Will opening up Cuba to cruise travel negatively affect the rest of the Caribbean Islands?

Now that Carnival is going to Cuba starting next May, we will find out how much of a threat Cuba is to the rest of the Caribbean. Right now I won't both k. Price is too high and sightseeing is too restrictive. Hopefully this will change.

I look forward to the opportunity to visit Cuba. I was a commercial pilot in a Texas flying school, picking up an instrument rating, when the split with the U.S. came. I recall a Cuban C-46 and crew parked alongside our hangar waiting to pick up two new helicopters from Bell. A stop order was placed upon that transaction by our State Department.

It will take some time for the Cuban visitor infrastructure to evolve into something that will accommodate large scale visitation. However, the cruise industry has a definite edge in this regard over the near term. Existing hotels are booked solid as well as about everything else entrepreneurialy important to tourism. Even piers necessary to dock cruise ships are pretty much non-existent. However, cruise ships are their own hotel and can anchor then tender, coaches can be brought in relatively soon and guides trained. I bet ships will be scheduling two night stays there in the near future.

Not much of the Caribbean I haven't visited more than once, getting tired of the same old. Well be interesting to witness Cuba first hand, doing so will perhaps identify decades of myth as simply US paranoia. I bet I will find a lot more of rhetorical fiction has existed about that country than fact. Better stay off of HAL though, with all those Cuban cigars coming on board and cigar balcony smoking permitted---Haw.

I do not believe this will affect the other islands. It is just one more port in a vast ocean of islands.

I will not visit Cuba under the current restrictions. However, I have visited all the other islands and am looking for something new. Cuba is it if restrictions are lifted. I am just waiting for a cruise to Cuba on a mainstream cruise line. They are gearing up for this eventuality, I am told by friends of mine who work for them. How long this will take is anyone's guess. Cruise lines will have to invest money on docking facilities. So, it will take some time. I am patient.

I agree. i do not wish to visit Cuba the way that things are set up now. I am hoping that things will change once Americans are free to visit. I want to see the beautiful beaches that I hear are there. I have already posted many photos of Cuba on my Pinterest account.

As a Canadian, and I've mentioned this before, we have had access to Cuba for a while. My son went to Cuba, and aside from the lousy food, the rest was great and the people were great. Anything that will help anyone in Cuba will be a good thing.

Dougillsley - I guess I had not heard about this "cultural" requirement for tours/excursions. If that be the case, I would not partake. That said, with the opportunity to welcome tourist dollars into their country, I can't see Cuba erecting too many barriers to actually getting people's feet on the ground. Will be interesting to monitor the feedback once US citizens/residents begin visiting.

Cuba still thinks it's system (communist) is the way for the world to go. As long as they insist that all tours and visits MUST include "cultural" tours so they can tell you for 6 hours at a time how much more wonderful it is to have the Cuban system than the decadent Canadian and US systems, keep your money and go to St. Lucia. Way more fun and way less propaganda.

Just saw something about US/Cuba Embassies that are going to be announced soon.

http://www.cnn.com/2015/06/30/politics/u-s-cuba-embassy-relationship/

It is only a matter of time.. and I would be surprised if the cruise lines were not already having some activity planning in this area. Which line goes first will be interesting to see.

The ship is for Canadians. Legally, Americans can't go on it. I've checked it out last year. Thanks everyone for replying.