General Info

[Zeos1]

I'm very curious about your comment of prostitution being illegal. I accept that it is not approved, but every resource I have consulted online states that prostitution is not illegal per se. Not that you won't have issues if the government of the time wants to take a hard line against it.

Is anyone able to elaborate or confirm / deny the strict legality?

I am no lawyer, and certainly no expert on Cuban law. But sex workers in jail, sex workers having to pay police a daily fee to keep operating, johns being held under some sort of charge, perhaps bogus, perhaps not. Does it really matter how it may end up if you spent the 2 or 3 years going through their system only to find out that whatever was not technically illegal?

Who knows, and whether prostitution is legal or not does not really matter. Leaders of the country have at times stated that there is no prostitution in Cuba as that does not fit their concept of the society that Cuba is, and so if you sit rotting in jail over something that does not exist also does not matter.

[CubanFun2]

So currently I am seeing an informal exchange rate of 108 to the USD on eltoque.com. But the plaza where I went before (Fe del Valle) doesn't seem to have money changers anymore. Talking with the cab driver today makes me think many of them might have gone out of business with the pandemic and getting rid of the CUC. That being said, I am sure some will pop up again. My driver had a large bag of cash with freshly printed bills that he sold me at 90 to 1 USD. Not the best rate. He also lent me a sim card for while I am here.

I saw a prior question about denominations as well. The driver originally handed me a stack of 100 x 100 peso bills but I ended up with a mix of 1000, 500, 200, and 100 bills. He made it sound like 1000 bills might be hard to get changed.

I think the local economy has already adapted to the prices being so out of line with the official rate. This is kind of like what happened to Argentina when they unpegged their peso from the dollar. Bottom line is if you are not getting close to the informal rate you are getting severely screwed. Also, most places are accepting dollars with restaurants being somewhat of an exception. That being said, their prices have already adjusted to the new rate (assuming it isn't a place that caters to the localsl).

[FlagRunner77]

I'm very curious about your comment of prostitution being illegal. I accept that it is not approved, but every resource I have consulted online states that prostitution is not illegal per se. Not that you won't have issues if the government of the time wants to take a hard line against it.

Is anyone able to elaborate or confirm / deny the strict legality?

Hey Harry,

1st, regarding your post about prostitution. FYI, prostitution is illegal in Cuba and I'd bet you a Cristal or Bucanero this will not change.

2nd, From 1-1-21 on, USD will not be used by tourists while visiting. From then on, once you arrive when you exchange your USD you'll be given CUP to use while visiting and when you leave if you have any CUP left you can get USD equivalent back. Now, remember, each time there's an exchange between currencies there's a commission of 3% imposed on such transaction.

Also, USD will not be used like regular currency (CUP) They're used only by Cuban@s with some government issued cards to buy stuff like appliances and other goods at certain USD stores. Only Cuban@s who get money sent to them from abroad get these cards. No tourists as of now have access to these.
The only way to use USD for mongers will be thru the black market.

My advice to save this exchange commission is to try and spend most or all of the currency or just keep what you have left for your next trip. Also, you can gift your chica what you have left or some other person that help you out.

Mondo.

[DzikaBomba]

I'm seriously considering a trip to Cuba at the beginning of the next year.

I know that the most important Thing is a casa, where I can sneak the girls in.

I want to go to Holguin and Camaguey, because Havanna is too touristy and I don't Like big cities.

I speak a bit Spanish, So this should be no problem.

But my question is, if I can get real GFE in Cuba?

I mean LT with Kisses, Kuddling and also BBFS would be Nice.

I Was in the DR and Colombia (Medellin) and for me the chicas there were mostly cold and professional. Also LT was mostly not on the offer because they mostly prefer ST.

How is the GFE Situation in Cuba and especially in These two named cities?

I'm very interested what experiences you have made there in getting GFE in the last 2-3 years?

[Ty Down]

This goes with my previous report.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bsa-nN2CcLA.

[Ty Down]

Mandatory RT-PCR covid test 72 hours before arrival from January 1st 2021.

This guy just got back from Cuba 2 weeks ago. He's Canadian and he went to Cayo Coco, a beach resort near Ciego de Avila. He shows the process at the airport. You will not be allowed to leave the state run resorts. You will be confined to the resorts, Cuba is off limits. To hell with that.

[Christian G]

Mandatory RT-PCR covid test 72 hours before arrival from January 1st 2021.

[HarryDubois]

When his mother in Cuba asked Guillermo Prieto to send his monthly aid in USA Dollars instead of the convertible pesos known as CUCs, the Homestead man thought it was to buy some appliance in the new government shops that accept only foreign currencies.

But he was stunned, Prieto said, when his 75-year-old mother told him she intended to sell the dollars on the black market and make a profit.

"I always sent her $100 with Western Union, but she said it's preferable that I send it with mules," he said, using Cuban slang for travelers who deliver goods and cash to the island. "Because on the street, she gets a better exchange rate. ".

"Every year, I go to Ciego de Avila for 15 days to visit my mother and my mother-in-law. I came back from there one week ago, and did not change one single dollar at the airport," said Adrial Molina, a Cuban who has lived in Kendall for six years. "The money went much further, although there are so many shortages at the shops that it didn't do me much good. ".

Molina added that several privately owned restaurants in Ciego de Avila suggested he pay the bill with dollars at a "very favorable" exchange rate.

