Cuba cruises may be on the horizon.

[BlerkOne]

https://www.travelweekly.com/Cruise-Travel/Insights/Biden-as-president-Cuba-cruises?utm_source=eNewsletter&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=eltrcruise&ct=cruise&oly_enc_id=3025F6616490F9H

 

[pe4all]

We were on one of the last CCL cruises to Cuba.  We enjoyed Havana - it was really eye-opening to see how people lived, as we did one of the "people to people" tours specified by the government.  I would not mind re-visiting Cuba - however, as the end of the article stated - Cuba might not want the U.S. back yet due to covid.

[ZoeyVictoria]

My Cuba cruise on the Sunrise (June 2019) was canceled and the money was transferred to the Magic, then to the Breeze, then the Sunrise again (twice).  That money is now in a FCC because I am just tired of selecting and then losing specific cruises.  Maybe the sixth time will be the charm! 

[beerman2]

It qualifies as a " foreign" port, so shorter cruises would have a place to stop.

[cruisingguy007]

I would say it's a near certainty with the incoming administration. I'm part of a large cigar group and they are also very excited about normalizing relations and lifting travel and embargo restrictions. At this point it makes no sense, we trade with other communist/dictator countries, many who have done some pretty atrocious things, yet are treated differently. It would be nice to see some consistency. I'd book a cruise to Cuba without hesitation.  

[LadyMac72]

I would go back to Havana again in a heartbeat!!

[EatonDoolittle]

Fabulous news, thanks for posting

[Elvis1001]

I was lucky enough to visit Havana in April 2019 just before Trump ended cruises to Cuba.  I think/hope Biden will return to the Obama policies regarding Cuba. Havana is the ideal replacement for Key West since they just voted to ban cruise ships. Of course none of this is possible until COVID is way behind us.

[NW Native1]

I really hope the ban is reversed. I was lucky enough to visit 3 ports in Cuba in September of 2018. I look forward to being able to visit Cuba again.

[tip]

I look forward to visiting Cuba for the first time once Covid is under control.  There is so much history and culture to see.  I am confident that the new administration and its policies will get us back into the 21st century.

[Cienfuegos]

The Associated Press put out an article a few days before the US election, in which they posited a President Biden would likely want to engage Cuba, but would not want to seem weak as he changed various restrictions. Humanitarian, medical, limited remittances, etc might be first to change.

 

But, not cruises. Unless the Cuban government is willing to make serious changes in free expression and human rights, no major changes in US cruise  policies should be expected.

 

Opening even limited US visiting would support a major Cuban government objective of expanded small business, room rentals, etc. So, there is a factor which might address the short term interests of both parties.

[Peace2U]

On 11/15/2020 at 9:46 AM, Elvis1001 said:

I was lucky enough to visit Havana in April 2019 just before Trump ended cruises to Cuba.  I think/hope Biden will return to the Obama policies regarding Cuba. Havana is the ideal replacement for Key West since they just voted to ban cruise ships. Of course none of this is possible until COVID is way behind us.

 

I had no idea Key West banned cruise ships. What's the reason?

[EatonDoolittle]

Lots of discussion about it on the Key West board

[RJB]

We loved Cuba.  Would love to go back.  

[Gregoryfo]

Ok so now that midterms are over I wonder if we will get some movement towards reopening Cuba cruises?  I felt like Biden did not want to piss off the Florida Cuban-Americans, but based on how Florida went I am not sure he has anything to lose political capital wise with restarting the cruises.  I guess we might have to wait for the lawsuits from the old dock owners to get thrown out first.    

[MizMoon]

Inquiring minds.....  our group of 20 had a Tampa cruise with overnight in Havana canceled just a few months before departure a few years back - Dang!  Had 5 Classic Convertibles booked for the day and some were going to the Tropicana show, etc.  What are the thoughts, now, on future stops in Cuba?  

[peder]

In addition to the "Western Caribbean" / "Eastern Caribbean" itineraries that so many cruise lines do, I think a "Cuba Intensive" itinerary could become part of the regular rotation. There are so many islands in Cuba that could become private islands like each line has done in the Bahamas, there are 8 national parks, and there's an abundance of historical towns and interesting architecture... Cuba's the size of Virginia or Tennessee, so there's no shortage of places that ships could stop if they had some investment.

 

This would probably be most beneficial for the Galveston cruise industry, because I think that cruise market will quickly become saturated with the same Cozumel/Costa Maya/Roatan itineraries, and at some point Cuba becomes the only obvious, close destination to offer variety.