Visa question for Cuba Cruisers...

Received a revised Guest Statement today (leveraging a recent 3 tier upgrade) for our 6 December 2018 Voyager cruise which includes a one-day port call in Havana and for the first time it has a bolded statement that "Cuba - Tourist Visa - All Nationalities (all guests must be in possession of the required visa, regardless if they choose to stay on board)."

A web search indicates that the required visa (actually a Travel Card according to the USG web site) is available through Regent for $75 ($50 actual cost + $25 handling fee), but NO information about this process was provided.

So, for those who've been through this after the rules changed last year, when (if ever) did Regent ask you to confirm the acquisition of the tourist document through them? I don't (much) mind the $25 handling fee, but just want to ensure that we are on top of this. There is a further comment under the "fine print" which says "For your convenience the visas arranged upon arrival have either been added to your cruise invoice [not yet] or to your shipboard account." Again, no problem with this, but we don't want to show up boarding in Miami with Regent saying we need to be proactive to accomplish this. As an aside, this is clearly nothing but a visit fee since there is clearly no vetting of the visitor other than that they pay the net $50 to Cuba...not that this is unique to Cuba.

Scott, good ?

Although we have not been through this process on Regent (we visited Cuba for a People to People program five years ago), our TA sent us Regent's travel requirements for cruises calling to Cuba yesterday.

We are sailing to Havana from Miami on the Mariner in October and on our final invoice we were charged $75pp for these visas. On first blush the Regent $25 handling fee seems steep but when you check travel sites for the cost of a Cuba Visa, found they range from a $54 to $35 handling fee.

Did you also note the OFAC form that Regent guests need to complete and send to Regent--pls see below:

OFAC Cuba Travel Affidavit:

OFAC oversees the regulations that govern travel to Cuba from U.S. ports. All guests must complete, sign, and return a copy of the OFAC Travel Affidavit. Please click on the following link for the certification form.

To ensure compliance, the completed form must be emailed to rsscops@rssc.com no later than 60 days prior to the cruise departure date.

Scott, good ?

 

Although we have not been through this process on Regent (we visited Cuba for a People to People program five years ago), our TA sent us Regent's travel requirements for cruises calling to Cuba yesterday.

 

We are sailing to Havana from Miami on the Mariner in October and on our final invoice we were charged $75pp for these visas. On first blush the Regent $25 handling fee seems steep but when you check travel sites for the cost of a Cuba Visa, found they range from a $54 to $35 handling fee.

 

Did you also note the OFAC form that Regent guests need to complete and send to Regent--pls see below:

 

OFAC Cuba Travel Affidavit:

OFAC oversees the regulations that govern travel to Cuba from U.S. ports. All guests must complete, sign, and return a copy of the OFAC Travel Affidavit. Please click on the following link for the certification form.

To ensure compliance, the completed form must be emailed to rsscops@rssc.com no later than 60 days prior to the cruise departure date.

Wes,

Thanks for this info. Your cruise is sooner so we'll expect this clarification from Regent with our final payment statement, but it sounds like we don't need to do anything other than fill out the OFAC form by early October (for our early December cruise).

BTW, I might have mentioned this somewhere in the past, but I'm also a Colonel, USA (Ret.) {Engineer}

Last April we went to Cuba with Regent and the form that Wes mentioned is all you need to do. Submit to your T/A or directly to the number on the form.

Thanks to Wes for pointing out the need for the OFAC form. My TA actually missed this, not good, so thanks a bunch. Owe you a drink on board our cruise. Looking forward to seeing you.

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Scott, did not know about your service--thanks so much for serving and for serving in the right Branch :)

Within the past 72 hours learned of your service and of GOARMY's (also retired Colonel). Figure with our service we have over nine decades of service to our country.

Also, per Jim's/GoArmy's thread both Nicaragua and Guatemala (believe this port is on your Voyager cruise) were canceled during his voyage now. Hopefully, the Volcano's in Hawaii and Guatamala will settle down before our voyages so these ports will be open.

Rich, you're very welcome, this is the wonder & beauty of cruise critic--sharing knowledge that helps fellow cruisers. Rich, warn you tho I follow the 2 for 1 rule with regards to folks that offer me drinks--for every one drink fellow guests offer I provide two drinks.

zqueeze (probably misspelled) was also a Colonel. How great it is to have so many passengers that have served or are serving our country.

I like your kind of math. I think it will be a fun cruise, but hope not too many sea days will be added what with Nicaragua turmoil and volcanoes popping off in Guatemala and Hawaii. My TA said that a number of ships have cancelled the island of Hawaii all together even though Hilo is on the other side of the island. We will see what several more months will bring.

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Think of it as a Cuban Tourist Tax. They are adamant you have it before arrival when you go through arrival immigration in Havana. You can get them online for less. I just came back from Cuba.

