Travel Restrictions May Be Announced by President Trump Friday

[RJB]

Hadn't you mentioned previously that you have not yet been to Cuba?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Do you speak fluent Spanish?

 

 

If you speak to Cubans on the street in Cuba, you get the perspective of someone who has come to terms with the situation, being Cuban in Cuba. They seem very pragmatic and resilient.

Someone who ran away would, yes, likely have a different "opinion" of what life as they no longer know it in Cuba must theoretically be like.

Ran away, or chased out? Had everything they owned stolen by the government. Sure they would think differently. Wouldn't you?

[3rdGenCunarder]

If there is a change in policy it will be interesting to see how the cruise lines handle their bookings, not all of their passengers are American after all and thus aren't subject to US policies. You could see them reviewing the numbers on particular bookings to see what proportion of the passengers are affected by any new policy.

 

That's an assumption a lot of non-US citizens made about the cruises from the US to Cuba, but it isn't true. If the ship departs from the US, everyone is subject to US rules. The cruise line has to agree to that in order to get permission to sail from a US port to Cuba. The State Dept documents about Cuba talk about people "under US jurisdiction," which means people on a ship sailing out of the US.

[harryw]

I would like to read a comparative study of the degree of difficulty U.S. citizens on cruise ships have visiting different countries that are authoritarian or have human rights violations, Will it actually be easier to visit Russia than Cuba?

 

Harry

[3rdGenCunarder]

I would like to read a comparative study of the degree of difficulty U.S. citizens on cruise ships have visiting different countries that are authoritarian or have human rights violations, Will it actually be easier to visit Russia than Cuba?

 

Harry

 

It's definitely easier to visit Russia on a cruise. We've done it. Because we took all ship's tours, we didn't even need to get a visa. Didn't have to account for our time there, either.

[harryw]

We visited St. Petersburg on an Oceania cruise, and although we used a CC recommended private excursion, there were no visa or other paperwork problems. The tour guide was very knowkedgsble on most historic facts , though there were moments of propaganda, as we were told there was no unrmployment in Russia, and that the Soviet Union broke up because the Russian government decided it was too expensive to continue central authority. And we were told not to stray from the tour...though allowed to explore some of the Hermiage on our own.

 

Harry

[harryw]

Per Washington Post -

"Regulations allowing U.S. commercial flights and cruise ship to travel to Cuba will not be affected, the officials said."

[sott3]

This seems like good news for those who have already booked a cruise to Cuba:

4. How do the changes announced by the President on June 16, 2017 affect individual people-to-people travelers who have already begun making their travel arrangements (such as purchasing flights, hotels, or rental cars)?

The announced changes do not take effect until OFAC issues new regulations. Provided that the traveler has already completed at least one travel-related transaction (such as purchasing a flight or reserving accommodation) prior to the President’s announcement on June 16, 2017, all additional travel-related transactions for that trip, whether the trip occurs before or after OFAC’s new regulations are issued, would also be authorized, provided the travel-related transactions are consistent with OFAC’s regulations as of June 16, 2017.

[Merion_Mom]

[tommui987]

I would like to read a comparative study of the degree of difficulty U.S. citizens on cruise ships have visiting different countries that are authoritarian or have human rights violations, Will it actually be easier to visit Russia than Cuba?

 

Harry

 

Been to Russia twice and China three times on cruise ship or river cruise. Needed a visa from each country but no requirements by the US.

[RJB]

It's definitely easier to visit Russia on a cruise. We've done it. Because we took all ship's tours, we didn't even need to get a visa. Didn't have to account for our time there, either.

Seems like it will be pretty easy to visit Cuba on a cruise. Does not look like we will need a visa. Russia was harder as we had to send passport info. in advance and then get tour tickets from our private tour company. Needed them to even get off the ship. Cuba will be easier I am sure.

[tommui987]

Seems like it will be pretty easy to visit Cuba on a cruise. Does not look like we will need a visa.

 

 

The Cuban government requires all citizens traveling to Cuba to obtain a Cuban visa prior to their arrival into Cuba.

