Cuban Cruises Now Over

[K32682]

3 minutes ago, cruisemom42 said:

It sounds as if they are reverting to the "old" rules. If that is the case, then yes there are ships that visit Cuba and depart from non US ports. They are not allowed to port in the US if they call on Cuba (or have called on Cuba within a certain look-back period of I forget how long...)

 

To be very correct, Americans were not technically prohibited from visiting Cuba previously but from spending any money there.

 

Many, many Americans visited Cuba during the previous period by departing from another country, either by plane (more common) or cruise ship.  

 

Also it sounds as if those operators with humanitarian or people-to-people licensed educational tours MAY still be permitted to go there....

 

Thanks.  I know many Americans came to Canada to take flights from Toronto to Havana but was unaware if there were cruise ships that departed from non-U.S. ports stopping in Cuba.  

[navybankerteacher]

41 minutes ago, momofmeg said:

 I get it they have a horrible government but why are we still allowed to travel to Russia, North Korea and China? anyway It upsets me because we  were only 3 weeks from our cruise and past the refund day for canceling our cruise. Plus any non Americans booked on these cruises our of Florida also miss out.

I understand that (some) cruise lines are permitting no-penalty cancellations,  or on-board credits to accommodate those who wish to accept changed itinerary.

[jocap]

19 hours ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

It sounds as if they are reverting to the "old" rules. If that is the case, then yes there are ships that visit Cuba and depart from non US ports. They are not allowed to port in the US if they call on Cuba (or have called on Cuba within a certain look-back period of I forget how long...)

 

To be very correct, Americans were not technically prohibited from visiting Cuba previously but from spending any money there.

 

Many, many Americans visited Cuba during the previous period by departing from another country, either by plane (more common) or cruise ship.  

 

Also it sounds as if those operators with humanitarian or people-to-people licensed educational tours MAY still be permitted to go there....

I think a cruise line used to be banned from porting in the USA for six months if a ship of theirs had visited Cuba.

I believe that that was the reason for Fred Olsen stopping visiting the USA; Thomson/Marella doesn't visit USA but does do regular cruises to Cuba, as did Celestyal- until American ships were allowed in... I don't know whether this line still does cruises to Cuba once the door was opened to all.

[MicCanberra]

He certainly knows how to make unpopular decisions. Looks like I have missed the chance to cruise, will need to do a land trip instead.

[donaldsc]

13 minutes ago, MicCanberra said:

He certainly knows how to make unpopular decisions. Looks like I have missed the chance to cruise, will need to do a land trip instead.

 

Land trips to Cuba are way better than cruises to Cuba so Trump has done you a favor.  He has probably however made it also almost impossible to do any trips to Cuba from the US.  Just fly to Canada and do your trip out of Canada.  People do that all the time and have been doing it for years.

 

DON

[MicCanberra]

Whatever it takes, fly out of Venezuela if need be.

[Essiesmom]

You can also do cruises that don't touch any US ports.  Marella has a couple next year.  Sea Dream has several that are all Cuba.  If this sticks, MSC and Costa will probably add Cuba back into their winter Caribbean cruises from Islands, such as Martinique.  

[MicCanberra]

They will corner the market for cruises to Cuba if they do.

[momofmeg]

19 hours ago, navybankerteacher said:

I understand that (some) cruise lines are permitting no-penalty cancellations,  or on-board credits to accommodate those who wish to accept changed itinerary.

 You know it is not that. I  an willing to  still do the cruise. I just wish our government would have thought of people who already had plans in place and given  90 days for when it went into effect. I also hate that all the  Canadians and other people not from the USA who had booked  this cruise are effected.

 

For example,  years ago we did a cruise with ports in Italy from Barcelona,  Spain. If Spain  had suddenly  decided  they were an enemy of Italy and  Our cruise had been effected 3 weeks out  I would have been major pissed. 

[navybankerteacher]

 

2 hours ago, momofmeg said:

 

For example,  years ago we did a cruise with ports in Italy from Barcelona,  Spain. If Spain  had suddenly  decided  they were an enemy of Italy and  Our cruise had been effected 3 weeks out  I would have been major pissed. 

It is hard to figure what will be gained be the cancellation of the Cuba port calls.  I suppose any discussion would fall into the category of “politics” and not be appropriate for theses boards.

 

Still, your particular “example” makes me wonder how the passengers on SS Athenia might have felt if their sailing had been cancelled at the last minute.

[sail7seas]

9 hours ago, donaldsc said:

 

Land trips to Cuba are way better than cruises to Cuba so Trump has done you a favor.  He has probably however made it also almost impossible to do any trips to Cuba from the US.  Just fly to Canada and do your trip out of Canada.  People do that all the time and have been doing it for years.

 

DON

 

 

Isn't it illegal  for  Americans fly to Cuba by way of Canada or some other country?  What about stamped passport?

 

I don't want to go anywhere  badly enough to sneak around and break  the law. BUT, that  is just me.

Edited June 6, 2019 by sail7seas

[iancal]

When we were in Cuba some Americans that visit Cuba on a regular basis told us that their passports are not stamped.  There is a stamp but it is on a piece of paper.  They simply discard it. 

 

They certainly were not 'sneaking' around.  There was a group of them by the pool who  appeared to be very regular visitors to the resort..  No false mustache, glasses, or big nose masks for them!   I have no idea of the legality.  I suspect that their primary view was that a week at  resort in the south trumps a week in snowy New York or Vermont.

