What would happen if.....

[johnjen]

Has anyone on this thread yet visited Cuba? Curious as to what it's like, any hassles on the pier boarding back, going there, cigar issues, etc. Are things like eating ashore cheaper than other ports?

[hannibal54]

What would be different for NCL??

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

I just made a statement that I am booked going to Cuba. This just means that I am watching what will unfold. It would apply to all cruises from the US to Cuba.

[troykahack]

I just made a statement that I am booked going to Cuba. This just means that I am watching what will unfold. It would apply to all cruises from the US to Cuba.

 

Ok. That makes sense.

 

My what if... I think the current trips scheduled out of US ports are not likely to occur. The US will remain persistent because they don't want to help fund the current regime there. Maybe after something changed in Cuba. Empress wasn't holding her weight and would likely be sold.

 

Just my two cents...

[Biker19]

My what if... I think the current trips scheduled out of US ports are not likely to occur.

 

I don't see any reason the existing Empress sailing won't occur. Anything past the current itineraries is certainly questionable.

[troykahack]

I don't see any reason the existing Empress sailing won't occur. Anything past the current itineraries is certainly questionable.

 

Even if the EO was pulled by the new Administration?? Do you mean the cruises will just drop off Cuba from itinerary???

[Biker19]

Even if the EO was pulled by the new Administration?? Do you mean the cruises will just drop off Cuba from itinerary???

 

Anything can happen, I just don't think it's likely. The impact of any Trump move would be on cruises past the existing negotiated May cruises.

[pbenjamin]

Anything can happen, I just don't think it's likely. The impact of any Trump move would be on cruises past the existing negotiated May cruises.

 

I like the sound of that!

[VidaNaPraia]

...I will go out on a limb and say that everyone who booked that cruise only booked it because of the stop in Havana.

 

...which would cost a couple of hundred dollars max if flying in from Miami or Ft. Lauderdale, plus $30/night for a room in a casa particular.

[ONT-CA]

...which would cost a couple of hundred dollars max if flying in from Miami or Ft. Lauderdale, plus $30/night for a room in a casa particular.

 

The cruise does sound like an expensive way to see Cuba. But to most, Cuba is a big unknown. With our cruise, we visit a Cuban port, get to see as much as we can in one day, hopefully taste the epicurean delights, maybe see a show and then we go home. And by home I mean to the known environment of the ship. It takes a bit of daring to fly to Havana, book a Casa particular go out on the town and fend for yourself. A regular visitor might be comfortable with that and in time we too might be. But so little is known about this wonderful country and to coin a phrase, with so much False News most people book on the side of caution. At least for now.

[VidaNaPraia]

The cruise does sound like an expensive way to see Cuba. But to most, Cuba is a big unknown. With our cruise, we visit a Cuban port, get to see as much as we can in one day, hopefully taste the epicurean delights, maybe see a show and then we go home. And by home I mean to the known environment of the ship. It takes a bit of daring to fly to Havana, book a Casa particular go out on the town and fend for yourself. A regular visitor might be comfortable with that and in time we too might be. But so little is known about this wonderful country and to coin a phrase, with so much False News most people book on the side of caution. At least for now.

 

Usually you're pretty sensible ONT-CA, but you're making it sound much more complex than it is to go to Cuba from the U.S. Cuba is only "a big unknown" if you buy into the hype, and don't bother to read one of the many guidebooks available or some of the very informative travel forums.

It takes very little daring for anyone who's ever done independent travel anywhere else.

 

(TA Cuba forum and Lonely Planet's Thorn Tree Cuba forum, both of which share some expert posters (from U.S. and elsewhere) who've been traveling to Cuba for decades, are the two best online sources.)

 

It's not any harder than any other place in the world.

By this time, most of the details have been hashed out and widely publicized.

*Research and book a flight. (lists of airlines are online)

*Research and book a place to stay. (lists of booking sites are readily available online)

*Get a tourist card. (Just like any other visa for any other country--plenty of info online and airline should contact you to give details)

 

The one additional factor:

*Anyone with any passport/nationality needs to check a box on a form, stating their reason for travel. (There are 12. Again research. The people to people category or the support of the Cuban people category work for most. And no one is checking.)

 

"see as much as we can in one day, hopefully taste the epicurean delights, maybe see a show and then we go home. And by home I mean to the known environment "

You can't see much in part of a day, and anyway Cuba is not about "seeing" but "experiencing". For that, you need to be out there among the Cuban people (not just the guide at 1:100).

There are NO "epicurean delights." (pork hamburgers?) If the food is edible, consider yourself fortunate.

The show is likely to be some tacky Vegas-like extravaganza for tourists, instead of some of the excellent local music readily on offer. S

o the reason to spend many hundreds of times the money an independent trip would cost is to have a known environment for a couple of nights?

 

And as long as you have a casa host to look out for you, which most all go out of their way to do, you never have to "fend for yourself".

 

Thanks for trying to justify on behalf of the cruisers, but you yourself know better.

[ONT-CA]

Usually you're pretty sensible ONT-CA, but you're making it sound much more complex than it is to go to Cuba from the U.S...

