Rick Seaney, co-founder of FareCompare.com - is a world-class air travel expert.
FareCompare.com presides over a kingdom of sophisticated software that searches out fares and destinations at a billion combinations per query - while keeping track of 500 airlines serving more than 270,000 markets around the globe.
And all of Rick's data is updated continuously - in real-time.
No wonder he's the media's go-to guy for all things air travel. He's got the answers. And he loves to share his knowledge.
That's why Rick and the team created FareCompare.com - to help everyone become an air travel expert, and get the best deals first -- every time they fly.
I would love to go to Cuba. It seems apparent to me that sanctions for 50 years have not worked, so why pretend?
There is no logical reason why there should be any restrictions on any type of commerce with Cuba, including travel, when China has Most Favored Nation trading status. The Cuba embargo, spearheaded by the Republicans, only proves just how weak and hypocritical the GOP is.
Dear Rick,
A visit to Cuba is a fine idea.Great food and drink coupled with extraordinary music ranging from the Cuban Ballet to small intimate groups in soft tropical salsa settings. The people are friendly and open to discussion with almost any visitor from the North.
La Habana with all of it’s faded and vanished wealth still offers great surprises in architecture and the sheer vibrancy of the people is a pleasant contrast to the Northern grumpiness caused by the Financial Crisis. Cubans are accustomed to survive from one crisis to another and it has not dampened thier enthusiasm for life.
For the adventurous I’d give it 5 stars. Consider Varadero beach and it’s 15 kilometers of white sand and crystaline water, it’s all well worth the trip.
Sincerely
Roger
The last thing I want is more Americans visiting Cuba. I’d rather pay the extra to go around and have limited Americans there than open up the country to Westerners and their ideals.
I totally agree with Mateo and Carol. The embargo has been an abject failure. I would jump at the chance to go to Cuba with my Mom so that she could show me where I was born and raised for the first 6 years of my life. I can pack in an hour!
That is real nice…!!! but Cubans only can travel out the Cuba, after been approved, for only one month, and they have to paid $200 for the “white card”, after that, for example, if they are visiting a relative in US, they also have to paid $150 for each month that they stay here. Also, when you are in Cuba, your dollars will have convertion fee of 20% to CUC.
Cuba would be a great, interesting destination travel site!
Cuba is not Castro, like the United States was not Bush.
This beautiful country is absolutely fabulous and it is sorry that most Americans cannot visit it! Plus we have many Cubans in our prison system that have completed their sentences but cannot be deported back to Cuba since they would be executed. This to me seems like a huge waste of tax dollars????
I LOVE Cuba and deeply regret that Cubans think we dislike them because our government wages political war on them. It’s one of the last untouched regions of the world, like stepping back into time. Once travel restrictions are loosened, it will be quickly developed and no longer have that charm. Such a shame. It would be nice if we could be sure of effective efforts to preserve historical aspects of the country prior to loosening of these restrictions.
The embargo against Cuba is a Cold War relic. It is only perpetuated by perverted, idiotic right-wing conservative zealots. As a South FL resident, I very much look forward to visiting Havana and environs.
It was clear decades ago that the embargo would never work. I’ve been wanting to go to Cuba for 20 years. If they lift the restrictions for non-Cubans by November or so, I can guarantee that I’ll be traveling to Cuba about one year from now.
Travel to Cuba should be allowed for everybody, freely, anytime. Embargo should be lifted. It is useless and has not achieved anything in 50 years. We can travel anywhere in the world including Iran, except to Cuba.
Dear Peter,
I’m entertained by your romantic idea of keping Cuba frozen in time. Personally I believe that the Cuban people deserve much more than that. There is lots of evidence that change is already happening. I refer to the Paladares, or privatly run small restaurants, and the dollar stores where a citizen now has access to foreign goods. This is only a small begining and certainly will not become the downfall of the Regime. It will however improve the wellbeing of those who have chosen to experiment in what you refer to as Western Ideals.
Yes, there will be a number of drawbacks when the doors are opened to US tourism and investment. I think I already undestand what those might be. However I would like to hear your thoughts on how this would negatively impact Cuba and it’s people before I share mine.
Best Regards,
Roger
What’s with all the Republican and Bush bashing? President Kennedy began the embargo when the communists seized American property, a Democrat Congress codified it into law in 1992, and President Clinton prohibited foreign subsidiaries of US companies from trading with Cuba. This has been an American policy for 47 years and isn’t tied to one party or another. I’ll never understand the romanticism of the way Cuba is frozen in time. It’s frozen in time because that’s what happens in Communist states. Let’s not forget that the rest of the world has been free to trade with Cuba during the embargo years, so don’t blame the United States for its condition.
Lift the embargo. In fact let everyone go, just require them to take pictures of how life really is here and the Cubans will revolt within a yr. Only a hundred miles away and we can’t even enjoy it. Open the gate and the change desired will happen!! Once the Cubanos realize that their relatives are living like kings in the evil empire change will happen.
Matt,
I don’t think anyone is blaming the US for all of the economic ills of Cuba. The Embargo has simply been one more element added to it’s problems. The Embargo itself was ill-concieved and if anything it has contributed to the longevity of the Cuban Regime.
Simply lifting the Embargo and allowing US citizens to visit would go a long way in improving the Cuban economy. As to seeing Capitalism soon implemented in Cuba don’t hold your breath.
The solution of simply opening the gates is so obvious that there must be other factors a play. Those factors could very well be the strong but diminishing Cuban lobby in Congress. The agricultural richness of the country and it’s competitive implications would be another thought. And don’t forget the potential of Cuba competing with Atlantic City and Las Vegas. Finally there is the Tourism aspect and if Cuba ever opens up to US visitors the entire Carribean and Central American Tourism industry will suck air. Those are a few but very srong inerest groups.
The Embargo and the real rasons for it are I suspect much more complicated than we think.
R
To all who were conceived and spent their lives in a 55 gl. drum.
Cuba not only is a communist country but has absolutely nothing to offer the rest of the world.
Till both brothers croak, Obama can alter whatever laws he wishes till dooms day. Cuba is not changing.
They look forward to lining their pockets with more $$ that
eventually will be collected from clueless people.
Those who complain why we deal with China which also is a communist country!!
Very simple, they created goods by the sweat of their opprest and downtroden population. The rest of the world blindly took their bait.
Just look at all the junk in your house with “Made in China”
labels.
I’d rather spend my dollars in the United States of America.