10 Things to Know Before Traveling to Cuba
Cuba is the newest hot travel spot. . . why? Because we haven’t been able to go to or interact with Cuba for decades. Now we as citizens of the United States are allowed to travel to Cuba but boy are the guidelines confusing. So, I will attempt to lower the confusion level and help you understand travel to Cuba.
Honestly, the best way to travel to Cuba is vis cruise. Mainly because the cruise lines have worked hard to eliminate several of the step involved in Cuba travel. In order to travel to Cuba, you must participate in person to person educational experience. There is no way around this rule. Let’s jump into what you need to know to travel to Cuba.
By Kavonda L. Rogers
What Are the Legal Requirements?
You must have a passport to travel to Cuba; even if you are cruising to Cuba you must have a passport. This is also where the person to person educational contact comes into play. All of the cruise ships have these activities setup through their shore excursions.
You also need to complete a travel affidavit before you travel, and you will need to keep a copy for yourself and return a copy to your travel professional or the cruise line.
You also have to pay for a Tourist Visa. The Visa costs $75 a person and is included with your cruise fare. The cruise line will then handle the details with the Cuban government.
Which Cruises Line Travel to Cuba?
Currently, three cruise lines travel to Cuba. Those three cruise lines are Carnival, Royal Caribbean and Norwegian. There is only one cruise terminal in Cuba currently and it is small. SO, you can expect the ships that travel to Cuba to be smaller.
Royal Caribbean and Norwegian have ships that leave from Miami, Florida. Carnival has 2 ships that leave from Miami and Tampa, Florida.
What are the Itineraries?
The port is in Havana, Cuba and you will have at least one other stop in your itinerary. Your stop in Cuba will be either 7-8 hours long or even possibly overnight. If you can choose an overnight itinerary since there is so much to see in Havana.
Basic Information
Money
Cash is King in Cuba. The exchange rate for the dollar is 10% and 3% for the Euro. You may consider purchasing Euros to stretch your dollar. Very few places in Cuba accept ATM or credit cards so do not plan to use them.
Exchange your money while at the cruise terminal and exchange it back before leaving Cuba. Do not forget.
Documents
Do not leave the ship without your travel documents. Your travel documents include your passport, key card for the ship, government issued identification, and your travel visa. You can be asked for any of these documents when you pass through customs and security each time you leave or come back to the ship.
Wi-fi
There is very little Wifi in Cuba. There are also few cell phone towers that connect to US phones. So, save your social media posts etc. for when you return to the ship.
Transportation
You can explore the four squares of Havana on foot if you chose. If not, there are horse drawn carriages, taxis and pedicabs.
Gifts and Souvenirs
You can bring back items from Cuba with no penalties. We all remember when everything Cuban was banned from the United States and its citizens. Now you can purchase Cuban cigars and Cuban rum. Whatever you chose to buy counts toward your $800 duty free allowance. Also, do not miss a chance to have an authentic Mojito which were created in Cuba.
Are you ready for a trip to Cuba? Then definitely stay connected because I am planning a Cuba Cruise 2.0. My Cuba Cruise for 2019 sold out in 3 days so be prepared. If you are interested in Cuba Cruise 2.0 then feel free to send me an email at honeymoons@weddingsbyvonda.com so I can keep you updated.
I’m Kavonda L. Rogers and I’m a Certified Travel Agent who specializes in assisting first time travelers navigate the often confusing world of travel and I assist veteran travelers on how to take their travel experiences to the next level.