When Will HAL dock in Havana?

[sail7seas]

I just heard two companies in Miami have been granted licenses to run ferries from Miami to Cuba and Jet Blue has scheduled flights from NYC to Havana every Friday.

 

How long before cruise ships sailing from U.S. ports can get it added to their itineraries? :)

 

[Illyria]

Not until Congress officially lifts the travel embargo.

[sail7seas]

Not until Congress officially lifts the travel embargo.

 

That was my point. :cool:

 

If Jet Blue has regularly scheduled flights and two ferry companies have been granted rights.......... sure sounds like a lifting of embargo is happening.

 

I heard a discussion today on one of the cable networks about restitution for all the property owned by U.S. companies and individuals that was seized by Castro's government.

Edited May 6, 2015 by sail7seas

[zerbot]

In January 2015, the Obama administration lifted several restrictions on travel to Cuba, however visits for tourism are still banned. In order to get on the plane or a ferry, you have to have special approval from the State Department. While the executive branch does have some discretion in lifting or imposing some restrictions, wholesale lifting of the embargo to allow tourism would require Congressional action.

[serendipity1499]

In January 2015, the Obama administration lifted several restrictions on travel to Cuba, however visits for tourism are still banned. In order to get on the plane or a ferry, you have to have special approval from the State Department. While the executive branch does have some discretion in lifting or imposing some restrictions, wholesale lifting of the embargo to allow tourism would require Congressional action.

 

The problem is many in Congress do not approve of lifting the ban.. Our own Florida Congressman, Marco Rubio, was once for lifting the ban & now is dead set against it.. I'm wondering if it's just a feud going on between the parties? IMO the ban on tourist travel is not working, so why keep it..

 

We had several Friends who have actually sailed their own boats to Cuba with permission from the U.S. Govt... Apparently, if they take supplies to Cuba, they will be given permission.. We always said, we will not sail there until the ban is officially lifted.. Well that never came about & now we've sold our boat, so must wait for a cruise..

 

I hope it comes in our lifetime, but Congress can be very slow in passing bills..;)

[Despegue]

Untill this embargo is lifted ( a Democratic government can NOT ban citizens to visit a country by the way, unless this country ismat war, as this is impairing freedom of movement, which is totalitarian and not better than the Cuban government itself, at least this is what we in Europe define under Liberty), just visit via Canada and ask not to stamp your Visa when entering/exiting Cuba.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Even if the embargo were lifted, HAL would be among the last cruise line to get an itinerary together with a port stop in Cuba. HAL can't even get their itineraries out for the fall of 2016. Other cruise lines have itineraries out for 2017.

[Hflors]

Even if the embargo were lifted, HAL would be among the last cruise line to get an itinerary together with a port stop in Cuba. HAL can't even get their itineraries out for the fall of 2016. Other cruise lines have itineraries out for 2017.

 

Several lines have their itineraries listed into 2018!

 

Anyway I am having a hard time understanding why people want to visit a country where its citizens risk their lives to leave! In this country (The USA ) when was the last time you heard of a boat load of people risking their lives to get out and go to another country???

[IndyDenise]

Several lines have their itineraries listed into 2018!

 

 

 

Anyway I am having a hard time understanding why people want to visit a country where its citizens risk their lives to leave! In this country (The USA ) when was the last time you heard of a boat load of people risking their lives to get out and go to another country???

 

 

Visiting as a tourist is not the same as actually living there. I would love to see Cuba, I have a friend who went there last year and raves about the warm welcome he received.

 

I also loved Turkey and would love to see Egypt and Israel but there is no way I'd ever move there . Same with Russia, Costa Rica, Jamaica and Bahamas.

 

I would assume you have visited Mexico? Seems to be a lot of people there trying to get here illegally .

[Illyria]

We had several Friends who have actually sailed their own boats to Cuba with permission from the U.S. Govt... Apparently, if they take supplies to Cuba, they will be given permission.. We always said, we will not sail there until the ban is officially lifted.. Well that never came about & now we've sold our boat, so must wait for a cruise..

 

I hope it comes in our lifetime, but Congress can be very slow in passing bills..;)

 

You can take a cruise through a Canadian line, that's now officially allowed:

 

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/business/tourism/fl-us-travel-agents-cuba-cruise-20150223-story.html

[sppunk]

That was my point. :cool:

 

If Jet Blue has regularly scheduled flights and two ferry companies have been granted rights.......... sure sounds like a lifting of embargo is happening.

 

I heard a discussion today on one of the cable networks about restitution for all the property owned by U.S. companies and individuals that was seized by Castro's government.

 

There have been scheduled flights to Cuba from NYC and Miami for years. That part isn't new.

[Aquahound]

I just heard two companies in Miami have been granted licenses to run ferries from Miami to Cuba and Jet Blue has scheduled flights from NYC to Havana every Friday.

