Cuba Travel Services (CTS) First U.S. Travel Company To Open Offices In Cuba

CTS will be the first U.S. based travel company to open its doors in Havana, Cuba

Cuba Travel Services, the leading charter and tour operator serving the destination with offices in California, Florida, New Jersey, and Texas, announced today the upcoming opening of their Havana location on March 31^st.

It is considered a significant event as this is the first time a U.S. based travel company is awarded permission to operate in Cuba in over 60 years. Services provided by the California based company in Havana will include:

• Flight ticket sales
• Customer support
• Hotel reservations
• Tour operation support
• Car rentals
• Excursions
• Transfers
• Programmed packages
• Cruise Support Services
• Advisory Services

Opening a new office in Havana will allow Cuba Travel Services to monitor its operations more closely and better assist their clients while in the country.  Additionally, CTS will be better positioned to ensure their cruise and tour operator clients continue to offer OFAC compliant programs.

Cuba Travel Services will open its first office in the historic Lonja Del Comercio building located in Plaza de San Francisco just across from the Sierra Maestra cruise terminal and has plans to open additional locations in Havana, Camaguey, Cienfuegos, Varadero and Santiago de Cuba.

"Having the Ministry of Tourism grant this request to have a location in Cuba has been a big win for our organization. Our physical presence means our licensed clients will get faster service and more personalized attention directly from our staff," said Michael Zuccato, General Manager at Cuba Travel Services. "This is a very exciting time for us, to be the first U.S. based Travel Company to open its doors in Havana. We are confident our existing market expertise and knowledge combined with local representation, will result in an improved customer experience."   

For questions about the travel to Cuba or to book your next flight, hotel, activity or transfer visit us online at www.CubaTravelServices.com or call 800-963-CUBA (2822).

About Cuba Travel Services

With nearly 20 years of experience providing services to authorized companies, groups and individuals, Cuba Travel Services is the leading travel company serving the destination from the United States. They offer real-time hotel, flight and excursion bookings, transportation, OFAC compliant tour programming and a variety of other turnkey travel solutions. They also serve as key advisors to airlines, cruise companies, tour operators and other businesses entering the Cuba market. 

Headquartered in California, Cuba Travel Services currently maintains offices in Texas, New Jersey, North Carolina and Florida. The company provides specialty travel services including charter flights, private aviation services, visa processing, OFAC call center support services, cruise and yachting programs, shipments of authorized cargo and other logistical and travel support services. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter or YouTube

Kempinski To Open First Modern Five-Star Luxury Hotel In Cuba

 

Kempinski will open its first hotel in Cuba in the second quarter of this year. The Gran Hotel Mazana Kempinski La Habana features 246 rooms and suites and is located within the historic Manzana de Gómez building in the heart of Old Havana - a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Even before it has opened, the Gran Hotel Mazana Kempinski La Habana is causing much excitement – not only in Cuba. Guests can choose from 246 luxury rooms and suites, ranging in size from 40 to the stunning presidential suite’s 150 square meters – all with ceilings of four to five meters. The rooftop terrace and swimming pool, with views over the old town, are just one of the many highlights. There will be a spa managed by Resense, which offers guests more than 1,000 square meters of pure relaxation, together with a choice of three restaurants, a lobby bar, cigar lounge, and a business center makes sure guests will have everything they need for a truly memorable stay.

There is no doubt that this new luxury hotel, in the heart of Havana’s most historic area, next to the city’s most interesting sights, is destined to become the place to be in Cuba's capital.

Visit website: https://www.kempinski.com/en/havana/gran-hotel-kempinski-la-habana/

Source: www.luxurytravelmagazine.com

Royal Caribbean Approved To Begin Cuba Service

Cruise line company will offer multiple itineraries; Florida-Havana routes are being planned

 Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (NYSE: RCL)  announced that the Cuban government has granted approval for the company to begin cruises to Cuba. The company said it plans to announce its first Florida-Cuba itineraries in the near future.

“Our guests have expressed real interest in having the opportunity to experience Cuba, and we look forward to bringing them there," said Richard D. Fain, chairman and chief executive officer of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. "Our discussions with our travel partners indicate that Cuba is a destination that appeals to a new generation of travelers.” 
Two RCL lines, Royal Caribbean International and Azamara Club Cruises, will provide guests with travel directly to Cuba for the purpose of providing people-to-people exchanges between guests and Cuban citizens and other travel permitted by current U.S. regulations.

