Cuban Entry requirements for Australian citizens cruising ex: Miami

[Saxier1]

Hopefully someone may be able to help me here, I have booked on Norwegian Sky ex: Miami for a 4 day cruise which includes Havana. I booked through Smart Cruiser who have added USD$75.00pp to my bill for Visa Fees.

Several days later I received an unsigned letter from Norwegian advising me of the various options available to me to get my own visa! I have emailed the Cuban embassy for advice, however they have not responded, I have emailed Norwegian for clarification, however they too have failed to answer. Smart Cruiser did answer and they think everything should kinda possibly be more or less OK as long as there are no other restrictions on Australians that they (or anyone else it seems) are unaware of. Hardly inspired with confidence, I don't want to fork out many thousands of $$ only to arrive at the dock and (as the anonymous letter from Norwegian threatens) be denied boarding..It's a long way from Australia! It seems like there is nobody in the industry who is prepared to give me a straight answer to a straight question..Do I need to organize anything else, or should I trust the vague Cruise wholesaler and a cruise line that is happy to take my money but doesn't want to talk to me?

[grozzy1]

If you haven't already, check the smart traveller website

http://smartraveller.gov.au/Countries/americas/caribbean/Pages/cuba.aspx

My only suggestion is that it would be best to check directly with the embassy what their requirements are.

 

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[Saxier1]

Thanks Grozzy1, Smart Traveller was my first option actually, however it is quite vague, and directs you to the Cuban Embassy. As I wrote in my thread, I have already contacted them, however they fail to respond, same with Norwegian,

Thanks anyway, Cheers.

[steamboats]

The 75USD is the correct amount for a visa for any traveler going to Cuba with a starting point in the US (either cruise or flight). As your cruise starts in the US you fall under the regulations of the US despite of your nationality.

 

I was flying directly to Cuba out of Europe so other rules applied and I only paid 25 Euro (I´m German).

 

All get the same piece of paper as a visa...

 

The only thing I´m wondering is that your TA charges the visa fee. NCL and RCI do charge the visa fee to your onboard account. The visa is nothing more than this piece of paper (Tarjeta del Tourista - tourist card) and the fee. You have to fill in your personal data and then they keep one part. The other half of the paper stays with you in your passport until you finally leave Cuba.

 

steamboats

[Saxier1]

Thanks Steamboats, I'm not overly concerned about the cost of the Visa, just the validity.

Appreciate your assistance with this, (it's certainly more than NCL bothered to do). Makes sense too, and is kinda what I was expecting, however conflicting unsolicited email from the cruise line, and their total lack of response to my enquiry, along with vague ponderings from the wholesaler rattled my trust a little.

Regards,

[NMLady]

Thanks Steamboats, I'm not overly concerned about the cost of the Visa, just the validity.

Appreciate your assistance with this, (it's certainly more than NCL bothered to do). Makes sense too, and is kinda what I was expecting, however conflicting unsolicited email from the cruise line, and their total lack of response to my enquiry, along with vague ponderings from the wholesaler rattled my trust a little.

Regards,

 

Have you asked on the Australian forum to see if anyone there has experience with this?

[Saxier1]

No, I thought the forum was the forum...

[ozscotart]

Smartraveller does suggest that the Canadians provide consular assistance in Cuba for Australians so maybe it's worth ringing them in Canberra and asking if they know anything. Also p&o had been doing Cuba for a while from the us (Adonia ) so maybe they know something. There must have been Australians aboard.

 

 

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[sanger727]

I'm confused. All information is that Australians require a visa to visit Cuba and you've used a company to take care of obtaining that visa for you. Do u not trust them to do that? If that's the case can you decline and simply get one on your own? As long as that company says they will arrange the visa and do, why wouldn't you be able to board?

