D'Viajeros for cruise arrivals in Cuba

Not everyone reaches Cuba by plane. You can also arrive by sea, aboard a cruise ship that calls at Havana or another port on the island. And that raises the most common question: if D'Viajeros asks for a flight number, what do you enter when there is no flight? The short answer is that the form also applies to arrivals by sea, and that you declare the details of the ship and the port of entry instead of the aircraft.

In brief: D'Viajeros is Cuba's advance passenger information and applies to arrivals by air and by sea. If you come by cruise, you declare the ship and the port of entry in place of a flight number. The cruise line usually coordinates part of the process, but the form and its QR code remain yours. If your line's exact flow is unclear, confirm it with them and with the official portal.

D'Viajeros also applies to arrivals by sea

D'Viajeros is the advance passenger information Cuba asks of everyone entering the country, whatever the mode of transport. It is managed by the Ministry of Transport (MITRANS) together with the General Customs, Immigration and Public Health, and it brings personal, immigration, health and customs details together into a single document.

Arriving by ship does not exempt you: when you disembark and clear the port controls, the declaration behind your entry is the same as for someone landing at an airport. The setting changes — a port rather than an air terminal — and some details change, but the process is the same and it remains free.

In short: arriving by sea does not free you from D'Viajeros; it only changes part of what you declare.

What to declare when there is no flight number

This is the key question for cruise passengers. The form is designed mainly around flights, so when you have no flight number you instead declare your sea arrival details. In general terms, that usually includes:

• The name of the ship or cruise you are travelling on.
• The cruise line or company operating it.
• The port of entry into Cuba (for example, Havana).
• The expected date of arrival at that port.
• Your personal and passport details, your address or accommodation, and the customs and health declarations, just like any other traveller.

If the portal offers a specific field for the mode of transport or for sea arrivals, use it; if a field does not fit your case, do not invent a flight number — follow the portal's own prompts and, if in doubt, ask your cruise line.

Worth knowing: exactly how the portal handles cruise arrivals may vary and be updated. If something on screen is unclear, do not improvise with false details: confirm it on the official portal and with the cruise company.

In short: with no flight, you declare the ship, the line and the port of entry; never invent a flight number.

Cuba's cruise ports

Cuba's main cruise port is Havana, with its terminal in the historic heart of the city, a very convenient landing for visiting the old town. Depending on the itinerary, some cruises also put in at other points along the Cuban coast. The port of entry you declare on D'Viajeros should match the one through which you actually enter the country, which is not always the only one your cruise visits.

If your itinerary includes several stops in Cuba, the point that matters for the declaration is where you officially enter the country. When you are unsure which is your port of entry, the cruise line can clarify it from the detailed itinerary.

In short: Havana is the reference cruise port; declare the port through which you actually enter Cuba.

A one-day call versus disembarking to stay

Stepping off for a few hours to explore and returning to sleep on board is not the same as disembarking to stay in Cuba at the end of the voyage. Both pass through entry controls, but they play out differently:

1. One-day call with no overnight ashore: you disembark in the morning, take your excursion or walk, and return to the ship, where you sleep. You do not stay in a Cuban hotel.
2. Disembarking to stay: the cruise is the end of your voyage and you remain in Cuba, with accommodation ashore, whether for a few days or to continue your trip independently.

In the second case you will need to give an accommodation address in Cuba, like any traveller who stays; in the first, your "accommodation" is, in effect, the ship itself. If you are unsure what to enter for your situation, that is another point worth checking with the cruise line and the portal.

In short: a shore excursion with a night on board is different from staying in Cuba; the accommodation address really only applies to the latter.

Shore excursions: what to keep in mind

During a call, most cruise passengers take a shore excursion, booked through the line or independently. For D'Viajeros, what matters is that you have cleared the entry controls; the excursion itself is a tourist activity, not an immigration step. Even so, it helps to:

• Carry your passport and whatever documents the line tells you to take when going ashore.
• Keep your D'Viajeros QR code accessible in case it is requested at the port control.
• Respect the return-to-ship times, which the line enforces strictly.

In short: the excursion is tourism, not paperwork, but carry your passport and keep the QR to hand when you go ashore.

What the cruise line usually handles and what is on you

On cruises, much of the entry logistics is coordinated by the cruise line: it gathers passenger information, liaises with the port authorities and organises disembarkation in groups. That does not mean D'Viajeros completes itself. As a general rule:

• The cruise line usually handles coordination with the port, the disembarkation timings and, sometimes, guiding you on documentation.
• You are responsible for holding a valid passport, your D'Viajeros completed with the ship and port details, and any other entry requirements that apply to your case.

