Arriving In Cuba

Cuban Customs and Immigration

When you arrive in Cuba you will first enter the immigration area where a Cuban immigration officer will ask you for your airline ticket, tourist card (visa) and passport, he will stamp and retain half of the visa and return the other half, you will need this portion of the visa for your departure. You will then pass to the baggage claim area and finally the customs checkpoint where you will be asked for your Customs Declaration Form; this form will be provided by CCT with your final travel documents and/or the airline. As you depart through the doors of the airport a representative of Cuba Cultural Travel will be holding a sign and gathering the group together. When everyone is together you will be led to board your transfer bus to the hotel. IMPORTANT: Never leave your bag unattended at the airport!

What can I not bring into Cuba?

The government (airport customs) does not allow pornography, fresh fruit or meat into the country. They will also restrict the import of household electrical items such as toasters and hotplates. Hair dryers are allowed. There are no restrictions on camera gear and you can bring a video camera as long as it is not the larger professional variety used to make documentaries. Laptop computers have not been a problem in the past.

Safety

The biggest threat to most tourists in Cuba is getting run over by a car. Unlike the United States, pedestrians do not have the right of way. Do NOT expect a Cuban driver to slow down for you… you are expected to jump out of harms way. And NEVER blindly follow the person walking in front of you as you follow the tour group across the street. PLEASE BE AWARE AT ALL TIMES!! Public safety is a concern in any major city, but less so in Havana. Numerous police officers patrol the areas where tourists congregate and crime consists mainly of petty thievery of non-attended items. Violent crime is rare in Cuba; this is due mainly to the fact that there are no guns or drugs and severe penalties for breaking the law. This being said, it is not recommended to go on a solo journey thru Centro Habana with $5,000 worth of camera gear hanging from your neck. As with all big cities, common sense prevails.

Medical Care

You have no reason to be concerned with health issues during your visit to Cuba. Cuba has the highest percentage of physicians per capita in the world and they take great pride in providing tourists with good medical care. If you are staying at the Hotel Parque Central or Hotel Nacional, a 24-hour physician is available at a nominal cost. If you are staying at another hotel, the hotel staff will direct you to a clinic. No vaccinations are needed for travel into Cuba.

Health Regulations

No inoculations are required. Please see the website for the Center for Disease Control for recommendations.

Medical Insurance

As of 1 May 2010, Cuban authorities are requiring that travelers to the island have insurance coverage for medical emergencies. The cost of your airline ticket includes insurance that covers travelers up to 80 years of age while in Cuba. The insurance that is included in your package covers the following: Medical expenses for sudden illness and accidents up to the amount of 25,000 CUC; Repatriation cost up to the amount of 7,000 CUC. (For travelers over the age of 80, the purchase separate medical insurance is required.)

Travel Cancellation Insurance

We strongly recommend you purchase cancellation insurance that will cover the cost of your trip in case your need to cancel for unforeseen reasons.

CCT will provide you with information on how to obtain both medical and cancellation insurance for your trip. We can recommend the following:

Travel Insurance Select - (800) 937-1387
Travel Guard - (800) 826-4919 (Agent ID 254276)
TravelEx - (800) 228-9792 (Location 05-0976)