In June, the Trump administration announced new measures for travel and trade to Cuba that barred Americans from visiting the island via cruise or under the “people to people” visa, formerly two of the most popular ways to travel to the island. Then, in October, Trump announced that he would be cutting flights from the United States to most Cuban airports, which finally rolled into effect on December 10.
Got a trip planned? Unsure how this will affect cruises and air travel to the island? Read on.
What are the new rules around travel?
The new regulations from the Department of the Treasury that took effect on June 5 stated that Americans will no longer be able to travel to Cuba by cruise ship, nor under the “people-to-people” visa, which educational and cultural group trips often fall under. Also included in the new restricted methods of travel are passenger and recreational vessels, including yachts, and private and corporate aircraft, meaning additional authorization will now be required. Flights to all international airports on the island, apart from the one in Havana, have been suspended indefinitely. “This Administration has made a strategic decision to reverse the loosening of sanctions and other restrictions on the Cuban regime," Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in a release.
I’ve got a trip coming up. Do I need to cancel?
It depends. If you are flying directly into Havana for a “group people-to-people” trip—like a three-day weekend booked through a travel specialist—your vacation will go on as scheduled, according to the new rules. The single caveat? You must have “already completed at least one travel-related transaction” like booking a flight or reserving a hotel or Airbnb before June 5, 2019, according to the Treasury’s release. If your trip has you flying from the U.S. directly into a Cuban city that isn't Havana, you'll need to rework your plans to fly into Havana given the new flight suspensions (if you booked your own flight, reach out to the airline directly).
Boats and ships of any kind now need special authorization from the U.S. government to make port in Cuba—and many cruise lines are actively working to get that license ahead of upcoming voyages.
If you were on a cruise through the Caribbean and the cruise line hasn’t received a license, it will likely replace any Cuban stops with another nearby port. It’s the flexibility cruise travel affords when new regulations, weather, or factors like water levels upend an itinerary. “The beauty of sea travel is that we have the flexibility to adjust our itineraries,” says a spokesperson for Virgin Voyages, which launches its first sailings next year. “We are currently working with CLIA [Cruise Lines International Association] and the regulatory authorities to assess how this new change will impact our itineraries that stop in Cuba.”
That said, if you were going on a cruise where the Cuban ports were the entire point of the trip and your itinerary is changed, then you’ll likely want to cancel. If you purchased travel insurance, you’re in luck as an itinerary change or frustration over the new regulations will likely get you a near-full refund. If not, contact your cruise line to see what options you have for cancellation.
If you are planning on taking a "support for the Cuban people" trip in which you'll fly directly in and out of Havana, there's no need to cancel or alter your plans.
So who else is allowed to go?
There are currently 12 approved categories of authorized travel to the island nation: family visits; official business of the U.S. government, foreign governments, and certain intergovernmental organizations; educational travel; journalistic activity; professional research and professional meetings; religious activities; public performances, clinics, workshops, athletic and other competitions, and exhibitions; support for the Cuban people; humanitarian projects; activities of private foundations or research or educational institutes; exportation, importation, or transmission of information or informational materials; and certain authorized export transactions.
One note: a number of media outlets have named people-to-people trips as “educational” endeavors—which, thanks to cultural immersion and conversations with Cubans themselves, they truly are. But, these are not educational trips under the “activities of private foundations or research or educational institutes” category, so school trips are still a go under the new restrictions.
Is this the only reversal the Trump administration has made in recent years?
No. They’ve been steadily changing policies put in place by the Obama administration, which loosened restrictions on the island. In an April announcement, the Trump administration simply said it would be “limiting non-family travel to Cuba,” with few details, in a move that caused a wave of confusion and uncertainty for travelers. It was one of several confusing announcements the administration has made, including President Trump saying that he’d be "canceling" all Obama-era regulations just months after taking office in 2017.
Tell me about air travel—what will change?
U.S. airlines who currently fly to the island—including JetBlue, American, and Delta—will no longer fly into nine of the country's airports, making Havana the only point of entry for travelers flying from the States. This marks a near-complete reinstatement of the flight restrictions the Obama administration lifted in 2016. Given that most American travelers currently fly into Havana as it is, this change is likely to have the greatest impact on Cuban Americans who frequently fly back to visit family.
Once on the island, American travelers can still use non-American carriers (like COPA or LATAM) to fly between Havana and other cities like Camaguey and Cienfuegos.
What does this all mean for the Cuban people?
Under the April regulations, remittances—which were previously unlimited in frequency and amount under the Obama administration—will be capped at $1,000 per person every three months. Limiting non-family travel to the island will also hurt Cuban citizens, many of whom depend on money from tourists to supplement their official monthly salary, which is a median of $32, according to an April 2017 report from Cuba’s National Statistics and Information Office. Of course, the suspension of flights between the U.S. and all Cuban airports outside Havana will mean restricted access (and likely longer travel times and higher costs) for anyone interested in flying those routes.
"What we are leading the Cuban people toward is a darker day where there will be less economic opportunity, there will be less of a middle class, and essentially just very hard times to come for the people of Cuba," says Fernando Cutz, who helped shape Latin America policy on the National Security Council in both the Trump and Obama administrations, according to NPR.
This article was originally published in April 2019. It has been updated with new information. Additional reporting by Megan Spurrell and Meredith Carey.
