old hooker
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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. Humm….is this a pattern?
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.
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. Humm….is this a pattern?
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.
