Private Cuba tours

[Snit13]

Thanks for sharing your excellent review. We sail October 16 with an overnight. Looking forward to seeing a new country in the Caribbean.

[jeffdal]

This was great. Thank you! We sail November 20 and hope the rules don't change.

 

 

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[VidaNaPraia]

Very nice, useful report. Thanks for posting. Many here will profit from the info.

 

However,

:... so we wandered around Plaza San Francisco. This is where we started satisfying our People to People Travel requirements- meeting a guard and some of the other independent tour operators.

...this type of activity (casually encountering random locals) does not (and never has) meet the criteria for P2P, and is the type of abuse, well intentioned as it might be, of the category that has led to its announced cancellation for individuals under the new rules.

[alfaeric]

Very nice, useful report. Thanks for posting. Many here will profit from the info.

 

However,

 

...this type of activity (casually encountering random locals) does not (and never has) meet the criteria for P2P, and is the type of abuse, well intentioned as it might be, of the category that has led to its announced cancellation for individuals under the new rules.

 

Except that what it does is put some actual connections between people of the two countries. If we really want to have any influence, we need to talk on an individual basis to people.

 

Painting it as abuse, even if it's technically correct, sees to be a big mistake.

 

Just like the tightening of the rules- IMHO, it's far more effective to support the individual entrepreneur than the state sanctions bodies- even if the individual also has to pay a fee to run his business.

 

We should be meeting people, and making individual connections. Not isolating us with state run programs.

[alfaeric]

Very nice, useful report. Thanks for posting. Many here will profit from the info.

 

However,

 

...this type of activity (casually encountering random locals) does not (and never has) meet the criteria for P2P, and is the type of abuse, well intentioned as it might be, of the category that has led to its announced cancellation for individuals under the new rules.

 

A second follow up- looking at the responses on the Dept of the Treasury, Office of Foreign Assets Control's FAQ page, right NOW, individual person to person travel is NOT illegal.

 

The announcement is instructing Treasury to issue regulations that will end the individual person-to-person travel. And what we did is legal, and will remain legal until those rules get actually issued- which will be at least another 55 days from now, since it takes 90 days to make a regulation and then there's some time to comment on it.

 

Which means I will tell my congressmen to make sure that they do not end individual meetings, as that is more effective than sanctioned group tours (which will remain allowed under the new rules). Better to support the individual entrepreneurs vs. state sanctions tour groups even if the individual pays a fee to operate.

[VidaNaPraia]

Except that what it does is put some actual connections between people of the two countries. If we really want to have any influence, we need to talk on an individual basis to people.

 

Painting it as abuse, even if it's technically correct, sees to be a big mistake.

 

Just like the tightening of the rules- IMHO, it's far more effective to support the individual entrepreneur than the state sanctions bodies- even if the individual also has to pay a fee to run his business.

 

We should be meeting people, and making individual connections. Not isolating us with state run programs.

 

I absolutely agree. (That is also why I prefer a land based trip, for more time making those connections, like with casa particular owners in their homes.)

However, it is still not within definition of the regs and is why the P2P category for individuals is about to be abolished.

 

A second follow up- looking at the responses on the Dept of the Treasury, Office of Foreign Assets Control's FAQ page, right NOW, individual person to person travel is NOT illegal.

The announcement is instructing Treasury to issue regulations that will end the individual person-to-person travel. And what we did is legal, and will remain legal until those rules get actually issued- which will be at least another 55 days from now, since it takes 90 days to make a regulation and then there's some time to comment on it.

That is true.

 

Which means I will tell my congressmen to make sure that they do not end individual meetings, as that is more effective than sanctioned group tours (which will remain allowed under the new rules). Better to support the individual entrepreneurs vs. state sanctions tour groups even if the individual pays a fee to operate.

 

Good intentions.

However, don't think a presidential executive order can be effected by Congressional opinions. That's why it's in an executive order, not a bill. (although there is a bill somewhere in Congress for the embargo to be ended.)

"Executive orders are orders issued by United States Presidents and directed towards officers and agencies of the U.S. federal government"

 

Tour groups will have to support individual entrepreneurs , not Cuban military owned travel entities, to conform with the new regs., with some exceptions (or the ship wouldn't be able to even dock).

Edited July 20, 2017 by VidaNaPraia

[alfaeric]

Our only representatives in our government are Congress, as it's unlikely that this president would listen to anyone who would disagree with them.

 

So my only route to try to influence this rule change are the 3 people who represent me.

