Obama Administration to Ease Cuba Travel Restrictions

[oldcal46skipper]

Hooray! We hope this will happen. We sailed to Cuba in 1998 with the regatta from Sarasota and as "missionarys" and enjoyed a wonderful month in the Hemingway Marina, just west of Havana. The people were delightful and when no one was looking all told us how they loved us Americanos and the problem was the politicos. Our Canadian "Cousin" went with us and paid all of the expenses as we are not allowed to spend any US money in Cuba.

We had prepared for another visit in 2001, loaded up with school supplies and the most requested item from our Cuban friends, spark plugs, but when 9-11 occurred we chose not to go.

The Sarasota YC is planning a regatta this year and we hope to go as an escort/communications vessel - health permitting. The regatta is totally sold out, but there is a lot of good info on the yacht club site.

Tom and Bobbie Vandiver, Cal Cruising 46 Satori, Bayou Chico, FL

[Cotemar]

I would love to sail to Cuba on our way down to the Caribbean. Would be nice to go back in time and they treat sailors well there. Looks like we are softening up our thinking and in a few years it may become legal.

[osirissail]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

Yes. The rules purporting to restrict US citizens from travelling to Cuba (however formulated as not spending money) are unconstitutional in my opinion. I taught a course in Constitutional Law at one point in my misspent youth.

In point of law, the constitution is not admissible except at the supreme court level - however, the existence of the constitution has never slowed down any government anywhere - even the USA - when that government wants to start/prosecute war; and do all sorts of nasty stuff to its citizens.
- - In this case, the present USA administration backed the renewal of the Cuba restrictions when they came up and lots of forum and web news space was devoted to arguing pro or con.
- - Gradualism seems to be the most effective way to change a policy that has been in effect for most of the last 40 +/- years. And this announcement is one more little, but positive, step that hopefully can take root and grow into a future removal of the main policy.
- - But for current cruisers whose governments have a burr up their butts about Cuba - this doesn't appear to change anything.

[SCCatSailor]

Originally Posted by osirissail

In point of law, the constitution is not admissible except at the supreme court level -

I'm not sure what the phrase "in point of law" means, but the constitution is admitted, referred to, ruled upon, discussed, etc., etc., every day in US courts of all levels. Miranda rights, free speech, search & seizure, religion/church/state issues, 2nd amendment, 5th amendment, etc. are routinely and frequently ruled upon by trial courts.

Regardless, anyone know where one can find out about the (new) travel requirements to Cuba, e.g. as what constitutes a religious purpose or cultural purpose? All I can find on the internet is media reports, but no detail.

[dennisjay]

>>Does this mean a bunch of US boats are going to become Churches or schools?

As in Our Lady of Perpetual Motion?

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by dennisjay

>>Does this mean a bunch of US boats are going to become Churches or schools?

As in Our Lady of Perpetual Motion?

That sounds good to me.

I get the feeling most people are responding to Cuba travel, not the proposed changes that only apply to church groups and students studying Cuba issues.

[amytom]

Does home schooling constitute a school?

[chadlaroche]

Originally Posted by markpierce

I didn't see anything mentioned in the article about allowing little boats greater access to Cuba.

Yea ,don't see how I can put cuba on the itinerary. Would love to go but love more keeping my boat and freedom when I return....

[Hillbillyfunk]

A wise old conch told me "5 years of international tourism does more to destroy a culture than 200 years of British Imperialism"

Cuba is doomed (again), it'll be Vegas South as soon as all travel restrictions are lifted and the cancer known as Miami is released.

[David M]

Allowing US citizens to travel there will be a good thing for Cuban citizens in a certain political way which ultimately will provide them with some much needed economic benefits.

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by SCCatSailor

... anyone know where one can find out about the (new) travel requirements to Cuba, e.g. as what constitutes a religious purpose or cultural purpose? ...

See the White House Press Release
➥ http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv...ts/09_cuba.pdf

Which says, in part:

“ The promotion of democracy and human rights in Cuba is in the national interest of the United States and is a key component of this Nation's foreign policy in the Americas. Measures that decrease dependency of the Cuban people on the Castro regime and that promote contacts between Cuban-Americans and their relatives in Cuba are means to encourage positive change in Cuba. The United States can pursue these goals by facilitating greater contact between separated family members in the United States and Cuba and increasing the flow of remittances and information to the Cuban people.
To pursue those ends, I direct the Secretary of the Treasury and the Secretary of Commerce, in consultation with the Secretary of State, to take such actions as necessary to:

(a) Lift restrictions on travel-related transactions for visits to a person's family member who is a national of Cuba by authorizing such transactions ...

(b) Remove restrictions on remittances to a person's family member in Cuba ...
(c) Authorize U.S. telecommunications network providers to enter into agreements ...
(d) License U.S. telecommunications service providers to enter into and operate under roaming service agreements with Cuba's telecommunications service providers.
(e) License U.S. satellite radio and satellite television service providers to engage in transactions ...
(f) License persons subject to U.S. jurisdiction to activate and pay U.S. and third-country service providers for telecommunications, satellite radio, and satellite television services provided to individuals in Cuba, except certain senior Communist Party and Cuban government officials.
(g) Authorize, consistent with national security concerns, the export or reexport to Cuba of donated personal communications devices such as mobile phone systems, computers and software, and satellite receivers through a license exception.
(h) Expand the scope of humanitarian donations eligible for export through license exceptions by: ...

See also U.S. Department of the Treasury - Cuba Sanctions
➥ Cuba Sanctions

Were I an American, I wouldn't pack the boat for a Cuban cruise, just yet.

[marlinespike]

Having now spent the last 13 winters cruising in Cuba this looks like eventual opportunities for US boaters. Once there you will find that Cuba is the finest cruising area in all the Caribbean. The one downside of cruising in Cuba is not having very many other cruisers to meet with , one of the pleasures of yacht cruising. Cuba has a very large coastline ,so can absorb a lot of yachts. It wont get spoiled for a long time.
Don

[chadlaroche]

Has any US citizen and boat actually stopped in Cuba and come back to US recently. I want to hear from first hand accounts they dont stamp passports. Please no " my buddy did it a few years back" posts

[Hud3]

President Barack Obama plans to loosen Cuban travel policy to allow students and church groups to go to the communist country, the administration announced Friday. Students seeking academic credit and churches traveling for religious purposes will be able to go to Cuba.

From my reading, it appears that nothing's changed as far as (U.S. citizen) cruisers being barred from legally visiting Cuba. That is, unless you happen to be a student or member of a traveling church group.

[Unicorn Dreams]

The restriction is that you may not travel from the USA to Cuba, not that USA citizens cannot go there. That's why so many USA citizens go yo Canada and fly down there.

I've always stopped in Mexico coming out of Texas, or the Bahama's if leaving Fla. Have 2 Cuban stamps on my old passport.
USA I.C.E. has looked at it, seen exit stamps from wherever I left previously to make sire I was legal.

NO BIG DEAL

Still a shame that the embargo has gone on so long, that's the what's so bad about it...