15

"There are many positives for group tours, especially for a first time visitor. "
Yes and particularly for those with little independent travel experience per se.

16

@BobMichaels: these are precisely the kind of trips MEDICC offers - a close up look at the health system and the complexities of Cuban reality by people who know it (and even better than me! Together, our team has close to 50 years of Cuba-specific experience, half of that in health)

Upcoming trips:

Sept 16-23: Health, Climate Change and the Environment

Sept 23-30: Nutrition, Agriculture and Health

Nov 11-18: Cuban Health Care (Overview)

Dec 2-9: Integrative Medicine

http://www.medicc.org/ns/index.php?s=19&p=19

17

Conner: many thanks.

18

If we go on one of the tours, is everything prepaid? Or, can we spend our US dollars there and do they take credit cards? Just wondering...

19

I believe everyone is referring to tours that are US based so no problems paying them with credit cards. Your US credit card cannot be used in Cuba. Major items are prepaid on most tours but you will always be paying out of pocket for some meals, drinks, and other smaller personal items. Details are provided for every tour.

You can easily convert US dollars into Cuban currency while there. There are more economical alternatives such as Euros or Canadian dollars because there is a special 10% tax on converting $US but no other currency. There is much discussion here in previous posts about foreign currency in Cuba and alternatives.

20

Please pass the word that US travelers checks no longer enjoy a better exchange rate. Previously they suffered only a 3% rate but now they are slightly worse than dollar currency. $100 USTC = 86 CUC

The rules changed about one week ago but I have been unable to find out why.

The penalty on the dollar is a way of dealing with OFAC's efforts to block its international use by Cuba. This is one more not-so-petty annoyance that hurts both the Cuban people and American visitors, as well as those sending and receiving remittances.

Group tours are a fine way to be introduced to Cuba. Unfortunately they are required for almost all legal travel by the US government. Inevitably tours cost a lot more and do constrain interaction. That would be solved if individual and family travelers could get a general license for selt-attested people to people visits just as self-attested Cuban Americans receive.

In its wisdom OFAC precludes Americans from the spontaneous people to people contact afforded by renting cars, picking up hitchhikers, using the public bus and train and staying in privately owned casas particulares.

John McAuliff
Fund for Reconciliation and Development

21

On my tour every large expense was prepaid with a US credit card in the US. As you know, American credit cards do not work in Cuba.

You'll need CUCs for drinks, souvenirs, visits to shops, etc. If the group is going to dinner at one restaurant and you want to try another one, you'll need CUCs for that and the taxi ride. You will need CUCs to tip both your guide and your driver. You will need CUCs to be ripped off in the "my baby needs milk" scam. Finally you'll need 25 CUCs each to leave the airport in Havana.

I think you are over-thinking this, hawaiiand lasvegas. Just go.

22

#20 "Please pass the word that US travelers checks no longer enjoy a better exchange rate. Previously they suffered only a 3% rate but now they are slightly worse than dollar currency. $100 USTC = 86 CUC"
Interesting - what's your evidence for this Jim?

23

I' ve traveled twice to el Oriente with a university group. While the cost was high, the access to learning opportunities with some of the premier dance companies in Cuba was phenomenal, as were the cultural tours we did in Santiago, Guantanamo and Baracoa. I'm incredibly glad I traveled with the same group twice, as my learning curve the first time was painful in so many ways and the second time much easier--in part due to muscle memory and in part due to the friendships I had made the first time which were rekindled in January. All that being said, I won't travel back to Cuba with a group tour unless I can get a price break as an interpreter or guide...while I would not erase my Cuban experiences in any way, shape or form, I won't pay that amount again (I'm no longer looking for college credit, m'entiendes?)