Cuba Reforms Developing - Would You Want Carnival to Sail to Cuba?

[Orison]

You and I obviously have different views and that's fine. I, too, like to see new places etc., but traveling to places where the people are oppressed to me means not caring about the people. I guess I will just leave it there.

 

I wonder how many tourists visit the 57,000 in the camps?

[elliair]

Yet we can legally travel to North Korea and other equally oppressive nations...

 

Another reason why I wouldn't go there - even cruises to China or any communist country isn't on my bucket list to visit. I can go to Las Vegas and see all the classic cars I care to see.

[LoveyHowell]

Seeing Cuba would be interesting. Taking in a different culture often means taking the good with the bad. If it were exactly like the United States we would never realize how great we actually have it here. I do not like every place I have traveled to, but I have seen wonderful things and met fascinating and friendly people. If I decided to not visit any place where the philosophies and policies did not match my own I would miss out on so many valuable and unique life experiences.

 

If anyone has a problem visiting an oppressive country and spending money, you should know why exactly the ships you love to sail to Mexico and Jamaica are registered in Panama and the Bahamas (so that there are no labor unions on ships, workers can be paid nothing and worked around the clock) and built in socialist (France, Italy) European countries using state subsidies for American companies that don't pay US taxes. (part of why not registered in the US). Consider those facts before condemning anyone that wants to see new places previously off limits.

 

It's a huge world out there, explore it. I hope the normalization of affairs between Cuba and the US helps the people of Cuba to live a better life.

Edited December 19, 2014 by LoveyHowell

[fireofficer5]

Cuba is like any other island ships go to. With one or two exceptions.

Poor, backwards and exploited.

 

The cruise lines might be really behind the opening of better relations

is cheap labor to take advantage of.

[Isasprings]

I would be a little concerned of being detained for no reason. Sure they would probably not do stuff like that but who knows. On the other hand its probably just as likely as some of the other places Carnival visits. That is why I voted maybe.

 

Sure they can do that I am not Cuban but I been there twice because my DH is Cuban and is scary what you see over there..this is a BIG no for me

[Isasprings]

That image of Cuba sounds very appealing to me, as a traveler and not a tourist. I much prefer seeing real-life in other countries, even when it isn't pretty or pleasant by U.S. standards. However, I don't know if cruisers would see the real Cuba and hear what life is really like.

 

I don't think I could stomach traveling to a place where the people are prevented from leaving or from speaking the truth or accessing the internet, much less earning money for their work. It is important not to romanticize the enforced isolation from the world. It may be beautiful and interesting, but it is a prison for the people born there. I don't expect that tourist dollars would go to the average Cuban, and certainly not those who speak their minds. My husband and I are not very good at keeping our mouths shut and would probably get ourselves or the Cubans we talked to in serious trouble. I understand that our government is hypocritical in their relations with China, but I also will not visit China for the same reasons.

 

My God you are correct my DH is Cuban and on our last trip he almost get in trouble because he was telling the truth.. When you see the real Cuba then you understand why they want to leave that country.

Edited December 20, 2014 by Isasprings

[lido deck larry]

Good points throughout. As (hopefully) a traveler and not a tourist, I'd love to go to Cuba -- and I have occasionally looked into schemes to enter from other countries. From what I've researched, I have a great deal of respect for its people and their make-do attitude.

 

It would be heartbreaking, however, to see a Carnival gated mall installed there. I'd take a cruise there in a heartbeat, but would probably just fly there if travel opened up.

 

At any rate, this policy change is long overdue. About 40 years or so.

 

The world quickly found its way to making amends with a European country that in the late thirties and early forties committed one of the most destructive genocidal wars in all of human existence -- yet the U.S. can't seem to get over having our butts handed to us by a group of Cuban revolutionaries 60 years ago. During the same time, we've embraced the "butchers of Bejing," as well as numerous Central and South American dictatorial thugs, Middle Eastern tyrants whose countries behead women for the crime of being rape victims, and so on. We even looked lovingly "into the eyes Putin and saw his soul." But Cuba was just too darned evil.

Amen. Well said.

[American Bear]

We would love all the cruise lines adding several Cuban ports in the future!:D

[Orison]

Good points throughout. As (hopefully) a traveler and not a tourist, I'd love to go to Cuba -- and I have occasionally looked into schemes to enter from other countries. From what I've researched, I have a great deal of respect for its people and their make-do attitude.

 

It would be heartbreaking, however, to see a Carnival gated mall installed there. I'd take a cruise there in a heartbeat, but would probably just fly there if travel opened up.

 

At any rate, this policy change is long overdue. About 40 years or so.

 

The world quickly found its way to making amends with a European country that in the late thirties and early forties committed one of the most destructive genocidal wars in all of human existence -- yet the U.S. can't seem to get over having our butts handed to us by a group of Cuban revolutionaries 60 years ago.

 

That country was dismantled and divided into 4 controlling parties.

[boscobeans]

You and I obviously have different views and that's fine. I, too, like to see new places etc., but traveling to places where the people are oppressed to me means not caring about the people. I guess I will just leave it there.

 

If relations relax enough for me to cruise to Cuba, dump some of my tourist dollars in (Paladares) privately owned restaurants, taxis, bars, and craft shops, which are NOT owned and operated by the government I would go in a heartbeat.

 

I do care for people and think maybe every dollar might help strengthen the rising entrepreneurial class and bring about change as well as developing a sense of patriotism and desire to fight for a business or new life they have scrimped, saved, and sweated for.

 

Remember we shut the door on Cuba eliminating any influence we may have had when we dropped the embargo on it. No one knows how it would have turned out if we remained its major source of income and trade, using the power of the dollar to prevent the full blown effects of communism on the people, but NO we allowed a tyrant government to step in bring with it the oppression of the Russians.

 

There are several sides to the issue and plenty of factors where we can place blame.

 

bosco