Could be a lot more expensive. My wife was born at Guantanamo Bay Naval Base so her U.S. Passport says she was born in Cuba, requiring a nearly $300 HE-11 Visa plus separate new Passport photos...

Scott, good ?

 

Although we have not been through this process on Regent (we visited Cuba for a People to People program five years ago), our TA sent us Regent's travel requirements for cruises calling to Cuba yesterday.

 

We are sailing to Havana from Miami on the Mariner in October and on our final invoice we were charged $75pp for these visas. On first blush the Regent $25 handling fee seems steep but when you check travel sites for the cost of a Cuba Visa, found they range from a $54 to $35 handling fee.

 

Did you also note the OFAC form that Regent guests need to complete and send to Regent--pls see below:

 

OFAC Cuba Travel Affidavit:

OFAC oversees the regulations that govern travel to Cuba from U.S. ports. All guests must complete, sign, and return a copy of the OFAC Travel Affidavit. Please click on the following link for the certification form.

To ensure compliance, the completed form must be emailed to rsscops@rssc.com no later than 60 days prior to the cruise departure date.

Col Wes,

We are also on the 6 Dec cruise to Cuba and downloaded the Travel Affidavit you so generously provided. Which category should we select from the form? I assume the last one?

Thanks.

Col Wes,

 

We are also on the 6 Dec cruise to Cuba and downloaded the Travel Affidavit you so generously provided. Which category should we select from the form? I assume the last one?

 

Thanks.

I assume that anyone who is going on an excursion should choose "515.565(b) Educational exchanges – group people-to-people through Regent Seven Seas Cruises" unless you either booked before June 16, 2017 (when the USG rules changed) and are making independent plans or are staying on the ship (The last option on the form).

What we checked on our forms last year was 515-545 b2.

What we checked on our forms last year was 515-545 b2.

That also seems sensible. Maybe Regent will provide some guidance. Pretty much a BS question anyway.

Check out the FAQ on Regent's website regarding travel requirements for Cuba :

https://www.rssc.com/frequently-asked-questions/travel-requirements-cuba

This explains the visa application process with Regent and their recommended general license category. 515.565(b)

Thanks for sharing this link Anchorbuoy, helpful for Regent cruisers going to Cuba.

We're cruising on Regent now, however for our cruise to Cuba we picked Oceania for this one. Talking to the office about the visa, they send you an e-mailk 60 to 90 days before the cruise that you fill out and return by e-mail to Oceania. They in turn get the visa ($75.00 charge) and give it to you on the ship. I would guess that Regent would do the same since it's a sister company--but only a guess.

Check out the FAQ on Regent's website regarding travel requirements for Cuba :

https://www.rssc.com/frequently-asked-questions/travel-requirements-cuba

 

 

 

This explains the visa application process with Regent and their recommended general license category. 515.565(b)

Your post is the best one on this thread as it explains everything quite well! For those that have already booked a Cuban cruise, you should already have received the affidavit from Regent (according to the website). Suggest that anyone going to Cuba on Regent click on the link and read everything.

We have been to Cuba twice and had no difficulty walking around, having a mojito in the famous bar where they were invented, taking cabs, etc.

Thank you for answering just about all questions in one post!

I'm bumping up this thread as there has been some discussion recently on the topic of a cruise that has been changed by Regent to a Cuba centric one. Apparently this change was sudden and unexpected so folks will need to know that a tourist card is needed. Many new bookers will also want to know the info in this thread.

I'll add that we received the application from Regent about a month before the final payment was due (so, about 4 months before the cruise). The default process is that you receive the forms (1 per person) and return them to Regent with their expectation that they will be providing the tourist card to you when you board. $75/pp was added to our trip invoice updated at the same time as we received the forms. Easy. So unless you want to separately procure the document which seems not to save you much money, you can just go with the flow as we did.

We sailed to Cuba on Regent Mariner in April 2017. First sailing for Regent there. We completed the forms at home and cleared Cuban customs easily. No problems. Easy easy!

Sheila

Here I am again. Just notified that our December 2019 Explorer Cruise to the Caribbean itinerary changed. Grand Cayman changed to Havana - an overnight. Rest of itinerary still the same. Disappointed but not cancelling.

Sheila

I Wish and hope that our 2020 San Diego to Miami cruise will stop in Cuba instead of Grand Cayman... Ins’Allah as one says!

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I Wish and hope that our 2020 San Diego to Miami cruise will stop in Cuba instead of Grand Cayman... Ins’Allah as one says!

 

 

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Never know with Regent!:')

Regards

Sheila

I Wish and hope that our 2020 San Diego to Miami cruise will stop in Cuba instead of Grand Cayman... Ins’Allah as one says!

 

 

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Not opposed to that change but if they do after final payment I expect Regent to cover the $300 my visa for Cuba would cost. I'm not giving one red cent to that regime.