
On Tuesday the Trump Administration announced that it was amending the regulations regarding travel to Cuba, most notably ending the “people-to-people” category of educational travel to the country under which many cruise lines and tour companies had operated. A grandfather clause continues to allow certain group people-to-people travel for which at least one travel-related transaction had already been made.
Tuesday's changes to regulations to travel to Cuba prohibit previously approved cruise travel to the country from the United States and, while some lines have confirmed their changes to itineraries that had previously called on Cuban ports, others are still working through the implications of the decision.
"Without warning, CLIA Cruise Line Members are forced to eliminate all Cuba destinations from itineraries effective immediately," Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) said in a statement released this morning. "This affects nearly 800,000 passenger bookings that are currently scheduled or already underway."
CLIA noted that, previously, cruise bookings had been made under a general license from the U.S. government authorizing "people to people" travel to Cuba. Yesterday's decision to eliminate the "people to people" travel category make it effectively illegal to cruise to Cuba from the United States, the organization said.
All cruise lines are making a different stop than Havana. For example, MSC Cruises said that it will replace Havana with either Key West, Florida; Costa Maya, Mexico; George Town, Cayman Islands; or Cozumel, Mexico, on the MSC Armonia's seven-night Caribbean itineraries. The remainder of the schedule will continue as originally planned.
Most cruise lines offer a 50% discount on the original cruise or a full refund. It is best to check with your cruise line for details.
It doesn't matter if it is a cruise or a land tour. The people to people category is gone.
Travel Agent Central June 5, 2019 Adam Leposa
Tuesday's changes to regulations to travel to Cuba prohibit previously approved cruise travel to the country from the United States and, while some lines have confirmed their changes to itineraries that had previously called on Cuban ports, others are still working through the implications of the decision.
"Without warning, CLIA Cruise Line Members are forced to eliminate all Cuba destinations from itineraries effective immediately," Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) said in a statement released this morning. "This affects nearly 800,000 passenger bookings that are currently scheduled or already underway."
CLIA noted that, previously, cruise bookings had been made under a general license from the U.S. government authorizing "people to people" travel to Cuba. Yesterday's decision to eliminate the "people to people" travel category make it effectively illegal to cruise to Cuba from the United States, the organization said.
All cruise lines are making a different stop than Havana. For example, MSC Cruises said that it will replace Havana with either Key West, Florida; Costa Maya, Mexico; George Town, Cayman Islands; or Cozumel, Mexico, on the MSC Armonia's seven-night Caribbean itineraries. The remainder of the schedule will continue as originally planned.
Most cruise lines offer a 50% discount on the original cruise or a full refund. It is best to check with your cruise line for details.
It doesn't matter if it is a cruise or a land tour. The people to people category is gone.
Travel Agent Central June 5, 2019 Adam Leposa