Why are people fighting the cruise lines about the visa type?

[blissfulcashew]

Hello-

I've read a bit and understand that cruise lines imply that you can't get off the ship in Cuba unless you book a tour through them and I understand that you CAN get off the ship and do a private tour or no tour at all. The cruise line wants you to check "people to people" if you take a tour with them, people who aren't taking a cruise line tour want to check "support for Cuban people" and there are lots of reports of having to fight with the cruise ship about this. Can you not just check "people to people" to appease the cruise line and then just do what you want anyway? Why are people so gungho about checking "support for Cuban people"? Does it really matter? 

We are taking a Blexie tour in Havana. I plan to check off "support for Cuban people" as Blexie suggested. If the cruise line gives me a hard time about it, I will just change it to "people to people". Why does it really matter what visa type I have? 

 

[FredZiffle]

It doesn't matter.  No one will ever see your affidavit again.  The US Government will not come knocking at your door in 5 years and want to see proof of your itinerary.  Others get so worked up about this, but you are completely correct (except that this is the travel affidavit, not the visa - everyone gets the same standard visa).

[blissfulcashew]

Ah yes, travel affidavit! I knew I was getting that wrong.

Thanks so much-  I will just check whatever the cruise ship tells me to check and be done with it. 

I just wasn't sure if I was missing something! 

[scpirate]

On 3/1/2019 at 1:55 PM, blissfulcashew said:

Hello-

I've read a bit and understand that cruise lines imply that you can't get off the ship in Cuba unless you book a tour through them and I understand that you CAN get off the ship and do a private tour or no tour at all. The cruise line wants you to check "people to people" if you take a tour with them, people who aren't taking a cruise line tour want to check "support for Cuban people" and there are lots of reports of having to fight with the cruise ship about this. Can you not just check "people to people" to appease the cruise line and then just do what you want anyway? Why are people so gungho about checking "support for Cuban people"? Does it really matter? 

We are taking a Blexie tour in Havana. I plan to check off "support for Cuban people" as Blexie suggested. If the cruise line gives me a hard time about it, I will just change it to "people to people". Why does it really matter what visa type I have? 

 

It doesn't matter some people want to get political about it.maybe they think they are actually helping the people and not enriching the big shots that run Cuba.personally my wife wanted to go .she's one of those do gooders too.

[riffatsea]

Many of the private tours tell you that they are ok for USA citizens under the "support for the Cuban people" guidelines. It is not about "being political" but about doing what we are told is appropriate.

[Roce48]

We were on a NCL Cruise to Cuba last month. The Cruise Director at the Evening Show did not actually come right out and say that you needed to book a tour with them, but he made it sound like it was the best thing to do. After my wife heard him, she was frantic that we would not be allowed off the ship. He even started to cause me to doubt my understanding that we could simply walk off the ship independently.

 

The Cuban Authorities were a heck of a lot friendlier than our own Custom and Immigration Authorities.  

   

We took neither an NCL or Private tour.  We simply produced our Passport (which they stamped), and handed our Visa to the Cuban Authorities as we walked into Havana.

 

The US Affidavit mentioned was filed electronically for us by NCL, and we never heard anything about after that. You fill out the Affidavit on line and sign it electronically online. As a precaution I did bring a copy of our affidavits with us.

 

We simply walked through the Cuban Custom and Immigrations, and then strolled to the nearest square for lunch on a balcony overlooking it.

 

There is a Currency Exchange in the same building as you leave, and a separate one when returning. 

[Luckiestmanonearth]

Just back from Carnival Paradise to Cuba.

 

We pre booked a private tour with FerTours2

 

We took the advice and checked off People to People before the cruise and that was that.  No confrontation about SCP vs P2P.

 

Ultimately my observation is it just doesn’t matter so go with the flow and put P2P.  Once you submit that document and get your visa, the process is done and SCP vs P2P won’t come up again

Edited March 8, 2019 by Luckiestmanonearth

[LadyMac72]

On 3/1/2019 at 1:55 PM, blissfulcashew said:

Hello-

I've read a bit and understand that cruise lines imply that you can't get off the ship in Cuba unless you book a tour through them and I understand that you CAN get off the ship and do a private tour or no tour at all. The cruise line wants you to check "people to people" if you take a tour with them, people who aren't taking a cruise line tour want to check "support for Cuban people" and there are lots of reports of having to fight with the cruise ship about this. Can you not just check "people to people" to appease the cruise line and then just do what you want anyway? Why are people so gungho about checking "support for Cuban people"? Does it really matter? 

We are taking a Blexie tour in Havana. I plan to check off "support for Cuban people" as Blexie suggested. If the cruise line gives me a hard time about it, I will just change it to "people to people". Why does it really matter what visa type I have? 

 

 

I brought affidavits marked "Support for the Cuban People" and when I presented it, the cruise officials didn't even look at it and marked the "People to People" option.  I had not booked a ship's tour and took a private tour.  

