Holiday Cruises - 2016 - Cuba ?

[sail7seas]

What remains pertinent to this thread is the fact it is still illegal for Americans to cruise to Havana unless they fit into the exempted categories. It is now permissible to fly to Cuba for defined groupings of people but no ship stopping in U.S. ports can sail there.

 

I hope it is only a matter of time when the embargo is lifted and seems that is the next (last) logical step. I would be shocked if major cruise lines are not already working on lining up their ground support for port agents, supply needs, all the requirements a ship needs to visit new ports. Carnival Corp. has indicated they are taking steps to get there first though their approach probably will appeal to a small segment of cruisers. Does their current planned activity in Cuba give them a head start in making connections there?

 

If I had to guess, Carnival Corp. will have one or more of their cruise lines their ASAP. :) Let's hope it is HAL. :)

 

Edited August 15, 2015 by sail7seas

[cruz chic]

The Canadian ship used by Your Cuba Cruise, is now "Celestyal Cristal. (Bought and now operated by Louis Cristal as a result of its success). Here is a link to almost 120 pages of Europeans, Canadians (and some Americans lol) who have enjoyed the ports in Cuba. Sorry you haven't heard of it:)

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1850565&page=119

 

http://us3.campaign-archive1.com/?u=3e08884c93dafe6c9b5b9d315&id=f2971c5ea6&e=0524880b1d

My ex husband loved to do things on the cheap. To him that was enjoyable. To me it wasn't. I'm not sure why I have to defend my choice. If people want to go it doesn't make any difference to me. It's just not my bag.

Funny it was an Alberta company that started the cruise ;)

Should that make me want to go?

[sail7seas]

 

<snip>

 

 

Should that make me want to go?

 

LOL...... I so agree.

 

[3rdGenCunarder]

I'm not so sure about that. I'd pay the big $$$ to get there before the infrastructure is "improved" with things like Diamonds International and Margaritaville....

 

LOL, that's just what DH says. He wants to go before it looks like any other Caribbean island.

 

I'm sure many if not all cruise lines are looking into what they could do if (when?) the embargo is lifted. Many Caribbean routes go close to Cuba. It wouldn't be difficult to change itineraries. The big issue would be tourist infrastructure.

[sail7seas]

I can't count the times we sailed passed Cuba en route to one island or another. Time and again Captain would tell us we would be passing Cuba and we could see the island in the distance. DH always wanted to ship to divert. :D

 

I want to see Havana/Cuba before Starbucks and McD's arrive .

 

Edited August 15, 2015 by sail7seas

[Christine Frances]

My ex husband loved to do things on the cheap. To him that was enjoyable. To me it wasn't. I'm not sure why I have to defend my choice. If people want to go it doesn't make any difference to me. It's just not my bag.

 

 

 

Should that make me want to go?

 

 

Cuba may be less expensive (not "cheap") but we definitely are not "roughing" it. High end hotels and beautiful beaches at a better package pricing than Florida, Mexico and the rest of the Caribbean.

[sail7seas]

When you say better package price, do you mean All Inclusive? I hope not.

[wyobean]

...

[wyobean]

I went to Cuba on a private tour in March. It is a beautiful place. The people are wonderful. It was very interesting to hear about their history from their perspective. It is also a huge eye opener to understand how they live and what the endure. You will not get the real/true picture by stopping in a cruise port or going to a lovely resort(that is true for most places). In Havanna I would say 60-70% of the buildings are in disrepair. There is some renovation going on. Just walking along the streets can be very dangerous. Very few precautions as we know them. I don't see things changing in the very near future. It just isn't feasible. I would go back in a minute. One of our best trips. But, I did get tired of pork, chicken, rice and beans after 11 days.

[Christine Frances]

When you say better package price, do you mean All Inclusive? I hope not.

 

 

Most Canadians book air/hotel packages offered by Air Canada, West Jet Air Transat for a quick 7 day holiday with direct flights.etc but you can go DIY if you wish to

stay longer and tour around, no problem.

 

Lol. Pork, chicken, rice and beans are pretty much the staple for the locals in the Caribbean and Central/South America. We have been going to Costa Rica for over 20 years and usually rent a house for 3-4 weeks at a time. That is pretty much all I cook as any beef that is any good is frozen and imported and pricy. We love the food and along with the wonderful fruits and veggies it is a pretty healthy diet.

Edited August 15, 2015 by Christine Frances

[Hflors]

As a resident of south Florida I keep waiting to hear how many tourist we can expect to come from Cuba and spend their money in our area! Though tourism is up I haven't seen any projections yet!

[Kamloops50]

As a resident of south Florida I keep waiting to hear how many tourist we can expect to come from Cuba and spend their money in our area! Though tourism is up I haven't seen any projections yet!

 

Most Cubans will not be able to afford to visit the US in the near future.

[Christine Frances]

As a resident of south Florida I keep waiting to hear how many tourist we can expect to come from Cuba and spend their money in our area! Though tourism is up I haven't seen any projections yet!

 

 

Do you have vintage cars, excellent rum and cigars? If I was a Cuban I would wait until friends and family visited me rather than pay the higher prices in the U.S.

Edited August 15, 2015 by Christine Frances

[sail7seas]

We've been getting the message that most Cubans do not have funds to come as tourists for Floridian vacations,,,, sadly.

 

Sounds like they can use infusions of tourism cash which might, in time, enable them to enjoy some of the luxuries many of us take for granted.

[cruz chic]

Cuba may be less expensive (not "cheap") but we definitely are not "roughing" it. High end hotels and beautiful beaches at a better package pricing than Florida, Mexico and the rest of the Caribbean.