"People have a tremendous dollar fever. Many told me they were afraid they would eliminate the CUC suddenly or modify the exchange rate," he said. "It's not logical to think that one of those little Cuban government papers CUCs would have the same value as a dollar. ".

https://www.miamiherald.com/news/loc...237846459.html

The CUC is being eliminated next week.

I wonder how Cuban girls feel about a few US dollars in cash? I am guessing that the attitude is quite positive.

[AmorPorFavor]

CUC will be soon worthless. The official rate is 1 USD= 24 Cuban Pesos but... it is already past.

Now at market rates 1 USD buys around 70 CUP and counting.

I hope the government will provide us some large denomination CUPs so we don't have to run around with even more bills in our pockets to deal with. Being from the US, having to use cash for everything is a pain in the ass.

[MidLifeUsa]

CUC will be soon worthless. The official rate is 1 USD= 24 Cuban Pesos but... it is already past.

Now at market rates 1 USD buys around 70 CUP and counting.

At Travaras: just curious if 1 to 70 market rate is correct? I am planning to be in Havana in a week. Looks like I will be way better to convert the dollar on the street instead of airport.

[HarryDubois]

1st, regarding your post about prostitution. FYI, prostitution is illegal in Cuba and I'd bet you a Cristal or Bucanero this will not change.
2nd, From 1-1-21 on, USD will not be used by tourists while visiting.

In 1995, a new economic policy was introduced, marking the country's worst economic period. Financial need was the primary motivation for people entering prostitution during this time, and Cuba gained a reputation as the "Thailand of the Caribbean".

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prostitution_in_Cuba#Special_period.

Because of the economic problems during the Special Period, the Cuban government allowed the possession of USA Dollars (which had previously been illegal) and began selling goods and services in USA Dollars On 8 November 2004, the Cuban government withdrew the USA Dollar from circulation.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuban_convertible_peso#History.

I would guess that during this present crisis Cuba will again revert back to being Thailand with dollars, however I am anxious to hear from people who have already made the trip.

[Tavares]

I kept what I had left from my last trip last Nov and it looks like I am going to get stuck with 80 CUC. Wondering if they will be worthless when I get back which won't be until next Nov given the circumstances with Covid. I only travel to tropical countries Nov thru May. I don't enjoy the heat, humidity and rain. Really hoping that things will be good to go a year from now.

CUC will be soon worthless. The official rate is 1 USD= 24 Cuban Pesos but... it is already past.

Now at market rates 1 USD buys around 70 CUP and counting.

[AmorPorFavor]

Hey Harry,

1st, regarding your post about prostitution. FYI, prostitution is illegal in Cuba and I'd bet you a Cristal or Bucanero this will not change.

2nd, From 1-1-21 on, USD will not be used by tourists while visiting. From then on, once you arrive when you exchange your USD you'll be given CUP to use while visiting and when you leave if you have any CUP left you can get USD equivalent back. Now, remember, each time there's an exchange between currencies there's a commission of 3% imposed on such transaction.

Also, USD will not be used like regular currency (CUP) They're used only by Cuban@s with some government issued cards to buy stuff like appliances and other goods at certain USD stores. Only Cuban@s who get money sent to them from abroad get these cards. No tourists as of now have access to these.
The only way to use USD for mongers will be thru the black market.

My advice to save this exchange commission is to try and spend most or all of the currency or just keep what you have left for your next trip. Also, you can gift your chica what you have left or some other person that help you out.

Mondo.

I kept what I had left from my last trip last Nov and it looks like I am going to get stuck with 80 CUC. Wondering if they will be worthless when I get back which won't be until next Nov given the circumstances with Covid. I only travel to tropical countries Nov thru May. I don't enjoy the heat, humidity and rain. Really hoping that things will be good to go a year from now.

[Mondo707]

My understanding is that in two weeks (New Year's Day) when one arrives in Cuba he will not hand in his dollars and receive CUC. Rather you will keep your dollars in cash and use them as CUC were previously used.

Am I wrong about that?

And the CUP will continue to be used by Cuban natives as it always has been.

One questions I have: Will the government stop discouraging prostitution, and let nature take its course, because of the desperate need for dollars? That was true in the late 1990's.

Hey Harry,

1st, regarding your post about prostitution. FYI, prostitution is illegal in Cuba and I'd bet you a Cristal or Bucanero this will not change.

2nd, From 1-1-21 on, USD will not be used by tourists while visiting. From then on, once you arrive when you exchange your USD you'll be given CUP to use while visiting and when you leave if you have any CUP left you can get USD equivalent back. Now, remember, each time there's an exchange between currencies there's a commission of 3% imposed on such transaction.

Also, USD will not be used like regular currency (CUP) They're used only by Cuban@s with some government issued cards to buy stuff like appliances and other goods at certain USD stores. Only Cuban@s who get money sent to them from abroad get these cards. No tourists as of now have access to these.
The only way to use USD for mongers will be thru the black market.

My advice to save this exchange commission is to try and spend most or all of the currency or just keep what you have left for your next trip. Also, you can gift your chica what you have left or some other person that help you out.

Mondo.

[Ty Down]

My understanding is that in two weeks (New Year's Day) when one arrives in Cuba he will not hand in his dollars and receive CUC. Rather you will keep your dollars in cash and use them as CUC were previously used.

Am I wrong about that?

And the CUP will continue to be used by Cuban natives as it always has been.

One questions I have: Will the government stop discouraging prostitution, and let nature take its course, because of the desperate need for dollars? That was true in the late 1990's.

Update this morning on Cuba's monetary policy changes.

https://oncubanews.com/cuba/sobre-ca...nK5GF44JD9TCK4