How are you getting to Cuba?

[JohnnyO]

Hello all. Hope all is well with everyone and their families. Although it is not the most desirable place to go at the moment has anyone been there this year? I ask as it is nearly impossible to get to Cuba from the US, with JetBlue and American only having one weekly flight (for the whole US) and the charters even less. Maybe you had a friend that went recently? Just trying to find another option to get down there. John

[Corylax18]

19 minutes ago, JohnnyO said:

Hello all. Hope all is well with everyone and their families. Although it is not the most desirable place to go at the moment has anyone been there this year? I ask as it is nearly impossible to get to Cuba from the US, with JetBlue and American only having one weekly flight (for the whole US) and the charters even less. Maybe you had a friend that went recently? Just trying to find another option to get down there. John

I've been researching a fall trip for about a month now. Southwest and United are offering more regular schedules starting roughly Mid august. Same origin/destinations, but fewer frequencies. Most timings are less attractive than they where pre virus. Houston and Fort Lauderdale are my preferred options, but it looks like United will continue flying from Newark as well. Southwest has dropped Tampa from their schedule. I have seats booked on two Florida- Havana flights for the fall along with 4 potential Denver-Florida connecting flights, in case more frequencies are added. 

VivaAerobus' schedule shows them flying a single Wednesday morning rotation from Cancun, but its look like its been cancelled for the last three weeks at least. 

It looks like COPA has continued flying Panama City - Mexico City - Havana Triangle flights, but I don't see the option anywhere to book only the Mexico City-Havana Leg. Add your flight from the US down to Panama and your looking at a roughly 24 hour trip and about $1,000 in coach. Flying back through Mexico with Cigars is also a bummer. 

Barcelona and Madrid still have weekly flights, but the cost and time required for that transfer just don't make any sense for me. 

I not know thats not much help, but maybe it saves you an hour or two of research. 

 

[NSXCIGAR]

What's the quarantine situation?

[Nino]

2 hours ago, NSXCIGAR said:

What's the quarantine situation?

I could fly to Cuba from FRA right now, no problem - but the current situation is just too stupid as the money hungry regime there insists that I/we quarantine for 7 days at US$200 a night even though fully vaccinated.

So I just "embargo" Cuba and think about Thailand for the fall/winter.

See :

https://www.garda.com/crisis24/news-alerts/474861/cuba-covid-19-related-travel-protocols-and-domestic-restrictions-in-force-as-of-may-4-remain-largely-unchanged-update-21

Cuban officials are tightening COVID-19-related restrictions for international arrivals from June 5 by increasing the mandatory quarantine period from five days to one week. This and other COVID-19 protocols will likely stay in force through early July, although domestic restrictions at the provincial and municipal levels may be adjusted based on local case numbers.

Effective June 5, the following restrictions are in place:

International Travel Restrictions All travelers must present a negative result from a COVID-19 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test taken no more than 72 hours prior to entry.

All travelers must declare their health status and will be required to take a COVID-19 PCR test upon arrival.

All travelers are required to remain in mandatory isolation for at least seven days; a second PCR test will be administered on the sixth day. The isolation period ends when the second test result is negative.

Cuban nationals and residents can complete their isolation at designated centers free of charge, while nonresident foreigners must be isolated in designated hotel facilities at the traveler's expense.

All passengers must pay a sanitary/health tax included in the price of the flight ticket to cover the costs of sanitization and COVID-19 testing.

[NSXCIGAR]

57 minutes ago, Nino said:

but the current situation is just too stupid as the money hungry regime there insists that I/we quarantine for 7 days at US$200 a night even though fully vaccinated.

Yeah, that's pretty lousy. Why would anyone deal with that? Like there aren't a hundred other perfectly adequate vacation alternatives. They might as well just ban tourists with a policy like that. 

There comes a point when cost outweighs the benefit. They should allow anyone with proof of vaccination to enter freely.

[Ryan]

I saw yesterday that new cases in Camaguey have overtaken those in Havana. They seem to be connecting that to the accelerated rollout of their vaccine in Havana. While skepticism of the Cuban Abdala vaccine is understandable, that would seem to be the most obvious reason for a drop in new cases in Havana, or at least a drop compared to other provinces.

Cuba is aiming to have 70% of citizens vaccinated by August, so things could change fairly quickly.

