Administration Has Stopped All Recreational and People to People Travel To Cuba

If you already have an approval AND paid for travel you can complete the trip, but no more approvals. I would suspect that if you have an approval and were going in your own boat, that would mean you have not paid for anything yet so will not be able to go.

https://home.treasury.gov/news/pres...kiU5HvD6Dx-VDnz0ehH_5VIkUQdu9wWir8BTMjYxgmfvg

What if you leave from Canada or the islands in the St. Lawrence that belong to France? I know the distance is bizarre from these locations, I'm just making a point over how dumb the policy is.

In Cuba if you go to their airport and look at the International Flights board, you will Toronto, Montreal, Toronto, Toronto, Toronto, Toronto, etc. For many decades Americans have been flying out of Canada to get to Cuba.

Greetings,
Mr. 48. Just a guess here but if a US boater goes to Cuba any way other than leaving from a US port I think they're OK. Just don't get your passport stamped. I know of a few people who have flown to Canada and then to Cuba for vacations. Back the same way via Canada. MIGHT be a case of: Don't ask, don't tell.

Just not worth the risk of losing your boat IMHO.

rsn48 said:

What if you leave from Canada or the islands in the St. Lawrence that belong to France? I know the distance is bizarre from these locations, I'm just making a point over how dumb the policy is.

In Cuba if you go to their airport and look at the International Flights board, you will Toronto, Montreal, Toronto, Toronto, Toronto, Toronto, etc. For many decades Americans have been flying out of Canada to get to Cuba.

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Or the Bahamas... Go to GBI and hang a right to get to Cuba. They don't stamp passports so US State Dept won't have a record but if you get caught...

For decades the American government has put pressure on Canada to stop flights to Cuba, which we never did. For decades the American government put pressure on Canada to stop trade with Russia, we never did; and we could never figure out why it was such a big deal when Nixon open trade after our decades of trade. And the American government put pressure on Canada to stop trade with China which we never did.

Eventually America will get over this whole Cuban thing, after all Russia is one of your best friends now.... lol. And in my books they are far worse than Cuba. And I was living in Madison Wisconsin with my father working at the Air Force base there which was the 45th Division of NORAD back in the day, when the Cuban missile crises blew up and I had to reconcile myself to the fact I might have to kiss my butt goodbye.

Doesn’t bother me a bit. I’ve seen the rafts. I figure if the people living there are that desperate to leave, I have no interest in going there. The Cuban government uses the money they receive from tourists to support a brutal dictator in Venezuela. Don’t think I want to help them do that either.

HopCar, well said.

I know several people who have traveled to Cuba recently. It sounds interesting for sure, but both that went really treated it as some sort of “status” trip rather than an actual enjoyable vacation. They bragged about no access to credit and having to “rough it” and bring lots of cash along. They bragged about having to pay scary people off to stay safe and not be harassed. They bragged about the lack of infrastructure and basic services like it was some privilege to not have modern things.

My view? It’s where you go so you are able to brag in your circle of friends how much of a progressive traveler you are. Not trying to use the word “progressive” in a political sense to offend, I value all sorts of thinking from all sides.

But this Cuba thing? Really has me scratching my head and laughing a bit. Didn’t sound great at all.

Until all this unfolds, I'd be very reluctant to go to Cuba even under the methods and paths long used. When leaders are trying to prove points, getting caught in the crossfire is a potential risk.

As soon as we can go in an unlimited way, we will go.

Before Americans totally ruin it as they have parts of the Bahamas.

I would like to cruise one side on the way to the T&Cs and the other side back. Taking a good few months to do it.

My take. Like the Eastern European bloc, the sooner you open it up to "westerners" and to unlimited information, the sooner you break down the political impasse.

The fact that we can cruise our boats to China, and they support North Korea, really brings it home to me that we are more supportive of a country half way across the world than one right on our door step.

This is a great cruising destination and I want to cruise it - eff the politics.

menzies said:

As soon as we can go in an unlimited way, we will go.