 

Based on life expectancy rates, every U.S. citizen has been subjected to negative information about Cuba for their entire life. From cradle to now they have been bombarded with only the negative aspects of this country. And within the last few months since travel has been permitted you want them to erase all that? Of course they are concerned. And no amount of assurances as to the contrary from we Canadians who have been travelling to Cuba for over 50 of these years will placate them. We also understand that once the tourist first experiences the real Cuba they will be back. But they must have that first experience and if that be via a cruise ship, then so be it.

[mlbcruiser]

One doesn't have to visit Cuba via cruise line by sailing on one of the mainstream lines that cater mostly to Americans (like RCI and NCL). There are other lines that visit Cuba and Americans can easily sail on those lines (Celestyal, MSC and others). They just sail out of some other Caribbean port instead of south FL. Also, by going through another country (MX, Canada), many American citizens find it quite easy to enter Cuba. I imagine as long as the Cuban govt. can use the income these tourists provide to the tourist industry there, Cuba will not have an issue with American tourists coming in. The new American regime is likely the only govt. who might try to make things tougher.

[troykahack]

Anything can happen, I just don't think it's likely. The impact of any Trump move would be on cruises past the existing negotiated May cruises.

 

 

Why do you figure this? If the new Administration voids this EO within weeks, it would then be a violation of law for US Citizens to travel from US to Cuba. Am I wrong??

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[Gary72]

When most cruise companies have stops to China as do many US tour companies, the excuse that the money goes to the Cuba government rings hollow...

[VidaNaPraia]

Based on life expectancy rates, every U.S. citizen has been subjected to negative information about Cuba for their entire life. From cradle to now they have been bombarded with only the negative aspects of this country. And within the last few months since travel has been permitted you want them to erase all that? Of course they are concerned. And no amount of assurances as to the contrary from we Canadians who have been travelling to Cuba for over 50 of these years will placate them. We also understand that once the tourist first experiences the real Cuba they will be back. But they must have that first experience and if that be via a cruise ship, then so be it.

 

I agree with the assessment of the way U.S. citizens have been indoctrinated about Cuba (and for that matter, anything to do with the BIG C).

But this included China, Russia, Vietnam, etc, where U.S. citizens now travel without the media hype.

 

And, however, it is not just within the last few months that travel has been permitted though, just cheap individual (independent of a group) travel, so there has been plenty of time to get accustomed to the idea of Cuba travel.

 

Just because the media has gotten hold of the idea of cheap, direct Cuba travel as a sensationalized gimmick to get readers is not a valid reason for a U.S. traveler to think Cuba travel is a big, daring leap. There is plenty of information out there to the contrary.

Within days of the first flights, the tiniest details of the process were all over the internet, and updates continue to be posted.

And details of how to travel (casas particulares, paladares, taxis, etc, etc) were readily available online even before those flights were initially announced (because U.S. citizens have been traveling to Cuba through Mexico or Canada or other third countries for a long time).

 

Yes, a cruise is one way to set foot, however briefly, in Cuba. But it is a sanitized, isolated and isolating travel option that sets the cruiser far apart from the very people and culture they have purportedly come to experience.

 

IMO the only guarantee that any of those cruisers would ever be back is if we U.S. citizens can get the Cancun-style cheap AI resort packages you Canadians enjoy. :-)

[ONT-CA]

I agree with the assessment of the way U.S. citizens have been indoctrinated about Cuba (and for that matter, anything to do with the BIG C). But this included China, Russia, Vietnam, etc, where U.S. citizens now travel without the media hype....

 

American citizens were never forbidden to go to the countries you have mentioned. Cuba was verboten by law. The one grace in this reversal of policy is that when a place like Cuba is experienced then that experience cannot be erased. Ignorance is no longer bliss. I hope that this door will remain open.

 

Before we sat and listen to an impromptu "concert" of music played by young people on the steps of a building we had "experienced" the gaudy club floorshows of the 1950's era. And before we were invited to partake of the epicurean delights of a pig roast on an open lawn, we "dined" on some very unpalatable food. One cannot experience the real Cuba in one visit. But one visit can convinced most visitors that what they had been led to believe for so many years is just not so.

[Freebythesea]

Has anyone on this thread yet visited Cuba? Curious as to what it's like, any hassles on the pier boarding back, going there, cigar issues, etc. Are things like eating ashore cheaper than other ports?

 

We are sailing on the Fathom Adonia 2/26. Originally we were going to the DR to partake in the impact activities offered there. They have changed the Itenarary so that we have a stop in Santiago de Cuba and then really only one day in the DR (originally 4 days in port). This isn't ideal but we are excited about getting to see Cuba (we only paid 300.00 pp for a balcony and it is now going for 900 + pp). I have been following the POC for Cuba and it sounds like people that have gone there are having a wonderful time; warm people, good food, awesome music). A few people have also posted pictures. It is really beautiful.

 

Regardless of what happens, we will have a good time. Any bad day on a cruise is better then any good day at work :D:D