 

Which is why I just fired off a note to ask them to do something. All in all, I'm not going to sit back and hope that it doesn't happen- I will do what I can.

[Lorilovestocruise]

This is cut and pasted from a review I just wrote on the RCI board. Mostly about our private tour in Havana, which was easy to do, and was probably a LOT better than the more expensive ship tours. Hopefully, the rules don't change so much that individuals can't take these tours.....

 

I will note that we had two seminars on the ship the day prior to arriving in Havana...

 

Here's the paste:

 

During the seminar we were told to wake up at ~6:30, so that we can see us sail by El Morro (named the same as San Juan) at 6:45 or so. We ended up being about 45 min early, and thankfully, the lighthouse on El Morro woke me up. So from 6am to about 7:30, we hung out on our balcony- drinking coffee and eating some cupcakes that I got for a present.

 

Very cool to see Havana wake up.

 

Being in an aft cabin, we were not sure how the ship would dock, and was surprised to see that we went in aft first, so we just overlooked the city.

 

We booked a tour on our own, so we were not in a huge hurry to wake up and get off the ship. Nice and relaxing morning, and when we headed down to the Schooner Bar to leave (which is where the self organized were to meet)- we were directed right off the ship right behind a small tour group. The wait going through Immigration was fast enough- they took our picture, took our visa, and stamped our passport. The passport stamp is all you need to get on and off the ship even for an overnight stay.

 

Then we changed dollars into CUCs, looked at what they had in the store (so you knew prices before heading out), and then walked out.

 

We were a little early for our appointment, so we wandered around Plaza San Francisco. This is where we started satisfying our People to People Travel requirements- meeting a guard and some of the other independent tour operators. Take pictures, so that you can document all of this.

 

Then, our tour.

 

My wife had a long list of items that she wanted to see, and tried hard to work with RCI to put an excursion together. But it just could not get worked out. While doing that, she found Tour Republic. Tour Republic is a group out of Miami who help tourists connect to specific tour operators to meet all of the things YOU want to see. Since you pre-pay the tour before leaving, it's all in U$, and that satisfies the official tour operator requirement AND allows you to support the independent tour operator in Havana outside of the official government agencies. As a bonus, it's considerably cheaper than the ship's tours.

 

The arrangement was a 6 hour tour in a classic a/c car, and walking through old Havana. Turned out to end up being 7.5 hours- which was awesome!!!

 

Our driver was named Ruben, and he had a '59 Chevy Impala. With A/C. Oh, so cool. Being a hard top, we were not worried about getting too much sun in a convertible. Very cool.

 

He was prompt at the Plaza at 10am, the agreed meeting time. From there, we drove under the harbor over to the statue of Christ (holding a rum and a cigar, as the say). On the way, we saw a memorial to the October Crisis (we remember it as the Cuban Missile Crisis), which was really interesting to see- there were remnants of a shot down USAF plane, some SAM missiles, some anti aircraft guns, and even an MIG 21. Then up to the Christ statue, which has an amazing view over Havana and our cruise ship. A short drive took us to the El Morro fort remnants, where the harbor lighthouse is. Can't go into the fort as you can in San Juan. But the view is great, and there are a lot of other tourists up there.

 

From there, we drove back under the harbor, and back downtown. Past a monument to some military stuff (including Castro's ship from Mexico), we parked near the capitol building. Very impressive building in what looks to be great condition (and it's being restored). The whole plaza area is really nice, and a short walk from La Floridita Bar- a Hemingway haunt. We were slightly early for opening, and after a short wander around (seeing the development of very modern and very high end hotel and shops- which is pretty out of place)- we went back just as it opened. Perfect timing, as it was empty, and we were able to get pictures with the Hemingway statue all by ourselves AND get a daiquiri, which was invented in this bar. It wasn't long before the bar was packed with tourists. So we moved on.

 

We drove through some neighborhoods including a very old China Town onto Revolution Square. Nice to see the monuments, but it's a big paved area... A couple of buildings have steel sculptures to some of the revolutionaries- including Che Guverra.

 

By this time, it was about 1pm, and time for lunch. Some more neighborhood driving, and we ended up in a paladar- which is a private restaurant. This was featured in some magazines a while ago- called La Casa- and reading the reviews, it has improved a lot in 15 years. We had soup, roast pork, rice & beans, and some other root veggies (kind of a sweet potato). And sangria, bottled water, and coffee- all for 18 CUC's per person. We very much enjoyed the food- after eating in Cuban restaurants in the US, we had a clear expectation of flavor profiles. While it was close, it was also not the same in a very good and interesting way. While we were eating, the skies opened up. So we were there for a while.

