Travel Restrictions May Be Announced by President Trump Friday

[VidaNaPraia]

you can just show up during business hours- it's like trick or treating

 

lol

[eileeshb]

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

Not strictly true, if your passport gets a stamp you've gotten a visa. Ireland is one of those countries on the USA visa waiver program but the waiver is just that we don't have to pre-apply for a specific trip visa when visiting USA for a short trip but we still get a visa upon entry, I can show you the stamp for every entry to the USA I've ever made. The esta approval for USA lasts for 2 years but is not a visa, we still get a visa stamp on entry each time.

However I do not need a visa of any description to go to other EU countries and certain other European countries like Switzerland which is not a member of the EU but doesn't require visas for citizens of EU countries.

I'd suspect Canada is about the only country whose citizens don't even get a passport stamp when visiting USA other than the US territories like Puerto Rico.

[LHT28]

I'd suspect Canada is about the only country whose citizens don't even get a passport stamp when visiting USA other than the US territories like Puerto Rico.

not true

 

we get a stamp when flying into the USA

I think at border crossings as well

[harryw]

Supposedly under the proposed policy cruise passengers will be restricted from visiting businesses whose money is tied to the military. But I wonder how this can be enforced.

[VidaNaPraia]

Supposedly under the proposed policy cruise passengers will be restricted from visiting businesses whose money is tied to the military. But I wonder how this can be enforced.

 

I suspect the cruise lines may have to or choose to operate regarding their passengers more in the way the land and sea group cultural tours currently do, applying for a license on behalf of the group and specifying which of the new list of approved providers (non-government-owned bus companies or taxis, restaurants, tour guides) and which approved activities they are using, and require that is the only way to leave the ship.

[RJB]

I suspect the cruise lines may have to or choose to operate regarding their passengers more in the way the land and sea group cultural tours currently do, applying for a license on behalf of the group and specifying which of the new list of approved providers (non-government-owned bus companies or taxis, restaurants, tour guides) and which approved activities they are using, and require that is the only way to leave the ship.

Sounds pretty much the way they operate in St. Petersburg, Russia. Not too many rules and it seems to work pretty well. Hope this does also.

[3rdGenCunarder]

I suspect the cruise lines may have to or choose to operate regarding their passengers more in the way the land and sea group cultural tours currently do, applying for a license on behalf of the group and specifying which of the new list of approved providers (non-government-owned bus companies or taxis, restaurants, tour guides) and which approved activities they are using, and require that is the only way to leave the ship.

 

(bold is mine) That is one way to impose restrictions, and I think it's likely to be what happens. I don't want it to be this way but if it is, I'll have to accept it and be grateful Cuba travel for US citizens hasn't been shut down entirely.

 

If this is the way the restrictions are controlled, it's certainly going to put a burden on the cruise lines. I've looked at tours from Azamara and they don't offer much variety. Azamara is in Havana for 3 days (2 1/2?) and their tours would not fill the time. I think they were expecting people to self-certify and go off on their own. If the only way off the ship is a ship's tour, they had better come up with enough things to do or people will be unhappy.

[VidaNaPraia]

(bold is mine) That is one way to impose restrictions, and I think it's likely to be what happens. I don't want it to be this way but if it is, I'll have to accept it and be grateful Cuba travel for US citizens hasn't been shut down entirely.

 

If this is the way the restrictions are controlled, it's certainly going to put a burden on the cruise lines. I've looked at tours from Azamara and they don't offer much variety. Azamara is in Havana for 3 days (2 1/2?) and their tours would not fill the time. I think they were expecting people to self-certify and go off on their own. If the only way off the ship is a ship's tour, they had better come up with enough things to do or people will be unhappy.

 

IF that turns out to be how it's handled, the logistics are going to be a problem. For example, all those brand new air conditioned Chinese built tour buses are owned by the government, as are the ancient school buses and many taxis. The new rules adamantly prohibit use of Cuban government owned tourist entities.

[Nukesailor]

Hopefully future walking tours will skip Sloppy Joe's, which is state-owned. That was a waste of time.

 

Art

[RJB]

IF that turns out to be how it's handled, the logistics are going to be a problem. For example, all those brand new air conditioned Chinese built tour buses are owned by the government, as are the ancient school buses and many taxis. The new rules adamantly prohibit use of Cuban government owned tourist entities.

