bears2747 Posted June 19, 2017 #51 Share Posted June 19, 2017 Which excursion is the best one to take to see the most in Cuba. US citizens are restricted from taking private tours. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ocean Dancer Posted June 19, 2017 #52 Share Posted June 19, 2017 Yes, cruises will go on, BUT we don't yet know how Trump's announcement will effect all passengers. Those on ship's excursions may also be effected. It is possible that once you return back from your tour you MAY not be able to go back off the ship and wander around. Those who made independent arrangements MAY not be able to keep them and MAY not be allowed off the ship at all. This should all be sorted out in several months, but by then I'll be past final payment. We are seriously thinking of switching to another itinerary for our Thanksgiving cruise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biker19 Posted June 19, 2017 #53 Share Posted June 19, 2017 US citizens are restricted from taking private tours. What happens in reality could be quite different than what the official policy is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruisegirl1 Posted June 19, 2017 #54 Share Posted June 19, 2017 Which excursion is the best one to take to see the most in Cuba. US citizens are restricted from taking private tours. We took the full 8 hour best of Cuba tour (sailed in April) and were pleased. M Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare LMaxwell Posted June 20, 2017 #55 Share Posted June 20, 2017 Looks like cruise travel won't be significantly affected, so Empress and her cruises to Cuba should be fine. We don't know that yet. The cruises may go, no problem; but can you get off and tour on your own or only with a group tour? https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/cruises/2017/06/16/cuba-cruises-could-become-less-flexible/102915746/ https://www.treasury.gov/resource-center/sanctions/Programs/Documents/cuba_faqs_20170616.pdf These are the things that are not clear yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biker19 Posted June 20, 2017 #56 Share Posted June 20, 2017 We don't know that yet. The cruises may go, no problem; but can you get off and tour on your own or only with a ship sponsored group tour? Fixed. Some articles seem to suggest this will be boon for the bottom line for cruise lines since their inflated priced tours will be the only way to get off the ship. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare LMaxwell Posted June 20, 2017 #57 Share Posted June 20, 2017 Fixed.Some articles seem to suggest this will be boon for the bottom line for cruise lines since their inflated priced tours will be the only way to get off the ship. Yes, thank you for adding that and highlighting it, as it really does make all the difference and is not a point to skip over. And I do agree, it could be a major boon for the cruise lines. I've seen NCL advertising some excursions for $300 per person that I can book for $60 per person. Dinner Cabaret was priced $200 per person through the line. Yikes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ocean Dancer Posted June 20, 2017 #58 Share Posted June 20, 2017 On the Thanksgiving cruise there are only 3 tours through the ship, all overpriced. I have an email from a tour group in Cuba where the 3 of us could be on similar private tours for about 1/4 of the price. The thing is we are in Cuba until 8 pm and no one MAY be allowed off the ship once they return to the ship. There are no advertised late afternoon/early evening ships tours. What's the point of being there? Now this will most likely change, not the high prices, but I'm probably not going to wait around. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hapster85 Posted June 20, 2017 #59 Share Posted June 20, 2017 Yes, thank you for adding that and highlighting it, as it really does make all the difference and is not a point to skip over. And I do agree, it could be a major boon for the cruise lines. I've seen NCL advertising some excursions for $300 per person that I can book for $60 per person. Dinner Cabaret was priced $200 per person through the line. Yikes I suspect they'll soon discover their supply far outstrips demand at those prices, once the novelty of travel to Cuba wears off. I would like to go myself, but not at those prices. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CJFE Posted June 23, 2017 #60 Share Posted June 23, 2017 Yes, thank you for adding that and highlighting it, as it really does make all the difference and is not a point to skip over. And I do agree, it could be a major boon for the cruise lines. I've seen NCL advertising some excursions for $300 per person that I can book for $60 per person. Dinner Cabaret was priced $200 per person through the line. Yikes And that's a bunch of crap that Tropicana club is less than $50 to go to. Sent from my iPhone using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare LMaxwell Posted June 23, 2017 #61 Share Posted June 23, 2017 And that's a bunch of crap that Tropicana club is less than $50 to go to. Sent from my iPhone using Forums And that is what I am willing to pay. We will see, but it is not looking very promising to tour on ones own. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sharonax3 Posted June 24, 2017 #62 Share Posted June 24, 2017 I am booked for Sept, within 90 days of Trumps announcement. I also booked a few private tours and am hoping I will be able to keep them, as there has not been any official announcement. hoping to be grandfathered in. I just don't want to be on a ship excursion. I never take the ships excursion and certainly dont plan on doing it for this cruise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nealstuber Posted July 18, 2017 #63 Share Posted July 18, 2017 Well this: https://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=7947 Answers that question. Sent from my iPhone using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biker19 Posted July 18, 2017 #64 Share Posted July 18, 2017 Answers that question. Which question would that be? