Visiting Cuba

We have had quite a few questions and requests to visit Cuba last year and this year, and even though during the latter part of President Obama's administration, he made it a whole lot easier, there have been a good bit of questions still to be answered, especially since President Trump arrived on the scene.

Several airlines had committed several direct departures from cities in the U. S. back in the fall, but reduced those numbers in Feb. and March. A lot of folks who wanted to go found out after a bit of investigation that the Cuban tourist infrastructure was just not ready for an influx of visitors, so even though the interest was high, the concern over conditions reduced that interest. You've got to remember their heavily-controlled economy has done nothing concerning the infrastructure for visitors like hotels, taxis, tours, etc. for over 50 years. Especially concerning the expectations that a visitor might have comparing U. S. tourist facilities.

It has been a cruise vacation boom though. Most of the major cruise lines have short stops at that port, but it still is not a good idea to have two or three large cruise ships in that port at this time because they can't handle the influx required. The positive is that good lodging and consistently good food can be had back on the ship. We have several couples booked on the Norwegian Cruise Line's Norwegian Sky. They carry around 2000 passengers, so we are glad to know that Trump's “new travel ban” is not expected to effect the cruise lines.

President's Trump's ban is primarily to put an end to business transactions that financially benefit the Castro regime while the Cuban people get little in return. So under this ban, an American probably can't even stay in an Old Havana hotel or use a tour service because they are run by the business arm of the Cuban military that controls a vast amount of the country's economy, even including most of Cuba's foreign-run hotels.

The people-to-people visits previously used required considerable permits and documents by the individual tour companies that had been approved by both the U. S. and Cuban governments will still be allowed. For example, travelers to Cuba under the ban will have to keep detailed records of all their financial transactions in the country for five years to make available to the Treasury Department if requested.

How do the travel agents feel about this? The majority are pushing to keep Cuba open for tourism. Here's why. In a poll taken late last year, 84 percent of agents reported an increase in Cuba interest in 2016 and 78% were predicting even more interest in that destination this year. Our recommendation to friends going there is to go...but go with a certified travel company or cruise line.

None of the experienced travel counselors at The Travel Factory have ever been to Cuba, but we certainly have some recent experience in helping clients go by cruise ships. If that's a place our guests want to go, we want to get them there and will be of service to them all the way there and back. But that is the kind of service we offer to all our wonderful friends when they allow us the pleasure of helping with their vacation plans, whatever they may be. So....give us a call at 698-1421, or toll-free 800-760-4040, or come by for a friendly visit at 4150 Southwest Drive, Suite 120 at the Plaza at Park Central between Rosa's and Chick-Fil-A. We'd love to help you manufacture the vacation of your dreams....or even a trip to Grandmas and Grandpas.