Edited June 6, 2019 by iancal

[slidergirl]

4 hours ago, sail7seas said:

 

 

Isn't it illegal  for  Americans fly to Cuba by way of Canada or some other country?  What about stamped passport?

 

I don't want to go anywhere  badly enough to sneak around and break  the law. BUT, that  is just me.

 

As Iancal states, they don't stamp the passport.  It's a "wink wink" thing - they want you to visit, but not get in trouble with that vile stamp 😉

I've been other places where they do the "stamp but don't stamp" thing.  Going between some of the Middle East countries particularly.  Visiting Israel?  Get the paper stamp from Egypt and Jordan and, in the day, Syria...

[K32682]

9 hours ago, momofmeg said:

 You know it is not that. I  an willing to  still do the cruise. I just wish our government would have thought of people who already had plans in place and given  90 days for when it went into effect. I also hate that all the  Canadians and other people not from the USA who had booked  this cruise are effected.

 

Taking a U.S.-based cruise to Cuba isn't a great idea for a Canadian.  We considered joining my  brother and sister-in-law on a cruise from Tampa to Cuba last year.  They said even though they were Canadian they had to abide by the same restrictions as American cruisers meaning they couldn't walk around Havana on their own but had to take an approved cruise line excursion. A Canadian is better off to fly to Cuba instead of a cruise departing from the U.S. and be nominally treated as an America.   

[MicCanberra]

23 minutes ago, K32682 said:

 

Taking a U.S.-based cruise to Cuba isn't a great idea for a Canadian.  We considered joining my  brother and sister-in-law on a cruise from Tampa to Cuba last year.  They said even though they were Canadian they had to abide by the same restrictions as American cruisers meaning they couldn't walk around Havana on their own but had to take an approved cruise line excursion. A Canadian is better off to fly to Cuba instead of a cruise departing from the U.S. and be nominally treated as an America.   

I suppose I am in  the same camp, I do not want to have the restrictions imposed on another nationality being imposed on me just because I am travelling with them.

[slidergirl]

19 minutes ago, MicCanberra said:

I suppose I am in  the same camp, I do not want to have the restrictions imposed on another nationality being imposed on me just because I am travelling with them.

I wish that worked the opposite for us.  As a US Citizen, I'd love to travel to Cuba with a group of friendly Canadians and have to abide by the travel rules of the Canadian government 😉

 

[MicCanberra]

That would be great as they would be saying sorry for anything I did.😀

[slidergirl]

16 minutes ago, MicCanberra said:

That would be great as they would be saying sorry for anything I did.😀

I was made an "honorary" Canadian by the kids I coached and the races I ran for a particular sport.  I can sing the Canadian national anthem.  By winter boots are Made in Canada.  I have a bunch of logo'd Canadian National Team gear from a particular sport.  I have Canadian Olympic headwear from 1998 to 2018.  Do you think this would be enough for me to travel legally as a Canadian?   🙂🇨🇦😉

[MicCanberra]

4 hours ago, slidergirl said:

I was made an "honorary" Canadian by the kids I coached and the races I ran for a particular sport.  I can sing the Canadian national anthem.  By winter boots are Made in Canada.  I have a bunch of logo'd Canadian National Team gear from a particular sport.  I have Canadian Olympic headwear from 1998 to 2018.  Do you think this would be enough for me to travel legally as a Canadian?   🙂🇨🇦😉

Are you sorry for things that are not your fault?, if so, then yes.😁

[slidergirl]

1 hour ago, MicCanberra said:

Are you sorry for things that are not your fault?, if so, then yes.😁

Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa...

[MicCanberra]

38 minutes ago, slidergirl said:

Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa...

I would say you have qualified, eh?

 

[K32682]

12 hours ago, slidergirl said:

I was made an "honorary" Canadian by the kids I coached and the races I ran for a particular sport.  I can sing the Canadian national anthem.  By winter boots are Made in Canada.  I have a bunch of logo'd Canadian National Team gear from a particular sport.  I have Canadian Olympic headwear from 1998 to 2018.  Do you think this would be enough for me to travel legally as a Canadian?   🙂🇨🇦😉

 

You might stand out in a crowd wearing a toque in Cuba. You will also need to know what a double-double, hat trick and a chesterfield are.  If you do not ask for a "soda" or say "huh" you'll fit in.    

[erlyvon]

Just got notice from Carnival for our September Cruise to Cuba.  It's now an Eastern Caribbean Cruise with added stops at Princess Cay & Nassau and $100 p/p OBC if we keep the booking or full refund and $50 p/p OBC for another cruise.  We're happy with the way Carnival handled the situation and will keep our booking.

[momofmeg]

53 minutes ago, erlyvon said:

Just got notice from Carnival for our September Cruise to Cuba.  It's now an Eastern Caribbean Cruise with added stops at Princess Cay & Nassau and $100 p/p OBC if we keep the booking or full refund and $50 p/p OBC for another cruise.  We're happy with the way Carnival handled the situation and will keep our booking.

 We got a $400 on board credit with  stop in Key west or we could cancel our cruise and book a different cruise with MSC. No full refund which I think RCI or was it NCL? did but I still feel it is decent. 

 

Granted we have never cruised this line and only picked it because it overnighted in Havana and the rooms were larger  at 180 square feet  for the price of 140 square feet on NCL and  120  on  RCI. There are 3 of us this trip so we wanted a decent sized room.

[erlyvon]

I'm assuming $400 OBC was for cabin of 3 not per person?