I guess you know something that no one else knows. Good for you. The rules have not even been written yet. And you know them already. Wow. Before I make my plans I will wait for them to be published by the government.

[harryw]

There is a comment period, so it's not an official policy yet. It could go the way of the President's immigration plan, which evolved, e.g., acceptance of "dreamers".

 

Harry

[VidaNaPraia]

There is a comment period, so it's not an official policy yet.

Harry

 

We can only hope......

 

 

It could go the way of the President's immigration plan, which evolved, e.g., acceptance of "dreamers".

 

but not acceptance of the Dreamers' parents, from whom they could be separated by deportation

[3rdGenCunarder]

I guess you know something that no one else knows. Good for you. The rules have not even been written yet. And you know them already. Wow. Before I make my plans I will wait for them to be published by the government.

 

No, the rules have not been written yet, but the intent of the change is to limit money going to government-run businesses. The text below is from the Treasury dept FAQs. I bolded one bit in particular. The list of prohibited entitites hasn't been produced yet, but the focus is likely to be businesses run by the government.

 

12. Is authorized travel by cruise ship or passenger vessel to Cuba impacted by the new Cuba policy?

Persons subject to U.S. jurisdiction will still be able to engage in authorized travel to Cuba by cruise ship or passenger vessel.

Following the issuance of OFAC’s regulatory changes,

travel-related transactions with prohibited entities identified by the State Department generally will not be permitted

. Guidance will accompany the issuance of the new regulations.

You can wait to make your plans but a lot of people, including me, already have bookings. My cruise is scheduled for after the changes are finalized, so I'm concerned about how the cruise I get will differ from the cruise I expected to get. I'm going to have to check my cruise regularly to see if it changes. I don't know about other lines, but I do know when Azamara and HAL introduced their Cuba cruises, they changed itineraries without any notice to many of the passengers who were booked for those time periods. If my cruise is going to change, I want to know asap, not when I happen to read about it on CC.

 

 

 

There is a comment period, so it's not an official policy yet. It could go the way of the President's immigration plan, which evolved, e.g., acceptance of "dreamers".

 

Harry

 

I suppose it could change. The cruise lines probably have lobbyists working on protecting their interests.

[VidaNaPraia]

.... a lot of people, including me, already have bookings. My cruise is scheduled for after the changes are finalized, so I'm concerned about how the cruise I get will differ from the cruise I expected to get.

 

There was some mention of plans booked before the June 16 date, or the date the "guidance" is published, being grandfathered under the old rules. Maybe you'll luck out.

 

And there's that word bolded by you in your post: "generally".

[harryw]

My O cruise is not until January 2019 and part of the package are some ship excursions included...it's so early that

they are not listed yet.

 

Harry

[3rdGenCunarder]

There was some mention of plans booked before the June 16 date, or the date the "guidance" is published, being grandfathered under the old rules. Maybe you'll luck out.

 

And there's that word bolded by you in your post: "generally".

 

Yup. A lot of uncertainty there. I'll have to be patient, which is not easy for me when I'm making travel plans.

[hrwi]

I will be interested to learn, even if we are obligated to do a cruise-sponsored excursion (which I was *not* planning to do), if we will be allowed to have any time on our own. My children are accustomed to being right in the thick of new people and places and I think it does them a great service. Being in a larger, more curated, group will be a drastic change.

[VidaNaPraia]

I will be interested to learn, even if we are obligated to do a cruise-sponsored excursion (which I was *not* planning to do), if we will be allowed to have any time on our own. My children are accustomed to being right in the thick of new people and places and I think it does them a great service. Being in a larger, more curated, group will be a drastic change.

 

It may depend on a more detailed definition of the current "full time schedule" of activities for most OFAC categories.

[LHT28]

My O cruise is not until January 2019 and part of the package are some ship excursions included...it's so early that

they are not listed yet.

 

Harry

do not feel bad our cruise is Dec & no excursions listed yet

 

Maybe they are holding off to see what the new rules are

 

I am sure they will be sorted out in time for your cruise ;)

Maybe the cruise lines will find the new rules too restrictive to obey & just cancel the later sailings

[RJB]

do not feel bad our cruise is Dec & no excursions listed yet

 

Maybe they are holding off to see what the new rules are

 

I am sure they will be sorted out in time for your cruise ;)

Maybe the cruise lines will find the new rules too restrictive to obey & just cancel the later sailings

I think the cruises will go and we will have a great time and see a lot. What we see will be wonderful, I think.