Cruise to Cuba in the future?

[StrangeBrew]

I just read a news article about a congressional panel making plans to open travel to Cuba.

 

Makes you wonder how long it'll be before Cuba gets added as a cruise destination.

 

I would Love to go back to Cuba , the beaches are awesome and unspoiled , at least till a few 100,000 tourist get to them .

[Peachie1]

I would go in a minute if CCL goes! Seeing the classic cars would be the best part of the trip, that and leaving some money there for the locals...

I'm ready

 

Peach

[Traveler353]

It most certainly serves a purpose but that's a conversation for another day

 

 

If you have something to say, say it.

[BigDoug]

Don't expect an early end to the embargo. Even Pres. Obama says that it will take time. http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/story?id=7375631&page=1

The U.S. embargo against Cuba became one of the summit's most contentious issues, as Obama faced pressure to lift the long-standing policy -- a change he had once supported.

 

In 2004, Obama, who was running for the Senate at the time, said, "The Cuban embargo has failed to provide the source of raising standards of living and it has squeezed the innocents in Cuba."

But asked about his change of heart today, Obama defended his position and joked that 2004 "seems like eons ago."

"The policy that we've had in place for 50 years hasn't worked the way we want it to," he said. "The Cuban people are not free and that's our lodestone, our North Star when it comes to our policy in Cuba."

The president suggested that while the lifting the embargo could be a tool in exacting important concessions from Cuba, it is not a move that is likely to come quickly.

"We're not going to change that policy overnight," he said. "I am persuaded that it is important to send the signal that issues of political prisoners, freedom of speech, freedom of religion and democracy, that those continue to be important, that they're not simply something to brushed aside."

 

Another interesting story is here. http://abcnews.go.com/International/story?id=7595000&page=1

[SMSACE6]

I would love to go to Cuba, and I can, quite economically from Canada. It is on my to do list of travel. It is just that I have been hooked on cruising for the last 10 years or so. Now that Carnival has raised the rates for solo cruisers, I may take another look at a 7 day All Inclusive in Cuba. If I have to pay for two people I might as well try something different ie; other cruiselines or other land based vacation packages. I think I must go back to my travel "to do list". Cuba is way up there on that list.:)

[dan40]

The cruise to Cuba rumor has surfaced about 30 times in the last 60 years. Just about every 2 years, "Its right around the corner!" And EVERY TIME, "This time its for real!"

 

Some day it will happen, but there is nothing different going on to make it NOW!

[DreadPirateRobert]

I'm all for it but I think it will take a little while after the ban is lifted for Cuba to be ready to receive cruise ships.

Whenever it happens I'm ready.

[psbtrvlr]

I'm all for it but I think it will take a little while after the ban is lifted for Cuba to be ready to receive cruise ships.

Whenever it happens I'm ready.

 

Cuba already receives cruise ships. There are some european lines that go there.

[sakapfet]

I'm all for it but I think it will take a little while after the ban is lifted for Cuba to be ready to receive cruise ships.

Whenever it happens I'm ready.

 

Come on people use your brain: if Haiti the most backward country in the westerm hemisphere can receive the "Oasis of the Seas" Cuba would have no problems. Cuba is ready and waiting

[trailercruiser]

Unless you were born there and watched your father tortured and killed and watched my brother and sisters die trying to escape the brutality of castros gov't you people have no clue. It is still happening today and all you care about is getting your cigars, your chevy's and your beaches. It really is hard to listen to the ignorance on this thread from people who have never been there or people from the Uk or canada who wre allowed only to see what the gov't allowed you to see. If Germany was an island and Hitler was in charge you would go to. It is really sad that you people haven't a clue.

[*Mach*]

Come on people use your brain: if Haiti the most backward country in the westerm hemisphere can receive the "Oasis of the Seas" Cuba would have no problems. Cuba is ready and waiting

 

 

Ummmm... that's not quite the case. Haiti has had a fairly thriving cruise ship business for quite some time and a pretty modern port. Cuba, on the other hand, has very little cruise ship business. If I recall correctly there's only two or three calls scheduled for Havana this year and I think they're all small MSC ships.

