Excursions in Cuba MSC Armonia

[jeanjeaniecat]

Hi fellow cruisers

I am considering booking a MSC cruise in August 2019, that visits Havana, Cuba

However on the MSC website I read the following

"You will not be allowed off of the ship in Cuba unless you are on a people-to-people shore excursion. Once you have completed your people-to-people shore excursion, you may explore Cuba at your own leisure."

My family and I like doing our own thing, though we are up for a tour or something but not necessarily at MSC prices, if we book a tour from them each at $50 to $100 for each of the two days we are there it would actually be $1000+ we are happy to sign the declaration that we are participating in the person to person programme and fully intend to eat drink and do touristy things, explore the castle, hire a taxi etc and then maybe find a nice beach but as I say on their website it says you cannot leave the ship unless on a pre booked tour, is this true ? Does anyone have any experience of this?

We are British not American but we understand the rules apply to everyone who sails from Miami

[EatonDoolittle]

Head over to the Cuba board under Caribbean Ports of Call,  there are many discussions about this.

Bottom line, yes, you are supposed to take a people to people (or support for the Cuban people) excursion. 

 

However, you do NOT have to take it through the cruise line, tho that is what they would like you to think.  Many indep. tour companies meet the requirements put in place by the US Treasury Dept.  for Support for the Cuban People.

Alternately many cruisers, including myself, have simply walked off the ship and explored Havana on their own. 

 

I actually met an MSC rep at a travel trade show last weekend. We talked about this very thing, she feigned surprise when I told her how it really is when you get off the ship in Havana (nobody cares what you are doing for a tour).  You cannot fault cruise lines or their reps, they must follow rules,  tell you about it and not jeopardize their ability to go to Cuba, but the reality is that no ship sponsored excursion is needed.

 

[Essiesmom]

Go over to the MSC board here, there is a current discussion of this. 

 

EM

 

Edited January 29, 2019 by Essiesmom