Cuba, the most hospitable and welcoming archipelago in the Caribbean Sea, has begun to receive international travelers again, after a pause where efforts were made to protect human lives from the advance of COVID-19. With the mission successfully accomplished, the country and its people reopen their arms and welcome you. So that you know in depth the details of this reopening and start planning your next trip right now, today we bring you the answers to several questions that you have surely asked or could ask yourself. Keep reading… Meliá Cuba keeps you informed:
- What destinations in Cuba are taking up tourism again?
All those which go through the “new normal” phase, a post-COVID-19 recovery stage defined by the Cuban Government based on strict sanitary and epidemiological criteria. Several airlines and tour operators already offer itineraries to some destinations. Consult with your travel agent, you will surely find excellent options.
- Is it possible to make combined trips between two or more destinations?
Yes, it is possible to visit various places on the island as part of your vacation, as long as they are destinations included in the “new normal”. You can combine city and beach, or culture and nature, everything to your liking!
- Which Meliá Cuba hotels are open and which ones will open soon? How can I book them?
At this moment we have available the Meliá Internacional Varadero, Meliá Peninsula Varadero and Sol Palmeras in the largest beach destination in Cuba; also Meliá Cayo Coco and Tryp Cayo Coco on the north central coast. In the capital, our Meliá Habana is open with all services and Tryp Habana Libre is providing gastronomic services only.
You can make the reservation through your trusted travel agency, our official websites www.meliacuba.com and www.melia.com or using online sales portals in which Meliá Cuba is present.
- What safety protocols are applied in hotels?
We have implemented the Stay Safe with Meliá program in all our hotels, based on the recommendations of the World Health Organization and the Ministries of Health and Tourism of Cuba. As part of this protocol, we have trained our employees on safe practices and we provide them with means such as masks, gloves, disinfectants, etc. according to the work of each one. The common spaces have also been adapted for effective social distancing, we digitalize the management of various services and we have teams of health professionals in each hotel ready to ensure that you have a safe and healthy stay with us.
- Will services and activities be cut at the facilities?
No. All the proposals for entertainment, gastronomy, shows, spas, sports and, in general, any service of the Meliá Cuba hotels, will maintain their programming, always respecting the health and safety protocols.
- Can Cuban vacationers stay with travelers from other countries?
Sure! It will be a pleasure to receive in our hotels all the clients who choose us. However, Cuban residents who are in territories where restrictions are active due to significant presence of COVID-19, will not be able to leave these regions until the corresponding authorities decide.
7. Will I need to present a PCR negative before I enter Cuba?
Yes you do. From 10/1/2021 all travelers entering Cuba need to present a document with a negative result of a PCR test, performed up 72 hours before entering the country and issued by a certified laboratory on their country of origin, except for Canadian citizens and residents in Canada arriving from that country.
8. Will PCR be performed on clients upon arrival in the country? What is the protocol to be followed with tourists detected as positive?
Yes, samples will be taken from travelers, either at airports, international marinas or any point of entry into the country. Results will be available in 24 hours and can be received by travelers via email. If tourists who stay in hotels test positive, they will be isolated in a different hotel or hospital ( if they have symptoms); while their companions may continue in the chosen accommodation under observation of health personnel.
Cubans residing abroad, businessmen and other travelers who come on their own (not in programs organized by tour operators and travel agencies) have to complete an isolation period of 5 nights and 6 days in designated hotels in each territory, complying with the entry PCR and a second one on the fifth day, both of them free of charge. Foreigners and Cubans who are not residents must cover the costs of their stay and transportation. Once the second PCR is negative, these clients can continue their stay in the country in the homes of relatives, friends, tenants or hotels that they have booked. If the results are positive, the same procedure for tourists coming on organized trips applies.
9. If I need to get tested for COVID prior to leaving the country, where can I do it? What would its cost be? How long do the results take?
If you find yourself in this case, you can request the test from the medical team of the hotel where you are staying, or an international clinic if you are staying elsewhere. You must wait for 24 hours, enough time for your result to be delivered to you with all the privacy guarantees. It is advisable to take the test two days before your departure from Cuba. The test includes medical consultation and health certificate endorsed by the laboratory with your results. In the case of Varadero, Cayo Coco, Cayo Santa María and Holguín, those travelers who need it, will be able to obtain a PCR test, at their hotel instead of an off-site clinic. The cost of the test ranges from 30 to 60 USD.
10. I am affiliated with the Club Meliá Cuba. Where can I get assistance to manage my reservations in the “new normal” phase?
Good to have you back! You can send us your questions through the email melia.marina.varadero@meliacuba.com or jefe.reservas.mmv@meliacuba.com
11. If I travel without medical coverage for COVID -19, can I take out insurance upon my arrival in Cuba?
Yes. You can do it at the airport itself, for a price of approximately 30 USD and valid for 21 days. It is important that you know that this insurance will cover only medical care in Cuba, not the costs of repatriation.
12. Do I need to pay a sanitary fee when I enter the country?
No. Travelers do not have to pay a sanitary fee upon arrival in Cuba. This fee applies only to air carriers, as well as shipping companies or owners of vessels, including recreational vessels, with a cost of 30 USD per passenger and crew.
We trust our answers have been useful to you. Keep in mind that there is the possibility of variations in the international travel scenario, so we always recommend keeping up to date: either with specialized agents, following the official information of the authorities or your Government, and also connecting with the channels of Meliá Cuba. For us it is a pleasure to inform you. And remember: the time has come! We are already waiting for you.
Check the country’s safety protocols here https://www.mintur.gob.cu/protocolos-sanitarios-para-viajeros/