[DCPIV]

Check whichever and move on to the next thing.  Keep in mind that all this rigmarole is because of USA policy and restrictions, not Cuban.  Cuba is more than happy for you to get off and wander around however you would like.

[Dboots]

Excellent question!!! Exactly my thoughts, im going with a travel group and i didnt even bring it up because they got scared into booking cruiseline tours! I had to convince my two friends that we could book our own private excursions.

Edited March 20, 2019 by Dboots
Added something

[carolat]

Seabourn is telling us if we don't book their tours we have to get our own visa and prove that tours we take are government approved ???

[Dboots]

That doesnt sound correct....where exactly are u hearing that from?

[rvmike]

Ask Seabourn to put that in writing and watch how the story changes. Check some of the past rolls calls if there are any and see what others have done.

[Luckiestmanonearth]

4 hours ago, carolat said:

Seabourn is telling us if we don't book their tours we have to get our own visa and prove that tours we take are government approved ???

 

Sounds like their version of a scare tactic.  I would call them out on this.  If this is their stance , I would never consider booking a cruise with them

[Cienfuegos]

I mentioned on the other visa thread that this is more of the same nonsense.

 

The US Government requires that US travelers to Cuba travel under an affidavit of purpose.  The purpose has to be cultural, educational, historical, etc for a group visit. The cruise ships get a group approval, showing they have an included / required qualifying purpose.  Individuals participate by signing their affidavit.  The Cubans don't care. 

 

The underlying purpose is the US Government's prohibition on visitors spending money on any activity which benefits the Cuban government, military, named persons under sanctions, etc.  And that the port visit must meet cultural, educational, etc criteria.  It's more than likely that Blexie etc has documentation that would meet the US requirement, but I would ask.

 

My guess is the cruise lines prefer to offer / require at least one tour per port which qualifies under Office of Foreign Asset Control rules.  That gets them off any possible hook with the US later on.  Many people on our cruise blew off the two required and included in the fare bus tours in Cienfuegos and Santiago de Cuba. Attendance was taken indirectly, as the named tickets were collected by the guide. I'm guessing that was to assure they were paid.  Whether the cards ever made it back to Viking is doubtful, in my guess.

 

[carolat]

On 3/27/2019 at 4:14 PM, Dboots said:

That doesnt sound correct....where exactly are u hearing that from?

Seabourn rep from whom we are purchasing the cruise.  Seabourn doesn't

begin cruises to Cuba until Nov. 2019.  Ours is in Dec.

[Dboots]

I think they may make it sound like that but it definitely is not the case...as i understand our royal carribean is issuing the travel visa which u pay for....but if you look at a lot of tours online you will see that they are compliant....ie Strawberry Tours etc look the subject up on this site also...i did a bit of poking around and feel confident to have planned my own tours.

[blissfulcashew]

Thanks everyone! We've decided to take a  cruise-offered tour on our stop in Cienfuegos because we want to get off the ship sooner since it is a tender port. We will be taking a locally sourced tour in Havana. 

[mexico8]

Have any Canadians gone on a cruise to Havana?    We keep reading all about US citizens needing a Visa etc. but I'm not sure if we need to get a visa through  the ship or if we can get it at a Cuban Embassy near where we live in Canada.   It's cheaper for us to get it ourselves but not sure if it will be allowed.   Any info appreciated.

[mac1_131]

On 3/29/2019 at 4:23 PM, mexico8 said:

Have any Canadians gone on a cruise to Havana?    We keep reading all about US citizens needing a Visa etc. but I'm not sure if we need to get a visa through  the ship or if we can get it at a Cuban Embassy near where we live in Canada.   It's cheaper for us to get it ourselves but not sure if it will be allowed.   Any info appreciated.

We just got back and were with some Canadians.  If you embarked from USA they will treat you same as US citizens.  That means $75 red visa and fill out USA OFAC certification form.

 

No big deal just go with the flow and fill out the form, which being Canadian you can trash when you get home.  We have to keep ours 5 years, and of course no one will ever ask to see it.  It is more to protect the cruise line that they are following the rules.

 

No one checks anything and you can do whatever you want when you get there.

 

We had a great time!

[mac1_131]

Officially people-to-people has ended, but they seem to take it anyway on the form.  We used the organized category to be 100% legit (we wanted the cruise line excursions anyway) but once you get there no one checks anything (March 2019) and the reality is you can still do whatever you want.

 

Might be good to have some shore excursion receipts with your OFAC form but the likelihood anyone ever checks is zero.

 

Any almost everywhere took USD so change some money but we used USD a lot too.  A couple places took it at .9 rate because when they change it back to CUC (kook) they are going to get taxed but many took it straight up 1:1 as CUC.

 

So no worries here all good!

[mac1_131]

1 hour ago, mac1_131 said:

Officially people-to-people has ended

Sorry meant to say individual P2P has ended.  Group P2P still available, be it an official shore excursion or an acceptable private activity.