Cuba News

[Chrome Diva]

ABOUT YOUR UPCOMING TRAVELS

 

Dear Valued Guest,

 

Today President Trump announced his administration’s new policy changes for U.S. citizens traveling to Cuba, and we are pleased to inform you that we don’t anticipate any changes to our Cuba itineraries. You can expect to enjoy the immersive, unforgettable experience you’ve been looking forward to as we visit Havana, Cuba on your upcoming sailing onboard Empress of the Seas.

 

As a reminder, please remember to visit http://www.RoyalCaribbean.com/Cuba for useful tips to help you prepare for your trip.

 

Thank you for choosing Royal Caribbean for your upcoming vacation. We can’t wait to welcome you onboard.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[CapeCoralCruiser]

I received that email, too - great news!

[easyboy]

Nice to know!

 

Sent from my SGH-M919 using Forums mobile app

[JamesEM]

Accordingly to tonight's news the only restriction for cruisers is that you will not be a allow to visit Government sponsored businesses, i.e. spend money.

[Snit13]

Accordingly to tonight's news the only restriction for cruisers is that you will not be a allow to visit Government sponsored businesses, i.e. spend money.

 

 

How will we know if it is a government sponsored business? Will they provide a list?

Would that mean we could not visit a large hotel to enjoy dinner and a show? Hopefully we will be provided detailed factual information in advance. Just the facts, please.

[JamesEM]

Don't shoot the messenger.

[cruisenfever]

How will we know if it is a government sponsored business? Will they provide a list?

Would that mean we could not visit a large hotel to enjoy dinner and a show? Hopefully we will be provided detailed factual information in advance. Just the facts, please.

A Visa is needed when visiting Cuba. From what has been posted here on CC it is $75 and is handled directly through RCI with the charge being added to your SeaPass account. If you want to explore Cuba, then you will have to book an excursion through the ship.

[LMaxwell]

From further reading it appears that if you already have any money deposited towards the cruise, you fall under the current OFAC rules; should the rules change before you sail you are subject to new rules. This *could* possibly mean only group tours/excursions run by the cruise line and not being able to just sign a promisory note and do your own tours.

 

Does this sound correct or off base?

[Snit13]

A Visa is needed when visiting Cuba. From what has been posted here on CC it is $75 and is handled directly through RCI with the charge being added to your SeaPass account. If you want to explore Cuba, then you will have to book an excursion through the ship.

 

 

Patti & Jim,

 

Did not ask about a Visa. I know all about the Visa. I was asking a completley different question as we plan to visit a Hotel and have dinner and see a show the evening we arrive. I don't want to book and pay and then not be able to attend because it is not sponsored by ship. Sorry if I didn't make my inquiry clear.

[Biker19]

Does this sound correct or off base?

Yes, but as usual, the devil is in the details. What if sign up for a ship tour and then cancel - will they know not to let you off the ship? I realize this scenario is a bit harder now that there's the new 48 tour cancellation policy.

[LMaxwell]

Patti & Jim,

 

Did not ask about a Visa. I know all about the Visa. I was asking a completley different question as we plan to visit a Hotel and have dinner and see a show the evening we arrive. I don't want to book and pay and then not be able to attend because it is not sponsored by ship. Sorry if I didn't make my inquiry clear.

 

Snit, that is the situation I am in. I would like to plan and book my own tours and activities; print off and sign the affidavit, and be good to go.

 

It looks like, from what I have been reading, that if you (general you here) have money put down for accommodation that will not be a problem, and until OFAC policies change you could potentially keep your self-made plans, but that at such time as there are changes you will be subject to those changes.

 

So, yes, it could so happen that if we are staying overnight and I wanted to do a car tour one day, roam in the afternoon on my own, go out to dinner in the evening, and maybe take a tour the next morning I'd have to arrange all through a cruise line excursion. Excursion pricing I have seen has ranged from 3X to 5X more expensive than what I could book on my own, and I don't like the idea of moving at the pace of a crowd excursion.

 

This is what I think will take a few days to really hash out and see how much of that is true, not true, could apply, may apply at X date, could change on the fly, etc.

 

When are you due to go and when do you have to make your final payment?

[lgdesign]

Watching this thread with interest as we booked Thanksgiving week on the Empress but had not made any tour plans yet. We were looking to go with a private tour... will wait to see what things look like when the dust settles.

[LMaxwell]

Yes, but as usual, the devil is in the details. What if sign up for a ship tour and then cancel - will they know not to let you off the ship? I realize this scenario is a bit harder now that there's the new 48 tour cancellation policy.

 

Good questions.

 

Even if I do a ship excursion that meets criteria; will I be allowed off the ship after that on my own without a group/excursion tour through the ship? Paying for one ship excursion is not a bad tradeoff, but if I had to do them all through the ship I would not enjoy that and the prices are substantially above what i can book direct.

