Canadians cruising to Cuba - Visa required?

Hi all,

We're cruising on the Majesty in November on a 4 day cruise that includes a day in Havana. Looking at some of the information on cruisecritic I see that some people are saying Royal Caribbean will provide a visa to all guests disembarking in Cuba at a price of $75 per person - they're all heart. No doubt this is a US requirement of one sort or another because Canadians on tourism less than 30 days do not need Visas to enter Cuba. Can any recent fellow Canadian cruisers to Cuba tell me what documentation you had to have to get off the ship in Cuba?

Also there is this crazy document on the Royal Caribbean web site https://www.royalcaribbean.com/cuba/content/uploads/2017/11/Cuba.Guest_.Cert_.Final_.Nov_.14.pdf

It says all guests must check off one of the 5 boxes in the document. None of the 5 boxes is appropriate for visit to Cuba. There is nothing about just visiting Cuba - to me it looks like some legal mumbo jumbo to skirt some law still on the books in the US. Again, we're not from the US so none of that crap is applicable to us.

Anyway - Can someone help me out here?

thanks

I can only say that this sounds like a Jones Act issue. I’m also Canadian, and when our shore excursion (on an Alaska cruise) briefly crossed the border, we could not get off the train...in our own country...However, that was in 1999, so things might have changed since.

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Hi all,

 

We're cruising on the Majesty in November on a 4 day cruise that includes a day in Havana. Looking at some of the information on cruisecritic I see that some people are saying Royal Caribbean will provide a visa to all guests disembarking in Cuba at a price of $75 per person - they're all heart. No doubt this is a US requirement of one sort or another because Canadians on tourism less than 30 days do not need Visas to enter Cuba. Can any recent fellow Canadian cruisers to Cuba tell me what documentation you had to have to get off the ship in Cuba?

 

Also there is this crazy document on the Royal Caribbean web site https://www.royalcaribbean.com/cuba/content/uploads/2017/11/Cuba.Guest_.Cert_.Final_.Nov_.14.pdf

 

It says all guests must check off one of the 5 boxes in the document. None of the 5 boxes is appropriate for visit to Cuba. There is nothing about just visiting Cuba - to me it looks like some legal mumbo jumbo to skirt some law still on the books in the US. Again, we're not from the US so none of that crap is applicable to us.

 

Anyway - Can someone help me out here?

 

thanks

I am on the Carnival Paradise in August visiting Havana. I'm Canadian too. My understanding is that everyone, regardless of nationality must purchase the Visa. I think the Visa is required and likely included in the cost of visiting Cuba, say to an AI or just flying there to stay elsewhere.

Do I think the price is inflated? You betcha!

Enjoy your cruise. I for one, can't wait to experience Havana!

As a Brit I also didn't need a US VISA to enter Cuba but on the Empress in May everyone needed it. I can say though that Cuban immigration people were more on the ball and just waved me through without looking at it or stamping my passport.

Also, recent cruisers to Cuba are saying that you must have an organized tour purchased through the ship in order to get off of the ship in Cuba, no privately arranged tours. That's what they're saying anyway. Along with, as others have said, everyone must purchase the $75 visa as well.

Also, recent cruisers to Cuba are saying that you must have an organized tour purchased through the ship in order to get off of the ship in Cuba, no privately arranged tours. That's what they're saying anyway. Along with, as others have said, everyone must purchase the $75 visa as well.

You're right. We checked into this. So we cancelled. We wanted to do a self guided walking tour but when you add in the costs of the $75 visa and a tour for around $125 - all per person btw - then its not worth it. I guess we'll have to wait until after the next US election to see Cuba from a cruise.

BTW - these "visas" that RCI is "providing" on the ship for $75 are a joke. I talked to a friend who has flown to Cuba several times and these visitor visas are typically handed out on the planes for free and then they are handed to the officials when you get off the plane. RCI squeezing every buck possible out of its guests. Amounts to theft IMO.

Amounts to theft IMO.

It could also be seen as a “convenience fee.”

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Yes, everyone needs one on a ship departing from the US. Your nationality doesn't matter.