Carnival to Cuba?

[BND]

And now for a change of direction.

 

Earlier in this thread reference was made to duck and cover. For the youngsters here, let me give you the unbelievable, but TRUE, things that were once taught. During the Cold War with the threat of nuclear attack, grade schoolers [i was one] were taught to 'duck and cover!"

Every classroom had AT LEAST one wall that was ALL non-safety GLASS windows. Corner classrooms often had 2 walls of plain glass windows. In case of a NUCLEAR ATTACK, we were to 'DUCK' under our WOODEN desks and 'COVER' our heads. This would protect us from a nuclear bomb blast.:eek:

 

Dan

 

I remember this too and even when I was like 8 I thought it was a pretty stupid drill. And, that was the cold war threat of Russia.

[bakechef]

And you, sir, may be watching too much FOXNews and/or 24. Turn it off; it's not good for you or your sanity.

 

The whole "will not support Communist..." gets me every time. China? OK! Cuba? You're evil for even thinking of handing over your dollars to such a regime. If any of you are so concerned about human rights abuses, stop putting gasoline in your car, or buying useless crap from Wal-Mart. Of course you won't, because that would be simply too inconvenient.

 

But....but, they are fair and balanced, how could that be bad, LOL:D.

[calgarygary]

Hi, I have been following this thread, and when I dont know what someone is talking about, I like to find out. You keep refering to residential schools. Could you elaborate a little or give me a clue what to google, I am really interested.Thanks

 

I was the person that raised the issue of residential schools as I believe that most countries have at one time or other suppressed the rights of its people and used this specific example as a reminder to our poster from Winnipeg that problems exist(ed) in Canada. Residential schools were found in many provinces in Canada primarily in the 40's/50's and were based on the premise that Native children were best raised in a white culture. Children were removed from their families and sent to schools most often run by the Catholic Church where they also resided. The children were victimized by the system in being removed from their families and often again with physical, emotional and sexual abuse in the schools. Definitely a black mark in the not too distant past of Canada.

[mousey]

Tee Hee! I'm sixty-two and grew up in Florida with all the "underground shelters" and air raid drills due to the threat of Cuba blowing us all away. How many years ago what that? Sorry . . . senior moment.

 

My son is a Coast Guard helicopter pilot who has been to Cuba numerous times and from what he's told me . . . it's no different than any other Caribbean port. I so hope the embargo finally ends and those of us that desire to visit . . . can. Two of the greatest things about being a citizen of the United States is our right to free speech AND . . . our right to travel anywhere we want to go.

 

 

OMG, I'm also 62 and grew up in Florida. Where did you go to high school?

 

I've experienced the whole 8 yards about that time in history. We took in my grandmother's cousin and her family when they escaped Cuba and came to Miami, with literally nothing but the clothes on their backs. I went to Miami Jackson High School and one day when I was coming out of school my brother and I were stopped by the FBI who wanted information from us about the cousin's husband as he was a dentist in Batista's army. While I appreciate that the Cuban people in So. Florida vigorously fight tooth and nail to keep the embargo from being lifted, I think it should be. 40+ years and all it's done as far as I can see, is keep the Cuban's in Cuba down. As far as Communism goes, if that's what the Cuban people want then it's their country. There are way more Cuban's that are happy with Castro than there are those who are not.

 

I will be one of the first one's on the boat! I want to see the land of my ancestors. My grandparents, parents and my generation where all born in Key West, Tampa or Miami, but none of us has ever been to Cuba. I'd love to see it in my lifetime. I would, however, never go against my country and try to enter Cuba illigally.

[glrounds]

I used to be opposed to thins; but now think it is a good idea. In the past, the embargo was a good idea. We also tried to broadcast radio to them hoping it would change things. Now in this day of modern communication and mass travel, I think having millions of U.S. visitors and exposing them to more things will actually help turn them to a more free system than they have now. They are so close, it can be done, and I think it will benefit all of us in the long run. I would go.

 

Agree completely . . . the biggest enemy of Socialism/Communism is INFORMATION ! ! Americans crawling all over that island with gobs of information would be the death knell for the Castro's. An informed people won't tolerate totalitarianism (for very long). :)

[TahoeBob]

You mean like the networks and CNN are fair and balanced? At least Fox offers up both sides when they do interviews.

 

Fox news and CNN and MSNBC are exactly the same type of station, they do exactly the same things and they put out the same type of stories. the only real difference is that you like fox and I like MSNBC. Neither one of them is fair and balanced, neither one of them gives the whole story. they both give the same story from there own point of view! To really think fox gives both sides of the story is just foolish, its the same thing to think that MSNBS gives both sides of teh story, its just foolish.

