The Scoop on Travel to Cuba
It’s Not As Easy As It Seems
By Kevin Streufert
Since President Obama reestablished diplomatic relations with Cuba and travel restrictions for US citizens have been loosened, the excitement over visiting our island neighbor has heightened dramatically. I’ve lost count of how many clients, friends, and family members have asked me about booking a vacation there. But, it’s not as easy as it may seem.
First and foremost, general tourist travel to Cuba is still illegal for US citizens. Our governments are working together to change that, but until then we’re subject to restrictions. How long it will take is anyone’s guess. Some experts say months; others say it will be years.
Yes, commercial aviation between our two countries is now approved to recommence, ultimately with as many as 110 daily flights on US airlines. But we can’t just book a flight and a hotel, then spend our time touring the sights and relaxing on the beach. Not just yet.
A dozen ways to go
The only way a US citizen can legally travel to Cuba is to do so under the pretext of activities that have been granted pre-approved status by our government. That’s why we say the restrictions have been “loosened,” not “lifted.” Prior to December 2014, Americans traveling to Cuba for any reason had to go through a lengthy application process to obtain a travel license. But now we can go as long as our trip is structured around one of the following 12 travel activity categories:
1. Visiting family
2. Humanitarian projects
3. Official government business
4. Journalistic activities
5. Professional research
6. Educational activities by academic professionals
7. People-to-people travel
8. Religious activities
9. Clinics, workshops and athletic or other competitions
10. Providing travel, carrier or remittance forwarding services
11. Activities by private foundations and educational institutions
12. Exportation of select Internet-based services
Without question, the most enriching of these categories is people-to-people travel. This means engaging in a program of cultural exchange with the local population that allows us to learn about each other’s cultures, develop positive international relations, and in some cases assist with community projects.
The easiest way to manage a people-to-people visit is to let a tour operator like Tauck, Abercrombie & Kent or Globus handle all the details. These companies, among others, have already organized cultural exchange and community projects in Cuba and built them into structured travel itineraries. In many cases, each new set of American tourists picks up where the previous group left off.
But if you don’t want to travel with a group, you’re in luck. As of March 15, it is no longer necessary to be escorted by a licensed tour company, meaning that you can arrange your own trip just as long as it includes a full-time itinerary in compliance with one of the approved categories. But U.S. law requires you to keep records throughout your trip to corroborate your activities, and you are required to hold on to them for a minimum of five years.
That said, word on the street is, no one checks.
If you like the cultural exchange idea, but want some relaxing vacation time as well, consider taking a seven-day Cuba cruise on Fathom, Carnival Cruise Line’s impact travel subsidiary. You’ll unpack just once, spend each night on the ship in your comfortable stateroom, eat gourmet food in the restaurants, and relax by the pool with a cool drink on sea days. While in port at the ship’s three destinations – Havana, Cienfuegos and Santiago de Cuba – you’ll participate in cultural exchange programs, get to know the local people, and explore different regions of the island.
Going before it gets ‘ruined’
But before you leave on your trip, be sure to bring plenty of cash, as American credit and debit cards do not currently work in Cuba, though this is expected to change very soon. U.S. Dollars can be exchanged for Cuban Convertible Pesos at airports, hotels or exchange houses, subject to a 10 percent government-imposed fee on top of the exchange rate, which is roughly a 1:1 ratio at this time. Insider tip: exchange your currency for Canadian Dollars, Euros or British Pounds before you leave the States, and you’ll avoid that extra 10 percent penalty.
With respect to cell phone service, only Sprint and Verizon offer roaming services in Cuba, but more will follow in time. Google plans to equip the country with high-speed Internet, but service will continue to be limited or non-existent until those plans are implemented. In other words, American travelers should prepare accordingly for these communication shortfalls in the near term.
Finally, keep in mind that our two governments are still working things out, including those pesky trade embargoes, but that doesn’t mean you can’t bring back a handful of Cuban cigars and a bottle of Santiago de Cuba Rum. At this time, Americans are allowed to bring $100 worth of these treasures back to the States.
So, with all these travel challenges, why are people so hot about traveling to Cuba right now? Why not wait a year or two until it gets easier? Because they want to see the country before it gets “ruined.”
Once free trade between our nations opens up, Cuba is expected to go the way of other Caribbean islands, with seas of tourist shops and American-branded restaurants like McDonalds, Subway and Starbucks. Europeans and Canadians, who have enjoyed unrestricted travel to Cuba for decades, shudder at the thought of golden arches tainting the charming, unspoiled character of Old Havana.
Kevin Streufert is a Park Hill-based travel advisor and an Amazon #1 bestselling novelist. He has traveled the world since age 3, with a particular focus on Europe. He can be reached at kevin.streufert@cruiseplanners.com.