to give the cruise companies some wiggle room. This is an opinion. We will receive emails soon.

[ZoeyVictoria]

11 minutes ago, cruisecheap said:

I booked a Cuba cruise early last year and was offered a full refund when there was concern about the policy changing. I just booked again to go to Cuba. I believe they will offer refunds for cruises months out and will travel to Cuba the next few weeks. My reading of the article is going to give the cruise companies some wiggle room. This is an opinion. We will receive emails soon.

 

What rate were you booked under, was the deposit refundable or not refundable?  

[Bases5]

12 minutes ago, cruisecheap said:

I booked a Cuba cruise early last year and was offered a full refund when there was concern about the policy changing. I just booked again to go to Cuba. I believe they will offer refunds for cruises months out and will travel to Cuba the next few weeks. My reading of the article is going to give the cruise companies some wiggle room. This is an opinion. We will receive emails soon.

Royal Caribbean cancelled Cuban port stop starting tomorrow’s cruise.

i don’t think they would do this if they could wait

[cruisecheap]

5 minutes ago, ZoeyVictoria said:

 

What rate were you booked under, was the deposit refundable or not refundable?  

I was booked Early Saver. I received an email saying the due to the concerns of the policy that you may cancel with a full refund. I believe the letter gave a certain time to cancel. I called and it was refunded. I did not book early saver for this cruise.

[future1sttimecruiser]

I sail on Carnival Paradise this Saturday, June 8 and was supposed to dock in Cuba on Monday, June 10. The other ports are Key West and Cozumel.  I understand that this is beyond Carnival's control. However,  I just don't think Nassau is an acceptable replacement. 

 

I like Royal's option so maybe Carnival will follow suit. Per Carnival 's voicemail and after I spoke to an agent, I should  be contacted by noon on Wednesday, June 5 with an update.

[cruisecheap]

7 minutes ago, Bases5 said:

Royal Caribbean cancelled Cuban port stop starting tomorrow’s cruise.

i don’t think they would do this if they could wait

Sad for those who are having the port changed because I believe in most cases people booked it for the Cuba stop.

[uksimonusa]

Royal have changed tomorrows Majesty Cruise to Costa Maya and are issuing a 50% refund as refundable OBC, if you don't use it onboard it will be refunded to your Credit Card used to pay for the cruise

 

[ZoeyVictoria]

21 minutes ago, cruisecheap said:

I was booked Early Saver. I received an email saying the due to the concerns of the policy that you may cancel with a full refund. I believe the letter gave a certain time to cancel. I called and it was refunded. I did not book early saver for this cruise.

 

Thank you.  I am booked under a casino rate with a non-refundable deposit, hoping I will be able to transfer that deposit to another cruise.  I booked this back in January, wonder why I did not receive an email when you did?

[shof515]

Norwegian is also canceling all Cuba Cruises

 

I wonder what Carnival will do next year with the Sunrise/Radiance Cuba cruises out of NYC next year. Got a feeling they might change to something like Half Moon Cay, Amber Cove, Nassau or Grand Turk

Edited June 5, 2019 by shof515

[Fourkids4us]

This is my concern also. I have my Girl Scout troop booked in 5 cabins specifically for Cuba. We had a whole thing planned around learning the culture etc. I know it’s not the cruise lines fault but I we are still disappointed. I hope there will be decent ports and a price drop or the option to change without penalty. NY itineraries are expensive but adding Cuba made it even more so. We will see...

[EMOSEA]

We rebooked for an almost sold out Cuba cruise on Labor Day weekend/week (instead of Jan 2020). Hopefully we'll actually go to Cuba. 

Question- the woman who rebooked us put us having twin beds and I cannot figure out how to change it to king. 

[Kingofcool1947]

12 hours ago, davelinde said:

We booked Cuba on Carnival a year ago and were going to sail in September.

If not for Havana I really had no interest in that cruise itinerary.  Has anyone pushed Carnival for options now that they are changing ports of call?  We booked this one direct so we don't have an agent to go to bat for us and get some kind of compensation.

Your itinerary may change from visiting Cuba to visiting Haiti and/or the Dominican Republic.   I hear Haiti and D.R. are beautiful, people friendly and welcoming to tourists (cruisers).    Very safe countries for tourists.

So, if you are already booked for a cruise with port call(s) in Cuba, and it is changed to Haiti or the Dominican Republic, will you still go?  Or cancel?

Good luck.

Edited June 5, 2019 by Kingofcool1947

[crusing48/51]

We will not cancel or rebook, we will sail wherever they go because the cruise is part of our first back to back. Cuba was on our bucket list, and looking like it will remain there. Just hoping we don't have to sail the same itinerary both cruises.

[RWolver672]

I would almost bet that the first few cruises will have the Cuba day turn in to sea days.  These ports are not like a mall parking lot where they have many spaces to dock.  They arrange for port docking times well in advance.  And Carnival isn't the only cruise line now scrambling to find an island to go to.  I would hate to be in the scheduling department of any of the cruise lines right now.  (Or the call center.)

[sanmarcosman]

4 hours ago, Kingofcool1947 said:

  I hear Haiti and D.R. are beautiful, people friendly and welcoming to tourists (cruisers).    Very safe countries for tourists.

There are recent multiple American tourist deaths in the D.R. believed to be murder. Cuba is safer.

Edited June 5, 2019 by sanmarcosman

[Frank12]

1 hour ago, RWolver672 said:

I would almost bet that the first few cruises will have the Cuba day turn in to sea days.  These ports are not like a mall parking lot where they have many spaces to dock.  They arrange for port docking times well in advance.  And Carnival isn't the only cruise line now scrambling to find an island to go to.  I would hate to be in the scheduling department of any of the cruise lines right now.  (Or the call center.)

If so it better come with a big price drop. Cuba cruises are expensive compared to others.

[LaCal]

Carnivals made announcements to people on the Sensation about port changes and No Cuba 

 

Official fleet wide announcement suppose to be out later today