Cuba - US government says we shouldn't go. Will Cruiselines still go there?

[Hflors]

I just saw this and was happy we had decided to not go there for the time being...

 

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/us-to-americans-stay-away-from-cuba-after-health-attacks/ar-AAsCaWk?li=BBmkt5R&ocid=spartandhp

[Ken the cruiser]

We're still looking forward to going and find it hard to believe we'll run into any issues, especially since we've booked cruise line sponsored excursions and will be sleeping every night on the cruise ship.

[Despegue]

The US Government is issuing these things only because of their own agenda, and NOT because of safety/security issues in Cuba. Don't be naive.

Cubans Warmly welcome Americans and any other Nationality to visit their beautiful country.

[wander]

If my ship was going I WOULD go at this time. I was there in May 2017 for 7 days and I would go back in an instant. It was a fascinating and wonderful experience, every minute of it. The "situation" is concerning, but over the years I have traveled to numerous countries or areas of countries where there were warnings and once there - never saw/heard/felt a thing that was being hyped by the Media as a risk, danger, whatever, and the State Department has issued warnings.

 

I am certainly NOT an expert on this topic, but from my experience I can see NO reason Cuba would want to discourage us from spending money there. I do think there are several countries that might do what they can to discourage a closer relationship between the US and Cuba. But then, there are many things for which I have opinions that are necessarily accurate.

Edited September 30, 2017 by wander

[ski ww]

I've been following this in the news. They still have not figured out what's causing this. I have been to Cuba & if a cruise I'm on has Cuba as part of it's itinerary I'll go.

Allan

[Krazy Kruizers]

I have also been following this on the news channels.

I don't see the cruise lines cancelling this port as it seems to be only a problem for those staying overnight there.

[carnivaljunkie]

The article that I read said that their is no evidence that American tourists have been harmed by these "Attacks" on U.S. presonnel. There is no mention of the Cubans working in the Embassy or residences complaining of these illnesses. I'm still going in February 2018. My cruise price has gone from $1,199 to $1,999 since I booked about four months ago. Maybe, a lot of people will cancel and I can get get a cheaper price.:cool:

[kazu]

I've been following this in the news. They still have not figured out what's causing this. I have been to Cuba & if a cruise I'm on has Cuba as part of it's itinerary I'll go.

Allan

 

Agree. Strangely enough Canada has no travel advisory warnings for Cuba https://travel.gc.ca/destinations/cuba

[RuthC]

The US Government is issuing these things only because of their own agenda, and NOT because of safety/security issues in Cuba. Don't be naive.

Cubans Warmly welcome Americans and any other Nationality to visit their beautiful country.

It does seem clear that something is going on, but who is at the root of it, and why, really is unknown. Yes, it certainly could be an American agenda. It could also be (as wander suggested) some other country with its own agenda.

It also seems clear that tourists, including American tourists seem, to be safe---at least as of now. If I had any interest in going to Cuba, I would not be canceling at this time. Until more is known about the who & why, I see no new reason to stay away.

[sail7seas]

It does seem clear that something is going on, but who is at the root of it, and why, really is unknown. Yes, it certainly could be an American agenda. It could also be (as wander suggested) some other country with its own agenda.

It also seems clear that tourists, including American tourists seem, to be safe---at least as of now. If I had any interest in going to Cuba, I would not be canceling at this time. Until more is known about the who & why, I see no new reason to stay away.

 

Incldued inyesterday's State Department statement, I am quite sure I heard a caution about hotel rooms in Cuba as they say some diplomats where impacted in hotel rooms. that does not speak so well about safety of tourists. I realize , it wold be different when the ship i s our 'hotel.'. they made no mention of diplomats from Canada, also being struuck, in the statement I heard yesterday though they have mentioned that in the past.

 

I was very close to booking 14 days Cuba cruise but am no longer interested. I think the cruise lines will continue to try to sell cruises. How suuccessfuul they are at sellling couuld (will ?) determine whether they sail there or not.

Edited September 30, 2017 by sail7seas

[sail7seas]

It does seem clear that something is going on, but who is at the root of it, and why, really is unknown. Yes, it certainly could be an American agenda. It could also be (as wander suggested) some other country with its own agenda. It also seems clear that tourists, including American tourists seem, to be safe---at least as of now. If I had any interest in going to Cuba, I would not be canceling at this time. Until more is known about the who & why, I see no new reason to stay away.

Incldued inyesterday's State Department statement, I am quite sure I heard a caution abouut hotel rooms in Ciba as they say some diplomats where impacted in hotel rooms. that does not speak so well about safety of tourists. I realize , it wold be different when the ship i s our 'hotel.'. they made no mention of diplomats from Canda, yesteeday f also being sgruuck though they have mentioned that in the past. I was very close to booking 14 days Cuba cruise but am no longer interested. I think the cruise lines will continue to try to sell cruises. How suuccessfuul they are at sellling could (will ?) determine whether they sail there or not.

[cruisemom42]

We're still looking forward to going and find it hard to believe we'll run into any issues, especially since we've booked cruise line sponsored excursions and will be sleeping every night on the cruise ship.

