When the Castro brothers croak the US will normalize relations with Cuba. We have dipshits in both countries (mostly in the US) that are more willing to cut off their noses to spite their faces over this travel destination. Truth be told, lots of Americans vacation in Cuba every year, and do so through short hops from many of the islands in the Caribbean and the Bahamas, as well as direct flights from Canadian cities. These travel providers make it easy for Americans to visit Cuba and enjoy the culture and beaches, and Cubam immigration knows to not stamp American passports...they're just happy you're spending your money with them. The US dollar is accepted all over Cuba, but unless you have a credit card or traveler's checks from a bank in places like Canada, these will not work. But as we all know, cash is king all over the world (especially the way our gubmit prints it). If you want to exchange dollars for Cuban pesos, there is a 10% surcharge. Not so for francs, Canadian dollars, etc.. Again, greedy, lawless dipshits making the rules. But there's no need if you're carrying USD.