 

[JohnnyO]

In Americans system there are no available seats until late October. Funny thing about the quarantine, if you go down there by boat you're out on the street the next day. There is a fee and a long line to take a required PCR test before you leave. All restaurants are "To go"  and there is a curfew at 9pm in Havana. Other cities like Ciego de Avila they want you home by 5pm. From what most have told me you have to be down there two weeks because of the flight frequencies from the US. John

 

8 minutes ago, Ryan said:

I saw yesterday that new cases in Camaguey have overtaken those in Havana. They seem to be connecting that to the accelerated rollout of their vaccine in Havana. While skepticism of the Cuban Abdala vaccine is understandable, that would seem to be the most obvious reason for a drop in new cases in Havana, or at least a drop compared to other provinces.

Cuba is aiming to have 70% of citizens vaccinated by August, so things could change fairly quickly.

 

Cuba also wanted to harvest 10 million tons of sugar in 1970 and they never reached that number...

[Habana Mike]

Stan C went down a few months back. Not sure the arrangements but he slipped in and out during a window.

[Bartolomeo]

Spoke to Hamlet tonight about this and he mentioned the quarantine, prices for food, money situation, curfew, etc…..He hasn’t been in a while and neither have I, unfortunately I don’t see it getting better for months 

Bart

[Fsonicsmith]

I have a trip scheduled 10/7-10/14 for four of us via AA booked in late March. We shall see. Fingers crossed but if there is any prospect of a quarantine we are out. 

[JohnnyO]

25 minutes ago, Fsonicsmith said:

I have a trip scheduled 10/7-10/14 for four of us via AA booked in late March. We shall see. Fingers crossed but if there is any prospect of a quarantine we are out. 

Another Jedi-mind-trick that the airlines are working is that they are selling tickets on days they are not going. As of now American only goes on Mondays but they are selling tickets for the other days of the week. Just an old fashioned money grab. Then you have to fight them to get it back. You will of course, but just another headache you don't need. John

[Jackinkc]

That should be illegal. 

[chris12381]

As everyone has probably noticed, it's almost impossible to find any seats on any flights to Havana from the US right now.  All US airlines (and possibly others) were limited to one weekly arrival by the Cuban government from one city pair around March of this year.  American Airlines reacted to the restriction by changing their equipment from their normal multiple daily 737 departures from Miami to a once a week 787 round trip flight on Monday.  JetBlue and Southwest don't have the fleet to do this.  When American was was forced to do this back in March, ticket prices for this 45 minute flight were $1600 round trip, though now there's definitely no availablility on any flights.  From what I've heard from friends who work in the industry, almost everyone on these flights are government employees/embassy workers transiting via the US.  There are a few charter operators who have been granted emergency authorization under OFAC rules but are only permitted to carry limited cargo or passengers meeting very limited restrictions (essentially US Embassy staff). 

Here's the current mix of weekly service from the US:

American Airlines Monday 787 MIA-HAV

JetBlue Airways Friday A321 FLL-HAV

Southwest Airlines Saturday 737 TPA-HAV 

This is only 601 seats available to Cuba per week.  

As of right now, American Airlines has weekly service scheduled until Tuesday October 12, 2021 when they jump to 6 daily flights - however there's absolutely zero guarantee that anyone booking these flights will find themselves on their way to Havana as the Cuban government could certainly change their minds...again.  

Since January 10, 2021, you need to arrive with and present a negative PCR test that was administered within 72 hours of arriving in Havana.  You will then be administered another PCR test at the port of entry (airport or marina) and your mandatory period of self-isolation will begin while you wait until the government receives the result of that PCR test. If that PCR test is negative, a second PCR test will be given on the fifth day of your isolation.  If the second PCR test is negative, you get to leave the isolation period is over.  You have the option of isolating in a government-run facility or in a hotel that particpates in the government's COVID isolation program (I believe it is the Melia Cohiba). 

When returning to the US, you need to have another PCR test within 72 hours of your flight back to the United States REGARDLESS of your vaccination status.  

I have friends practically BEGGING me to visit so I can help them out.  The videos they send me of lines waiting for chicken from 5 AM until late into the evening only to walk away empty handed are infuriating to watch.  But even IF I COULD get there, that quarantine requirements make travel to Cuba a NON-STARTER until there is some vaccination waiver or it is done away with.

