New Travel Restrictions to Cuba

[Tony O]

Trump cracks down on U.S. business and travel to Cuba.

 

 

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2017/11/08/trump-cracks-down-u-s-business-and-travel-cuba/843419001/

[Biker19]

Not sure that will have any impact on cruises.

[chengkp75]

It appears that the shore excursions will be different. Recently, you were able to fulfill the "people to people" visa requirement using your own itinerary and documentation of time spent in "people to people" activities, a loosening over the earlier mandated tours and time. Now, you will have to have a US-based tour guide, and the guide will be responsible to ensure the required time (40 hours/week, 8 hours/day) is spent in approved activities.

[frugaltravel]

It appears that the shore excursions will be different. Recently, you were able to fulfill the "people to people" visa requirement using your own itinerary and documentation of time spent in "people to people" activities, a loosening over the earlier mandated tours and time. Now, you will have to have a US-based tour guide, and the guide will be responsible to ensure the required time (40 hours/week, 8 hours/day) is spent in approved activities.

 

Source?

[alfaeric]

It appears that the shore excursions will be different. Recently, you were able to fulfill the "people to people" visa requirement using your own itinerary and documentation of time spent in "people to people" activities, a loosening over the earlier mandated tours and time. Now, you will have to have a US-based tour guide, and the guide will be responsible to ensure the required time (40 hours/week, 8 hours/day) is spent in approved activities.

 

And since there's a travel restriction to Cuba, there are not going to be any US based tour guides in Havana- so you have to bring your own. Which means one either travels down in a big group OR the ship carries the US- based guides for the excursions.

 

Well, it was fun while it lasted.

[chengkp75]

Source?

 

The article linked in the OP.

[bluegirlum]

And since there's a travel restriction to Cuba, there are not going to be any US based tour guides in Havana- so you have to bring your own. Which means one either travels down in a big group OR the ship carries the US- based guides for the excursions.

 

Well, it was fun while it lasted.

 

Ugh. We are scheduled on Empress in May for our honeymoon cruise and have already coordinated with a local guide in Cuba to take us around for two days. Am I reading this correctly that we can't do this? Could the ship still offer an excursion?

 

 

Should we just cancel our cruise now and book something else?

[beej]

Was just thinking the same thing. We have a cruise scheduled for the end of March. What do you all think; will Royal cancel cruises or should we if we get limited to what we can do or see. Look forward to everyone's ideas.

[chengkp75]

Ugh. We are scheduled on Empress in May for our honeymoon cruise and have already coordinated with a local guide in Cuba to take us around for two days. Am I reading this correctly that we can't do this? Could the ship still offer an excursion?

 

 

Should we just cancel our cruise now and book something else?

 

May is a long way off, so things may change again, but I would check in a couple of weeks with RCI, and with the Treasury and State departments.

[bluegirlum]

Was just thinking the same thing. We have a cruise scheduled for the end of March. What do you all think; will Royal cancel cruises or should we if we get limited to what we can do or see. Look forward to everyone's ideas.

 

I just emailed them to see what their plan is. Obviously the policy just came out, but it would be nice to know that they're at least thinking about it. We booked this cruise just to go to Havana--I wouldn't go on Empress otherwise. If we have to book another cruise, obviously I'll be bummed, but I'd rather just know now instead of finding out 2 weeks beforehand that we're going to Key West instead (I love Key West--I'd just rather be on a different ship).

[coaster]

No more buying cigars at the state-run stores either. I heard when we were in Santiago de Cuba earlier this year that buying from the state-run stores protects you from buying fake Cubans elsewhere.

[beej]

My husband plays old cars and wants to go to Havana for that. We also were booking private tours for the evening to go to a couple of clubs. If we have to do a group thing, it won't work. If Havana is dropped we will have to book another ship. I'd rather do a big girl, except for the Havana stop. Hope Royal lets us know there thoughts quickl. We are almost to final payment

[sandebeach]

I am glad I went last month, I had a fascinating cruise. But the article does not say that cruises are cancelled. I would wait a bit before I cancelled a cruise and check with the cruise line to see if they feel that this will impact the cruise or their planned shore excursions.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[bluegirlum]

I am glad I went last month, I had a fascinating cruise. But the article does not say that cruises are cancelled. I would wait a bit before I cancelled a cruise and check with the cruise line to see if they feel that this will impact the cruise or their planned shore excursions.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

It's not the cruise itself I'm worried about; it's being able to use the guide I've arranged once I"m there. That's where the ambiguity comes in. Did you go through a ship excursion in Havana? If so, did they employ local guides or US guides?

