Cuba - Security

Overall Crime and Security

Most crime can be associated with pickpocketing, purse snatching, fraud schemes, and thefts from unoccupied cars, hotel rooms, and dwellings. Visitors are generally perceived to be more affluent than Cubans presenting them as attractive targets. Most offences take place in areas frequented by foreigners.

For travel advisories see the following websites:

• UK - www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/cuba
• USA - travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories/cuba-travel-advisory.html
• Canada - travel.gc.ca/destinations/cuba
• New Zealand - www.safetravel.govt.nz/Cuba
• Australia - smartraveller.gov.au/Countries/americas/caribbean/Pages/cuba.aspx

Specific Areas of Concern:

Demonstrations: Demonstrations/protests took place in 2021, predominantly in Havana, due to food, fuel and medicine shortages, internet shut-down etc. These could happen again. Avoid any large gatherings and keep yourself informed. The cruising FB group Cuba, Land and Sea is an excellent source for information on the latest situation.

Road Safety: Accidents involving motor vehicles are the leading cause of accidental deaths in Cuba. The roads are often dangerous due to lack of road maintenance. Potholes and a lack of proper lighting make driving at night particularly dangerous. Cuban drivers tend to place large sticks or rocks in the road to indicate a hazard or broken down vehicle ahead. It is often difficult to see these accident markers until one has hit them.

Maritime Issues:

Be extremely vigilant when anchoring near populated areas. Cruisers should take basic safety precautions and use common sense when leaving the boat or going ashore at night. Be sure to conceal below any loose deck items and follow the cruisers' mantra of "lock it or lose it". Dinghy & outboard thieves operate throughout the Caribbean and the best advice is to place your dinghy on deck and chain it overnight.

An EPIRB is possibly the only way to summon help if you are in trouble in Cuban waters. VHF stations are few and far between and lack of Spanish will be a problem. There is a direct communication link between the USCG and the Cuban Border Guard so the EPIRB signal will be received and forwarded.

Reported Incidents: (see related reports)

• February 2022: Snorkeling gear was stolen from an unlocked cockpit locker in Marina Cienfuegos while the owners were absent, despite there being security on the docks.
• July 2020: An unoccupied yacht was burgled while its owners were out of the country, berthed in Marina Hemingway (Havana).
• May 2018: Dinghy and outboard thefts (and night boardings) continue to be reported from Cienfuegos. Be sure to lift and lock your dinghy at night, secure your outboard and carry a minimum amount of gas in your dinghy tank.
• June 2016: A yacht anchored at Isla de la Juventud reported deck gear (cockpit cushions, sunglasses, dock lines, life sling, etc.) stolen overnight.

The Caribbean Safety and Security Net provide information by anchorage or by the island. If you experience a boarding, robbery or attack on your yacht or have information about a yachting-related security incident, go to the CSSN homepage and click on the “Report an Incident” icon.

Emergency Numbers: See General Info for more details.

Last updated:  November 2023