[ATTACH]359239[/ATTACH]

 

I said my ex liked to do things on the "cheap". I did not say Cuba was cheap. I think you are confusing me with a previous poster. I don't understand the hard sell. If you want to go, please do. You don't need to convince me to.

[Christine Frances]

We've been getting the message that most Cubans do not have funds to come as tourists for Floridian vacations,,,, sadly.

 

 

 

Sounds like they can use infusions of tourism cash which might, in time, enable them to enjoy some of the luxuries many of us take for granted.

 

 

This is what I find is an odd way of thinking. Cuba has much better beaches than Florida and they would prefer that their own lifestyle would improve with the new relaxing of regs than travelling to Florida for what? They would prefer to see the results of the end of trade embargo benefit their own country and with the relaxing of private enterprise restrictions they are eagerly awaiting people visiting.

 

Sail - Cubans are better off than many people that live in the Caribbean. They have great health care, fully funded education and almost everyone owns their own home. No, they don't have the little luxury items that have been denied to them by the embargo but that will change soon I hope. Not trying to paint a rosy picture but they are hopeful for a change. As with us, 50 yrs ago is a long time for a lot of them lol

[Christine Frances]

I said my ex liked to do things on the "cheap". I did not say Cuba was cheap. I think you are confusing me with a previous poster. I don't understand the hard sell. If you want to go, please do. You don't need to convince me to.

 

 

Cruz chic. Didn't mean it to come across that way, sorry. Just trying to offset a lot of assumptions made by folks that have not been to Cuba - must be something nice there as millions visit annually.

[POA1]

As a resident of south Florida I keep waiting to hear how many tourist we can expect to come from Cuba and spend their money in our area! Though tourism is up I haven't seen any projections yet!

There were more Cuban tourists** arriving on the southeast Florida coast through the end of May than there were all of last year. It doesn't seem to make the national news, but it's on the local news week in and week out.

 

**Refugees on makeshift rafts who apparently have grown tired of the excellent rum, cigars and vintage cars.

Most Cubans will not be able to afford to visit the US in the near future.

 

Do you have vintage cars, excellent rum and cigars? If I was a Cuban I would wait until friends and family visited me rather than pay the higher prices in the U.S.

[sail7seas]

POA,

 

Did those Cubans' feet touch soil and were they permitted to stay?

Edited August 15, 2015 by sail7seas

[wyobean]

We spend a lot of time in the caribbean. We can always get fresh fish and seafood, chicken and fresh fruits and vegetables. This was not the case while visiting Cuba. We had chicken only twice. If we had a salad it was lettuce, tomato and a couple cucumber slices. Had veggies maybe 3 times. While we were at decent places we were rarely at a resort. The people do not get fresh veggies and fruit as part of their stipend. They must purchase that extra. If they don't have the money they go without. I can tell you we did not see any overweight Cubans while we were there. Some people do now own their own homes according to our guide but that has only been allowed in the last 10 years or so and is not the majority.

[POA1]

POA,

 

Did those Cubans' feet touch soil and were they permitted to stay?

If they reach land, yes. It's known as the wet foot / dry foot policy. The Carnival Breeze rescued some refugees in May. A Royal Caribbean ship rescued some in March. Since they were rescued at sea, they were handed over to the Coast Guard and returned to Cuba.

[sapper1]

We've been getting the message that most Cubans do not have funds to come as tourists for Floridian vacations,,,, sadly.

 

Sounds like they can use infusions of tourism cash which might, in time, enable them to enjoy some of the luxuries many of us take for granted.

 

They have been enjoying infusions of tourism cash for a long time. It is only the U.S. that has not had a large presence in Cuba.

 

Instead of cash tips, the tourists take suitcases full of "stuff" that people want that is not available because of the embargo.

 

Both times that we went we had a large suitcase stuffed with school supplies, toothpaste, aspirin, makeup, crayons and colouring books, nylons, ball caps, hand cream etc.

 

These items are prized as tips and most people who regularly vacation in Cuba know to take that sort of stuff. We have friends who go to the same resort for two weeks every year and they pack a bag for specific staff that they have come to know over the years. It's a rare person who goes to Cuba empty handed.

[sail7seas]

Seeing Florida is 90 miles from Cuba, they won't mind an infusion of U.S. tourism cash. There seems to be great need for lots more infrastructure etc and if they had 'more than enough', one would hope that would show but.........

 

Let's not get into the politics of it all.

A great many Americans have been visiting Cuba for years. My congregation offered a trip a few years ago and we surely would have joined it but the date did not work for us. It was well known to all of us to take along soap, cosmetics, nail polish, nice shampoos etc etc

 

Edited August 16, 2015 by sail7seas

[sapper1]

Seeing Florida is 90 miles from Cuba, they won't mind an infusion of U.S. tourism cash. There seems to be great need for lots more infrastructure etc and if they had 'more than enough', one would hope that would show but.........

 

Let's not get into the politics of it all.

A great many Americans have been visiting Cuba for years. My congregation offered a trip a few years ago and we surely would have joined it but the date did not work for us. It was well known to all of us to take along soap, cosmetics, nail polish, nice shampoos etc etc

 

I made no political statement. I never do on CC. I am very careful not to express political opinions. Please do not put words in my mouth.

 

Of course, Cuba will like an infusion of extra cash. I merely stated that they have been receiving tourist millions for years. More would be even better.

[Christine Frances]

Whatever :). Go to Cuba and see for yourself:)