 

I'd feel the same were I booked on a cruise. However, I have looked at cruise itineraries to Cuba and am convinced I would enjoy a land trip more and would see more. So at the moment I'd be a little concerned about hotel stays, at least until they figure out what's going on.

[Lizzie68]

What is happening in Cuba right now with the diplomats is very, very odd and hard to see what the objective is. Perhaps Russia is bound and determined to destroy US/Cuba relations, but that's a weird way of doing it. We may be going there in 2019, but we Canadians have always been able to travel there and enjoy the resort hotels. I guess it's a wait-and-see situation. I wouldn't be cancelling yet.

[ChinaShrek]

The US Government is issuing these things only because of their own agenda, and NOT because of safety/security issues in Cuba. Don't be naive.

Cubans Warmly welcome Americans and any other Nationality to visit their beautiful country.

 

Then why are they are attacking our diplomats? I don't care governments treat their own citizens but I expect my diplomats to be treated with respect.

[sail7seas]

It is the host contry's responsibility to protect foreign embassy.......... not to say each does not have their own security.... For U.S.., Marines?

[sail7seas]

What is happening in Cuba right now with the diplomats is very, very odd and hard to see what the objective is. Perhaps Russia is bound and determined to destroy US/Cuba relations, but that's a weird way of doing it. We may be going there in 2019, but we Canadians have always been able to travel there and enjoy the resort hotels. I guess it's a wait-and-see situation. I wouldn't be cancelling yet.

 

I t has been reported in the recent past, some diplomats from Canada were allso targeted., which makes the whole thing even more strange.

[sail7seas]

What is happening in Cuba right now with the diplomats is very, very odd and hard to see what the objective is. Perhaps Russia is bound and determined to destroy US/Cuba relations, but that's a weird way of doing it. We may be going there in 2019, but we Canadians have always been able to travel there and enjoy the resort hotels. I guess it's a wait-and-see situation. I wouldn't be cancelling yet.

 

 

I have found hypotheticals are always so much easier to call than when the situation actually exists and is real .

[Ken the cruiser]

I'd feel the same were I booked on a cruise. However, I h4ave looked at cruise itineraries to Cuba and am convinced I would enjoy a land trip more and would see more. So at the moment I'd be a little concerned about hotel stays, at least until they figure out what's going on.

We're booked on B2B Oceania Cuba circumnavigation cruises in May where the food onboard is great and we have some pretty cool excursions booked through the cruise line so we won't have to deal with any of the journal stuff required by US Customs when we come back to the States. We're at that age where "low stress" and minimal thinking are major goals of ours when we go on vacation.:D

[avian777]

I have found hypotheticals are always so much easier to call than when the situation actually exists and is real .

 

Spot on, s7s!!! (y) (y) (y)

[cruisemom42]

We're booked on B2B Oceania Cuba circumnavigation cruises in May where the food onboard is great and we have some pretty cool excursions booked through the cruise line so we won't have to deal with any of the journal stuff required by US Customs when we come back to the States. We're at that age where "low stress" and minimal thinking are major goals of ours when we go on vacation.:D

 

Sounds like a very smart idea. :)

 

Unfortunately, as a solo traveler Oceania rarely has anything other than 100% single supplement.

[Ken the cruiser]

Sounds like a very smart idea. :)

 

Unfortunately, as a solo traveler Oceania rarely has anything other than 100% single supplement.

This is unfortunately true. We have friend traveling solo with us on that B2B and she's having to pay the 100% single supplement. We're hoping she finds a friend she's willing to room with to help defray that cost.

[iancal]

We have never paid much attention to travel advisories. We find that they are either politically motivated, far to general, or CYA vs good, up to date info that travelers really need. We tend to rely on info from those who are actually in the country and have no axe to grind.

[wander]

In my previous post when I mentioned "other countries" who would potentially benefit from the US and Cuba having increased "problems", I was really thinking of China. Their "influence" in Cuba is noticeable both from what we saw and from what our guides said. After the break between the US and Cuba, Russia pick-ep the role of supporting Cuba, providing money, cars, trucks and many other trade items. Then when the previous USSR broke up Russia pretty much stopped the support - they needed the money for their own country. China seems to be trying to somewhat fill the gap.

Somehow I do not

 

From what we saw and heard last spring I have become a stronger supporter of trying to increase good US relations with Cuba. For some reason, I do not relish the idea of having a Chinese Military presence under 100 miles from Florida. (Shades of the Cuban Missile Crisis in the early '60s. - For those of you younger folks - it was Russia at that time. Very scary.)

[iancal]

I don't know about the politics.

 

What I do know is that we have had some really good, and safe travel vacations in places like Turkey, Greece, Mexico, Thailand, France , and probably a few more during periods when there were travel advisories on these countries. They were actually made even better because tourist traffic and prices were down. Heck, if the State dept used the same parameters on the US, they would have published travel advisories for certain cities/areas in the US from time to time.

[cardboardcharlie]

I am more worry about issuing us a visa they mentioned something about rejecting

the visa