 

After lunch, we drove through a small forest on the way to the Tropicana. Since this was the middle of the day, it wasn't open. But it was cool to see- we had no idea that this was so far from Havana. If we come again, it's not likely we will go there vs. a jazz club or the Buena Vista Social Club.

 

From there, we drove back to the long Malecon, along embassy row. Of course, all of that area is in great shape. Along the way, we saw both the old and new resorts along the waterfront, stopping at the Nacional. Spent longer there, having a drink and seeing some of the history.

 

We then finished driving the Malecon back to the port area were we started our walking tour. By now, we were past the 6 our target time, but Ruben insisted on going on and seeing Old Havana. We started at the Havana Club old distillery for a small tour, and then walked to all of the plazas in old Havana.

 

He wanted to take us to a Cigar factory, too but given how we took a lot of time, we were fine with not going there.

 

It was an overwhelming tour in the greatest way you can think- saw a LOT, learned a lot, and saw so many things to see in more detail the next time we come. The process of organizing a tour on your own turned out to be very easy, and Ruben was a great tour guide and driver. Very professional (including a gift to me for my birthday). I would not hesitate to use Tour Republic or touring with Ruben again. BTW, he does speak English, but we were some of his first US tourists. I expect his English will improve a LOT quickly, as more and more cruises arrive in Havana. He's been a driving guide for more than the legal 5 years, and most of his customers are from Europe (mostly Russia, apparently). While I would not say he's fully in favor of the people who run the country, his passion for Cuba is pretty clear. He's very happy to show off his home.

 

While it may appear that everyone is struggling and very poor- I've seen far more obvious poverty on other islands. And Havana is changing as we speak- many of the buildings in old Havana are being restored (thanks partially to UNESCO), and many resorts and stores are being put in. If you want to go, do it now.

 

Thanks so much for your informative post! We are going in two weeks and this is just the sort of information I was looking for with regard to private tours. I was hesitant to provide my information for their website, but after reading about your rfavorable experience, I will not hesitate.

[alfaeric]

Thanks so much for your informative post! We are going in two weeks and this is just the sort of information I was looking for with regard to private tours. I was hesitant to provide my information for their website, but after reading about your rfavorable experience, I will not hesitate.

My wife was nervous, too, but she spent a lot of time "talking" with the tour operators, which helped a lot.

 

Hope everything works out.

[Ljacrodriguez]

Would you mind sharing what it cost (range) for your tour?

 

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[Tom47]

Great review!

[alfaeric]

Would you mind sharing what it cost (range) for your tour?

 

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Under $200. (we paid more in person because he stayed longer than the 6 hours- not sure if was needed, but we felt it was)

[Ljacrodriguez]

Thank you for sharing the tour information and price.

 

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[tcut]

I have just booked Ruben for an upcoming trip. Thank you so much for the reference. He has been very responsive. Just FYI, for those considering this, Tour Republic specifically told me they DO NOT qualify as a licensed tour operator to Cuba; they are merely a safe/convenient clearing house for payments in US$. We are traveling to Havana as journalists, so the rules are different for us, and this may be OK for people traveling individual people-to-people for the immediate future until regs change, but it could soon become a concern. The most recent (7/25/2017) Dept. of Treasury/OFAC FAQ I've seen on the subject is attached to this post.

cuba_faqs_20170725.pdf

[VidaNaPraia]

. We are traveling to Havana as journalists, so the rules are different for us

 

Please clarify.

When you say you are traveling as journalists, does this mean:

 

A: You chose "journalism" as your OFAC reason for travel, but have a regular tourist card to enter Cuba?

or

B: You applied to the Cuban government for a special journalist visa (with your professional credentials from a news agency)?

 

These are two different situations, with different rules applied.

Many people who simply blog, and who do not have professional credentials identifying themselves as journalists, sometimes confuse the situations.

[tcut]

We are free-lance journalists with a history of same. We write for our local newspaper and others. We don't need a visa for this as it is one of the general licenses. (Ruben is adjusting his tour to address the subjects we will be covering.)

[VidaNaPraia]

We are free-lance journalists with a history of same. We write for our local newspaper and others. We don't need a visa for this as it is one of the general licenses. (Ruben is adjusting his tour to address the subjects we will be covering.)

