Cigars

[geaux_aces]

Back in my more "care-free" days a friend and I bought Cubans in G.C. when the Celebration was out of N.O. We got them through customs stuffed inside our shirts. Maybe customs has gotten better about finding these things. This was a decade ago and now with a wife, kid, and mortgage I wouldn't try it again.

[PaulMedik]

Does anybody know of a good reputable shop in Cozumel where one would be able to purchase a good cigar without running the risk of getting scammed?

 

I think the pics below are from Costa Maya & Belize. I took pics in Cozumel too, but I can't find them if I uploaded them to Webshots. I'll upload them if I find them.

 

These are from the shops at the piers and are authorized dealers. If nothing else you'll get an idea of the prices.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[PaulMedik]

Hmm, how would the dogs know if the cigars were Cuban? I don't think they would want to stop evey person who has cigars.

 

If the dogs are that good, maybe I can borrow one when I go shopping for a genuine Cuban so I don't get ripped off :)

 

They searched a bag of mine in Miami in 2005 because the cigar dog hit on my box of Don Thomas cigars. They had three dogs working with each dog sniffing for specific smells. When the dog hit on my bag they asked if I had any Cubans and I smiled and said none with me, but they searched anyhow and found the Dons right off. They appeared to be a bit disappointed so I offered to let them search all of our bags and they declined. :D No, I did not have any with me, nor in any of my luggage, nor on or with any of my family.

[Septemberbride07]

Churchill's Cigars (in a small mall across from the tender pier) is an authorized Habano dealer in GC.

 

FWIW, it is technically against the law for an American to even purchase cubans abroad.

 

 

Churchill's is the best in GC. They are a small shop with friendly, helpful staff. They are in the back corner of, I think, Anchorage square. And yes, it is against the law, but you would be one of the very few on your ship who did not. On my last cruise, a fellow passanger commented that they didn't even smoke cigars , but thought they should since everyone else was! ;)

[jb1677]

I am an avid cigar smoker but rather a novice when it comes to Cubans. I can tell you that with a little research or education prior to your trip you will be amazed at the number of fake Cubans that you will be able to spy in the Caribbean. I found fakes in places that sell cigars as a secondary item and even in specialty Cuban only Cigar shops, all with a few hours of research before my trip.

 

I would recommend dealing only with officially licensed Habanos SA (habanos.com) shops, and if possible directly with Habanos SA owned shop's which are called “La Casa Del Habanos”. Habanos SA is the Cuban government controlled tobacco company. There are LCDH’s (La Casa Del Habanos) located in Aruba, Grand Cayman, and 2 in St Marteen, additionally there are Hanabos SA licensed shops all over, but if possible stick with the LCDH's.

 

Also note, from a legal perspective simply PURCHASING Cuban manufactured good even while abroad and for consumption while abroad is still illegal for a US citizen. Technically, although an American citizen cannot even purchase or smoke a Cuban cigar while traveling abroad, there may not be any practical way to enforce the restriction

 

The "Trading with the Enemy Act" essentially states that it is a crime to exchange currency for goods or services with the enemy. The wording of the law is very vague but essentailly boils down to any transaction that results in your U.S.-based funds being transferred to pay for Cuban goods could be construed as being in violation of the law.

 

Currently, the only nations with which trade is effectively closed by the act are North Korea and Cuba.

 

Clearly enforcing this law is difficult if not impossible. I just did not want people to believe that waht they were doing was legal.