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare island lady Posted July 18, 2017 #65 Share Posted July 18, 2017 I am still not happy with RCI selling off the sweet little Vision class ships, then buying back Empress and cancelling the sale of MJ. :( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poncho1973 Posted July 18, 2017 #66 Share Posted July 18, 2017 Which question would that be? That one. You know. That. Not this, but that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biker19 Posted July 19, 2017 #67 Share Posted July 19, 2017 I am still not happy with RCI selling off the sweet little Vision class ships, then buying back Empress and cancelling the sale of MJ. :( I thought for sure at least one Vision class ship would be gone in 2019 but with this move, it might be only Empress leaving, again. Well, at least till 2020, when MJ will replaced on the Cuba runs by a Vision class ship. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nealstuber Posted July 19, 2017 #68 Share Posted July 19, 2017 Which question would that be? Will changes in US Cuba policy send Empress on her way? While she may stay or go, it obviously will have nothing to do with the new Cuba rules. Sent from my iPhone using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc2725 Posted July 19, 2017 #69 Share Posted July 19, 2017 Again, cruise travel will not be affected. The Empress will be staying for the foreseeable future. Sent from my iPhone using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biker19 Posted July 19, 2017 #70 Share Posted July 19, 2017 The Empress will be staying for the foreseeable future which according to the Majesty announcement, may be May 2019. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poncho1973 Posted July 20, 2017 #71 Share Posted July 20, 2017 I thought for sure at least one Vision class ship would be gone in 2019 but with this move, it might be only Empress leaving, again. Well, at least till 2020, when MJ will replaced on the Cuba runs by a Vision class ship. I haven't seen anything saying that Empress is even likely to go again. The posts and blog I read specifically said things like "adding a 2nd ship" and "another ship is joining Empress" or things like that. They were referring to Majesty. I also missed seeing where a Vision-class ship was replacing Majesty? Are you just guessing or have you seen something saying those things? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biker19 Posted July 20, 2017 #72 Share Posted July 20, 2017 I haven't seen anything saying that Empress is even likely to go again. The posts and blog I read specifically said things like "adding a 2nd ship" and "another ship is joining Empress" or things like that. They were referring to Majesty. I also missed seeing where a Vision-class ship was replacing Majesty? Are you just guessing or have you seen something saying those things? Speculation - the mainstay of many CC posts. Majesty and Empress leaving is just a matter of time and economics. The cost of upkeep of older ships goes up with age and the fares on those ships generally decrease. I'm not aware of another line which has or announced using two ships on the Cuba itineraries - not sure it wouldn't make sense for RCI to do it either. Besides, the increased capacity of Majesty alone might be enough to tamp down the prices already. The three big lines tested the waters with smaller ships (and Carnival invented Fathom just for it), but they are all moving on to using more mainstream ships. RCI's announcement with Majesty is just following the competition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdGuyMG Posted July 20, 2017 #73 Share Posted July 20, 2017 I'm not aware of another line which has or announced using two ships on the Cuba itineraries - not sure it wouldn't make sense for RCI to do it either. Norwegian will be continuing Cuba trips from Miami on the Sky and the Sun will begin 4 night Cuba trips from Port Canaveral in the Spring 2018. https://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=7939 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biker19 Posted July 20, 2017 #74 Share Posted July 20, 2017 ^ we'll see if that continues into 2019 which is when RCI is slated to add Majesty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Globehoppers Posted July 20, 2017 #75 Share Posted July 20, 2017 I am booked for Sept, within 90 days of Trumps announcement. I also booked a few private tours and am hoping I will be able to keep them, as there has not been any official announcement. hoping to be grandfathered in. I just don't want to be on a ship excursion. I never take the ships excursion and certainly dont plan on doing it for this cruise. Just back from Cuba run on Empress. We took the 8-hour ship's tour and it was great. About 30 on the nice A/C bus, great guide very knowledgeable in history going back to the tun of the 20th Century, environmental issue impacting Cuba, and the dual currency "challenges," excellent driver. We were essentially by ourselves as the other buses went in different directions and to different restaurants for lunch. Many cruise lines include excursions in the fare. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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