A guide to visiting Cuba during COVID-19: what it's like to travel there now

[El Presidente]

Good article. 

 

A guide to visiting Cuba during COVID-19: what it's like to travel there now

BRENDAN SAINSBURY

Lonely Planet Writer

 

https://www.lonelyplanet.com/articles/what-its-like-to-travel-to-cuba-now

 

[ayedfy]

Quote

Almost everyone you encounter on the ground will have been inoculated, including children as young as two-years-old.

I should add this to my list of arguments trying to sell my wife on a Cuban holiday. "Sweetie, you know how our kids can't get the vaccine yet, how about we take them to get it in Cuba?"

[Nino]

A guide that starts with "alternative facts" like this :

Throughout much of the past two years, Cuba's borders were closed, grinding the country's tourism industry to a stop.  In November the country reopened to visitors,

is a waste of time and more of a "propaganda" tool for the Cuban tourism board. I mostly stopped reading there ....

It was the opening of tourism in Nov 2020 that lead to the high Covid numbers in Cuba and borders were never closed to tourism.

If I want to get useful data I will defer to people I trust like Andy or the many different neutral news sources, not to the professional tourism promoters of "Full Planet".

[JohnnyO]

I feel that the mandatory PCR upon exit is a fugazi and just a money grab. My reasons:

1. Cuba has not disclosed protocols for travelers if they test positive, i.e. 14 days in a hotel, multiple tests etc

2. Since the Nov 20 tests not one positive test has been disclosed by the Cuban government, by a foreign traveler (You Tube etc) or a Cuban National languishing in one of their makeshift "alberges" for 14 days

3. Been there 3 times in December and did not hear of one case going positive with an exiting PCR test

Pure speculation on my part. Nino, wave your magic wand and give me the Empirical Evidence that says I'm out of my mind. John

 

 

[Hammer Smokin']

that mandatory PCR test is to be allowed back into Canada. 

[JohnnyO]

Canada is a drop in the bucket compared to the daily US flights returning to the US. Miami has 10 daily flights (6 Charter, 4 American), Tampa 2 Flights, NY 2 flights as well. There may be other flights I am unaware of from the US. Capacities on those flights are 147-175 passengers, American has one daily flight that can fit 299. The flights are coming back full, but lets just say they are coming back 75%. We can use the lower number of 147 X 75% or an average of 109 passengers per flight. 109 X $25 fee is $2718, that times 14 flights is $38,062 daily in PCR tests. Multiply that by 30 days and you're looking at $1,141,875/month in PCR test for the US. There is an added bonus for this Jeddi-mind-trick in that US travelers can pay with their US credit card for these tests. So, a million dollars monthly is sitting comfortably in a US bank whenever DC's cronies decide to take a vacation on Miami Beach. Add all of the other countries fees together and you have some pretty big #'s. Not only that, you have it spread all around the world in real currency. John

[Corylax18]

14 minutes ago, JohnnyO said:

Canada is a drop in the bucket compared to the daily US flights returning to the US. Miami has 10 daily flights (6 Charter, 4 American), Tampa 2 Flights, NY 2 flights as well. There may be other flights I am unaware of from the US. Capacities on those flights are 147-175 passengers, American has one daily flight that can fit 299. The flights are coming back full, but lets just say they are coming back 75%. We can use the lower number of 147 X 75% or an average of 109 passengers per flight. 109 X $25 fee is $2718, that times 14 flights is $38,062 daily in PCR tests. Multiply that by 30 days and you're looking at $1,141,875/month in PCR test for the US. There is an added bonus for this Jeddi-mind-trick in that US travelers can pay with their US credit card for these tests. So, a million dollars monthly is sitting comfortably in a US bank whenever DC's cronies decide to take a vacation on Miami Beach. Add all of the other countries fees together and you have some pretty big #'s. Not only that, you have it spread all around the world in real currency. John

One Hussle after another. 

[Bijan]

39 minutes ago, JohnnyO said:

Canada is a drop in the bucket compared to the daily US flights returning to the US.

Canada was 1.1 million people a year before COVID. And 415,000 in 2020. So not sure it's a drop in the bucket.

[Nino]

2 hours ago, JohnnyO said:

I feel that the mandatory PCR upon exit is a fugazi and just a money grab. My reasons:

1. Cuba has not disclosed protocols for travelers if they test positive, i.e. 14 days in a hotel, multiple tests etc

2. Since the Nov 20 tests not one positive test has been disclosed by the Cuban government, by a foreign traveler (You Tube etc) or a Cuban National languishing in one of their makeshift "alberges" for 14 days

3. Been there 3 times in December and did not hear of one case going positive with an exiting PCR test

Pure speculation on my part. Nino, wave your magic wand and give me the Empirical Evidence that says I'm out of my mind. John

Well, that is exactly what I mean - getting the real deal from boots on the ground as opposed to "Crowded Planet" hot air.

