Yank traveling to Cuba

[motion]

Am I allowed to ask this publicly? I know its not allowed for most tourists, but what's the deal, really? Travel agent-booked only, or can I do it on my own? Any for reals experience?

[bell]

Well to do it you'll need to either fly in from Mexico or Toronto......or get a boat lol

[slodave]

My dad is heading over in February for a photography tour. I have heard stories that if you go with a sponsored group, on occasion some of the tourists have been able to wander freely around some of the towns and not follow the itinerary set by the group.

I wish I were going, but it seems I wasn't invited.

[TimT]

My 77 y/o mother winters in Merida, Mexico. Last year she decided she wanted to visit Cuba.

She bought a round trip ticket to Havana while in Mexico, She said her visit to Cuba was like traveling back in time....

She had no problems returning to the states with a Cuban endorsement in her passport..

Go for it....

[GWN7]

I believe there are about 8 flights a day from Miami. You do need permission from your state dept to go (and a valid reason) or fly from Canada or Mexico.

I have friends that spend part of the winter in Varadero. Very nice place.

[GWN7]

Americans traveling to Cuba in record numbers | Reuters

[MRM]

This topic has been covered in either PPOT or PARF before. It is not illegal for Americans to travel to Cuba. It has been illegal for Americans to spend US dollars in Cuba, and it has been illegal to fly directly to Cuba, but both restrictions are largely in the past.

Yes, Americans can travel legally and officially to Cuba now. You can do it through cultural, legal or religious organizations sponsoring a tour, or you can sign up with a travel agency out of Canada or Mexico. I know several people who have gone, some who have gone through Mexico. A friend of mine was born in Cuba and went back on a perfectly legal and officially sanctioned trip to see relatives who were left behind.

The drawback is that Cuba is the same repressive regime it was before the wall fell and they almost imploded under the government's weight. Tourist hard currency is what keeps Castro afloat now. But he'll get it from the Europeans if he doesn't get it from you, so I make no moral judgments about travel to Cuba.

[motion]

I have some concerns...

I don't want to lose my Global Entry card

If you stay over 24 hours, you cannot prove that you didn't spend money there

I don't want a stamp = don't need the hassle down the road

I don't want to lie on any customs form when returning to the US

There might be a loophole involving what type of travel is legal for US residents:

The full list of possibilities and US - Cuba related travel issues include:

Guidelines by Category of Travel Activity
1. Family Visits
2. Official Government Travel
3. Journalistic Activities
4. Professional Research and Professional Meetings
5. Educational Activities
6. Religious Activities
7. Public Performances, Clinics, Workshops, Athletic and Other Competitions, and Exhibitions
8. Support for the Cuban People
9. Humanitarian Projects
10. Activities of Private Foundations or Research or Educational Institutes
11. Exportation, Importation, or Transmission of Information or Informational Materials
12. Licensed Exportations
Traveling to Cuba as a licensee does not mean you are traveling as a tourist (you are a leisure traveler, however, not business) and requires you keep all records regarding your travel in Cuba for a period of five years (see quote above).

I could be traveling as a software developer developing a program that teaches Cuban culture, for example. Thoughts?

[TimT]

If you cant fit the reason your for visit into one of the twelve you listed....

Skip Cuba....

I know you are a well seasoned traveler,

3. Journalistic Activities
5. Educational Activities
7. Public Performances, Clinics, Workshops, Athletic and Other Competitions, and Exhibitions
9. Humanitarian Projects

If you get grilled returning to the states. they have already given you 12 outs... some are easy

My mom visited Cuba with her sister and a friend.... no tour group... booked everything online from Merida...

None of the three had a problem getting back to the States

[Nostril Cheese]

I have a friend that just went to Havana for vacation.

He did it through some travel agency. Apparently they have some sort of all-inclusive package so that you "technically" don't spend any money there. He works for LAPD, so I'm sure it was legit.

I can put you in touch with him if you like.

[HardDrive]

I've been a couple times, I have a friend that goes almost every year. We booked it through a travel agency in Toronto. When it comes to customs, smile politely, and ask them if it would be possible to not stamp your passport. They won't.

As far as the US knows, you went to Canada. Yes, lie to them. (Actually, I suspect the US knows exactly where you went. They really don't seem to give a hoot anymore.)

Your killing me man....the night life in Havana.......simply amazing.

Stay at the Meliá Cohiba. Excellent in every regard.

[MRM]

Cuban immigration and customs does not stamp US passports. Also, you can by all inclusive trips through agents in Canada and Mexico. Since everything is covered in the tour price, you haven't spend any money in Cuba. You can legally spend something like $250 anyway.

If you really want to go to Cuba there are a million legal ways to go there legally and ten million ways to go there less than legally but not have any problems.

[livi]

Interesting and somewhat strange.

[Jim Bremner]

Their ATM's don't work for American banks.

[imcarthur]

Originally Posted by Jim Bremner

Their ATM's don't work for American banks.

I don't remember even seeing an ATM. You get Tourist Pesos (CUC) from kiosks at airports or from banks in towns. US cash is not accepted nor are any US credit cards. We have been twice - both times to the east part of the island. Once to an all-inclusive & once independently & I highly recommend the independent route. We rented a car & hotels through a travel agent in Habana but all transactions were done through intermediaries in Europe.

See Cuba for my 2006 trip report.

See Cuba Boards for information or Trip Advisor (TA only started a Cuba forum a few years back).

Ian

[billybek]

It has been quite a few years since I had visited Cuba but I enjoyed pretty much everything but the food. I was amazed that the resort had mountain bikes for the guests to use. I set one up for myself and would grab some food and water and ride for the morning. People were amazingly friendly and surprised to see a tourist so far away from the resort. They work hard and at that time their lives were not easy but they were eager to share what they had.
I was staying in Gaurdalavaca and never made it into Havana.
Take some hot sauce or something to give food some flavor. YMMV.

[ZOO]

I love Cuba. Every one it met seems pretty optimistic about their futures. People seemed to have most if not all of their needs met, unlike many Caribbean countries, but not much in the way of wants being met. Their is a strong entrepreneurial spirit in Cuba that is encouraging.

I never felt unsafe. Tourism is the gravy train, and no one wants to mess that up. The food is a bit disappointing, but there was plenty of it. Havana is a must. Take a private cab tour. We stayed in Varadaro and went on a day trip. The cab driver was out tour guide, and it was well worth the cost.

[rrental]

Land of the Free, but your government dictates where to travel....Weird...

[johnsjmc]

You can fly all inclusive with taxes for 7 days (last minute) in Veradero from Toronto for less than $500. We are going in Dec for $765

[mikesride]

I will go sometime after they hold their first set of truly free elections.....not before. Friends went without me a few years back....they all said the same thing, never again. I will spend my warm winter get a way money somewhere they appreciate how hard I worked for it.