CTurtlelvr

I am booked on Armonia for July 29th. I had signed up for CC price drops when I booked. I am seeing lots of drops obviously since Cuba has been nixed. I have no experience with this...can I contact my TA for an updated price?  Can I just possibly upgrade?  What are my options?  When I booked, the best available cabins were outside view, we booked 2 since we have two teenage girls.  Before they took this cruise off the site, I was seeing balconies available (I think).  This will be my 4th cruise (1st with MSC) and I ignorantly never watched the fares until this cruise.  TIA!

42 minutes ago, AerynSun_JohnCrighton said:

I've done the food tour and Hemingway's house before. Both fun. Think I might do the pub crawl one or the food one (it's different from when I did before) and door forget to check our Kermits for Key Lime.... I especially enjoy the Key Lime pie on a stick dipped in chocolate... for if you go next year... 😀

All of that sounds great, thanks for the tips!

5 hours ago, AerynSun_JohnCrighton said:

I'm glad we are earlier so we have Key West. Cayman is too crowded for our tastes this days and we've done everything.... I'm not a all day beach person either.

Yeah, I could have gone either way, never been to either place. But, DH was miffed at an 'American' port as a replacement.  I still want to go to Key West, but I am thinking of giving cruising a break next year and renting a house there for a week next summer.  Have fun on your trip!

Oh, I see for the further out cruises like mine, they added Grand Cayman, not Key West: 

Mon, Jul 29, 2019: Miami, Isla de Roatan, Costa Maya, Cozumel, George Town, Miami 

My immediate family can probably live with that.  SIL might be disappointed, but she has non refundable air fare, otherwise we would have prob switched to Seaside.  

1 minute ago, AerynSun_JohnCrighton said:

I screen shot the message so I could refer back as other family is working and doesn't have access to it yet. (I'm a teacher so I'm off)

Funny, I'm doing the same!! Teacher here, as well!

1 minute ago, AerynSun_JohnCrighton said:

Key West, Costa Maya, Cozumel and Grand Cayman are the only options the website said would be used...

Oh, I somehow missed that. Thanks, I was worried!

1 minute ago, Wyoming2010 said:

 

We've only been to Grand Cayman once, and swam with the stingrays.  The island was wonderful and the people gracious.  One week after we were there they got hit with the worst hurricane in 25 years.  we actually saw the boat we rode in on a pile on the beach in news photos.  Heartbreaking.  I just don't want to repeat a port if I don't have to, so we'll see what they offer. 

Yep, I certainly understand not wanting to repeat a port.  My SIL did the same excursion and she said it was the best excursion on any cruise ever.  We haven't been to Key West, so that would be acceptable for us.  I just don't want Bahamas or Dominican Republic, or Grand Turk.

11 minutes ago, travelwide said:

I am with you on that! On the September 9th Cruise we are going to Roatan Costa Maya and Cozumel. That leaves us with a choice of Key West or Grand Cayman. I am voting for Grand Cayman. That is where we buy our cheap Baileys Irish Cream! May need to take an extra bag to fill it with booze. LOL

We'd be good with Grand Cayman, as well. Never been there and I hear my Sea Turtle fascination will be fulfilled. We got 2-staterooms b/c we have 2-teenage daughters, so that will be $800 OBC, it might be worth it for us to stay.  Now if they decide to throw us to the Bahamas, we will switch to Seaside.

3 minutes ago, EngIceDave said:

An weekend/overnight in St Maartin might be cool

That would be nice, I'm just afraid that would be too far east for the Cuba itineraries.

That must be so disappointing for you all. I hope they somehow reimburse you for this or provide some other alternative that is comparable, I'm just not sure what that is.  

4 minutes ago, docboy said:

 

Terrific. My parents and family booked the Armonia this August specifically because of Cuba, and now politics have to get in the way of the American consumer.  Cruise tickets and flights all booked and paid for.  Ugh...

 

Wondering why I haven't gotten an email from MSC yet?

 

If MSC is smart, they would would reimburse us for the cruise and flight, or offer a port of call in lieu of Cuba that is second to none.

We're in the same situation. Leaving on Armonia July 29, family has flights booked, as well. Only chose this ship for Cuba.  

MSC posted on webpage that they will have info on alternative itineraries tomorrow. 

10 minutes ago, thetaro said:

I don't mind switching to Meraviglia or Seaside. 

 

The only reason people picked the ARMONIA is for Cuba.

Exactly. I also wouldn't mind switching to Seaside, it leaves 2-days prior to our original departure. 

3 hours ago, Kingofcool1947 said:

You will not be ok if you are an American citizen and hold an American passport.

Your cruise itinerary may change to port of calls in Haiti or the Dominican Republic.  I have read both are beautiful and very safe for tourists (cruisers).

Good luck and happy sailing.

That's exactly what I am. Have been to Haiti and Dominican Republic and only booked Armonia for Cuba. Grand Cayman would be an acceptable port to me, but others in our group have been there, and again only booked this cruise b/c of Cuba.....I guess we'll see in the coming days. We leave at the end of July.

We might be ok, if they stick with this: The Treasury Department in a statement clarified that "certain group people-to-people educational travel that previously was authorized will continue to be authorized where the traveler had already completed at least one travel-related transaction (such as purchasing a flight or reserving accommodation) prior to June 5, 2019."

This doesn't look too promising....

https://www.cnn.com/2019/06/04/politics/us-cuba-travel-restrictions/index.html

The US announced major new restrictions on US citizens traveling to Cuba on Tuesday, blocking the most common way Americans are able to visit the island -- through organized tour groups that license US citizens to travel automatically -- and banning US cruise ships from stopping in the country.