OK to go to Cuba if you are a US Citizen?

[Fritz Gahagan]

A biography of Castro, I think Tad Szulc's(sp?), said one of the things he should fear most was the lifting of the embargo & 3 million college kids each spring!

[Deaf Sailor]

Originally Posted by skipmac

However, since Deutschmarks are no longer currency and have no value then maybe you could get away with spending them in Cuba. Of course they might lock you up for it down there.

Ah ****, that's right - they're on the euro now.

I was reading some stories by Bosnian war survivors and the deutschmark thing stuck with me.

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by skipmac

Not to worry. Been over 40 years since I ate any variety of fast food and I promise never to take it with me wherever I may go.

On the other hand, I was in Belgium on business a couple of years ago and my EU distributor took me to McDonalds for lunch. At least over there they had a nice salad as an option.

and beer too

[savoir]

Don't be surprised if the mark makes a comeback

[HopCar]

Cubans come to the US all the time. Don't see why we can't go there.

[ArtM]

It's complicated.

The Cubans are happy to have us there.

Cuba is the only place in the world where U.S. citizens are not allowed to visit freely by US law.

Cuba is also the only place in the world where the US holds (or held) an illegal prison camp.

Coincidence?

Talk to people who have DONE it, and even better are willing to do it WITH you (American's, not of Cuban decent)

Everyone else is just blowing smoke.

In the end, unless you just have a BURNING desire to stick one to the US Gov, there is no real reason to go to Cuba. It is not the Cuba of the 50's. I've spoken to recent immigrants who don't even drink coffee and tell me that it is not popular in Cuba.

If you want to enjoy Cuba of the 50's, you will find it preserved in Miami.

If you want to enjoy a beautiful tropical island full of Cuban rum, girls, and cigars, go to Puerto Rico - read up on the Bacardi story for more information.

Or go to Miami. I've found that the Cuban's in Miami think of themselves as living on a tropical island that is somehow attached to a place they refer to as "The US", in third person, as if they are not a part of it.

[Custom30]

Let's say I went to Cuba with a buddy boat from say, Canada. Let's also say I had "sponsored" my Canadian friend's stay in Key West, and paid for all of their expenses.

What if my Canadian friends repaid my hospitality by "sponsoring" my trip to Cuba, not allowing me to spend a dime?

I will not have contributed to the Cuban economy, and have spent no money of any kind. I have merely consumed various products purchased entirely by others, who can legally purchase them.

I am pretty sure this would be legal today, but what is legal may not matter. It is not possible to prove someone spent money in Cuba, unless they were sent with marked bills, but that doesn't stop the Gov's harassment tactics. Face it, without your own confession, there can be no proof that you spent money, it's not like the Cubans are gonna testify.

+1 on the pointlessness, and the pandering to the expats.

[belizesailor]

The "fully hosted" loophole, which you are calling "sponsored", was plugged by Duh W to keep his Cuban American contributors happy.

Its my understanding that these days an official USA authorization (as discussed above) is the only legal option.

[cheoah]

Originally Posted by ArtM

It's complicated.

The Cubans are happy to have us there.

Cuba is the only place in the world where U.S. citizens are not allowed to visit freely by US law.

Cuba is also the only place in the world where the US holds (or held) an illegal prison camp.

Coincidence?

Talk to people who have DONE it, and even better are willing to do it WITH you (American's, not of Cuban decent)

Everyone else is just blowing smoke.

In the end, unless you just have a BURNING desire to stick one to the US Gov, there is no real reason to go to Cuba. It is not the Cuba of the 50's. I've spoken to recent immigrants who don't even drink coffee and tell me that it is not popular in Cuba.

If you want to enjoy Cuba of the 50's, you will find it preserved in Miami.

If you want to enjoy a beautiful tropical island full of Cuban rum, girls, and cigars, go to Puerto Rico - read up on the Bacardi story for more information.

Or go to Miami. I've found that the Cuban's in Miami think of themselves as living on a tropical island that is somehow attached to a place they refer to as "The US", in third person, as if they are not a part of it.

The Cuba of today is a great place to visit. I've been spending a few weeks each year there on lisenced travel for work. Think what you want, do what you want, but I can smell the sea air right now, thinking about drinking a mojito or coffee at the Nacional, with great music and thick smell of tobacco hanging on the breeze. Havana is the oldest city in the western world, and the island has a fascinating history and political situation.

I'm not going to encourage anyone to go, that's a personal choice. But facts are facts, and there are real and compelling reasons to want to visit Cuba. Salsa, baseball, langosta, mango, guanabana and mame' ice cream (pissed I even just thought of that, no way I can get that here), art, architecture, just to name a few. Cubans do drink coffee, not all, but it is very common. I drink way more coffee in Cuba than at home, because I'm not a daily coffee drinker. No doubt the years of the special period broke some people of coffee habits. And something like 25 lbs of weight loss on average.

Guantanamo and travel restrictions aren't directly related. People don't even really go to the east that much, except for Santiago de Cuba.

Most of all I really like hanging out with Cubans. Good folks.

[belizesailor]

Not Miami...

[gah964]

I say go you will be fine, just don't bring anyone back with you.buy a box of good cigars for the USCG they will be happy they boarded you.

[denverd0n]

Originally Posted by Target9000

I called it a dead horse because it is continually discussed. Over and Over, as other people in the thread pointed out.

Yep. And with absolutely nothing new ever added. Just the same misinformation constantly repeated. The most common one being, "it's fine to go, just don't spend any money."

[denverd0n]

Originally Posted by Custom30

I am pretty sure this would be legal today...

No, it would not. If you want to know why, all you have to do is check the State Departments website. It's all laid out right there, with links to the Treasury Dept. where appropriate.

[Auspicious]

Originally Posted by SailingwithSoul

Continuing to maintain the embargo, after 54 years is stupid and a waste of my tax payer dollars.

I agree. Further US companies have missed out on many business opportunities that European companies have swooped in to reap the benefits.

Originally Posted by SailingwithSoul

I see nothing wrong with me, or any american, going to Cuba and enjoying gallons of cheap rum, fine cigars and cultural exchanges with fine/upstanding Cuban women.

I don't agree. It's against US law. There are lots of ways to try to change that. Admittedly none have been effective to date. You could try civil disobedience. Good luck with that.

Personally I think the old guard anti-Castro Cuban refugees in FL, a big voting block, are dying out. That's probably what it will take for a change in US policy.

Drugs are a major problem in the Cuba - Florida corridor and there is satellite and aircraft surveillance, USCG and USN patrols (with some spiffy radar). It's pretty hard to "slip in and out." You may not be worth the trouble, but you aren't "beneath the radar."

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by Auspicious

Drugs are a major problem in the Cuba - Florida corridor and there is satellite and aircraft surveillance, USCG and USN patrols (with some spiffy radar). It's pretty hard to "slip in and out." You may not be worth the trouble, but you aren't "beneath the radar."

This by the way also applies to those flying into Cuba via other countries. You're fooling yourself if you think no one in the US government knows you were there.