The cruise itineraries will comply with U.S. Department of Treasury rules that permit travel companies to transport approved travelers to Cuba to engage in people-to-people activities as defined by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (NYSE: RCL) is a global cruise vacation company that owns and operates three global brands: Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises and Azamara Club Cruises. We also own a 50 percent joint venture interest in the German brand TUI Cruises and a 49 percent interest in the Spanish brand Pullmantur and have a minority interest in smaller regional brands. Together, these brands operate a combined total of 49 ships with an additional 13 on firm order. They operate diverse itineraries around the world that call on approximately 490 destinations on all seven continents.  Additional information can be found on www.rclcorporate.com. 

Want To Travel To Cuba? There Are Some Extra Rules You Need To Know.

Photo by Jason Leppert

It's easy to get excited about Cuba, but many travelers may be unaware of just how prepared they need to be. 

This isn't just grabbing extra sunscreen and bugspray for your tropical vacation — although, that's important — U.S.-to-Cuban travel carries with it the burden of being scrutinized at both ends of the journey thanks to governments whose relationship might be thawing, but is still less sunny than an afternoon in Havana. 

The hoops to jump through may be only nominally more difficult than traditional international travel, but it's important to note that they are new and different hoops than even veteran international travelers might be used to. For newer and inexperienced travelers, the process could be daunting, but it doesn't necessarily have to be.

Tourism to Cuba is technically still illegal under U.S. law. 

No, that is not a typo. 

The new Cuban travel guidelines have 12 legal reasons an American citizen can enter Cuba, but general tourism is not one of them. If all you're desiring is a chance to sample Arroz con Pollo, artisanal rum and a fine cigar, you may start to book your trip and find yourself rebuffed. 

On the other hand, the 12 legal reasons are objectively very general and broad. They are also objectively very subjective, and the burden of deciding who fits under those categories falls to the traveler alone. Is that scary in a way? Sure, because lying throughout the process is perjury and subject to penalty. However, when the categories include person-to-person educational travel, journalism and humanitarian projects, the hurdles to climb seem pretty low. 

Want to head to Cuba? Head to social media and find a Cuban or multiple Cubans who are willing to teach you about the country while you are there. Meeting new people and seeing the top sites? That's probably the exact reason you want to go. Cuba even has companies that set this sort of thing upprofessionally.

Or, in a social media age where everyone is a content creator, create your own blog or pitch other blogs on your trip to Cuba. "Freelance Journalism" is one of the subcategories of journalism according to the treasure, and that just means self-employed. One could quibble with being self-employed with zero income coming in, but everyone's got to start somewhere. 

 READ MORE: Air Travel To Cuba: Who Won and Who Lost? 

Humanitarian projects? My goodess, it's a gold mine. Even the most novice of Googlers should be able to find projects they could work on while down in Cuba. You can spend your entire trip on the beach if you spend some time cleaning it up. Want to take in the best cuisine? Spend an evening donating your time serving some if it to others. Is your Spanish rusty? You can get better at Spanish linking up teaching some English as a Second Language classes. 

Responsible tourism is all the rage anyway. 

There are other categories your travel may fit into, but none of them are heading down to a resort and enjoying yourself for a week and then returning to lie to customs. Plan ahead. Of course, the bonus for setting up some of these activities to legitimize your trip is that you'll make friends along the way. The next time you want to go to Cuba, visiting them is all you need to do!

Cuba also requires foreign travelers to have health insurance. If yours has lapsed for whatever reason, you can't go to Cuba. However, airlines are looking to bundle temporary health insurance right into tickets! Travel insurance companies also often bundle medical protection right into their plans. If someone isn't covered now, a host of ways to get covered already exist. It's just one more low hurdle to clear. 

 READ MORE: What's Next for Cuban Cruises? 

From there, the rules are just about over, but it's not quite as easy as hopping on a plane. U.S. cell phones aren't generally going to work in Cuba and neither are credit and debit cards linked to U.S. financial institutions. Internet access is hard to come by and Wi-Fi is next-to-nonexistent. No one who travels from the U.S. to Cuba will be as connected as when they left home. It's not just a culture shock, it could leave many unprepared. 