[harryw]

Oceania informed us that they will obtain the visas for us.

 

Harry

[Snit13]

And Cubans in Cuba are also very pragmatic. I've been reassured by email that this administration is only for 4 years, and then things will "go back to normal" and start to improve from where we leave off now.

 

Please tell us who sent you the reassuring email that knows that this administration is only for 4 years, and then things will "go back to normal"? This is very troubling to me as someone seems to have knowledge the rest of us do not have access to.

[LHT28]

Oceania informed us that they will obtain the visas for us.

 

Harry

True

The fee is added to your invoice

[VidaNaPraia]

And Cubans in Cuba are also very pragmatic. I've been reassured by email that this administration is only for 4 years, and then things will "go back to normal" and start to improve from where we leave off now.

 

Please tell us who sent you the reassuring email that knows that this administration is only for 4 years, and then things will "go back to normal"? This is very troubling to me as someone seems to have knowledge the rest of us do not have access to.

 

To recap (because I already explained this): These were Cuban friends in Havana, trying to reassure me that any dampening of our friendship, due to new restrictions on my visiting them or on communications, would not be forever.

Cubans in Cuba, as mentioned, are very pragmatic. They know about patience.

 

So sorry you are troubled by whatever you find disturbing in that simple declaration of the value of the friendship that has grown between certain citizens of the US and Cuba, that it is worth waiting if need be, for conditions to become favorable again for the friendship to grow stronger.

[Merion_Mom]

[Merion_Mom]

Seems like it will be pretty easy to visit Cuba on a cruise. Does not look like we will need a visa. Russia was harder as we had to send passport info. in advance and then get tour tickets from our private tour company. Needed them to even get off the ship. Cuba will be easier I am sure.

 

A visa is required. If you are sailing on Royal Caribbean, the ship will provide your visa and charge your SeaPass account $75 pp.

 

 

Everyone must pay.

[RWolver672]

A visa is required. If you are sailing on Royal Caribbean, the ship will provide your visa and charge your SeaPass account $75 pp.

 

 

Everyone must pay.

 

Same with Carnival.

[RJB]

The Cuban government requires all citizens traveling to Cuba to obtain a Cuban visa prior to their arrival into Cuba.

So it is Cuba that is making it more difficult to travel there, not the US.

[LHT28]

So it is Cuba that is making it more difficult to travel there, not the US.

Many Countries require tourists to get a VISA before they arrive even the USA

[princeton12321]

A visa is required. If you are sailing on Royal Caribbean, the ship will provide your visa and charge your SeaPass account $75 pp.

 

 

 

 

 

Everyone must pay.

 

 

 

If you're near DC you can stop at the Cuban embassy and get one for $50 directly from the government.

 

 

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[RJB]

Many Countries require tourists to get a VISA before they arrive even the USA

Yes and many countries don't require them. Depends on how easy or hard they want to make it and how much revenue they want to raise. :(:(:(

[tommui987]

About 180 countries do not require a US citizen with a US passport to get a visa to get into its country

Approximately 100 countries do require a US citizen/passport holder to get a visa to get into its country.

 

On the other hand, of the approximately 280 countries in the world, the US only waives its visa requirements for 40+ countries

[VidaNaPraia]

If you're near DC you can stop at the Cuban embassy and get one for $50 directly from the government.

Plus a passport photo and some other documentation in addition to the application form, iirc (not required from the CTS or other agencies).

By mail, the embassy does them for U$70.

Do you know from personal experience that you can simply drop in to the embassy and do this tourist card process?

Have you ever tried to call that embassy to get information (like if drop in is OK or need appointment)? Impossible to get a person on the line.

[princeton12321]

Plus a passport photo and some other documentation in addition to the application form, iirc (not required from the CTS or other agencies).

 

By mail, the embassy does them for U$70.

 

Do you know from personal experience that you can simply drop in to the embassy and do this tourist card process?

 

Have you ever tried to call that embassy to get information (like if drop in is OK or need appointment)? Impossible to get a person on the line.

 

 

 

You can just show up during business hours- it's like trick or treating but you end up with a cheap visa.

 

 

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