If you were looking into hopping on a cruise to get to Cuba, you’ll need to find another alternative.
On Tuesday, a new set of restrictions were rolled out that will further limit how Americans can travel to the Caribbean destination. If you’ll recall, President Obama’s administration relaxed many of the former travel restrictions that were in place. The U.S. even opened an Embassy in Cuba and Cuba
Since then, it seems that the latest administration has been working diligently to reverse that.
While American tourism in Cuba is still not 100% legal, those from the U.S. could travel there under certain exceptions. One of those exceptions was group people-to-people travel, which allowed Americans to cruise to the country.
The U.S. State Department made the following statement during Tuesday’s announcement: “G
It seems that the main reasoning behind this latest announcement is to prevent more American dollars from flowing to the Cuban regime and its military and security services. These groups are said to control the Cuban tourism industry.
This is a major blow to Cuban tourism as American travelers are the second largest visiting group, behind those from Canada.
Related: Traveler Story: Dear Cuba: You Had Me At Hello
“The tightening of the US blockade against Cuba and its extraterritorial implementation is and the sovereignty of all States. It is the main obstacle to our development and a flagrant violation of the human rights of all Cubans,” Cuban Minister of Foreign Affairs Bruno Rodríguez Parilla said in a tweet.
“Today’s news is especially damaging for the Cuban people, particularly the burgeoning Cuban private sector, who rely on American travelers to support their businesses and families, James Williams, President of Engage Cuba told CNN.
If you have already locked in plans to head to the country by June 5, whether by purchasing a flight or reserving your accommodation, you will still be allowed to take your trip.