Cuba...a class trip?

[MrBern]

Cuba
Communist country
travel restricted by US Govt for 40 years.
Illegal for Americans to buy or import Cuban cigars.

So how did a NYC Highschool take a class trip to Cuba during springbreak?

foxnewsstory

 

[vonwotan]

Restrictions on tourism have been eased/easing for some time now. Architectural tours are being run by groups like the Municipal Art Society in NY, and some universities, and there is also an allowance for cuban cigars for personal use. I believe the number may be ten. It seems quite odd that the school is only coming under scrutiny now, when they would have needed time to organize and book their travel. Quite interesting!

 

[scotrace]

My understanding is the opposite

That the Bush Administration has been tightening the screws and allowing less travel.

Incidentally, the crime with which A US Citizen can be charged for purchasing a single Cuban cigar (or anything at all that is made in Cuba) is Trading With The Enemy, a very, very serious offense. There is no allowance for personal use.

Edit: From the linked article -

Traveling to Cuba has been difficult for more than 40 years because of the country's rocky relations with the United States. In 2004, the U.S. implemented special restrictions that made it even more difficult.

 

[MrBern]

Restrictions on tourism have been eased/easing for some time now. Architectural tours are being run by groups like the Municipal Art Society in NY, and some universities, and there is also an allowance for cuban cigars for personal use. I believe the number may be ten. It seems quite odd that the school is only coming under scrutiny now, when they would have needed time to organize and book their travel. Quite interesting!

But not for Highschools:
final paragraph of article:
Educational licenses are granted to graduate and undergraduate students for trips that last a minimum of 10 weeks, but no such licenses are granted at the high school level, she said. People who violate sanctions can face penalties ranging from warnings to a $65,000 fine.

 

[reetpleat]

I just sense that the Cuban administration is about to fall due to US trade restrictions. It has been a long forty years for all concerned, but it will happen any day now. I am sure of it.

 

[vonwotan]

I guess that shows how much I have been keeping track. There was, at least for a time, an easing of the restrictions and our friends came back from duty free with small samplings of cigars that were declared and passed through customs. However, that last MAS trip was several years ago.

That the Bush Administration has been tightening the screws and allowing less travel.

Incidentally, the crime with which A US Citizen can be charged for purchasing a single Cuban cigar (or anything at all that is made in Cuba) is Trading With The Enemy, a very, very serious offense. There is no allowance for personal use.

Edit: From the linked article -

Traveling to Cuba has been difficult for more than 40 years because of the country's rocky relations with the United States. In 2004, the U.S. implemented special restrictions that made it even more difficult.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

I was under the impression that one simply entered through Mexico. At least that's how all my American friends did it.

I do also know one of the foremost anglo experts on Cuban and other Caribbean baseball history who has property down there and flies in and out of Dulles regularly. He says that it is quite easy, though expensive, and legal for American citizens to travel to Cuba.

bk

 

[vonwotan]

There used to be a shuttle flight between Cozumel and Havana, although the last time I went down (also some years ago), there were Federales galore in that departure gate where there used only to be one or two sleepy gate attendants.

 

[MrBern]

I just sense that the Cuban administration is about to fall due to US trade restrictions. It has been a long forty years for all concerned, but it will happen any day now. I am sure of it.

Well, theyre probably jsut waiting for elderly & ill FidelCastro to die.

 

[MrBern]

I was under the impression that one simply entered through Mexico. At least that's how all my American friends did it.

I do also know one of the foremost anglo experts on Cuban and other Caribbean baseball history who has property down there and flies in and out of Dulles regularly. He says that it is quite easy, though expensive, and legal for American citizens to travel to Cuba.

bk

I've known people to have had their applications for visa for Cuban trips denied outright.
I've heard of people flying up to Canada to get to Cuba.
But you risk fines if it hasnt been sanctioned.

And of course, the real question about this news article, is how did a bunch of kids get their parents to send them on a trip to another country w/o knowing it wasnt sanctioned. How did a HighSchool Principal allow this?

