Cuba is a wonderful country but a few more years developing its current relationships with Europe and South America would be even better.

It was quite instructive a couple of years ago to see how an economy is developing in tourism and citrus which is entirely non dependent on Miami.

That would be great for everyone - a truly free Cuba with access to and from the entire Caribbean.

[ 08-08-2006: Message edited by: TBirdFrank ]

The political situation is far more complicated than it appears. It's not a slam dunk that they'll take to democracy upon the demise of Castro. Even if that were to happen, there are years and billions of dollars in legal wrangling to be hashed out over who owns what property, business, trademarks, etc.

are the 8 ports listed by ChoosingCruising. Only the 3 I have * have cruise calls at present.

Pam

[ 08-08-2006: Message edited by: PamM ]

Take a plane to Tronno and then another to Havana and you can join the thousands of other back door USA tourists like the ones we met at the Internacionale in Havana in 2004.

Get into the whole island - not the off shore Disneyland vacation developments that are about as different from the real Cuba as you could possibly imagine

Everyone should see Cuba as it is now - and if you want to sail try Pullmantur or Saga. You will never forget the timewarp, the wonderful fifties American Iron on the streets, or how life continues despite what we would probably call poverty, but what appears to be a level standard of living with no obesity - but no starvation either.

Communism - or rather totalitarianism does not work - My God it does not work - but

There is virtually no crime

There is a superb health service

there is a warm welcome from people who are SO curious about the outside world

The kids are a revelation. Anyone from any part of the "West" stands open mouthed at the discipline, the smartness and politeness!

quote:

---

Originally posted by Pascal:
I wonder why the US government keep all these restrictions about Cuba. I could understand in the Cold War context when the island was likely to be used as a soviet outpost to threaten USA, but now ?

Perhaps it's just the too emblematic Castro personnality...

---

There would be more jobs available than the country could handle. The building boom would be enormous. The hotel, resort and gaming buisness would make Las Vegas look like small potatoes.

Every cruise line would want to headquarter and flag ships there.

Americans would flock to Cuba by the millions. No more long flights but just a 3-4 hour pleasureboat ride to the Island from Florida.

Cuba was the #1 Carribean destination for Americans in the 1930's thru 50's, even for weekend getaways.

Does the movie "Godfather Part II" ring a bell?

Keep the crime syndicates ( and Disneyland ) out and the legit busineses in, pay a fare wage and Cuba will be among the top tourist destinations in the world.

quote:

---

Originally posted by TBirdFrank:
Mr Schwump

There is a superb health service

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by WhiteStar:

Cuba was the #1 Carribean destination for Americans in the 1930's thru 50's, even for weekend getaways.

The possibilities are endless.

---

Over time I met some businessmen who used to come into the agency I worked for wanting to go to Cuba.

We used to hand write tickets to second city destinations to get them there bypassing the embargo by the United States. That always worked.

Now I live in Canada, and Cuba is a famed destination for many Canadians and people from the U.S. who use Canada as a port of Exit to the island. Cuba is a major tourist destination for us in the winter months.

I am sure that as soon as confirmation of the end of the communist rule of Cuba it will be a free for all fight as to who will come to "convert" Cuba to all things democratic. I am also sure that the generations of Marielito children that were born in Miami and other cities in Florida after the great exodus of the 1970's and 1980's will want to return to the motherland.

I remember the ten of thousands of people who settled in Miami in those decades. Those who have been praying for this to happen for decades now. Castro may be on his way out and Raul is no fool - or - maybe he is. I think that Bushy will jump all over this if he thinks it can salvage his "base" of detractors, he still needs to close down Guantanamo. That will probably be his port of entry for an invasion force to overtake Havana. (consider that for a moment).

I am sure the Catholic Church and the Cuban community in Miami will wage an all out war to retake Cuba for God - and travel to Cuba will just be a massive push of people wanting to visit or return to their Island to reclaim what was taken from them so long ago. (not to mention to stomp on the corpse of Fidel Castro) until there is nothing left to bury.

As for Cuba there is real no justifiable reason why the US is againt that country to begin with. The US is guilty of the same evil as Cuba if they try to dictate what form of government that Cuba should have. China is communist and appears not to be a problem to the world. I feel the threat of communism is being driven from paranoid US politics bend on ruling the world.

So far British nationals can visit Cuba and it appears that Canadians can to, I would guess us Australians can also.

One thing to remeber the UN/US has caused the majority of the problems in the world today. We would not have a problem with North Korea at all if the US/UN had not decided to invade China and force the Chinese army to rightfully defend their land and force the US out. If the invasion of China never took place then there would be no North Korea at all!

The reason I am saying this is no country is perfect. The democratic US is not perfect and neither is Communist China/Cuba or Russia. Who are we to judge other countries and force our policies onto other countries. We have no right to impose a new form of government in Cuba - look what is happening in Iraq!

quote:

---

Originally posted by lasuvidaboy:
That is a new one to me.

---

I have no idea but searching the web ignoring the propaganda websites which are the majority, you can find some interesting info. from

"Former U.S. Surgeon General Jocelyn Elders toured Cuban medical facilities in 2001 and concluded that "Cuba's health care system is better at keeping people healthy than the U.S. system."

Infant mortality and life expectancy is equal to the US. Cuba sends Docs all over the world to 'help out' and offered assistance in the aftermath of Katrina, which of course was declined. Certainly those I know who have visited Cuba on holiday have not mentioned anything 'bad' that way, but have not had anything serious whilst there either. I don't think I would want to "test" the sytem that way.

Besides Pullmantur & Saga mentioned above, Fred. Olsen have many cruises calling there, and some of their cabin stewards are Cuban. I personally think the US embargo is ridiculous in this day and age. I certainly hope when/if the embargo is no longer, the Island is not flooded with US citizens out to turn the place into yet another 'same as all the rest' Caribbean 'resort' making a mint in the process.. non of that money will go into the Cuban coffers.

The behemouth vessels are resorts in themselves and should perhaps stay at sea all week for maximum use of the facilities. Leave me the little ships to visit the World

quote:

---

Originally posted by WhiteStar:
If the current government in Cuba were to fall and some sort of democracy were to prevail you would see more money poured in that country by US firms then ever before.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Sutho:
It is also true that Cuba has a better health care system than the US and a much lower crime rate than the US. It cant be too bad a country!

---

I have been -from Guantanamo to Havana from Varadero to Cienfuegos - the real Cuba throughout.

Lasuvidaboy - don't let your US prejudice make you look an idiot get out there and educate yourself.

In Cuba everyone is in employment doing something however menial. There is no employment scrapheap or people with no hope. Of course some think Miami is paved with gold and try to get there. There are people desperate with greed in any society. I am also not saying that the standard of living in Cuba is luxurious. It isn't its barely adequate - but there truly is NO starvation.

If you are in need of health care you will get it - very good healthcare too - and free of charge. You won't need a credit card and you won't become an employment liability if you have a long term illness like you do in a well known large country fairly close by.

Cuba does not run around invading other countries that it does not like from time to time.

Cuba does have unlikeable detention practices and it accommodates another country's example of one too - so don't go there.

Finally it is interesting to see that despite the ridiculous US embargo practiced by Ged Bush and his brother and every president for over forty years at the hands of the Miami mafia who have never got over being chucked out of their law breaking fleshpots in Havana, that Cuba is well capable of importing brand new Volvos and Audis from assembly plants in South America, and of turning to citrus exports and welcoming tourists from around the world to its resorts. Cruising is just one more strand to a bow that has much to give yet.