What you need to know the citizens of the United States, traveling to Cuba

From December 12, Southwest Airlines will launch a direct flight from Tampa, FL to Havana, Cuba. Traveling to the "island of freedom" will be cheaper and easier, but to do without adventures, you need to follow the rules of visiting this country, writes Tampa Bay Times.

Why does a ticket cost $ 59 to Cuba and $ 91 back to the USA?
The airline says that Cuba charges separate fees for using its airports. This practice exists in other countries, not only in Cuba.

There is whether others dues?
Yes. For travel to Cuba, US citizens will need to buy a visa. Southwest recommends a specific firm (Cuba Travel Services) and provides its contacts when buying a plane ticket. Visa through this company costs $ 50. Cuba Travel Services from December 12 will have a counter near Southwest at Tampa International Airport.

Do I need other documents?
Of course your passport. Experts also recommend that you always carry your boarding pass in Cuba. Your name must be included in the state application that you bought Cuban health insurance. But if you suddenly make a mistake in it, your boarding pass is proof that you are insured.

Why do I need Cuban medical insurance?
Because of the embargo, American medical insurance does not apply in Cuba.

How much does it cost?
The cost of insurance is included in your plane ticket. However, it does not cover all cases, so if you are sick or injured, you may have to pay extra, say managers of travel agencies specializing in travel to Cuba.

Cuba is a poor country, they probably have not such good hospitals as in the USA?
Experts say that in comparison with the American health care system, Cuban may seem worse, but this is not entirely true. It is just different, but you get proper service. In addition, in large cities, such as Havana, there are separate clinics for tourists, where service is slightly better than in hospitals for local residents.

Can I visit beaches in Cuba? They are said to be very beautiful.
Yes, you can, but sunbathing on the beach or any other exclusively tourist activity in Cuba is a violation of US law. “You may not be caught, but this is illegal,” said Vicente Amor, executive vice president of ACS International USA in Tampa. “You can travel to Cuba only to get to know this country and its people.”

How to visit Cuba, so as not to violate the law?
There are 12 allowed travel categories in Cuba:

• visit to relatives;
• official business of the us government,
• foreign governments and some intergovernmental organizations;
• journalistic activities;
• professional research and meetings;
• educational activities;
• religious activities;
• public performances, clinics, seminars, sports and other competitions, as well as exhibitions;
• support for the Cuban people;
• humanitarian projects;
• activities of private foundations or research institutions;
• export, import or transfer of information and information materials;
• and some authorized export transactions.

Before boarding a plane to Cuba, you will be asked about the purpose of your visit, but it is not necessary to provide a trip schedule. Ordinary Americans tend to travel to Cuba for “educational purposes.”

What is the educational trip to Cuba?
This means that you should study Cuban culture. This category includes a lot: you can get acquainted with the history of the country, its music, food, art, architecture, sports and so on, as well as visit places and people related to one or more of these topics. For example, art museums or evenings of Cuban music in restaurants. This can be done both with a tourist group and independently.

How does the US government find out if I participated in educational activities?
The government has 5 years to demand proof of your actions in Cuba. If you are traveling with a group from an American travel agency, then your actions should be recorded by the tour operator. If you are traveling on your own, it’s not completely clear what people can do outside the organized tour. Frank Renault, president of Cuba Executive Travel, offers to keep a diary and take photos of your educational activities until the rules are established. Also keep all checks, including hotel and flight.

Are there any penalties for participating in tourist activities?
Yes. There are administrative responsibilities established by the Office for the Control of Foreign Assets. Lawyers say that the Office may even refer a tourist to the Ministry of Justice for criminal prosecution, but this, they say, rarely happens. The maximum fine is $ 84 thousand, but, as a rule, it is mitigated before a verbal warning or $ 1-2 thousand.

There is information that the hotel industry of Cuba belongs to the military, and they receive all the profits on their activities. it true?
Yes, but need to be explained. Gaviota, which owns hotels on the island, is a subsidiary of GAESA, a Cuban military holding, said Arturo Lopez Levi, an analyst with the Cuban government from 1992 to 1994, now a lecturer at the University of Texas at Rio Grande Valley. According to Levi, not all profits go to replenishing the Cuban arsenal, and, by all standards, Cuba does not have a very powerful army.

Most of the profits go to military pensions, military hospitals, which can also be used by civilian, and even on state farms. In addition, says Lopez Levy, civilian people work in these hotels, and they need this job. You will not see the military in them, he says.

However, not all Cuban hotels are connected with the military, so if you want to find a non-military hotel, go to gaviota-grupo.com to find out which hotels are owned by Gaviota.