Before Americans totally ruin it as they have parts of the Bahamas.

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Do tell how us Americans have ruined the Bahamas! This ought to be great!

I’m always looking to be educated, especially when facts are presented starting with a statement such as “Americans totally ruin it”.

I’m ready to be wowed!

Lets start with Boo Boo Hill.

Move on to Georgetown generally, 400 boats dumping their sewage into the water, from November to April.

Manjack Art Trail? Sand Dollar Art Trail? Thankfully they cleaned up Camp Driftwood.

Why do we feel we have to leave our crap behind?

What about "Leave only footprints, take only memories."

Cruise ships buying up Cays, let me know what it looks like after they leave - I have some photos for you.

I have plenty of other examples - since I have been going there since 2002.

If you need some more to "WOW" you, let me know, I have plenty.

However, also interested in your take and experience in the Bahamas. What are you seeing to the contrary?

Jeez I must warn all my Canadian fellows who are going there every year that they need a body guard and to pay big bucks to be safe, after reading all this I am thinking this is a really dangerous place for our winter vacations.

L

Lou_tribal said:

Jeez I must warn all my Canadian fellows who are going there every year that they need a body guard and to pay big bucks to be safe, after reading all this I am thinking this is a really dangerous place for our winter vacations.

L

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Menzies trying to dissuade you all so he'll have more space to himself.

We love the Bahamas. Yes, there are changes, there and everywhere else. Some are negative, some are positive. Still plenty of unoccupied islands to enjoy.

Land of the not so free to travel where you want?

Seems a solution to no obvious problem.

Greetings,
Mr. BB. I think Mr. L_t was referring to his friends going to Cuba every year not the Bahamas. Among a plethora of other reasons the Cuban embargo is a left over from the era where "Commies" were the flavor of the day as far as necessary enemies of the US goes.

RT Firefly said:

Greetings,
Mr. BB. I think Mr. L_t was referring to his friends going to Cuba every year not the Bahamas. Among a plethora of other reasons the Cuban embargo is a left over from the era where "Commies" were the flavor of the day as far as necessary enemies of the US goes.

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Indeed I was referring to Cuba

L

menzies said:

However, also interested in your take and experience in the Bahamas. What are you seeing to the contrary?

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Not a lot of experience. My take is it can’t possibly totally be our fault.

The one and only cruise ship I’ve ever been on was Royal Caribbean, and it was filled with nearly 50% non-Americans by my estimation. This was just this last February.

I was also a little surprised that RCI (Royal Caribbean) may be based in Miami, but is incorporated in Liberia. Founded in Norway. And a mess of acquisitions since, many not based in the US.

Should we be blaming the Norwegians and Liberians for all this, and also half the ship of not Americans? Yes, I know that’s ridiculous.

I don’t doubt your experience and things you view as negative. I tend to agree with your sentiments, even if I haven’t experienced them directly. Just not the “Totally ruined it” being an American only activity.

The cruise in February was my first ever, part of a 16 person family trip celebrating my in-laws 50th. Would not have been my choice, but was a neat experience. I’d much rather have a small boat and go myself, and I love the idea of leaving only footprints. I can surely see impacts of 5000 people on a ship on a small island.

It’s just not any one nation’s fault.

I guess the bigger question I have is what realistic things can be done?

For example, being only a Great Lakes and river boater my entire life until now, the idea of pumping anything but water overboard is appalling to me. But I’ve also learned a lot (here) that tells me in some cruising cases, this is the best option sometimes.

Is it realistic to have pump out facilities more accessible to all?

" Among a plethora of other reasons the Cuban embargo is a left over from the era where "Commies" were the flavor of the day as far as necessary enemies of the US goes."

The "commies" socialists and "progressives" seem to be the enemy of the citizens trapped in their systems.

Why visit Cuba when Venz, is a better example of "progressive " government?

Bring your own TP! You can meet plenty of Cubans with guns there.

