Grand Cayman itinerary w/ Possible Side Trip to Cuba?
 

Can anyone help w/ input on our trip itinerary? We're going to Grand Cayman for the first time in a week. (Yay!) We'll be staying at the Marriott on 7MB for the first 5 nights, then moving to the Westin for the last 3 nights (reward points). Is 8 nights too long of a stay?

Also, I've read that ppl can easily sail from GCM to Cuba for a short trip. Does anyone have more details on how/whether to do this? We are US citizens - will we have a problem w/ our passports in/out of Cuba or upon our return to the US?

Day 1: arrive GCM, check into hotel around noon, snorkel
Day 2: morning dive
Day 3: rent a car and explore Rum Point, Georgetown
Day 4: morning dive, stingray city
Day 5: Cuba?
Day 6: Cuba?
Day 7: free day, dinner cruise
Day 8: free day
Day 9: return to US

You will have to fly from Cayman to Cuba. And it IS against the law to go, fyi.

Yes, as a US citizen you will have trouble with your passports, especially upon your return to the US.

As a US Citizen it is illegal for you to visit Cuba without a special license from the US govenrment.

This is from the State Department website:

CUBA - *Passport and visa required. For specific requirements, consult the Cuban Interests Section, 2630 16th St., NW, Washington, DC 20009 (202/797-8518). HIV test required for those staying longer than 90 days. Attention: U.S. citizens need a U.S. Treasury Department license in order to engage in any transactions related to travel to and within Cuba (this includes the use of U.S. currency). Before planning any travel to Cuba, U.S. citizens should contact the Licensing Division, Office of Foreign Assets Control, U.S. Department of Treasury, (202/622-2480) or on the Internet at www.treas.gov/ofac

Thanks for the information about Cuba. Has anyone done diving at Little Cayman? Is it worth the trip to spend a few days diving Little Cayman rather than spend the entire time in Grand Cayman? We are thinking of either staying at Paradise Villas or Sam McCoy's.

You could always explore the East side of the island 1 day and go to the Botanical Gardens and the Butterfly farm.

Another day you could explore West Bay area,snorkel Cemetary Reef and go to the Turtle Farm.

Christie

Cuban Immigration will not stamp your passport if you request it.

Cuba doesn't think that it is illegal for U.S. citizens to visit. For U.S. citizens it is illegal to spend money in Cuba so the travel agent in Cayman provides you with an all expense paid (by a Camanian) vacation in Havana. You are, however, consticted by what is supplied to you by the agency. The catch 22 is that Cuban tourist spots do not accept Cuban money - they want American Greenbacks. The only place that Cubans can buy the nicities of life is the Gov. run "Dollar Store" which accepts only U.S. dollars. GOVERNMENT RUN! Cuban customs does not stamp your passport but adds a "visitors" leaf which can be removed upon exit. For U.S. citizens visiting Cuba is not a smart thing to do. At least now. It was very lax about 10 years ago but the anti-terrorist mindset has made it very difficult and not a smart thing to attempt today. There are a myriad of Caribbean islands to visit. Think about going elsewhere.

Even if all evidence of travel to/from Cuba is removed from a US passport, wouldn't you have to account for your second entrance into Grand Cayman if the officials caught it?