TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums St. Maarten - St. Martin Cuban cigars and liquor

As of Friday, can they be brought into the U.S. From St. Maarten?

I am very confused about the whole $100 worth of tobacco / alcohol limit as I thought I had read somewhere it was only for American visitors who were licensed to go to Cuba, not just the general population. I am hoping that is not the case, but the US Customs website still lists an outright ban on cigars. Perhaps they will update their website tomorrow.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/busi...ation/20535041/

That story refers to "approved travelers", so I have to assume that it will only be legal for those who can legally travel to Cuba to bring back cigars and liquor.

It does appear that one of the most unsuccessful embargos the US ever put in place is coming to an end (Kennedy bought 1200 Cuban cigars the day before he signed it). As a long time cigar smoker I personally think that the result will be lower prices for Cuban cigars in the long term. I ceased smoking them a long time ago, preferring Dominican cigars, even when in SXM. I think most people that buy Cubans in SXM are getting them for someone else and often end up buying counterfeits.

Its about time. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Clapping.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Joy.gif" alt="" />
Never understood the whole thing .

Sadly this article paints a bleak picture, granted it is based on the authors opinion of the US ever importing Cuban cigars for sale.

http://reason.com/archives/2014/12/21/what-obamas-cuba-deal-means-for-the-futu

I spoke with a friend who does customs at jfk. He told me they are told to look for larger quantities but if there were 5 cigars stuffed in a shoe that dont care. I usually bring some back for friends and i never have had anyone say anything to me

The USA today article was the day after obama made the statement. Th author really didn't have all the facts and nobody else did either.

Right now you can only bring back $100 worth of Cuban cigars if you travel to Cuba only. From SXM or any other country but Cuba, nothing has changed.

OK, and you have to qualify as an 'approved' visitor to Cuba? That's what I thought..

I like Macanudo Portofino. Is their a savings on these cigars. haven't been able to locate a vendor on Island.

The government announced that a lot of the prior restrictions are lifted tomorrow. This includes needing to be approved to travel to Cuba.

U.S. visitors can state that their goal is educational, for example, and board a flight if they sign a document indicating that they intend to talk to Cubans and learn about life on the communist-run island 90 miles off Florida.

You can also use credit cards in Cuba now.

Your only chance to find them (Macanudos)on the island is at the Cigar Emporium on Front Street in P'Burg. The other tobacconists stick almost exclusively to Cubans.

Tobacco shops in SXM are, as mentioned, primarily Cuban cigars. The Fuente Dominican cigars I smoke cost me about $6/stick in US. In SXM, at Cigar Emporium in Philipsburg they were about $13/stick last time I checked. I would expect your Macanudos would also be very expensive.

All the articles I have read today say you can bring them back only from Cuba, not other places. Also the folks at the Customs and Immigration have not updated their webpage at all, still says NO cigars allowed. Assuming that they will update sometime next week.

So they updated the Customs webpage. Can only bring them back from Cuba, no where else

https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/36/~/importing-cuban-cigars