Again, plan ahead. 

An unlocked cellphone (even a disposable one) can become the home for a Cuban SIM card. American companies are increasing the availability of prepaid Cuba-ready cell phones as well. Still, those cell phones aren't going to have the data service Americans are accustomed to, and that means more preplanning your trip (no instant Yelp!) or depending on locals for advice—and fewer of them speak English compared to other tourism hotspots. 

Cash is a must, and exchanging those dollars into Cuban pesos is a first-things-first sort of activity upon entering the island. Thankfully, Cuba recently got rid of a 10 percent tax on the exchange of American dollars, but being without money in a foreign, semi-friendly country is not likely on anyone's to-do list.

In all, no one should be deterred from visiting Cuba, but the trip to Havana is going to take a little more than a trip to Seattle or Cancun. Go, absolutely go as soon as you can, but it takes just a little extra ambition to make sure your trip of a lifetime doesn't turn into a major headache. 

By | MICHAEL SCHOTTEY | www.travelpulse.com

Travelore Cruise News: Oceania & Regent Ships Will Travel To Cuba

Havana/flickr/Marika Bortolami

Frank Del Rio, president and CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, is expecting a call any day giving final approval from the Cuban government for several of the company’s ships to cruise to the island. The ships will come from the Oceania line, but ships from the flagship lines could also be included.

At a press briefing onboard the Seven Seas Explorer — Regent’s new “world’s most luxurious ship” — Cuban-born Del Rio said he’s already received tentative approval to send Oceania Cruises’ 684-passenger Regatta to Cuba before the end of the year. That ship is expected to offer itineraries that include circumnavigations of Cuba.

Also headed to Havana (assuming the final okay) will be the Oceania line’s 1,250-passenger Marina in 2017. Del Rio mentioned that other NCLH ships will visit the island on Western Caribbean and Panama Canal itineraries, but he stopped short of saying whether the ships would be in the fleets of Norwegian Cruise Line or Regent.

However, when I asked what port he might drop in favor of Havana, he was quick to say Key West — which happens to be on some Western Caribbean itineraries of theNorwegian Jade, Norwegian Pearl, Seven Seas Mariner, and Seven Seas Explorer.

Del Rio also suggested that Havana could be substituted for a day at sea or even Great Stirrup Cay, Norwegian Cruise Line’s private Bahamian island.

“We want to use Havana as much as possible,” he said. “It’s an incredible place. I cried more than once when I went there in September… I have traveled the world, and I just marveled [at Cuba].”

Currently, the only American brand cruising to Cuba is Carnival Corporation’s social impact line Fathom, with the 705-passenger Adonia doing bi-weekly cruises out of Miami. Royal Caribbean is also looking to launch cruises with its 2,020-passenger Empress of the SeasASAP — meaning as soon as they get the green light from Cuba.

by Fran Golden

Airbnb Opens Cuba Listings To The World

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Starwood Hotels and Resorts Chief of Latin American Operations Jorge Giannattasio speaks to... Read more

HAVANA (AP) — Online lodging service Airbnb is allowing travelers from around the world to book stays in private homes in Cuba after the San Francisco-based company received a special authorization from the Obama administration, Airbnb announced Sunday.

Airbnb was the first major American company to enter Cuba after Presidents Barack Obama and Raul Castro declared detente on Dec. 17, 2014. The service handles online listing, booking and payments for people looking to stay in private homes instead of hotels. Cuba has become its fastest-growing market, with about 4,000 homes added over the last year.

Airbnb had only been allowed to let U.S. travelers use its services in Cuba under a relatively limited Obama administration exception to the half-century old US trade embargo on the island. The expansion of that license gives Airbnb the ability to become a one-stop shop for travelers seeking lodging in private homes, which have seen a flood of demand from travelers seeking an alternative to state-run hotels.

Airbnb's new authorization was announced on the morning of an historic three-day trip by Obama to Cuba and a day after Starwood Hotels announced that it had signed a deal to run three Cuban hotels, becoming the first U.S. hotel company in Cuba since Fidel Castro took power in 1959 and took over the island's hotels. Airbnb said world travelers could begin booking in Cuba in April 2, the anniversary of the country's start of operations on the island.

