UW Alumni Tours

Traveling to Cuba: Your Travel Questions Answered

UW Alumni Tours Director Pauline Ranieri traveled to Cuba with a UW group in early 2018. This was her third trip to the bucket-list destination, following tours in 2001 and 2015. Here, Pauline shares advice and reflections for travelers considering making Cuba their next destination.

Can Americans still legally travel to Cuba?

Yes, as long as you travel as part of an authorized group, such as with an educational tour or cruise. A significant change put in place by the U.S. government in June 2017 is that American citizens are no longer able to book a trip independently for pleasure.

Anyone booking a trip to Cuba should be aware that the U.S. State Department issued a level 3 travel advisory in early January, which was updated on March 2, 2018. The travel advisory states that U.S. citizens should “reconsider travel to Cuba attacks targeting U.S. Embassy Havana employees resulting in the drawdown of embassy staff.”

What were the most significant changes that you noticed since your first trip to Cuba in 2001?

The first thing I noticed were the many boxes of large, flat-screen TVs circling on the luggage conveyor belts in the Havana airport. Our guide explained that relatives living in the U.S. could now travel to Cuba more often and they usually arrived with goods for family members or for sale on the black market.

The other change that I noticed is that everyone now has a cellphone! In 2001, not a cellphone was in sight. Now there are groups of people gathered together on city streets using the free Wi-Fi spots.

What did you notice from 2015 to 2018?

Right away, I noticed new construction for more hotels close to the historical district, along with the completion of Havana’s first true luxury hotel: the Gran Hotel Manzana Kempinski La Habana, located close to Old Havana.

It’s also the first time I saw a cruise ship docked on the waterfront of Old Havana. In fact, it was really the only ship or boat that I saw at all. In 2015, I remember staring out at the waterfront along the iconic Malecón roadway and trying to grasp what was missing. It finally dawned on me — there were no boats! Being from Seattle, I’m used to seeing boat marinas everywhere. On the waterfront in downtown Havana, there are just unobstructed views of the ocean.

Finally, Havana and other major tourist sites across the country now have multiple vendor stalls all selling the same tourist items. These market stalls are something that I’ve seen all over the world, and now that Cubans can own their own businesses, Cuba now has its share of street vendors too.

Why should someone travel to Cuba now?

It’s changing! Cuba is a country in transition. The country is scheduled to elect a new president in April 2018, and there’s much speculation about who that will be and what changes new leadership may bring. Our tour guides told us that free enterprise is changing the economic base for many Cubans, and that there is talk about a new tax system might happen before the end of 2018. I would urge that you go now before there is much more change to be noted.

Any hints for someone preparing to travel to Cuba?

Do plenty of reading and research before you go. To understand today’s Cuba, you have to know about its multi-faceted history. It’s very complicated and I found myself wishing I’d done more reading in preparation.

Any last comments?

While you need to be aware of the current restrictions and plan with them in mind, you may find that things aren’t black and white. For instance, U.S. dollars are not supposed to be accepted, and yet we found shops and market vendors  who were accommodating. It’s important to remember that U.S. credit and debit cards are still not accepted, so bring plenty of cash.

In addition, cell phone service is not supposed to be available, and yet one of our travelers turned on his phone, received a signal and had multiple phone conversations with his office. While he had some phone service, he may also have had quite a surprise on his next cell phone bill.

Finally — just go!