 

4 hours ago, JohnnyO said:

Another Jedi-mind-trick that the airlines are working is that they are selling tickets on days they are not going. As of now American only goes on Mondays but they are selling tickets for the other days of the week. Just an old fashioned money grab. Then you have to fight them to get it back. You will of course, but just another headache you don't need. John

I can't find a flight on American MIA-HAV for any day other Monday until October 12th when they go to 6 flights a day.  You certainly would have been able to back in March before the Cuban Government forced them to cancel almost 40 flights a week out of MIA...but I'd pin the blame on the Cuban Government for that.

 "Bigger money grab?  Airlines or Cuban Government?"  😉

[chris12381]

For those considering transiting via the Florida Straits, I found the following information.  The Spanish translation is not mine.

Press Release

The Hemingway International Nautical Club of Cuba once again greets all its members and those of the international nautical community and takes the opportunity to make updated information available today, January 27, with the International Sanitary Control Authority of Marina Hemingway, which updated us on the current epidemiological situation in our country and the outbreak of the pandemic that has caused an increase in the number of infected in recent days, as well as the indications related to the operation of tourist marinas in Cuba.

At this time, the following marinas are open to the arrival of foreign vessels:

Marina Marlin Cienfuegos

Marina Marlin Cayo Largo del Sur

Marina Marlin Santiago de Cuba

On the north coast:

Marina Hemingway

Marina Gaviota Varadero

EPIDEMIOLOGICAL PROTOCOL FOR FOREIGN VESSELS ARRIVING TO THE CUBAN MARINAS

Before arriving a boat, coming from another country, to a Cuban international marina, the Dock Master asks,through VHF to the captain about the health of the crew, who must inform if there are any sick crew members or if they are all healthy.

Once the vessel reaches a marina, the captain and crew are questioned. All crew members have their temperatures taken and tested for Covid-19 (PCR). The result of the PCR takes 24 to 72 hours. If any crew member has respiratory symptoms or the doctor suspects a possible Covid-19 infection, he or she is isolated. The boat and the rest of the crew are quarantined, in the dispatch area, until the results of the test are available. They can only be contacted by medical staff. In case of positive tests, the crew is transfer to a hospital.

In case of negative results, they are allowed limited movement within the marina and the test is repeated on the fifth day of arrival at the marina.

If the crew has been sailing for more than 5 days without touching any port, only the arrival PCR is done. Anyway, they wait up to 72 hours for the result.

The cost of each test of the Covid-19 is 30 USD. All crew members must come with a document of PCR results from the country of origin.

[helix]

I do not see any flights from YUL ??? Sunwing may start up in Nov. But Covid is ripping in Cuba the reports are not truthful coming out of Cuba. The Cuban vaccine lol!!! no way that is effective. 

[Nino]

13 hours ago, helix said:

 But Covid is ripping in Cuba

Yep, new record highs reported basically every day ...

Cuba breaks the record of Covid-19 cases of just two days ago: 3,082 new infections and 17 deaths

The contagions continue to escalate in Matanzas, Santiago de Cuba, Camagüey and Ciego de Ávila.

Havana 29 Jun 2021

https://diariodecuba.com/cuba/1624978003_32275.html

Cuba registered 3,082 new cases of Covid-19 and 17 deaths at the end of Monday, according to the part of the Ministry of Public Health (MINSAP) published this Tuesday.

This Tuesday, 42,126 patients were admitted, 9,209 suspects, 18,482 under surveillance and 14,435 confirmed active.

For Covid-19, 30,945 samples were studied, resulting in 3,080 positive samples.

The country accumulates 5,078,499 samples made and 188,023 positive.

Of the total number of cases, 2,894 were contacts of confirmed cases, 74 with a source of infection abroad, 112 without a specified source of infection.

[Nino]

Update :

It hurts to read a message from a good friend in Havana, a great roller and longtime brother who was vaccinated 2 weeks ago and today he messages me that he tested positive for Covid and is in a "isolation center" ... Not good. I'd be terrified to land in one of those.

[Huckleberry]

On 6/30/2021 at 10:53 AM, Nino said:

Update :

It hurts to read a message from a good friend in Havana, a great roller and longtime brother who was vaccinated 2 weeks ago and today he messages me that he tested positive for Covid and is in a "isolation center" ... Not good. I'd be terrified to land in one of those.

That's terrible and unfortunately it isn't an occurrence isolated to only those who get the Cuban vaccine.  One can only hope that his symptoms will remain mild, and he will be out of there soon.  Godspeed to him!

[Habana Mike]

Just checked Delta for November. Nada.....

[Greenhorn2]

The way it looks, on a damn innertube or raft.