[sakapfet]

You and TahoeBob are both wrong. The Cuban embargo has little to do with Communism and everything to do with retribution for Castro trying to plant a tactical nuclear missle platform 90 miles off of the US mainland and in a position to make a direct strike against Washington DC with little to no notice.

 

For God's sake, people, I'm sure some of you were actually alive during the Cuban Missle Crisis and remember it first hand. :p

 

Please, try to get a life. Salmanaza

[sakapfet]

Torture?? You've been reading the NY Times and watching MSNBC too much. I call it keeping America safe.

 

DJD

 

 

You need to lay off that Jack Daniels, Bubba. Obviously, you have been brainwashed by the conservatives most famous an*al envy fool, Rush Limbaugh

[sakapfet]

Of course he didn't hold up his end of the bargain ... it's called Communism for a reason ... :p

 

 

Did we hold our promises to the Indians .. what is the difference?

[jetwet1]

And, remember, it is still a communist country. No lifting of trade bans is going to change that. None of the other ports that Carnival visits are in communist run countries are they?

 

Not CCL, but you may want to check out some out the Costa cruises.

 

LOL true

 

See above

 

I can get up tomorrow and fly to Vietnam, North Korea and China and why in the he*l as a free US citizen I cant go to Cuba, 90 miles off of the coast of Florida? 50 years of a useless embargo needs to end right now. Havana here I come.

 

Almost, but no, North Korea is pretty much a no go zone, they will issue visas at certain times of the year for state run tours.

 

BTW, you can also be in Cuba tomorrow, it's not that hard to get there.

 

 

Anyways, yes I would love to visit Cuba, however I don't think so, not yet and after spending half my life in the Islands and seeing how they have changed in the last 2 decades a year after the first ship docks Cuba will be changed.

[Kurbanfan]

None of the other ports that Carnival visits are in communist run countries are they?

 

Not Carnival.........but Princess does........

[Isasprings]

OMG, I'm also 62 and grew up in Florida. Where did you go to high school?

 

I've experienced the whole 8 yards about that time in history. We took in my grandmother's cousin and her family when they escaped Cuba and came to Miami, with literally nothing but the clothes on their backs. I went to Miami Jackson High School and one day when I was coming out of school my brother and I were stopped by the FBI who wanted information from us about the cousin's husband as he was a dentist in Batista's army. While I appreciate that the Cuban people in So. Florida vigorously fight tooth and nail to keep the embargo from being lifted, I think it should be. 40+ years and all it's done as far as I can see, is keep the Cuban's in Cuba down. As far as Communism goes, if that's what the Cuban people want then it's their country. There are way more Cuban's that are happy with Castro than there are those who are not.

 

I will be one of the first one's on the boat! I want to see the land of my ancestors. My grandparents, parents and my generation where all born in Key West, Tampa or Miami, but none of us has ever been to Cuba. I'd love to see it in my lifetime. I would, however, never go against my country and try to enter Cuba illigally.

Hi mousey before you go to cuba LOL . you are going on the TRIUMPH April 12 please can you give a review when you come back

HAPPY CRUISING

[ladycaveat]

And now for a change of direction.

 

Earlier in this thread reference was made to duck and cover. For the youngsters here, let me give you the unbelievable, but TRUE, things that were once taught. During the Cold War with the threat of nuclear attack, grade schoolers [i was one] were taught to 'duck and cover!"

Every classroom had AT LEAST one wall that was ALL non-safety GLASS windows. Corner classrooms often had 2 walls of plain glass windows. In case of a NUCLEAR ATTACK, we were to 'DUCK' under our WOODEN desks and 'COVER' our heads. This would protect us from a nuclear bomb blast.:eek:

 

Dan

 

Boy do I remember that . . . crawling under our school desks . . . :eek:

[bakechef]

You mean like the networks and CNN are fair and balanced? At least Fox offers up both sides when they do interviews.

 

Nope I don't think that any new organization is unbiased. Fox News promotes themselves as fair and balanced when they are obviously not. If you think that both conservatives and liberals get even footing on that channel then they have done their job of making you think so.

[ladycaveat]

OMG, I'm also 62 and grew up in Florida. Where did you go to high school?

 

I've experienced the whole 8 yards about that time in history. We took in my grandmother's cousin and her family when they escaped Cuba and came to Miami, with literally nothing but the clothes on their backs. I went to Miami Jackson High School and one day when I was coming out of school my brother and I were stopped by the FBI who wanted information from us about the cousin's husband as he was a dentist in Batista's army. While I appreciate that the Cuban people in So. Florida vigorously fight tooth and nail to keep the embargo from being lifted, I think it should be. 40+ years and all it's done as far as I can see, is keep the Cuban's in Cuba down. As far as Communism goes, if that's what the Cuban people want then it's their country. There are way more Cuban's that are happy with Castro than there are those who are not.