Thanks JohnnyO !!

You can't have Covid free stats if you really report positive cases and keep them in - let them fly away and be someone's else worry .... :-)

While you keep the money ....

[Cigar Surgeon]

1 hour ago, JohnnyO said:

Canada is a drop in the bucket compared to the daily US flights returning to the US. Miami has 10 daily flights (6 Charter, 4 American), Tampa 2 Flights, NY 2 flights as well. There may be other flights I am unaware of from the US. Capacities on those flights are 147-175 passengers, American has one daily flight that can fit 299. The flights are coming back full, but lets just say they are coming back 75%. We can use the lower number of 147 X 75% or an average of 109 passengers per flight. 109 X $25 fee is $2718, that times 14 flights is $38,062 daily in PCR tests. Multiply that by 30 days and you're looking at $1,141,875/month in PCR test for the US. There is an added bonus for this Jeddi-mind-trick in that US travelers can pay with their US credit card for these tests. So, a million dollars monthly is sitting comfortably in a US bank whenever DC's cronies decide to take a vacation on Miami Beach. Add all of the other countries fees together and you have some pretty big #'s. Not only that, you have it spread all around the world in real currency. John

I've always understood that Canadian tourists outnumbered US tourists by more than 2:1. The next closest country is more than 5:1. 

And that it has always been this way. 

[Bijan]

2 minutes ago, Cigar Surgeon said:

I've always understood that Canadian tourists outnumbered US tourists by more than 2:1. The next closest country is more than 5:1. 

And that it's always been this way. 

Yeah I think if you add in Cuban Americans it's closer to 1:1 in recent years.

[JohnnyO]

1 hour ago, Cigar Surgeon said:

I've always understood that Canadian tourists outnumbered US tourists by more than 2:1. The next closest country is more than 5:1. 

And that it has always been this way. 

I think you Canadiens are missing the big picture. Cubas masterplan is not about your numbers or your countries rules. Its about their money making schemes. Could be back in the day you had the #'s. At the moment Canada has semi-weekly flights from Montreal and TO, possibly 5-7 flights a week. US 14+ flights daily, more to increase in February. It would be difficult to argue that as of today you are sending more passengers than the US if we are sending 10X planes. Added to that "mulas" or Cuban Nationals from Miami that frequent the island are not considered tourists and many of them visit the island 50 times a year. Pre-COVID the US had more than 20 flights daily just from Florida. Yes, you might be the tourist paper champion but in no way can you produce the number of passengers Miami does. John

[JohnnyO]

Some thoughts on the article for US travelers. You do not need a PCR test to go in to Cuba, just a vaccination card. A ticket purchased for travel from the US has medical insurance included for "emergencies". A VISA is $100 {not included in the price of the ticket). The online form D'Viajero may create a possible virus on your cel phone. In their paranoid spy vs spy world they want to know if you are there to spread anti-revolutionary propaganda or help dissidents. Plus it helps to know how much the mulas are charging for soap and toothpaste so they can adjust their prices. Most businesses will spray a Windex/bleach mix on your hands upon entering. I had a tendency to leave my mask at homes/restaurants that I visited, so take a few with you while on the road. Wearing a mask in an non-AC car can be brutal at times, especially when the Yutong bus just gave you a big blast of diesel fumes. Most locals did not give hugs, just fist pumps. In Havana the PCR test can be done at the Siboney clinic, its somewhat near Jaimanitas, US credit cards can be used, the charge is about $25 US. The test can be done at T2 in the old pharmacy and T3 in check in gate "A" on the 2nd floor the day you depart, T3 has a 24 hour service. I did see some hiccups with travelers credit cards not working but it was usually resolved amongst the travelers with a cash offer for the use of someone elses credit card. You are given a hand written letter of your negative results to present to the airline. US Immigration is not concerned with your vaccination/PCR status. On all of my trips in December I presented my documentation and was told "put that away, that must be an airline thing". One case of Omicron has been documented in Pinar del Rio, they say from a traveler that had been to Africa. I had some concerns as to what my situation would be if I tested positive. My US credit card cant pay for a 14 day stay in one of their hotels. There is no Western Union. I am down to 50 Euros as I blew it all on cigars. I suppose the $1000 US I had on me is worth something, but now I have to hustle to convert it to Euros. How do I get my family to send me another $1500 to pay for my stint? Then when I get to the airport, the flights are full or I have to buy a $1000 1st class ticket, "Hey mom, send me another $1000." After a while I came to my conclusion on the PCR test. John

[Mandale]

Nice write up

[Monocle]

3 hours ago, Mandale said:

Hey John I will be going to Havana next weekend. How was it bringing back cigars to US? I come back through FLL.

The bigger issue may be how you pay for them since the LCDH supposedly only accepted credit cards and US-based credit cards I imagine won't work there.

[JohnnyO]

You have to purchase an MLC card (5 Euros) and load it with Euros. These are sold at the airport, John