Support for the Cuban People when sailing on Carnival Paradise

[def0715]

Hi. I have read in several threads that when people try to disembark in Havana that some cruise lines are making them change their forms to "People to People" from "Support for the People,' trying to not let them disembark at all, that people are filling out two sets of forms (one with People to People, another with Support for the Cuban People) in case they run into trouble trying to get off the ship, etc.

 

Has anyone sailed on the Carnival Paradise recently who booked a private tour under "Support for the Cuban People"? I'm wondering how well-versed in the actual rules the Carnival Paradise staff is. (I have printed out the Treasury Department rules, and I think I'm fairly clear on them.)

 

Would much prefer a tour through Blexie or some private outfit than something through the ship, but not at the expense of running into major problems trying to disembark in Havana.

 

Also, I notice virtually none of the excursions offered through the ship have ratings. Has anyone been on any ship tours recently?

Thanks for any help, and my apologies if my searching abilities stink and I couldn't find the information specific to this ship, and recent sailings, out there - should it be.





I sail next month.

[rederob]

Hi. I have read in several threads that when people try to disembark in Havana that some cruise lines are making them change their forms to "People to People" from "Support for the People,' trying to not let them disembark at all, that people are filling out two sets of forms (one with People to People, another with Support for the Cuban People) in case they run into trouble trying to get off the ship, etc.

 

Carnival's "rules" are here: https://www.carnival.com/awaywego/cruising-fun/how-to-plan/everything-you-need-to-know-before-cruising-to-cuba

All the cruise lines' blurbs promote people to people as the OFAC reason to travel to Cuba so that they can sell a cruise-sponsored tour program.

However, careful reading makes it clear that any of the many choices do allow you to travel to Cuba and disembark. If the cruise line gives you a hard time and you just want to go with the flow to avoid confrontation, that's not a problem because they still cannot detain you on the ship if you do not buy a tour and you instead decide you will disembark and be compliant with the "support for the Cuban people" OFAC category.

Importantly for Carnival's passengers, you have a satisfaction guarantee and I am sure they will go out of their way to ensure your experience lives up to their promises: https://help.carnival.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/478

[Gypsywych]

Carnival's "rules" are here: https://www.carnival.com/awaywego/cruising-fun/how-to-plan/everything-you-need-to-know-before-cruising-to-cuba

All the cruise lines' blurbs promote people to people as the OFAC reason to travel to Cuba so that they can sell a cruise-sponsored tour program.

However, careful reading makes it clear that any of the many choices do allow you to travel to Cuba and disembark. If the cruise line gives you a hard time and you just want to go with the flow to avoid confrontation, that's not a problem because they still cannot detain you on the ship if you do notbuy a tour and you instead decide you will disembark and be compliant with the "support for the Cuban people" OFAC category.

This!

 

Importantly for Carnival's passengers, you have a satisfaction guarantee and I am sure they will go out of their way to ensure your experience lives up to their promises: https://help.carnival.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/478

Be careful with this. Carnival's guarantee is til the first stop which may, or may not be Havana. Also, read those rules for the guarantee very carefully.

 

 

 

We are booked on a Key West/Havana cruise on the Paradise next year. So far a private excursion looks better, less expensive and more comprehensive than most of the ship sponsored excursions. 8 hours is a long time. I'd much rather get my monies worth.

I'll see if I can re-find some of the excursion reviews I have read so far.

[Gypsywych]

https://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/shore-excursions/port/474/

 

 

Here are some. You'll have to scroll lots to pick out the Carnival ones, but they are in there.

 

Here is a list from Carnival. Most have at least a few reviews.

 

https://www.carnival.com/shore-excursions/havana##page=1

Edited July 27, 2018 by Gypsywych
another link

[def0715]

Thank you all. I had hoped someone had recent personal experience with this, on this ship, but appreciate the input and information. I know Carnival has the rules spelled out, but in practice I'm not sure whether people at disembarkation know them all, or follow them, if that makes sense.

[def0715]

And as luck would have it, the few Carnival tours I'm looking at have 0 reviews (a Hemingway one and another). Maybe they're newer.

[scpirate]

I booked a private tour in Havana.i guess we will see what happens.

[dancergrl608]

We have a private tour booked for 2 days in Havana. We go the middle of August. I can let you know how it goes when we return

 

Sent from my SM-G950U using Forums mobile app

[awells]

I am just curious as to how you ended up traveling to Cuba. Did you check "People to People" or "Support of the Cuban People"? We will be traveling through Carnival Paradise soon. So far Carnival is telling me my family cannot travel through "support of the Cuban People".

[rederob]

8 minutes ago, awells said:

I am just curious as to how you ended up traveling to Cuba. Did you check "People to People" or "Support of the Cuban People"? We will be traveling through Carnival Paradise soon. So far Carnival is telling me my family cannot travel through "support of the Cuban People".

Carnival are deceiving you - nothing requires you to do as they say, and in fact the opposite is the case: you determine the reason for travel.

Nevertheless, many before you have ticked any box and never bothered about what they did once in Cuba.

[elklemi]

I just got off the Paradise to Cuba last week and when I went into the terminal to get on ship they had me fill out the form for cuba and she told me what box to check  and that was it, no problems no discussion and they had plenty of the forms available for you.  I was on a tour by Blexie and it was very good and worth the reasonable costl

[awells]

Do you remember what they had you check?

[awells]

8 hours ago, elklemi said:

I just got off the Paradise to Cuba last week and when I went into the terminal to get on ship they had me fill out the form for cuba and she told me what box to check  and that was it, no problems no discussion and they had plenty of the forms available for you.  I was on a tour by Blexie and it was very good and worth the reasonable costl

Do you remember which box they told you to check?

[LadyMac72]

I reconfirmed my private tour a few days ago and this was part of his email response - don't know if this is recommended for others or he's just being abundantly cautious/thorough, but I appreciate it.

 

If you are an American citizen traveling to Cuba, please keep in mind that all the tours we can issue an itinerary complying with the OFAC general license “Support for the Cuban People” which allows you to engage in legal independent travel in Cuba. We can provide an official itinerary complying with the regulations but please, let us know the full names of the travelers.

 

 

[elklemi]

19 hours ago, awells said:

Do you remember what they had you check?

No I do not, I worried about this same question also and finally decided to wait and mark what they told me to and go, don't worry about this like I did and mark what they indicate and go enjoy, I made this more of a problem than it warranted.  Enjoy your visit to Cuba.

[NeighborGeek]

I was also on the Paradise last week.  We had to turn in the affidavit before boarding the ship, and the lady behind the counter insisted that we check People to People.  The copy of the affidavit in my records though has Support for the Cuban people checked.  At least one of the presentations on board made it clear that they would not stop anyone from disembarking in Havana, regardless of whether you had an excursion booked through Carnival, but they did repeatedly mention the possibility of being audited in the future if you don't.  They sort of left that 'audit' word hanging out there, never quite mentioning what it would entail or what the consequences would be, just letting people's imagination take it from there.