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Visa requirements for Cuba


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We are booked for Cuban fusion on Discovery 2 next year and are wondering what Visa is required for Cuba. We have been to lots of the other Caribbean islands where there are no Visa requirements but wondered what happens with Cuba. Can anybody let us know what to expect?

 

Peter and Jenny

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Went with Fred Olsen last year to Cuba and didn't do anything. Presume the Cruise line sorted it out. So would presume Thomson do the same. We are going with Thomson to Cuba next January. Think it is the same cruise as you.

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Thanks for the advice, we are really looking forward to this one. Sorry we are not on the January one but we are joining for the Cuban Fusion in April which is then back to back with Atlantic Discoveries. At 25 days it will be our longest cruise yet and good practice for a world cruise. All we have to do now is win the lottery to be able to afford that one!!!

 

Peter and Jenny

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hi Peter and Jenny! We are doing these cruises too next April and have just noticed on another forum about the Cuba Visa requirement. We're researching this at the moment but it would appear that Thomson changed their way of dealing with this from May 2017 ...and our brochure was is an 'old' one! ...and it is now our responsibility to obtain the Visa not theirs!!! As you will be aware with the cruises we'll be doing visit Cuba more than once including overnight and on first glance the Tourist Card/Visa only covers a single entry and covers thirty days.

 

We're not sure about what we'll do about this and wonder if you had discovered this since your original post.

 

At least we've got plenty of time to sort it out!! We're actually going on Discovery 2 a week on Sunday (18th) on a back to back!

 

Kind regards,

 

Gill and Malcolm

.

Thanks for the advice, we are really looking forward to this one. Sorry we are not on the January one but we are joining for the Cuban Fusion in April which is then back to back with Atlantic Discoveries. At 25 days it will be our longest cruise yet and good practice for a world cruise. All we have to do now is win the lottery to be able to afford that one!!!

 

Peter and Jenny

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Hi Gill and Malcolm,

 

Thanks to your post we are currently researching this and it rather looks as though we will all need a tourist card for each time we enter Cuba. Thomson have a dedicated service for this but the cost is astronomical! Thomson's service provider appears to want to charge £74 for each application. Looking at the application form from the Cuban embassy the fee for the tourist card is £17.00 but there is an additional fee to apply by post of £22. So two tourist cards should cost £56 per person on a single application. Of course if you live close to London (we are 7 hours drive away down in Cornwall!!) you could go to the Cuban embassy in person and save the £22 postage fee. Applications can only be made within a three month period before your expected visit date.

 

We have booked through a travel agent that we have used many times for cruise and stay holidays so we will ask their advice.

 

Will keep you updated on whatever else we find.

 

Peter and Jenny

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Many thanks for your quick response! It would be really helpful if you could let me know how you get on. Looking through many forums and posts there is so much conflicting information! We only booked this cruise last week and hadn't envisaged going to Cuba before.

 

Kind regards,

 

Gill and Malcolm

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Page 234 of the latest brochure under the visa section for British or Irish passport users

 

Cuba

There is a visa requirement for Cuba but this has been incorporated into the price of your holiday......

 

edit - the brochure is the april edition

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We have had an email this afternoon from Thomson who advise..

 

' For all our cruises, we'll organise a group Visa for British or Irish passport holders. ...'

 

So hopefully all will be well!!

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We have had an email this afternoon from Thomson who advise..

 

' For all our cruises, we'll organise a group Visa for British or Irish passport holders. ...'

 

So hopefully all will be well!!

 

So now all they need to do is get the web site in line as if you ask a question about Cuba visas it ends up telling you to organise your own after sort of half telling you they will organise it. :rolleyes:

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As I previously said on a Thomson cruise visas are sorted for you If you are taking a holiday with Thomson in Cuba then it is different so whoever you spoke to was quoting for a holiday Also on your booking confirmation email it would say if you were required to obtain a visa yourself

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  • 2 months later...

Thanks for your information Vitalsign, good to know saved us a trip to the Cuban Embassy.

Just checking that we are free to leave the ship in Cuba to explore independently (not on an organised tour) without additional visa charge.

In Russia I remember that unless you were on an organised tour you needed a visa to get off the ship.

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You will be able to leave the ship and do your own thing independently in Havana. We have found Cuba to be the safest place ever and the people are wonderful, so friendly, always with a smile. Havana in fantastic, the history is everywhere.

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You will be able to leave the ship and do your own thing independently in Havana. We have found Cuba to be the safest place ever and the people are wonderful, so friendly, always with a smile. Havana in fantastic, the history is everywhere.

Thanks but will we not need a visa to do it independently?

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You can go into Havana from the ship as many times as you like independently or not - don't worry its all sorted for you You do have to take your passport though and go through a passport control
Thomson organises all visa requirements for cruise passengers.

 

Thanks Vitalsign & Tizzy-Jo and the answer I wanted as well!

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  • 4 months later...

Hi There we are are the Thomson/Marella Discovery 2 that is visiting Cuba/Havana in February 2017 and having spent a lot of time researching Visa requirements for Cuba, it appears you do need to organise your own Visa. Thomson did provide free Visa's up and till Sep 2016, but have changed their policy now. Thomson charge over £50 for a visa, but if you apply to cubavisa.com the cost is £24.

 

Alan

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I've cruised three times to Havana with Thomson/Marella and never had to pay for a visa I am going again twice in April on Discovery 2 and there is no mention of visas on my cruise confirmation

Are you sure this doesn't apply to holidays to Cuba?

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This question has been raised and it appears that a visa is only required if on Cruise and Stay holidays.

 

According to current Marella A-Z Guide:

 

"Cuba: There is a visa requirement for Cuba but this has been incorporated into the price of your holiday. If you're a Cuban citizen you won't be able to sail on our cruises unless you have a US or Schengen visa. This is because of local immigration laws."

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