Chicagoan going to Cuba....how do it do it? (place, people, move)

[87vertgt]

I wanna stay about a week there.

talk to me if you been there...how do i get there? thanx

[recycled]

I am assuming you do not have an official State Department issued certificate for travel to Cuba, and would like to go there without being hassled or fined upon return to the US. First, remember that your US credit cards cannot be used for buying airplane tickets to Cuba or for paying for any tour package into Cuba. Also, you US issued credit cards cannot be used when in Cuba. Euros or US dollars are what you want to have when in Cuba.

From Chicago, the easiest way is to buy a round trip ticket direct to Cancun, Mexico. In Cancun, you can go to a travel agency and book a round trip airfare and a hotel package deal, Cancun to Havana. You could contact a travel agency in Cancun in advance and have them make the reservations for you in advance or get you price quotes. Several good airlines fly from Cancun to Havana such as Mexicana or Aeromexico. Be prepared to pay in cash, which could be Mexican Pesos, US dollars or Euro depending on the travel agency.

[kevxu]

Originally Posted by recycled

I am assuming you do not have an official State Department issued certificate for travel to Cuba, and would like to go there without being hassled or fined upon return to the US. First, remember that your US credit cards cannot be used for buying airplane tickets to Cuba or for paying for any tour package into Cuba. Also, you US issued credit cards cannot be used when in Cuba. Euros or US dollars are what you want to have when in Cuba.
....

I believe that the Cubans will also not stamp your passport, but will issue you a stamped certificate in lieu of that. In this way you would avoid having evidence in your passport of entering Cuba.

It's worth Googling around to find out.

[megonow]

Yes, you can go from Cancun but also from Canada.

Avoid getting your passport stamped so you don't get in trouble with the U.S. gov.

Also, take cash. You can't use your credit cards there

[tablemtn]

The US has customs personnel at airports like Pearson in Toronto, and in Cancun, and it is possible that your flight information could be shared through various channels with US authorities.

You might consider flying to Havana via Caracas. So far as people can tell, those itineraries are not shared with US authorities.

[Cornerguy1]

Originally Posted by tablemtn

The US has customs personnel at airports like Pearson in Toronto, and in Cancun, and it is possible that your flight information could be shared through various channels with US authorities.

You might consider flying to Havana via Caracas. So far as people can tell, those itineraries are not shared with US authorities.

US Customs and Immigration personnel located in Canadian airports are there strictly to pre-clear persons entering the US on US-bound flights.

That said, the US currently requires the passenger manifest for any aircraft over-flying US territory to be filed with USCBP.

Surely though, the bastion of freedom wouldn't have a program in place to watch and track the movements of its citizens outside US borders.

[grmasterb]

Originally Posted by Cornerguy1

Surely though, the bastion of freedom wouldn't have a program in place to watch and track the movements of its citizens outside US borders.

If it's meant to track citizens who might be attempting to travel to Cuba in violation of U.S. law, then yes it would.

[tablemtn]

the bastion of freedom

Ah, yes, it's funny how some of those theoretical freedoms perished so easily under the Helms-Burton Act...

If it's meant to track citizens who might be attempting to travel to Cuba in violation of U.S. law, then yes it would.

The US has done a bit of this in the past. It is, of course, completely unethical and contrary to the very notion of "freedom" (freedom of travel in this case), but the US Treasury Department is more concerned with revenue than the abstract freedoms of US citizens.

[mrconfusion87]

I never understood why the travel ban is still in place! I agree it runs contrary to the principles of freedom and democracy!

[Cornerguy1]

Originally Posted by mrconfusion87

I never understood why the travel ban is still in place! I agree it runs contrary to the principles of freedom and democracy!

That's large can of worms and any in-depth discussion of it should take place over in the Politics forum.