The exact split of tasks depends on each company and each itinerary, so ask your cruise line what it will do and what it expects of you before you sail. Do not assume the line completes the form on your behalf.

Worth knowing: even when the line coordinates a great deal, D'Viajeros is a personal declaration. Confirm with the company whether you or they submit it, so you do not reach the port without the QR.

In short: the line coordinates disembarkation, but D'Viajeros is yours; agree the split with them before you sail.

The QR code is for cruise passengers too

Just like those arriving by plane, completing D'Viajeros by sea gives you a QR code for the Immigration, Customs and Public Health controls at the port. Keep it safe: download it to your phone and, if you can, print it. Internet access in Cuba is limited and expensive (through ETECSA), and in a crowded port you will not want to depend on the network to show your documents.

If you travel as a family or group, make sure each person has their own QR, or the one that corresponds to how the form was completed, so that group disembarkation runs smoothly.

In short: cruise passengers carry a QR code too; download and print it before you reach the port.

Combining cruise and flight in one trip

It is increasingly common to combine modes: fly to one country, board a cruise and disembark in Cuba, or the other way round. On these mixed itineraries, what matters for D'Viajeros is how you actually enter Cuba:

• If you enter the country by sea, you declare the ship and the port of entry.
• If your official entry to Cuba is a flight and the cruise is another part of the trip, you declare the flight you arrive on.

When unsure which is your point and mode of entry, review your itinerary and check with the relevant cruise line or airline. The essential thing is that D'Viajeros reflects the arrival with which you actually cross the Cuban border.

In short: on mixed trips, declare the mode you truly enter Cuba by, whether ship or plane.

Table: type of sea arrival and what to declare

This table sets out the most common sea-arrival cases. It is indicative: the portal may ask for different fields and be updated, so always follow what it shows on screen and confirm with your cruise line.

In short: identify your case, declare ship and port when you enter by sea, and add accommodation only if you stay ashore.

Key points

• D'Viajeros also applies to arrivals by sea, not only to flights.
• With no flight number, you declare the ship, the line and the port of entry; never invent a flight.
• Havana is the reference cruise port; declare the port through which you actually enter.
• A one-day call (you sleep on board) differs from disembarking to stay (you need an accommodation address).
• The cruise line coordinates disembarkation, but the D'Viajeros and its QR remain yours.
• If the exact flow is unclear, confirm it on the official portal and with your cruise line.

FAQ: D'Viajeros for cruises

Do I have to complete D'Viajeros if I arrive by cruise?

Yes. D'Viajeros applies to all arrivals in Cuba, by air and by sea. When you disembark you clear the entry controls just like someone arriving by plane.

What do I enter if I have no flight number?

You declare your sea arrival details: the ship's name, the cruise line and the port of entry, instead of a flight number. Follow what the portal shows on screen.

Can I invent a flight number to submit the form?

No. Do not enter false details. Use the fields provided for sea arrivals and, if something does not fit, check the official portal and your cruise line before submitting.

Which port do I enter Cuba through on a cruise?

Usually Havana, though it depends on the itinerary. The port you declare should be the one through which you officially enter the country, not necessarily the only one the cruise visits.

If I only go ashore for a few hours, do I still do D'Viajeros?

Yes, because you clear the entry controls when you disembark. On a one-day call your accommodation is the ship itself, since you return to sleep on board.

What if I stay in Cuba at the end of the cruise?

Then you give an accommodation address ashore, like any traveller who stays. That detail really only applies when you disembark and remain in the country.

Does the cruise line do D'Viajeros for me?

Do not assume so. The line usually coordinates disembarkation with the port, but D'Viajeros is a personal declaration. Ask them before you sail who submits it.

Do I get a QR code if I arrive by sea too?

Yes. Completing the form gives you a QR code for the port controls. Download and print it, because connectivity in Cuba is limited.

How much does D'Viajeros cost for cruise passengers?

Nothing. D'Viajeros is free for everyone. What may carry a cost are other entry requirements, separate from the form, depending on your case.

I am combining cruise and flight — what do I declare?

You declare the mode you actually enter Cuba by: if by sea, the ship and the port; if by air, the flight and the airport. Review your itinerary if in doubt.

Last updated: July 2026. Entry rules change; always confirm the current requirements on the official D'Viajeros (MITRANS) portal and with your airline before you travel.

Useful links in the same language:

• D'Viajeros at Havana Airport
• D'Viajeros in Varadero and other airports
• D'Viajeros from the United States
• Passport to travel to Cuba
• Edit or correct your D'Viajeros