For years, the island nation of Cuba has been a popular vacation spot for Europeans and others. In fact, Cuba is the fifth most popular tourist destination for Canadians! Recently the United States loosened restrictions on travel to the country and American citizens are now able to visit by plane or even cruise ship. There are some rules, and heading to Cuba has some considerations that are very different from other Caribbean cruise destinations, so our "Cruising Cuba" series aims to clear up some of the confusion and prepare you for an enjoyable visit to this unique country.
Take a look at the articles below, and visit our live blog from Empress of the Seas when we sailed to Cuba!
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On June 4 2019, the US released details of changes to various regulations that look to impact cruises to Cuba from the United States, and how US citizens can travel to the island nation in general. While we prefer to wait to share information until things are more clear, we've received many questions about this and will share what we know, when we know it... read more
Update: Additional details have been released and you can read about them here.
Recently the US restored many relations with Cuba, allowing, among many other things, American cruise lines to sail to the island nation with American passengers. Rumors have swirled recently however about possible changes to United States' Cuba policies with regard to travel, remittances, imports, and more. While no official policy changes have been made, some information about the intended changes has come to light... read more
Day 3 of our Empress of the Seas cruise took us to Havana Cuba, the highlight of the cruise for most guests, I’m sure. I’ve lived in South Florida my entire life, been lucky enough to travel much of the world, some of my closest friends were born in Cuba, and yet I was hopeful but never sure that I’d get to visit the island nation just a short distance away from my home. Summing up this trip and walking away would sell it short... read more
We've answered some of your questions about cruise documentation in the past when covering passport requirements but you've probably heard confusing and conflicting information on cruising to Cuba as a US citizen. Let's clarify passport and visa requirements, as well as how the United States' travel restrictions to Cuba affect cruising to this tropical island. read more
One benefit of cruising is getting away from it all and disconnecting, but more and more we have internet connections on board, WiFi in port, and often mobile phone service wherever we travel. While you might have mixed feelings about staying tethered it's also important to know that staying in touch while visiting Cuba will likely be quite a bit different than you're used to. Let's look at where you'll be able to get online and how useful your smartphone will be on your visit to the island nation... read more
When visiting Cuba the amazing architecture, friendly people, pristine coast, and vintage car watching are all included in the price of your cruise. Food, souvenirs, and tours however, are not. While many Caribbean destinations readily accept US dollars and credit cards, but that's not the case in Cuba, so you'll need to know how to pay for things in this unique island nation with a two-currency system... read more