[sandebeach]

We did ship excursions and all guides were local. Several people on our cruise did book local tours through Cuban agencies. We just decided it would be easier for us to go through the ship excursions rather than book our own excursions.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[Ocean Dancer]

We cancelled our Cuba Empress cruise to over Thanksgiving and booked Brilliance when Trump made his speech a few months ago.

 

We also were looking to book privately as the cruise excursions are 4 times the price and not one on one.

 

We seemed to know this would happen. Also it was rumored that once you returned to the ship, you could NOT go back off the ship.:')

 

This sucks as many are in final payment.

[alfaeric]

We seemed to know this would happen. Also it was rumored that once you returned to the ship, you could NOT go back off the ship.:')

 

That rumor wasn't true. Or isn't. Otherwise the overnight stays would have been really hard.

 

On our trips, we booked through Cuban tour operators via a US based company. Didn't use the ship excursions. That option looks to be very over.

[sandebeach]

I think what is over for US citizens is obtaining a visa and flying out of Ft. Lauderdale or Miami and staying for a few days in Havana. My friend did that two months ago, and did a private tour with the family who owned the B&B where she stayed. Reading the article again, it looks like flying into Havana to stay may not be a feasible option for US citizens.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[mlbunting]

We are booked for the April 28th cruise. I hope this all works itself out by then! Otherwise I may also look into changing ships.

[iamgointowin]

I am going back to CUBA on Empress in April, I read the state departments statement, and since I booked before his June announcement, my travel plans will not be effected. The only thing I am worried about is Royal not letting you get off the ship without having to take a tour, I would have to cancel my trip because of this, If I wanted to be escorted around a country I would go to North Korea, lol. Does anyone know if it is now mandatory for you to only take a tour to get off the ship? I would imagine I would have to checjk back in a couple of weeks for this.

[Knighton]

What I have heard (and until the cruise lines confirm this, I'm not totally sure) is that you won't be able to get off the ship unless it's a ship sponsored excursion. Which would make it easier for them to prove that the guides would be U.S. based. It would be total chaos if they said you can book a private excursion on your own as long as it's a U.S. based one. How would anyone provide proof and what would be an acceptable form of proof?

 

For those that have already booked cruises (and other individual travel) the state dept website inferred that the new rules don't apply to pretty much anything that has already been established before today (Nov 9). So I doubt cruises will be cancelled, but it's hard to say at what point they will cease to let you off the ship on your own. And what I would wonder about is any new cruises to Cuba that are announced from Nov 9 onward. They will be drastically different, if they happen at all. It depends on whether the lines think the money they will make is worth the extra hoops they have to jump through. I skimmed through the whole document and it doesn't mention cruises at all, but that doesn't mean they are completely exempt.

[beej]

I just talked with Royal. First person told me that there was no problem, but she was reading from the FAQ's as they stand now. Called back and got an agent who said they still have no information She also said she keeps checking her email for info because she has gotten so many calls. I guess we wait, but I hope not too long

[iamgointowin]

Thanks for calling and let us know!! If you hear anything else please let us know, I am to waiting on a statement from Royal to decide whether or not to cancel my vacation

[Pratique]

Here is a fact sheet from the Treasury. Also, the grandfathering clause refers to the date of the new regulations (i.e., today).

 

https://www.treasury.gov/resource-center/sanctions/Programs/Documents/cuba_fact_sheet_11082017.pdf

 

Sorry for all the edits. Reading these regulations is painful. The fact sheet says the grandfathering is effective for transactions completed before June 16, 2017, but the Federal Register Notice says, for people-to-people travel arranged prior to June 16, 2017 and also that the trip was not changed on or after November 9, 2017. https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2017-24447/p-85

Edited November 9, 2017 by Pratique

[iamgointowin]

Here is a fact sheet from the Treasury. Also, the grandfathering clause refers to the date of the new regulations (i.e., today).

 

https://www.treasury.gov/resource-center/sanctions/Programs/Documents/cuba_fact_sheet_11082017.pdf

 

Yes, read that, but my concern is if Royal doesn't let us get off the ship without having a tour booked.