Recent media reports have reached premature conclusions that adjustments in Cuba’s tourism sector are a sign of failure for the island nation’s future as a major travel destination for Americans. What’s wrong with this conclusion is that it misses a nuanced understanding of the forces at work in Cuba and also the narrowness of the … Read more
By the turn of the century in 1900, four out five American men smoked cigars. Cigar box design became an important way to differentiate among the multitude of brands on display in stores around the country. The cigar business was a large industry, and factories employed thousands of people before mechanized manufacturing of cigars became … Read more
Cuba is the only country in the world where Americans are subject to travel restrictions, and importing goods from Cuba adds another layer of complexity for people seeking import compliance for Cuban goods. But it’s worth it. Importing Commercial Goods from Cuba Commercial imports authorized under § 515.582 of the Cuban Assets Control Regulations (CACR), … Read more
Cuban President Raul Castro on Tuesday met a delegation of US Congressmen led by Senators Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont) and Thad Cochran (R-Miss) who were visiting Cuba. Judging by comments expressed by the congressional delegation, Castro appears to want to continue working on improved ties with Washington despite U.S. President Donald Trump’s vow to reverse direction. … Read more
Cuba’s social and economic opening has an unexpected expression in a growing pro-LGBTI movement. Mariela Castro, President Raul Castro’s daughter, last year led Cuba’s largest Pride event to commemorate the International Day against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia (IDAHAT). Ms Castro is the head of the Cuban National Center for Sex Education and is Cuba’s most … Read more
It’s hard to believe that it’s been a decade since Habanos released the game-changing Cohiba Maduro 5 line, a range of maduro cigars with wrappers far darker than the traditional Cuban puro. 10 years later, the range still honors the best tradition of Cuba’s “capa madura” or dark wrapper cigars. The maduro wrappers use the … Read more
Habanos has announced a new portfolio of Ediciones Limitadas, or limited edition, cigars for 2017. The new limited editions will be arriving in shops worldwide in the coming weeks, according to the company. The new slate includes three cigars: the Montecristo Dantés, the Trinidad Topes and the Romeo y Julieta Capuletos. Habanos’ limited editions typically … Read more
Royal Caribbean’s 6,000-passenger Harmony of the Seas’ onboard attractions include a mock Central Park with live plants and trees, drinks prepared by robots, a 1 1/2-hour production of the musical “Grease,” – plus a 10-story thrill slide. A lot has changed since the 961-foot, 2,200-passenger Queen Elizabeth sailed in the late 1960s. Boat size inflation, driven by … Read more
Traveling to Santiago, Cuba, the island nation’s second largest city, is like stepping back in time but with far fewer tourists. Founded in 1515, the city has much of the historical charm of Havana but less of the development and tourism growth compared to Old Havana. CasaCuba is a family-owned B&B that offers more than … Read more
Carnival Cruise Line reports it has received approval to sail to Cuba – Havana will be added to select Carnival Paradise voyages from Tampa beginning in June 2017. There was no mention of Carnival’s experiential brand, Fathom. Less than a year ago, Carnival’s small ship, Adonia, was the first cruise ship to travel to Cuba … Read more