 

I will be one of the first one's on the boat! I want to see the land of my ancestors. My grandparents, parents and my generation where all born in Key West, Tampa or Miami, but none of us has ever been to Cuba. I'd love to see it in my lifetime. I would, however, never go against my country and try to enter Cuba illigally.

 

I went to high school in a little town 45 miles northwest of Tampa called Brooksville . . . Hernando High School.

[Yurita]

For those who don't know the country like I do. Cuba would be an AMAZING port of call. Forget about politics and learn about the Millions of extraordinary excursions like:

 

Varadero Beach break

Bacuranao rocks and lagoon

The famous Cathedral (best shopping)

A visit to Cigar's factory where they produce cuban cigars (and at the end you get a free Monte Cristo)

The caves

The real gold Catholic churches with almost real virgins/saints.

Guantanamo bay

Snorkling/diving at Rotilla coastline and beach

Zoroa park

The beautiful Zoroa lagoon and falls where you can acutally swim

Shopping at Havana's streets

El Morro fortress

The Christ statue and restaurant

Expo-Cuba

Coopelia ice-creams and Yara

El malecon dives

 

You guys have no idea! it would be one of yours favorite port of call. Some of you have compared it to Jamaica, and no offense, but they have NOTHING in common.

 

Cuba Is a beautiful island, with a magnificent culture, forklore. But Carnival would always be sold out if they offered:

 

Half moon cay

Cuba

St. Marteen/St. Thomas

Grand Turk

 

:D

[bakechef]

A cruise going to Cuba would definitely be at the top of my list. I want to see as much of the world as I can.

 

Is there a Diamonds international there yet, LOL! :D

[calgarygary]

I posted in response to a post by Davy Interweb

 

His post was one of fear about Fox. That's a fact!

His answer to my post was one of fear. That's a fact!

And your post, here quoted, is one of fear. That's a fact!

And I am an Independent, neither liberal nor conservative.

You want to say Fox is not fair and balanced? OK, they are not. They lean well to the right with a smattering of token liberalism thrown in. And ABC, CBS, and NBC are all very much to the left. So they are all biased in some direction.

But there are NO conservatives wanting, suggesting, or sponsoring bills to shut down or censor liberal speech. But numerous liberals, including you two, would very much like Fox to be shut down.

That is fear and that is a fact!

Facts are not fearful to conservatives and are necessities of life to Independents. Liberals think Utopian dreams of a beautiful world that never was and NEVER will be are facts. Liberal hopes and dreams sound fabulous, but are impossible when dealing with actual people.

 

Dan

Uh Dan, I do not want to get into a political debate but is your memory so short that you have forgotten The Patriot Act and how well received the Dixie Chicks were after speaking out about Bush? Or maybe you have forgotten the ban on independant reporting of the war. Information, on both sides of a discussion is power, and I do not think that facts were freely flowing in the U.S. through the last decade.

[WinnipegCruiser]

Agree completely . . . the biggest enemy of Socialism/Communism is INFORMATION ! ! Americans crawling all over that island with gobs of information would be the death knell for the Castro's. An informed people won't tolerate totalitarianism (for very long). :)

 

The Cuban people are already informed. Remember? Education is free... Everyone who wants it gets a university education... Also there are already two million visitors to Cuba every year. They spread the word of freedom everyday....

 

Why would you think that the Castro bothers would let "Americans crawling all over that island"? I see no reason why Tourists would not continue to be segregated from Cuban society. Until 1997, contacts between tourists and Cubans were against the law.

 

Today Cubans seen in contact with tourists are often arrested as thieves by police. Cubans seeking information? Well connecting to the Internet illegally can lead to a five-year prison sentence. Even now it is dangerous to make contact with Cubans. Cuban Americans visiting Cuba would not have their American Citizenship recognized by the Cuban government. They could be subject to military service for example.

[BND]

Uh Dan, I do not want to get into a political debate but is your memory so short that you have forgotten The Patriot Act and how well received the Dixie Chicks were after speaking out about Bush? Or maybe you have forgotten the ban on independant reporting of the war. Information, on both sides of a discussion is power, and I do not think that facts were freely flowing in the U.S. through the last decade.

