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I could care less. I will not get caught up in the media hype. If the price is right I will continue go there. I love Cuba but for me everything has it’s price.
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I agree with previous post. If the prices get steep, I’ll stay away. If there is a selfish outcome to all of this, it will be that prices will go down in other countries in order to compete. I have a trip To Cuba in two weeks time, but I also have a trip to Costa Rica in December already booked.
I am always looking elsewhere for possible trips that I can afford.
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That article is really making the rounds today. It showed up on MSN, and on Yahoo News as well. Mrs. CJ read a bit of the MSN version to me this morning, and I had a quick look at both the CBC version and the Yahoo version.Seems to me a bunch of hype designed to promote some extra travel business. Forgive me for being cynical, but I don’t see how an increase in business for a New York based tour operator translates into a boom in Cuba travel. Before the December announcement, the trips that were booked by that tour operator could have been very low.And, since the article deals with statistics for a New York based operator, the headline is a bit misleading to say "…before Americans come." Just some examples of how percentages can be misleading:I don’t know how many bookings they had before the December excitement, but let’s imagine 7 people booked trips. An increase of 57% would mean that 11 people booked shortly after the announcement. Then an increase of 187% might mean that 20 people booked in February. An increase of 250% so far this month might mean that now 25 people have decided to book. All of this might only be based on the fact that starting last week, new weekly direct charter flights from New York to Havana started. So the actual numbers are likely higher than the ones I have suggested. According to one source, there are many Cuban Americans who live in the NY-NJ area, that previously had to fly to Miami to take one of the charter flights out of Miami.It seems reasonable that more people would be booking through a local business, if there are now more local options available. |
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As for myself, I do care. While I enjoy the generally "cheap" prices to Cuba, I also enjoy how it has not become commercialized like other Caribbean countries I have visited.
So while I am not going to run out and book something right now because of this, I am also not naive enough to think that things will stay the same. I am glad to have enjoyed it the past few years for what it is!
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I agree that it would be naïve to think that things won’t change. But those who expect massive changes are even more naïve. Especially those who think there will be massive changes just because a couple of politicians have made some conciliatory noises.The road to normalizing of relations between USA and Cuba will likely be a long and winding one.
Meanwhile, I will predict that there will be bigger changes in 2018 when Raul steps down than any we will see during the next three years. What those changes will be may depend a lot on who actually becomes Raul’s successor.
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Yeah DRG: I do agree with you. And I seriously doubt that the Cuban government (who ever is in charge) will allow the American type development. And I have met Americans in Cuba. I didn’t ask how they got there (too personal) but we did enjoy their company. Americans have always been welcomed and I think Cuba isn’t changing all that much yet But it is happening. And Cuba will remain the "master of my domain." Cuba thinks for itself not for America. If Cuba wants to open up, they will tell the world; not us. I’m sure they need extra revenue (even though I’m not sure it is filtered down to Cubans) but that country is in charge. The US can make promises and pledges but that doesn’t mean the promises and pledges will be fulfilled.
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Anyway just chatting with US brings Cuba big $$$. Maybe that was the reason and cold winter that prices were higher than usual in last few months.
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