Cuban Refugees

[goofymama]

I posted about this last night as I was on this cruise as well. The only thing is we didn't actually hand them off in Grand Cayman. After speaking with some officers I know from other disney cruises they tried to hand them off to Cuban authorities in GC but these particular 4 people have been picked up several other times by various ships and they would not take them back so they were actually brought back to Port Canaveral with us where they were arrested and taken into custody by the U.S Coast Guard

Wow That is sad on so many levels.

We were on this cruise too, but we were laughing the second time we diverted thinking the empty raft was probably the same raft from the first rescue

 

[Iceman09201]

They weren't actually on a raft. They were floating on the hood of a car with a makeship sail on it made out of bed sheet

 

[TXDCLfan]

They weren't actually on a raft. They were floating on the hood of a car with a makeship sail on it made out of bed sheet

that is just plain crazy

 

[TXDCLfan]

As one of these people I can tell you much about Cuba. Though I was born here I am Cuban. Cuban people have a very rich history. Many cuban families can trace there ancestry back to the conquistadors and even further back. When you next cruise the Caribbean and make your way through the West Indies recall how much Cuba has influenced the shaping of all the islands in the area. Though the US no longer ports in Cuba it has very strong ties to this country not just from the 30-50s but far before then. The Rum everyone loves and sugar this country is so hooked on flowed all the way to New England from Cuba in colonial times. Then there is slavery, that which made this country so rich, but everyone hides so deeply from. There is much Americans can learn from a country with such a rich history. Cuba is not proud of all that has taken place in their history but they don't hide or deny any of it. Its good to remember that most americans ancestors came by boat and where not invited or welcome. Unless your descendants are native american or mexican you came here uninvited.

We should also remember that Cuba is a communist country where tourists are allowed every luxury while the locals are still going to stores that are inadequately supplied. Trust me they don't want to get picked up by a cruise line they want to make it to shore. So they can reunite with family and friends who have been here precastro.


Our coast guards try to avoid picking them up because they don't want to send them back.

Cuban authorities in other countries don't want to send them back because they know they will be persecuted for leaving. If it bothers you that Cubans are coming to america via boat then you should push your congressman to end the embargo. Until then I would continue to get used to the number of Cubans trying to leave Cuba for more opportunities.

Please do not turn my statement into a political one. Thank you

 

[Keurigirl]

I feel very sad when people think that their "better option" is to set sail for sea on the hood of a car with a bedsheet sail. To think that risking their life in that was was preferable to staying in Cuba is awfully sad.

 

[mmouse37]

Here is a pic of the raft that the Magic picked up last week on the NYC 8 night cruise.



When we sailed the Magic back in 2003 we stopped to offer aid to a rowboat with 4 adult men and a young boy. Back then we were told they were not allowed to bring them onboard but they tied the boat to the ship and passed them food and water and then waited for the coast guard to come. Once the CG was in view the people jumped in the water to try to get away as I guess they knew they would be returned to Cuba. It was very sad to witness.

 

[verygfy]

DH and I were at Palo's having brunch and noticed something floating in the water. Afterwards, DD and I were waiting for the Princess Gathering when our cruise director made the announcement that there were 4 people in the raft and they asked for assistance.

Here is the picture I got from the porthole on deck 3 of the Disney crew going out to rescue them.

 

[GeneMachine]

I used to live in Miami, and at the time, any Cuban who arrived ashore from Cuba could stay and would not be repatriated (Elian Gonzalez aside). The same did not apply to Haitians. Is this still true?

 

[Evi]

Please do not turn my statement into a political one. Thank you

It wasn't... I was explaining why our coast guard doesn't usually pick Cuban refugees up unless they really need help. Your Welcome

 

[sissy_ib]

You must mean a 360 or the ship would have gone back to where they were coming from!

Ex Techie

They meant 180. The ship turned around to check out the life raft. It would then do another 180 to head back in the correct direction.

 

[Evi]

They meant 180. The ship turned around to check out the life raft. It would then do another 180 to head back in the correct direction.

Wow I'm surprised they turn around the entire vessel. I thought most cruise ships have a smaller motor boat on board that they could deploy. I've seen things like this on larger private yachts so I guess I just assumed cruise ships would also have them.

 

[TXDCLfan]

It wasn't... I was explaining why our coast guard doesn't usually pick Cuban refugees up unless they really need help. Your Welcome

Go back to post 24 and see the bold area and yes you were trying to make a political statement out of my response. Please reread your last paragraph.

 

[sissy_ib]

Go back to post 24 and see the bold area and yes you were trying to make a political statement out of my response. Please reread your last paragraph.

The part about writing your congressman reads as a separate thought. Not a response to you. Hence the spacing.
At least that is how it reads to me.

 

[Evi]

The part about writing your congressman reads as a separate thought. Not a response to you. Hence the spacing.
At least that is how it reads to me.

Thank you Sissy. As I said I was explaining the reasoning behind coast guards not picking them up. But let op read it as they like no bother to me.

 

[TXDCLfan]

The part about writing your congressman reads as a separate thought. Not a response to you. Hence the spacing.
At least that is how it reads to me.

Not to me.

 

[mimmi]

I didn't know that they usually get sent back, that's really surprising, I thought that they were lucky to be found by a cruise ship...

 

[mmouse37]

Let's stay on track people....thank you.

MJ

 

[Uncleromulus]

What immediately occurs to me is the POSSIBILITY of such "drifting refugees" not being refugees at all.

But maybe well armed and simply playing possum??

 

[rpk113]

What immediately occurs to me is the POSSIBILITY of such "drifting refugees" not being refugees at all.

But maybe well armed and simply playing possum??

and you don't think that somewhere in the deep recesses of these ships, in double locked safes there isn't a small arsenal of guns? As well as a small portion of the crew being trained in these guns?

 

[woody73]

I didn't know that they usually get sent back, that's really surprising, I thought that they were lucky to be found by a cruise ship...

No, they are lucky if they reach U.S. soil unassisted.

Woody