BTW,in the early 90s I went to the Soviet Union w/ a high school class , tho I was not a teen. It was an escorted eductional tour & everyone had legitimate papers.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

I've known people to have had their applications for visa for Cuban trips denied outright.

I can imagine. I know Pete is going down there for research so has a legitimate work/academic reason to be there. I can see that "i want me some cigars" might not be enough to sway the border control folks.

As i say, i thought Americans who really wanted to go there just went in through a third party and the Cubans simply didn't stamp the passports so noone would know you were ever there.

bk

 

[Daisy Buchanan]

My cousins who go to a private prep school here in MA each went to Cuba for a spring break class trip during their junior year. I'm pretty sure they flew up to Canada and then from there got a flight to Havana. I'm really not sure of the details, but both of them say the trip was incredible. Maybe schools have special circumstances that get them there.

 

[Doh!]

After Fidel kicks, they should really reconsider that whole dictatorship thing. It could be a swell vacation spot again if circumstances were different.

 

[reetpleat]

I've known people to have had their applications for visa for Cuban trips denied outright.
I've heard of people flying up to Canada to get to Cuba.
But you risk fines if it hasnt been sanctioned.

And of course, the real question about this news article, is how did a bunch of kids get their parents to send them on a trip to another country w/o knowing it wasnt sanctioned. How did a HighSchool Principal allow this?

BTW,in the early 90s I went to the Soviet Union w/ a high school class , tho I was not a teen. It was an escorted eductional tour & everyone had legitimate papers.

Was this trip legal? I would assume it was allowed under the educational provisions.

 

[reetpleat]

I can imagine. I know Pete is going down there for research so has a legitimate work/academic reason to be there. I can see that "i want me some cigars" might not be enough to sway the border control folks.

As i say, i thought Americans who really wanted to go there just went in through a third party and the Cubans simply didn't stamp the passports so noone would know you were ever there.

bk

I have heard that it is easy to go through canada, but there are american agents photographing people acting like fellow tourists.

I suspect most people are ignored, adn the only crack downs and fines are those who make public political statements. here was a guy a while back who went down on a publicized trip to take medication.

The govet cracked down on him hard with major fines and threat of jail time.

As i say, i thought Americans who really wanted to go there just went in through a third party and the Cubans simply didn't stamp the passports so noone would know you were ever there.

 

[reetpleat]

After Fidel kicks, they should really reconsider that whole dictatorship thing. It could be a swell vacation spot again if circumstances were different.

Are you kidding? For mot of the world it is.

That is why "sanctions" don't work. All it has done is kept american companies out of the profits being made.

Of course, that is why they kicked us out in the first place, so maybe all for the best for them.

I do think that attempting to starve people into deposing their leaders is one of the most immoral things a country can do to another, and it never seems to work either.

 

[jamespowers]

Are you kidding? For mot of the world it is.

That is why "sanctions" don't work. All it has done is kept american companies out of the profits being made.

Of course, that is why they kicked us out in the first place, so maybe all for the best for them.

I do think that attempting to starve people into deposing their leaders is one of the most immoral things a country can do to another, and it never seems to work either.

Let's keep the comments on the article not US foreign policy. fftopic:

 

[MrBern]

My cousins who go to a private prep school here in MA each went to Cuba for a spring break class trip during their junior year. I'm pretty sure they flew up to Canada and then from there got a flight to Havana. I'm really not sure of the details, but both of them say the trip was incredible. Maybe schools have special circumstances that get them there.

final paragraph of article:
Educational licenses are granted to graduate and undergraduate students for trips that last a minimum of 10 weeks, but no such licenses are granted at the high school level, she said. People who violate sanctions can face penalties ranging from warnings to a $65,000 fine.

 

[jamespowers]

People who violate sanctions can face penalties ranging from warnings to a $65,000 fine.

That should be twice as much---maybe three times as much. :eusa_doh:

 

[MrBern]

Click to read full NYPost article