Take a look at this picture of Havana's cruise ship terminal:

The vessel you see docked is the tall ship Capitan Miranda from Uruguay. She's just barely over 150 feet overall from the tip of her bowsprit to the aft end of the boat. That pier would be hard pressed to accommodate any ship larger than 500 feet, not exactly the type of cruise ship seen much in the Caribbean...

With time and investment Cuba could well become a fantastic port of call for cruise ships but it sure won't happen overnight...

:)

[JXR]

I would love to go to Cuba, and I can, quite economically from Canada. It is on my to do list of travel. It is just that I have been hooked on cruising for the last 10 years or so. Now that Carnival has raised the rates for solo cruisers, I may take another look at a 7 day All Inclusive in Cuba. If I have to pay for two people I might as well try something different ie; other cruiselines or other land based vacation packages. I think I must go back to my travel "to do list". Cuba is way up there on that list.:)

 

I did Cuba solo in 2005. Cuba has some All-Inclusive that have zero single supplements. I stayed at the 4 1/2* Playa Pesquero in Holguin and had an awesome time.

 

Joanne

[heymonkey89]

Unless you were born there and watched your father tortured and killed and watched my brother and sisters die trying to escape the brutality of castros gov't you people have no clue. It is still happening today and all you care about is getting your cigars, your chevy's and your beaches. It really is hard to listen to the ignorance on this thread from people who have never been there or people from the Uk or canada who wre allowed only to see what the gov't allowed you to see. If Germany was an island and Hitler was in charge you would go to. It is really sad that you people haven't a clue.

 

 

While it's sad that people experienced that, stuff like that happens everywhere. Should we cut off travel with China, Afghanistan, Iran, etc....? Heck it's pretty likely we (america) have tortured people in the last 10 years.

 

I'd be very excited to visit Cuba and learn about their culture. That's a huge island with a LOT of people. I bet it's quite interesting.

[Sargent_Schultz]

Castro doesn't want cruise ships - claims all they do is dump their garbage and don't spend money like land based tourists do. I think it is our duty to cruise to Cuba. :cool:

 

They would need a new dock, but initially cruisers could tender in.

[elcuchio24]

Unless you were born there and watched your father tortured and killed and watched my brother and sisters die trying to escape the brutality of castros gov't you people have no clue. It is still happening today and all you care about is getting your cigars, your chevy's and your beaches. It really is hard to listen to the ignorance on this thread from people who have never been there or people from the Uk or canada who wre allowed only to see what the gov't allowed you to see. If Germany was an island and Hitler was in charge you would go to. It is really sad that you people haven't a clue.

 

here here

[BigDoug]

I don't think anyone here condones the Castro regime. The ironic part, however, is that the very embargo that you support had helped to cement their reign for the last half-century.

 

In the meantime, the residents of an allegedly free nation are effectively forbidden from travel there by the allegedly free government.

Actually, only tourist travel is prohibited. http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1097.html

 

ENTRY / EXIT REQUIREMENTS, TRAVEL TRANSACTION LIMITATIONS: The Cuban Assets Control Regulations are enforced by the U.S. Department of the Treasury and affect all U.S. citizens and permanent residents wherever they are located, all people and organizations physically located in the United States, and all branches and subsidiaries of U.S. organizations throughout the world. The regulations require that persons subject to U.S. jurisdiction be licensed in order to engage in any travel-related transactions pursuant to travel to, from, and within Cuba. Transactions related to tourist travel are not licensable. This restriction includes tourist travel to Cuba from or through a third country such as Mexico or Canada. U.S. law enforcement authorities enforce these regulations at U.S. airports and pre-clearance facilities in third countries. Travelers who fail to comply with Department of the Treasury regulations could face civil penalties and criminal prosecution upon return to the United States.

[gtalum]

Actually, only tourist travel is prohibited. http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1097.html

 

And you need a license, very difficult to obtain unless you have family there, otherwise. As I said, travel to Cuba is effectively banned to us, residents of an allegedly free nation.

