Are cruises to Cuba in jeopardy following the latest changes to policy announced last week under President Trump?
The quick and simple answer is…
No.
While President Trump rolled back many of the rules that were loosened under the Obama administration, the people-to-people travel program remains in place, which is good news for those wanting to cruise to this island nation.
To learn more about the requirements to take a cruise to Cuba, check out this article I wrote previously.
Following the changes outlined by Trump, the cruise lines were quick to announce their current roster of Cuban shore excursions will continue to satisfy the government’s people-to-people requirements.
Carnival Corporation, which operates 10 cruise lines and has more than 100 ships in the fleet issued a statement saying, “the policy changes announced by the Trump administration will allow our ships to continue to sail to Cuba. We will review the extent of the tightening of the travel rules, but our guests have already been traveling under the 12 approved forms of travel to Cuba.”
Royal Caribbean, which has six brands in their portfolio and nearly 100 ships said, “Our guests are already enjoying curated people-to-people experiences under the approved categories of travel and we look forward to continue sailing to this destination.”
Norwegian Cruise Holdings which operates Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises said in a statement, “We are delighted our guests will continue to have the opportunity to experience the wonderful culture and incredible history of Cuba along with the warmth and friendliness of the Cuban people through OFAC-compliant shore excursions that support private businesses and the Cuban people.”
So for now, it seems the very popular cruises to Cuba will sail on!
If you’ve been to Cuba, share your thoughts on your vacation in the comments section below.