 

Um, the Dixie Chicks made their free speech and the people responded with their free speech. What exactly is the problem with that? The government didn't do anything to them, but the press reported how they were received after the fact. They are allowed to speak out, and citizens are allowed to not attend their concerts. Where is the issue? And I think facts were free flowing as much in the last ten years as the ten years prior. The Patriot Act has been much aligned by the "mainstream" media. It was not about blocking free speech and had nothing to do with the Dixie Chicks in any way. It was, however, about trying to protect you and me from the EVIL that exists in this world. I know liberals have a hard time wrapping their head around the fact that there are evil people in this world, but there are.

[Nunu]

Cuba just emailed me and said we're not welcome anymore.

[TahoeBob]

I posted in response to a post by Davy Interweb

 

His post was one of fear about Fox. That's a fact!

His answer to my post was one of fear. That's a fact!

And your post, here quoted, is one of fear. That's a fact!

And I am an Independent, neither liberal nor conservative.

You want to say Fox is not fair and balanced? OK, they are not. They lean well to the right with a smattering of token liberalism thrown in. And ABC, CBS, and NBC are all very much to the left. So they are all biased in some direction.

But there are NO conservatives wanting, suggesting, or sponsoring bills to shut down or censor liberal speech. But numerous liberals, including you two, would very much like Fox to be shut down.

That is fear and that is a fact!

Facts are not fearful to conservatives and are necessities of life to Independents. Liberals think Utopian dreams of a beautiful world that never was and NEVER will be are facts. Liberal hopes and dreams sound fabulous, but are impossible when dealing with actual people.

 

Dan

 

dan you have provided nothing but your thoughts. Please give me a link to show where liberals want fox news shut down.

And your post, here quoted, is one of fear. That's a fact!

And please tell me how asking for information on you backing up statements is made out of fear?

 

You keep making statements but give nothing to back any of your words. Just because you say something does not make it a fact.

[*Mach*]

Ya' know... I've avoided this thread until just now because I kinda knew what I would find and I was right...

Guys, this AIN'T about politics... this is about CRUISING, plain and simple.

In this forum I don't care about the current politics in Cuba, I don't care about the past politics of Cuba. The question, for us here on this thread, is Cuba as a cruise destination.

 

Now, I spent 20 years to the day flying for the USAF so don't doubt where my political leaning are but also understand that I LOVE to cruise. I also really enjoy visiting the ports.

 

Would I want to sit in the same bar where Hemingway drank and toast him with a Mojito? You bet! I've sat in one of Teddy Roosevelt's favorite bars and toasted him as well.

We need to keep the discussion to cruising and what may or may not be available to us when we go there, if we ever do.

So, my Canadian friends... where's the best Mojito in Havana?

:)

[ladycaveat]

Ya' know... I've avoided this thread until just now because I kinda knew what I would find and I was right...

Guys, this AIN'T about politics... this is about CRUISING, plain and simple.

In this forum I don't care about the current politics in Cuba, I don't care about the past politics of Cuba. The question, for us here on this thread, is Cuba as a cruise destination.

 

Now, I spent 20 years to the day flying for the USAF so don't doubt where my political leaning are but also understand that I LOVE to cruise. I also really enjoy visiting the ports.

 

Would I want to sit in the same bar where Hemingway drank and toast him with a Mojito? You bet! I've sat in one of Teddy Roosevelt's favorite bars and toasted him as well.

We need to keep the discussion to cruising and what may or may not be available to us when we go there, if we ever do.

So, my Canadian friends... where's the best Mojito in Havana?

:)

 

Thank you for bringing this thread back to where it started and should have stayed . . . about cruising (instead of whether Fox News is liberal and CNN isn't). I think one of the past notes was right on target . . . allow those of us that would like to visit Cuba . . . visit . . . those who don't . . . just stay on the ship.

[calgarygary]

Ya' know... I've avoided this thread until just now because I kinda knew what I would find and I was right...

 

Guys, this AIN'T about politics... this is about CRUISING, plain and simple.

 

In this forum I don't care about the current politics in Cuba, I don't care about the past politics of Cuba. The question, for us here on this thread, is Cuba as a cruise destination.

 

Now, I spent 20 years to the day flying for the USAF so don't doubt where my political leaning are but also understand that I LOVE to cruise. I also really enjoy visiting the ports.

 

Would I want to sit in the same bar where Hemingway drank and toast him with a Mojito? You bet! I've sat in one of Teddy Roosevelt's favorite bars and toasted him as well.

 

We need to keep the discussion to cruising and what may or may not be available to us when we go there, if we ever do.

 

So, my Canadian friends... where's the best Mojito in Havana?

 

:)

 

Sorry about that. To answer your question, I think the best Mojito is probably the one found in your hand.