Cuban Woman Shares Expenses of Reuniting with Husband in Punta Cana

A Cuban woman from Matanzas has stirred social media by sharing a video detailing the costs of her trip from Cuba to the Dominican Republic to reunite with her husband residing in the United States. Her story, posted on her account @sheyreyes032, has sparked a wave of reactions ranging from disbelief to direct criticism over the high expenses involved.

In her video, she asks, "How much did it cost me to travel from Cuba to the Dominican Republic, specifically Punta Cana?" She explained that her husband, who lives in the U.S., arranged everything through an agency. She had to apply for a visa at the Dominican embassy in Cuba, costing her $140. Additionally, she made two trips to Havana, incurring $200 in transportation costs alone.

The young woman flew directly from Havana to Punta Cana and stayed at the Barceló Bávaro Palace hotel. "As you can see, the room is quite nice, with all the amenities, and my favorite part was this jacuzzi that we loved, along with the beautiful view from our room," she remarked in her video.

The Cost Breakdown

She elaborated on the costs: "The price varies based on the number of people and the hotel you choose. For us, it was $4,000, which covered round-trip airfare for both of us and a weeklong stay at the hotel, including transportation from the airport to the hotel."

Additional expenses included $10 per person for access to the hotel's water park and $200 for a buggy excursion. "We paid $10 per person to go to this water park at the hotel and $200 for the buggy adventure. Of all the available excursions, this was our favorite," she added. They opted out of visiting Saona Island due to poor beach conditions caused by excessive seaweed.

Public Reactions and Tourist Dynamics

The video quickly garnered numerous responses. Some criticized the steep price of the vacation package, comparing it to trips to European destinations. Others defended the young woman's right to enjoy time with her spouse. There were also comments about tourists often being charged extra for services and excursions within resorts, such as buggies or water parks.

Punta Cana has become a pivotal destination for Cuban families separated by emigration, offering direct flights from Havana, more accessible visas, and agencies that streamline the travel process for island residents. In the first half of 2025, over 43,000 Cuban passport holders visited the Dominican Republic, with more than 19,500 traveling there in June alone. Many of these visits were driven by the opportunity to reunite with family members living in the U.S. or other countries, avoiding the costly and bureaucratic entry processes into Cuba.

The surge in these reunions also reflects the current state of tourism in Cuba. The sector is experiencing a 25% drop in tourist arrivals and hotel occupancy barely over 24%, highlighting a collapse marked by power outages, shortages, and deteriorating services.

Dominican Republic: A New Haven for Cuban Reunions

Conversely, the Dominican Republic offers more stable services, modern infrastructure, and a more favorable environment for family gatherings. Travel agencies like Yes Travel and Risa Travel offer packages including visas, flights, transportation, and all-inclusive hotel accommodations, with prices ranging from $1,800 to $2,500 per person, depending on the destination, season, and room type.

Experiences of reunions in the Dominican Republic have also been shared by artists and public figures. In a recent video, Jean Michel, Maka, Coralita Veloz, and Tahimí Alvariño featured in an emotional farewell in Punta Cana after reuniting outside of Cuba. "It's very tough, very sad that families are divided and there's only one responsible party, that damned dictatorship," the actor expressed in the video.

Additionally, over 1,200 Cubans have secured legal residency in the Dominican Republic so far this year, according to the General Directorate of Migration. The country's shared language, geographic proximity, and more flexible immigration policies are making it a new space for transit, reunions, and, in many cases, permanent establishment.

For Sheyla, her time in Punta Cana was more than just a vacation. It was a pause, a shared luxury, and an emotional respite. For thousands of Cubans, destinations like this have become the only possible place to truly be a family again, even if just for a few days.