We have heard about the lifting of the travel ban to Cuba.  So they now say that all Americans can travel there legally-- but what does that really mean and how has it changed? 

The longstanding ban on travel has been amended to allow all Americans to take part in tours to Cuba that encourage “people to people” contact. Previously, only religious, educational, and cultural groups could legally travel to Cuba, and then only with specific permission from the U.S. State Department.

The bad news is that Americans still can't simply book a flight and a hotel and head to Cuba. You'll need to travel with a Cuba travel organization that has an official license from the U.S. State Department. And, while your tour may include stops at museums, historic sites, or even the Bay of Pigs, purely recreational activities -- like visiting the beach or scuba diving -- are prohibited from tour itineraries.  Schedules are typically packed with activities in order to comply with the State Department’s mandate and federal law, so it remains to be seen whether in practice travelers are able to slip away in their limited free time to take a dip in the Caribbean or sample the local mojitos.

So, until and if the remaining aspects of the Cuba travel restrictions are lifted by the U.S. government, tours like these will be the only legal way for most Americans to visit the Caribbean island nation.  Of course, these restrictions don't apply to travelers from elsewhere in the world, and Cuba is among the most popular Caribbean destinations for travelers from Canada and Europe with more than 2 million of them visiting Cuba annually.

Many Americans have been traveling illegally to Cuba and the Cuban government welcomes Americans to visit with a passport, but while Cuban customs and immigration officials once would agree not to stamp the passports of Americans entering the country, that is no longer the case. The most common way that Americans circumvent the Cuba travel ban is to fly to a third country that has regularly scheduled flights to Cuba, such as Canada or Mexico, get a Cuban tourist card at the airport good for up to 30 days visiting Cuba and fly that way.

Keep in mind, however: If you are caught traveling illegally to Cuba (such as by a Customs agent spotting a Cuba entry or exit stamp in your passport), you could face hefty fines and an uncomfortable experience clearing U.S. customs.

Credit and debit cards issued by U.S. banks will not work in Cuba. That requires U.S. visitors to carry cash or travelers’ checks with them, which can be risky. Once in Cuba, dollars must be exchanged for special "convertible" Cuban pesos, a parallel currency to normal pesos that will make your visit extra expensive.

If you get in trouble in Cuba there’s no U.S. embassy there to help you.  Cuba is ruled by an authoritarian, sometimes paranoid government. Many of the rights you are used to as a U.S. citizen don’t exist in Cuba.