All hotels in Cuba are now owned by government agencies and many are known for poor service and decrepit infrastructure. Foreign hotel chains operate some of the island's larger and more luxurious hotels, which are running at full capacity thanks to a post-detente boom in tourism that saw visitor numbers surge nearly 20 percent last year.

One of the first openings in Cuba's centrally planned economy came when the government allowed families to rent rooms in their homes for a few dollars a night, starting in the 1990s. That has become a full-blown private hospitality industry, with many Cubans using capital from relatives abroad and even foreign investors to transform crumbling homes into the equivalents of small boutique hotels.

Many websites allow foreigners to book Cuban private homes, known as "casas particulares," but none has emerged as a dominant player. Many travelers still find it hard to guarantee bookings and make electronic or credit card payments. Airbnb is promoting its service as a solution to those problems in Cuba.

By MICHAEL WEISSENSTEIN

Havana Air Launches First Automated Direct Airline Booking Service To Cuba For U.S. Travelers

Airline offers over 85 flights to five Cuba destinations from Miami and twice weekly service from Key West

United States based airline, Havana Air, has announced that it

 will be the first carrier to launch a fully automated air reservation system for direct flight bookings to Cuba.

 The game-changing rollout, which will go live on January 1, 2016, allows users to effortlessly book their

 flights via the airline's website.

Through the website's user-friendly platform, travelers will be able to book their reservation while having

 the ability to access and submit all required authorization forms and Visa purchase for travel to Cuba.

 Additionally, Havana Air's online reservation system is designed to seamlessly integrate with all airline

 Global Distribution Systems (GDS), including Sabre, Galileo, Amadeus, and others.

Established in 2007 Havana Air, which operates under authorized OFAC licenses, offers over

 85 flights a month from Miami to five destinations in Cuba - Havana, Camaguey, Santa Clara,

 Holguin, and Santiago. Travelers can also complete planning for their Cuba travel experience

 through Cultural Explorations, Havana Air's sister company, which specializes in providing

 one-of-a-kind Cuba cultural immersions that are uniquely tailored to each traveler's needs.

With recently loosened U.S. restrictions and increasing interest in Cuba travel, there exists 

much confusion regarding the requirements, paperwork and processes needed to visit the 

island. The U.S. only allows for U.S. citizens and Cuban nationals to travel to the island under 

one of 12 provisions. Havana Air's new automated system outlines these requirements and allows

 travelers to select their appropriate categories for travel. Havana Air aims to make these processes

 and requirements simpler so that travelers can fully enjoy their Cuba travel experience.

About Havana AirEstablished in 2007 by travel industry veteran Mark Elias and business entrepreneur David 

Nesslein, Havana Air, the largest provider of passenger traffic to Cuba, is a U.S. based charter airline

 that operates Eastern Airline's 737-800 Aircraft and serves over 85 flights a month to five cities in

 Cuba including Havana, Santa Clara, Camaguey, Holguin and Santiago. Multiple flights depart 

several times daily from Miami and twice weekly out of Key West. Havana Air's sister company, 

Cultural Explorations, a tour operator, provides travelers a once in a lifetime experience in Cuba

 travel. For more information, please visit us at www.havanaair.com or on Facebook

 atwww.facebook.com/HavanaAirCompany.

Carnival Announces Ports Of Call For Planned Cuba Cruise

 (AP) — Carnival's proposed cruises to Cuba will include two colonial cities outside Havana, Cienfuegos and Santiago de Cuba, in addition to the Cuban capital, the cruise company said Wednesday.

Carnival is working to finalize approval from the Cuban government for the planned seven-day trips from Miami on a ship from the new Carnival brand, Fathom.

The cruises have already been approved by the United States. Americans cannot travel as ordinary tourists to Cuba under current U.S. regulations, but they may participate in certain types of trips, including people-to-people trips that foster cultural exchanges.

Carnival said the trips will "focus on supporting cultural exchange and economic development for the Cuban people and include a variety of artistic, educational and humanitarian activities."

The preliminary itinerary includes meetings with artists, entrepreneurs, schoolchildren and others in settings ranging from the Afro-Cuban community in Havana's Muraleando neighborhood to an organic farm to colonial heritage sites.

Carnival says the Cuba cruises will begin in May.

All trips offered by the Fathom brand will have a focus on volunteering in a destination. The brand is also selling service trips to the Dominican Republic.