 

On the other hand, the ill-conceived embargo is so laughably unenforceable that any of us can get there with just the tiniest bit of creativity. The Cuban government lends a hand by not stamping our passports. One hint is to go through Mexico rather than Canada, especially in winter. It's hard to explain a sunburn when you go through US customs at YYZ in January. ;)

[dan40]

Castro doesn't want cruise ships - claims all they do is dump their garbage and don't spend money like land based tourists do. I think it is our duty to cruise to Cuba. :cool:

 

They would need a new dock, but initially cruisers could tender in.

 

Cuba HAS cruise ships, just not ones that stop in the US. Cuba has resorts, and AI's. Canadians and Europeans go to Cuba all the time. Cruise ships from Europe go to Cuba. Foreign tourism is one of their major sources of income. Only the US doesn't go there.

[teltrainer]

Unless you were born there and watched your father tortured and killed and watched my brother and sisters die trying to escape the brutality of castros gov't you people have no clue. It is still happening today and all you care about is getting your cigars, your chevy's and your beaches. It really is hard to listen to the ignorance on this thread from people who have never been there or people from the Uk or canada who wre allowed only to see what the gov't allowed you to see. If Germany was an island and Hitler was in charge you would go to. It is really sad that you people haven't a clue.

 

 

Thank you for sharing your personal experience. How much of the "tourist" money really stays in the hands of the people? I wonder.

 

My husband and his family escaped Communist Yugoslavia when he was a child. He is amazed how ignorant so many of us in the US are about what it is to live under such conditions. They were starving.

 

To blame the US for Cuba's condition is ridiculous. Just ask the residents of other countries with dictators. If the US is so bad, why are people literally dying to get here?

[KFinTx]

About time! I'm tired of my travel plans being dictated to by a bunch of Batista supporters who can travel to & from Cuba whenever they want.

[teltrainer]

About time! I'm tired of my travel plans being dictated to by a bunch of Batista supporters who can travel to & from Cuba whenever they want.

 

But apparently Castro supporters dictate where they can go:

 

"Citizens cannot leave or return to Cuba without first obtaining official permission, which is often denied. Unauthorized travel can result in criminal prosecution. The government also frequently bars certain citizens engaged in authorized travel (primarily medical personnel and other professionals deemed essential to the country) from taking their children with them overseas, which critics see as essentially holding the children hostage to guarantee the parents return. In the event that the Cuban doctors defect to the United States when they are sent to a "Mission" out of Cuba,any children left behind will be punished and made to stay for a minimum of ten years, even if they receive the USA visa, and regardless of their age"

[KFinTx]

The Chinese do the same thing, yet we're free to visit China.

[dan40]

About time! I'm tired of my travel plans being dictated to by a bunch of Batista supporters who can travel to & from Cuba whenever they want.

 

As I said in an earlier post. This rumor surfaces about every 2 years. 1.5 years this time. Each time it is,,,,,,"This time its going to happen!" And each time the rumor has been wrong-----about 30 times now. While Castro is alive it will not happen. Castro himself will not allow it.

 

And Batista has been dead how many decades?? Supporters?? Hardly anybody, other than Cubans, remembers who he was. .

[GlendaleCruiser]

While it's sad that people experienced that, stuff like that happens everywhere. Should we cut off travel with China, Afghanistan, Iran, etc....?

 

yes

Heck it's pretty likely we (america) have tortured people in the last 10 years.

Speak for yourself.

I'd be very excited to visit Cuba and learn about their culture. That's a huge island with a LOT of people. I bet it's quite interesting.

 

It is quite interesting. Ask someone who fled from Castro what their life was life before they left and what their relatives have dealt with since. Interesting is a mild word. Starvation and poverty are the words I most hear from my Cuban friends with relatives there.

[Jeffy294]

Its not worth the argument. We just gonna let this country dictate what we can and cant do forever. How bout next we ban computers so want cant argue, lets put that law in front of congress in the morning. Lets ban Cruise Ship cause it make our ARSE fat.