 

You are confusing

the OFAC categories/reasons for travel to Cuba required by the US government

and

the tourist card or visa required by the Cuban government to enter Cuba

 

When you state that you do not need a visa (an entry document from the Cuban government) for this professional work ostensibly collecting information for a potential article and then state that it is one of the (US government) OFAC categories/reasons for travel under a general license, you might want to check your information.

 

The Cuban government is fairly strict about visas for those working as professional journalists in any capacity.

 

You can choose whichever category you wish for the US OFAC reasons, but for Cuba you will probably be obtaining a tourist card like most everyone else on your flight/cruise.

It may not be wise to mention that you are practicing journalism in Cuba to any Cuban entities (like at the Aduana/border control on entry, and including the Cuban guide), since that can get you into a world of problems in a country that still closely controls information. That is why Cuba requires a particular visa approved by the Cuban Consulate if you are going for professional reasons. And they may then watch your movements more closely to make sure you are not doing anything subversive to the Cuban government.

 

It may be a better idea to simply declare your OFAC reason as "support for the Cuban people" and place any explorations you make in Cuba into an itinerary that fits that category (which is very vague anyway). Note: According to one report, you can change your OFAC declaration (if you already chose a category when buying your ticket) at the time of boarding when you are asked again.

 

(If you don't want to take solely my statements at face value, go on the Lonely Planet's Thorn Tree forum for Cuba and ask the posters there, who've been traveling to Cuba for decades and know the ins and outs well, for their thinking on declaring you are journalists.)

Edited August 5, 2017 by VidaNaPraia

[alfaeric]

I have just booked Ruben for an upcoming trip. Thank you so much for the reference. He has been very responsive. Just FYI, for those considering this, Tour Republic specifically told me they DO NOT qualify as a licensed tour operator to Cuba; they are merely a safe/convenient clearing house for payments in US$. We are traveling to Havana as journalists, so the rules are different for us, and this may be OK for people traveling individual people-to-people for the immediate future until regs change, but it could soon become a concern. The most recent (7/25/2017) Dept. of Treasury/OFAC FAQ I've seen on the subject is attached to this post.

 

Good to hear you booked with them, and interesting to hear that they would not qualify for the organized tours. Odd, since they work specifically for independent people, and not state run operators. Makes one wonder what the point of the rules are.

[VidaNaPraia]

interesting to hear that they would not qualify for the organized tours. Odd, since they work specifically for independent people, and not state run operators. Makes one wonder what the point of the rules are.

 

All your previous statements have demonstrated your faulty understanding of this topic.

They are a US based company.

[tcut]

Thanks for your concern, VidaNaPraia. I do understand the differences between the US and Cuban requirements. You are correct that we'll be entering on a tourist card and I never meant to imply otherwise, only that the changing US regs vis-a-vis American citizens, if they change pre-our trip, do not appear to be focused on anything other than individual people-to-people to which we are not limited. We actually qualify under several US categories, which was the focus of my comment...and to clarify to anyone who might misunderstand Tour Republic's role based on the initial post.

[VidaNaPraia]

Well, I was just reading about a couple who chose "religious activities" as their OFAC reason for travel, thinking they could snap a few photos inside churches to qualify. They were disabused of that notion by some knowlegable folks..

So when your wording was not clear.......

 

Have a great trip.

Maybe let us know where/when your article(s) appear(s).

[Scouser_1953]

For our tours in Havana we used a local company called Havanacar after reading the many excellent reviews on Tripadvisor.

They were on time and easy to find from our cruise the two days we toured with them. The three drivers and 1 guide were all very helpful and efficient with all six of us. They answered questions constantly from all of us and were pleasant and happy and outgoing for the entire time. Two spoke English very well. Two moderately well. They had a planned itinerary, but were happy to add and change as we went along, and all the members of our travel group were very pleased with the overall experience. They stopped when we wanted. The first day we had a large old US station wagon with AC, but it was very cumbersome getting into the third seat. The second day we had two old US convertibles , which were fun and easier to access, but we needed hats, sun screen and shielding from the sun. We would definitely use this company again. All our emails were very promptly answered. All was neat and clean!

[VidaNaPraia]

We used Tour Republic out of Miami to organize a private tour a few days ago. I just posted a review of it.

 

Worked really well.

 

This is a US based company. It may not qualify as an entity future travelers can use.

[alfaeric]

Tour Republic has updated their terms and conditions. Which may clear up some confusion.

 

 

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[alfaeric]

So I just found out that Tour Republic has updated their terms and conditions for their tours.

 

Seems to help my confusion about which US requirement is the intention.

 

 

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