More and more foreign hotel investors are working in Cuba. In addition, many families have converted parts of their homes into hotels and bed & breakfasts, or simply rent out one of their bedrooms. These accommodations can be found through Airbnb or travel agencies.

Can I book a hotel room via the Internet?
Yes and no. Americans are not allowed to conduct commercial transactions with Cuba without the permission of the US Treasury. Some hotels associated with American owners (for example, Four Points Sheraton Havana, which belongs to a company from Connecticut), can be paid for with an American credit card on the spot. But for hotels that are not related to the United States, an advance payment can be made only with the help of third parties. More and more American travel agencies are engaged in Cuba under license, you can contact them (including those mentioned in this article).

What are some additional tips on online booking?
Experts warn that booking hotels online may be a violation of US rules. According to the laws of the United States, payments by Americans to Cuba are not allowed by the Treasury Department, and many sites are located in other countries, and this can cause trouble.

Some Cuban hotels allow you to book a room online using a credit card, but they will not be able to complete the transaction. You will have to pay after arrival, and, most likely, in cash.

In Cuba, you can not use credit cards?
It is possible, but only 2 from American cards: Stonegate Bank and Banco Popular de Puerto Rico. You need to physically be present at Stonegate to get a debit card for use in Cuba. There is a branch of this bank in Tampa. A credit card can be obtained through the Stonegatebank.com website - you do not need to come to the branch to do this.

This bank has 800 ATMs in Cuba. NatBank Florida is also expected to offer MasterCard soon, which can be used in Cuba. At the same time, experts warn that credit card service in Cuba is still at a very low level, and ATMs often have no money or they do not work at all. Therefore, bring with you a sufficient amount of cash, with the expectation of the entire duration of the trip.

Is it possible to use American money in Cuba?
Not. You will need to exchange them for the Cuban currency, which is called the Cuban convertible peso (CUC). CUC exchanges one to one dollar, but for the exchange an additional fee of 13% is charged. Money can be exchanged in most hotels. It is recommended to exchange a small part of the money at the airport if you are going to take a taxi to your hotel. The option "to get to the hotel, change money there and pay the driver" is not the best, experts say. As long as you change dollars, your fare may suddenly jump from $ 10 to $ 15 or even $ 20.

Can I rent a car?
Yes, but in Cuba at the moment there are no American companies. This means you cannot book a car directly from America. However, this can be done through licensed intermediaries, in the same way as with hotels. You should not hope to rent a car on the spot - in Cuba there is a great demand for them and a small supply.

How to keep in touch with friends and relatives in the USA? Is there internet in Cuba? Can I use a mobile phone?
Yes. Currently, AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon offer their services in Cuba. Check with your carrier for pricing, but they tend to be expensive. Calls usually cost $ 2-3 per minute, SMS 50 cents, and data transfer $ 2 per megabyte.

The largest hotels have internet. Some give guests free access, while others charge $ 10 / hour.

In Cuba, use sockets for two round holes, as in most European countries. Take an adapter with you to use your own devices.

Are there apps for finding good restaurants, bars, or entertainment programs?
There are several, one of them is Havana Good Time. It can be downloaded to your phone and use it without an internet connection.

What about Cuban cigars - are they better and how much can you bring into the US?
It is up to you to decide if they really are the best in the world, as Cuba advertises. There are no restrictions on the number of imported cigars in the United States.

How much is a box of Cuban cigars?
It depends on the brand. As a rule, from $ 125 to $ 250, but there are brands more expensive.

I have never been in a country with a huge number of military. This is scary?
“A huge number of military” is rather an American stereotype about the island, experts say. You will not see armed soldiers or military jeeps on every corner. Most likely, you will not see the military at all, unless you go to the Museum of the Revolution in Havana to watch the changing of the guard at the eternal flame.

Experts say that there are police on the streets, but they are not military, but civilians. This is not at all similar to Mexico or Colombia, where you are constantly confronted with military searches, travel agents say.

Should we discuss politics with the Cubans?
Why not? They love it. They all speak out on this topic, experts say.

Is there an American embassy in Cuba?
Yes, in Havana. Phone number (+ 53) 7839-4100 - dial if you need their help.

Photo: depositphotos.com

I do not speak Spanish. This is problem?
Group tours usually offer a bilingual tour guide. At the tourist points there is usually someone who speaks English. However, traveling to a Spanish-speaking country, it is useful to know at least the basic phrases in Spanish.

When to arrive at the airport upon departure from Cuba?
Best for 3-4 hours before departure, since the airports on the island are still not well equipped and staffed.

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