Greetings,
Mr. FF. "...seem to be the enemy..." Really difficult to comment on that statement given second hand or anecdotal information from "tourists" who may have bad experiences anywhere outside of "Hometown USA" or from media reports given the current state of the media. By the same token, I know several people who have had marvelous vacations in Cuba. So what didn't THEY see? A lot of things are not what they seem.


I had the opportunity to visit China on two occasions. Yup. Commies! Hahaha. I've NEVER seen a country that was so capitalistic. Clean, organized and polite. Again, don't take MY word for it. China most definitely, like any nation, has a dark side.

mncruiser said:

Do tell how us Americans have ruined the Bahamas! This ought to be great!

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Have you suffered going to the Atlantis resort? Ugh, it's as bad as a cruise ship.

RT Firefly said:

Really difficult to comment on that statement given second hand or anecdotal information from "tourists" who may have bad experiences anywhere outside of "Hometown USA"

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Twain had many great observations. This one on travel is a favorite:

“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime.”

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As in, get the eff out of Podunk and see the world, it's an amazing place.

My Canadian extended family loves Cuba and are realists about the government. Yes, they spend money there—some of which doubtless supports the regime—but they believe exposing the population to the real world also subtly subverts it. They also take loads of gifts for the many friends they’ve made there, who are eternally grateful for anything modern. Decades of isolation did little to change things in Cuba. The current policy reversal, IMHO, is a political stunt that has little to do with anything that will ultimately liberate the Cuban people.

A unconfirmed accounting of a visit to Cuba.
Fly to Mexico, flight to Cuba, $20 inside the pages of a US Passport, no Cuba entry stamp.
One guy forgot to put the $20 in the US Passport as he was leaving Cuba. He got a Cuba exit stamp in his passport. He had to do some serious tap dancing when the US custom's authority looked at his passport upon reentry to the US. LOL
I never did learn or have forgotten the final outcome.

I was in Havana as part of a cruise in mid April. Guess we just made it under the wire so to speak.
While it was interesting, I would never want to or need to go back.

It us not just ruining it from a "trashing" it standpoint, but also from a cultural standpoint. I want to get there as soon as I can freely cruise it. I suspect after a decade or so it will end up a big tourist destination with "attractions" tailored to tourists.

Things like all the pig beaches springing up in the Bahamas, Little America in Georgetown with water aerobics, bridge, poker, volleyball tournaments, etc. etc.

Plus the government gradually taking advantage by hiking entrance fees for boaters.

Yes B&B is correct, hopefully we will always be able to find quiet anchorages but...

Also in my mind's eye are all of those old American autos from the 50s and 60s. Once they can be exported back to the States, look out.

stubones99 said:

Or the Bahamas... Go to GBI and hang a right to get to Cuba. They don't stamp passports so US State Dept won't have a record but if you get caught...

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It isn't a passport stamp that will get you; it is the air surveillance cameras, whether satellite or plane that will tattle your presence. Don't for a second think the U.S. government doesn't have a record of the name & home port of each & every small yacht in Cuban waters. This I know. The photo(s) of your boat will be tacked on a wall someplace. Before you set your anchor, they'll also have the skinny on you & any crew. Our gov't might do stupid things, but our intelligence agencies are are not only smart but vigilant, & they have electronic equipment most of us can't even imagine.

Imp said:

It isn't a passport stamp that will get you; it is the air surveillance cameras, whether satellite or plane that will tattle your presence. Don't for a second think the U.S. government doesn't have a record of the name & home port of each & every small yacht in Cuban waters. This I know. The photo(s) of your boat will be tacked on a wall someplace. Before you set your anchor, they'll also have the skinny on you & any crew. Our gov't might do stupid things, but our intelligence agencies are are not only smart but vigilant, & they have electronic equipment most of us can't even imagine.

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With all the restrictions of Cuban visits, I guess that shot hell out my "earn extra income", by my planned importation of beautiful Cuban ladies into FL.