 

How long before cruise ships sailing from U.S. ports can get it added to their itineraries? :)

 

4 companies were just approved, including a 200 passenger ferry that will be running from Key West. I was very surprised to hear this new this morning, especially considering the hoops Americans will need to jump through in order to fall into one of the twelve categories of approved visitors.

 

But it is certainly a step in the direction of future cruise travel from the U.S. I still don't anticipate it being anytime soon though.

[boscobeans]

 

I heard a discussion today on one of the cable networks about restitution for all the property owned by U.S. companies and individuals that was seized by Castro's government.

 

It would be great if Holland picked up again where they were before the embargo. Regular scheduled cruises from the now defunct big green Holland America cruie terminal in NYC to Cuba were common. (see the Bob Hope film "The Ghost Breakers")

 

A Veendam sized ship would be perfect and it would not overtax the limited infrastructure of the ports. Cruise passengers would not have to spend their tourist dollars on government or foreign owned and operated resorts or hotels. The funds would instead benefit the rapidly growing, privately owned entrepreneurial businesses and would do a lot towards helping out the actual people in Cuba. Thousands of non government (paladares) restaurants and other small businesses are prospering and helping build a healthy middle class.

 

When restitution for the nationalized properties was offered before the embargo the terms couldn't be met since without continued trade with the US there was no way of making the offered payments with the interest rate offered.

 

A win, win situation for the US would allow unrestricted sales of American (high quality) agricultural products to Cuba and likewise allow the import and sale of Cuban goods in this country.

 

I'd be on the first sailing.

 

OMO

 

bosco

[wander]

Travel for US citizens to Cuba has been very easy the past few years (at least) IF one is willing to go with a group on an organized tour. To legally do so one must have traveled with one of the US travel groups that have permission to take groups to Cuba for cultural, people-to-people, or such purposes we have been free to travel there for at least the past few years. I have known several dozen people who have done so and we were scheduled to go last November until I needed Knee surgery so had to cancel. Now I also know of at least one US owned and operated small ship "cruise" line that has a small cruise ship based tour with multiple stops around Cuba in 2015, under the People-to-People program.

 

Now, whether or not one wants to visit Cuba is one matter, but being able to do so through US channels for some time has been relatively easy. Despite a comment by a previous poster, the paperwork for entry into Cuba with one the groups who has been traveling from the US to Cuba was EASY!!!!!! FAR easier than any other country requiring a VISA (China, India, Brazil, Gambia, etc.) I know, I did it for each of these countries over the past few years.

 

There are many, many more but the two I reviewed for Cuba were International Expeditions and National Geographic/Lindblad. The small ship cruise line is Blount. I know there are other travel groups, becoming very popular.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Several lines have their itineraries listed into 2018!

 

Anyway I am having a hard time understanding why people want to visit a country where its citizens risk their lives to leave! In this country (The USA ) when was the last time you heard of a boat load of people risking their lives to get out and go to another country???

 

 

I know about people already have cruises booked for 2018.

The only reason I want to see Cuba is because my mother was able to cruise there back in about 1936 or 1938 and I would just love to see it before I can no longer cruise.

[GoofyCdn]

Untill this embargo is lifted ( a Democratic government can NOT ban citizens to visit a country by the way, unless this country ismat war, as this is impairing freedom of movement, which is totalitarian and not better than the Cuban government itself, at least this is what we in Europe define under Liberty), just visit via Canada and ask not to stamp your Visa when entering/exiting Cuba.

 

This is still illegal. My wife used to work for an airline here in Canada and all passenger service agents are trained to not allow Americans to get onto a flight into Cuba without the proper documentation. The U.S. doesn't care about what's legal or not, look at all the things Snowden has revealed. Guess that's why I moved to Canada from the U.S.

[wander]

Other Cuba Options -

 

Just to show how easy travel has been for interested Americans for at least the past few years and 2015, in a 3 minute search I found US to Cuba land based tour options for the following companies:

 

Already mentioned: International Expeditions and National Geographic/Lindblad

 

Others: OAT, Smithsonian, Road Scholars, Tauck, Abercrombie & Kent and Natural Habitat Adventures. These are only groups I am familiar with. I am sure there are many more.

 

Boat based tour - Blount. (Have had a wonderful experience with them with Itinerary through the Great Lakes, Erie Canal, Hudson River and Long Island Sound. Chicago IL to Providence, RI.)

[Despegue]

It is not illegal for a non US carrier to transport Americans to Cuba if the country of departure and Cuba have no restrictions (visa requirements)

 

That is ICAO legislation.

[sail7seas]

I have read the Cuban Officials will not stamp a U.S. passport of asked to not.

 

[prescottbob]

http://gocaribbean.about.com/od/cuba/a/How-To-Travel-To-Cuba-If-You-Are-An-American.htm

 

 

Bon Voyage & Good Health!

Bob:)