Going to Cuba? Read This First.

[Old Hooker]

I'm new to this forum, but looking forward to being involved in the future. I'm a "well-seasoned" fly fisher, totally retired, and working at fishing myself to death. I have caught enough trout in my life, I guess, so now I'm interested in other fly fishing destinations and new species. I have some information that might help others who have the same addiction.

I’ve long dreamed of a fly fishing trip to Cuba, and this March, I finally did it. To be kind, I’ll describe myself as a “well-seasoned” angler who has taken many guided fishing trips with many outfitters in many places, but I’ve never had a worse experience than I just endured fishing for Avalon Fishing Centers.

Regrettably, Avalon has an exclusive for fly fishing Cuba. You can book trips through agents, but they work for Avalon on a commission basis. Who knows what deal Avalon struck with the Cuban government, but the end result is a greedy monopoly.

If you live in the USA, traveling to Cuba is complicated. All options for getting there require extra time, documentation and expense, and you should do it far in advance.

My passion is tarpon, so I picked the Hotel Rancho destination on the Isla de la Juventud, which was within my meager budget and supposed be excellent for early-season, resident tarpon. I had talked to several other anglers who’d been there and had good success.

So I reserved a trip with Avalon, paid all the money, and made the complicated travel arrangements. Then, five days from departure, I receive an email from Avalon saying they moved our guides from Hotel Rancho to the Georgiana, also in Isla de la Juventud, but quite a different trip--a new “luxury yacht” for “exclusive groups” going for $7,800 per person per week. Our trip went for $2,350 per person. You do the math. I’m sure Avalon did.

Basically, Avalon reneged on its agreement with me, canceled my trip, and “graciously” offered to refund my money, but not for all the pre-paid travel expenses (about $1,400, i.e. airline tickets, hotels, shuttles and insurance.) So a refund wasn’t a viable option. Instead, Avalon offered to send me to another location, an option I reluctantly accepted.

I ended up at Cayo Cruz, a very nice place and in some ways better that Isla de la Juventud. But it’s primarily a bonefish/permit destination, not the reason I decided to go to Cuba. But apparently, the Monopoly decides where I go, not me.

I liken this to buying a plane ticket to fly to Hawaii, but after the plane takes off, the pilot announces that the airline can make more money flying me to Omaha instead, so that’s where I’m going.

Interestingly, in Cuba, I ran into other anglers. I explained, much to my chagrin, I was headed for Cayo Cruz, even though I booked a trip to Isla de la Juventud. Shocked, they replied that they’d booked a trip to Cayo Cruz, but Avalon canceled their trip five days in advance and sent them somewhere else. Since then, while on various fly fishing forums, I’ve heard from three other groups who have had the same experience, so obviously, this is not a isolated incident. Instead, it is corporate policy at Avalon. Somebody high up the Avalon food chain reviews bookings the week prior and decides where they will move people to maximize profits.

I did, incidentally, before writing this, politely ask for an explanation from Avalon, but no reply.

So, here’s the punch line. If you decide to book with Avalon, I suggest doing the following:

1. Plan on Avalon switching you to a different location the week before you leave.
2. Buy a refundable plane ticket, so you have the option of getting a refund.
3. Before paying Avalon any money, ask a copy of the contract you’ll be forced to sign after you’ve paid all the money and arrived at your destination. If you don’t sign it, you’ll sit in the hotel all week. The contract basically says, no amount of negligence or misconduct or poor service opens Avalon to any legal liability. This is really nasty business practices, sort of life having open heart surgery, and after the surgeon opens you up, he forces you sign a contract before he finishes the operation.
4. Ask Avalon precisely how long it takes to get from the lodge or yacht to the actual fishing destination. In my case, Avalon conveniently neglected to mention that I’d be spending three hours per day crammed in a bus on a bumpy road driving to the boat dock, followed by a long boat ride before wetting a line, leaving seven hours maximum fishing time if you skipped lunch.
5. Expect very bad communications between Avalon and the staff on the ground in Cuba. Incidentally, that “staff” is excellent and friendly, but works for the Cuba government, not Avalon. Business tip: Free labor is nice if you can get it.
6. Don’t be surprised by an “up-sale.” Cuba travel restrictions are gradually coming down, but in 2015, they were still partially in effect. So, Avalon tried hard to intimidate me into paying for a $500 (and later, $250) for a “license” I didn’t need. They also insisted Cuba would stamp my passport, and I’d have trouble re-entering the USA. Well, Cuba customs didn’t stamp my passport, and I had no trouble with US Customs.

[John Harper]

Didn't take long for the Cubans to adopt one of the best features of "free market" economics. Not sure why the Republicans are so upset about our relations with Cuba, seems like capitalism at it's finest has already evolved.

John

[NorcalBob]

OUCH!!!! Thanks for the detailed report about how Avalon flies! The number #1 gripe I have about the FF travel business is it's all basically paid for in advance, making you a prime rip-off target to shenanigans like these. It's happened to me before (actually twice!) and is a primary reason why I rarely do the FF travel booking thing and do my own DIY trips. Unfortunately, the FF travel business is sometimes the only real option for some destinations.

[BrownBear]

Only option is to boycott them. If enough folks do it, they'll move on to running political conventions or some such.

[Wildman]

Welcome to the forum and thanks for the detailed report. I had fancied a trip to Cuba before it becomes another tourist trap but the amount of money and the lack of real info always put the idea on the back burner. One of our members was just there as a tourist and had a great time but he wasn't fishing.

Hope you caught a few in spite of the bait and switch.

[Old Hooker]

Thank you. I managed to land a few bonefish and have a nice time. Cuba, Cubans, and Cuba fishing are all great, and I'd go back i a second if I didn't have to book with Avalon.

[stanbery]

Welcome aboard and thanks for posting.

Jon

[fly addict]

As long as Cuba is a commie controlled country I’ll never spend a dime there. I have a very close friend who’s parents owned a local market long before Castro and the commies took control, First they took his market, then his house, & car and finely put him in jail for 5 years because he was a capitalist.