 

I have about 2.5 months until final payment. A lot can change in that time, and certainly information will become clearer sooner than that.

[Ocean Dancer]

We are also booked on the Thanksgiving cruise. We plan to do our own tour too. As of last night there are only 3 tours available and all way over priced. I had read on one of the reviews here that if you booked independently, the guide was supposed to take your passport number and give you a receipt of some kind to prove it was a valid tour. No one has mentioned that for awhile. Also concerned about what LMaxwell said about doing a tour then wanting to go back off ship to walk around.

 

I emailed a tour company last week and heard back last Thursday before Trump's speech, so I never asked this question

We are still a a few months until final. Agree with my new roll call buddy lgdesign to wait until the dust clears.

[Snit13]

Snit, that is the situation I am in. I would like to plan and book my own tours and activities; print off and sign the affidavit, and be good to go.

 

It looks like, from what I have been reading, that if you (general you here) have money put down for accommodation that will not be a problem, and until OFAC policies change you could potentially keep your self-made plans, but that at such time as there are changes you will be subject to those changes.

 

So, yes, it could so happen that if we are staying overnight and I wanted to do a car tour one day, roam in the afternoon on my own, go out to dinner in the evening, and maybe take a tour the next morning I'd have to arrange all through a cruise line excursion. Excursion pricing I have seen has ranged from 3X to 5X more expensive than what I could book on my own, and I don't like the idea of moving at the pace of a crowd excursion.

 

This is what I think will take a few days to really hash out and see how much of that is true, not true, could apply, may apply at X date, could change on the fly, etc.

 

When are you due to go and when do you have to make your final payment?

 

Our final payment is due July 17 for October 16th. We have the 3 hour ships tour booked for arrival day and then planned to take taxi to Hotel Nacional de Cuba with dinner and then Cabaret Parisien show with taxi back to ship. The next day we planned to do the Hop On Hop Off the Bus and maybe have a drink and lunch.

 

Hopefully we soon get additional information from Royal. I have NOT received an email from then as some have reported and mainly know what I saw posted on CC.

 

When are you scheduled to go?

 

Grace

[LMaxwell]

Our final payment is due July 17 for October 16th. We have the 3 hour ships tour booked for arrival day and then planned to take taxi to Hotel Nacional de Cuba with dinner and then Cabaret Parisien show with taxi back to ship. The next day we planned to do the Hop On Hop Off the Bus and maybe have a drink and lunch.

 

Hopefully we soon get additional information from Royal. I have NOT received an email from then as some have reported and mainly know what I saw posted on CC.

 

When are you scheduled to go?

 

Grace

 

Hi - am scheduled for second week of December this year, so I have a bit more time to wait and see. Like you, I might have planned on doing a ships tour first and then doing my own thing rest of time. I'm on a different line but have an overnight, so a day and a half in Havana.

 

Do you already have cancel for any reason insurance? I have not purchased insurance yet because I did not want to lose the cost of insurance in case rules changed for travel, such as they are.

 

Please keep us updated if you hear anything from the cruise line on the requirements you'll have to meet.

 

I did book through an agent and received this email the other day. It seems to support the idea of using cruise excursions, but it is very ambiguous.

 

"Response to Trump Administration announcement about Cuba

June 15, 2017

 

Based on the information shared today, we are very pleased to learn the news that cruises to Cuba will continue under the new guidelines laid out by the Administration. All of our cruises to, and shore excursions in, Cuba are in full compliance with regulations set forth by the US Department of the Treasury, Office of Foreign Assets Control ("OFAC"), and we will work with the Administration to comply with any changes to those and any other regulations that will result from its decision. We are also pleased that education travel and travel that supports the Cuban people will continue.

 

We were very concerned about any potential changes, given how popular Cuba itineraries have proven to be with our guests, and we view this as a win for the cruise industry, our valued guests and travel partners. Across our three brands, there are 70,000 guests booked to sail to Cuba who would have been very disappointed if they were unable to experience this spectacular destination. We are delighted our guests will continue to have the opportunity to experience the wonderful culture and incredible history of Cuba along with the warmth and friendliness of the Cuban people through OFAC-compliant shore excursions that support private businesses and the Cuban people, an opportunity that was restricted for over fifty years. "

[LMaxwell]

Cuba cruises could become less flexible under new Trump policy

 

 

https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/cruises/2017/06/16/cuba-cruises-could-become-less-flexible/102915746/

 

The first third to half contain the relevant information; the bottom is all marketing blather about how less choice = happy consumer.

 

This is what I was looking for though; read item 4 very carefully.

 

https://www.treasury.gov/resource-center/sanctions/Programs/Documents/cuba_faqs_20170616.pdf