 

 

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[Saxier1]

Hi Sanger 727, As my post stated, the source of my lack of confidence stems from a wholesaler who consistently advise all good until they receive their deposit, then start vaguely rambling on about checking with embassies re: Australian citizens entry requirements, further exacerbated by a cruise line that sends me unsolicited links to visa provider companies in the US, and then fail to respond to my queries as to why I need to know this. Still waiting on a response from Cuban embassy, or anyone at all from Norwegian. So, no, I don't trust the wholesaler, however as also stated, I have paid for the visas already. That is not the main issue anyway, otherwise I wouldn't have posted this in the first place, seeking information from someone who may have knowledge in this regard, (and many thanks to all those who have responded). Assuming the USA wholesaler do what they said (not confident), and organize visas, what I wanted to know was if anything else is required of Australian citizens visiting Cuba via a cruise departing from the USA. I wouldn't have posted this if I knew the answer, or if Norwegian showed enough courtesy to reply, or I had a response from the Cuban embassy, or the wholesaler didn't start second guessing themselves and advising me to find out if any additional requirements were made of Australian citizens.

Thanks for your response, however I think Steamboats has reassured me due to his/her recent similar experience.

[Saxier1]

Thanks Ozcostart, I am still waiting on a response from Cuban embassy, good suggestion about P&O, will follow up. Very disappointed that the cruise line I actually booked with don't want to speak to me though.

[herdingdogmom]

It is hard to tell what the issue is here. But as far as I know anyone leaving from the US needs a Cuba visa and a US travel affidavit. The visa for $75 is purchased via NCL. It is added to your cruise fare total and paid via your travel agent.

 

You will receive the visa when you check in for the cruise Miami. You do need to complete the US travel affidavit online 3 days before your cruise. The link in your emails should give you all the info about it. You are not probably subject to audit like US residents but you do need to fill out the form (check people to people education). Your TA should be able to clarify - that it what they earn a commission for isn't it?

[ozscotart]

This will be p&o Fathom not p&o Australia, so possibly U.K. office of p&o might know. I do quite understand the quandary, I would feel the same myself. I think it's worth asking on the Australian and nz forum as well, see if you can find someone who has already done this, might put your mind at ease.

 

 

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[steamboats]

Saxier1,

 

As I said before there is only one kind of tourist card for everyone. You fill it in yourself with your name and passport data. So there´s no question of validity.

 

There´s some information on the NCL website (unfortunately I´m automatically redirected to the German version, so I can´t insert a link). But maybe the information provided on the RCI website will help you too. You can print out the affidavit there too.

 

For cruises out of the US it´s a mixture of Cuban rules and US rules. Everyone cruising out of the US to Cuba has to follow both regulations and there´s no difference regarding the nationality.

 

steamboats

[Saxier1]

Thanks Herdingdogmom and Steamboats, this is precisely the information I was seeking. NCL and the Cruise wholesaler have sent me nothing (except threats for denial of boarding if documentation is not correct), appreciate your assistance with this and will follow up with the US travel affidavite as per your advice, Many Thanks

[Alter Ego]

I absolutely understand the question and I would have the same distrust. I thought the $75 was for US Citizens, but since that's what I am, I didn't pay attention to others. However, I know for a fact that some people paid a different amount on my recent cruise; they were born in Cuba and there are different rules for them (they paid significantly more.) I would suggest asking on the Cuba forum for hopefully more Cuba-centric readers.

 

It was super easy to get - like others said, I got a piece of paper to fill out when I got to port and the cruiseline charged my onboard account. Since you paid the TA, did they say how will you get the Visa?

[herdingdogmom]

Thanks Herdingdogmom and Steamboats, this is precisely the information I was seeking. NCL and the Cruise wholesaler have sent me nothing (except threats for denial of boarding if documentation is not correct), appreciate your assistance with this and will follow up with the US travel affidavite as per your advice, Many Thanks

 

Here is the link to the OFAC affidavit.

https://ncl.secure.force.com/CubaTravelAffidavit

You submit it online directly to NCL at least 3 days before the cruise. Each person traveling fills one out. Print a copy for your records. I also saved the pdf file and put it in my email records as a back up. Here is the blurb from NCL's FAQ's about the affidavit for non us citizens: "As with travelers from the United States, non-U.S. guests will need to certify that they are traveling under one of the approved OFAC categories, keep records of their activities and sign affidavits confirming they are doing so."

 

Sounds like your Cuban visa/tourist card is all set and you will get it from NCL to fill out when you check in for the cruise. It would be a good idea to have a copy of the confirmation/receipt from your cruise wholesaler showing that you paid the $75 per person for the visa to NCL as part of your total cruise fare.

Edited July 15, 2017 by herdingdogmom