Travel to Cuba via Cruise Ship
My mother, my fiance and I just got back from a cruise to Cuba. We cruise very often but there are some things that you need to know before your travel to Cuba.
If you don’t have all of your documents in order then you might not be allowed to leave the ship.
Passport
You will need a passport. Furthermore, you will need to make sure your passport is not set to expire within six months of your trip. Mine was going to expire in September, so I sent off for a renewal and got it back within four weeks.
You will Need a VISA to Travel to Cuba
We got our Visa’s at the cruise terminal and they are $75 each. The Visa’s are easy to fill out. We were told that we would get to keep one half of the Visa document, but at customs they kept them. I did not have any issues and they allowed us to board the ship and return to Cuba multiple times with no issues.
If you were born in Cuba you will need additional documentation. Our trip was almost ruined because we did not know this. My mother was not allowed to enter at first and it just about forced her to stay on the ship. The Cuban customs and immigration staff DID eventually get her the documents required and approval. The process took a couple of hours, so that was time lost. However, we still got to bring her along!
Cuban-born citizens who came to the U.S. on or after January 1, 1971, must enter Cuba using their Cuban passports; however, such persons must use their U.S. passports to enter and depart the United States. They do not need a visa. They do however need a Passport Habilitation.
Those who left Cuba prior to January 1, 1971, must travel to Cuba with their U.S. passports. But unlike U.S. born Americans, they will need a special type of visa, called an HE-11 visa, which they need to apply for prior to travel. The visa application process can take up to 90 days.
For more info follow this link.
You will need A Travel Certification document
A travel certification document is basically just a guest authorization document asking you what your purpose is. The cruise line you choose to travel to Cuba on will have them on their site and most likely at the terminal also. These documents take moments to fill out and they are not complicated at all. Most people will check the box that says they are going on a guided tour through the ship or the box that says they are going on a 3rd party tour.
You will need to convert your money to Cuban Currency
Cuba does not accept credit or debit cards from US banking institutions. Therefore, you will have to convert your money to the Cuban Convertible Peso (CUC). You can do this on board the cruise ship (in some cases) or at the terminal when you arrive in Cuba.
Additional Info for your Cuba Trip
You can bring back Rum and Cigars
Visitors are allowed to bring back up to 100 cigars, four standard boxes. They are also allowed to bring back Cuban Rum, I do believe there is a two liter limit to the amount of Rum you can bring. It has to be for personal use only and not for resale.
Bring your own toilet paper in Cuba
In public areas, they have an attended that hands out small amounts of toilet paper. Bring a roll with you or some wipes.
Get some Clear Cruise tags
Clear cruise tags are not just for traveling to Cuba but the paper tags tend to rip sometimes. If the paper tag falls off, then you will be looking for your bags instead of enjoying your cruise.
You can find them on Amazon:
Be Nice in Cuba
The locals don’t seem to have access to a lot. Or perhaps the cost of goods are too expensive. In any event, bring a few small gifts with you. Some dolls, diapers and other goods to give out as gifts to your guides or maybe some of the children.
You can find a nice selection of quality dolls for a low price on Amazon or you can just pop into the dollar store and grab a few items.
Avoid Cruise Crud
You do not want to get sick before you get to Cuba. Wash your hands often! Check out our Cruise Crud article also before you go!
Now Travel to Cuba
Cuba is charming and fun and full of history. It is not your typical tourist trap destination that you find just off of cruise terminals. Whether you cruise or fly, just get there!
