US bans cruises to Cuba - what it means for British passengers

US bans cruises to Cuba - what it means for British passengers
Fecha de publicación: 
6 June 2019
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The US government is banning cruise ship holidays to Cuba, with the new rules being implemented as soon as possible.

US tourism to Cuba is already prohibited, but until now organised group travel - known as 'people to people' travel - was allowed to the Caribbean island.

However, Donald Trump 's administration is cracking down with new sanctions to include "passenger and recreational vessels".

But what does it mean for Brits who have cruise holidays booked?

Well, for a start, it's only US-based cruise ships which will be affected directly by the ban. So if you're sailing from the UK or with a UK-based company, it's highly unlikely that the restrictions will affect your trip.

For example, TUI's Marella Discovery 2 offers sailings with ports of call in Havana, but the ship's homeports are not in the USA so she will be able to continue her itineraries as planned.

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If you do have any concerns, your best bet is to get in touch with your cruise line or tour operator directly who will be able to advise you if there are any changes.

However, it's when you're booked on a cruise holiday onboard a US-based ship where your trip could be affected.

For example, companies such as Norwegian Cruise Line and Carnival Cruise Line both operate sailings to the Caribbean island from the USA, although at the time of writing neither company has commented on the new restrictions.

However, Norwegian Cruise Line did reply to one passenger voicing concerns about an upcoming trip on Twitter, replying: "We are closely monitoring these recent developments and any resulting impact to cruise travel to Cuba. We will communicate to our guests and travel partners as additional information becomes available. Thank you."

Nigel Thompson, Reach PLC Travel Editor, comments: "Havana is a hugely appealing port of call for cruise passengers and undoubtedly there will be disappointment that US-based ships can no longer call at Cuba.

"Many travellers would book a particular itinerary solely for that, with ships often including an overnight stay to see the best of the sultry salsa city.

"But cruise lines have always been able to rapidly adapt to change - for example that caused by weather and political tensions - and move their itineraries easily enough. There are plenty of other fantastic ports of call in the Caribbean region to divert to."

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