Birder1
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I'm currently on the Star & no issues at this time. Seas have been smooth & we're sailing past Yemen as we speak!
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On HAL, there is so much history associated w the line. RCI ships are as if you are on land, less emphasis on the sea & vessel. I feel (personal impression) that on RCI, groups are isolated to their personal groups & connectivity w others is lost (too many venues loses ability to really mingle). HAL loves their solo guests & it's nice to have smaller ships for those w special needs (shorter walks!).
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YES
YES
My mother died from COPD & I am asthmatic, w frequent bronchitis. It's imperative I stay away from all sources of smoke.
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Buena Vista Social Club gives concerts in Havana, but tickets are a little steep. I'm not a fan of Floridita, as the Cubans don't really respect Hemingway (I was repeatedly told: "He wasn't even Cuban!"). Floridita is always tooooo crowded (as in you can't even turn around). Go to Restaurante Dos Hermanos next to the port & it's also a former, Hemingway hangout (as well as Garcia-Lorca).
Taxi drivers want to be helpful b'c they are privatized! Ridiculous to pay them 50 CUC / hr. Petrol is imported from their friends in Venezuela, yet it's 4 CUC / gal (don't get me started - I'm originally from Venezuela...).
There is local music everywhere. You do not necessarily need to go to anexpensive Las Vegas type show put on for tourists. Most restaurants along the maintourist shopping street Obispo havelive music during the day, and at dinner into thenight. The bar La Floridita there, famous as being a Hemingway watering holeand featuring a statue of him at the bar, has live music al day and at night.There are clubs like FAC where locals mix with tourists to dance. On Sundayafternoon, there is rumba dancing for all at one of the local spots called Callejondo Hamel.
Get familiar with the Cuban rhythms by listening to some bands/singers onYouTube. The famous Buena Vista Social Club could be a start.
If your fear of being out late at night in Havana is a safety concern, rather thanage/health, you can be assured that Havana, and Cuba in general, is one of the safest places you could everfind, night or day.
Many people in the tourism sector speak some English, but you can’t count onrunning into a taxi driver who does. Just write down where you want to go.Taxis are expensive (because gas and car parts are), but I didn’t find themdishonest in stretching fares. Most everyone there, including taxi drivers,wants to be helpful.
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I forgot to mention: At night, the church of Asis (across the street from the Mercado at the port), has musical concerts for not much money. The concerts may be classical & represent musicians from other parts of the world. Inexpensive & close (walking distance) to the ship.
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Yes, from Term 1 it is. It's a bit of a walk, so plan extra time. Most of the walk is past the industrial parts of the ports & not much to see until you get to the jetty. Sea turtles frequent the jetty, so good luck!
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Yes, from Term 1 it is. It's a bit of a walk, so plan extra time. Most of the walk is past the industrial parts of the ports & not much to see until you get to the jetty. Sea turtles frequent the jetty, so good luck!
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Always have 1 CUC coins on you for bathrooms (for the ladies). Often, the lady attendants will have to pour water into the toilet before use & if you have tissues, deposit them in the adjacent baskets.
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Watch the food in-town. My sister lives in Chile & ive been to 85 countries, but we got sick from a restaurant on the same block as Floridita. Cubans don't have much, so food freshness & preparation methods, even in "nice" restaurants isn't the best. I recommend eating on the ship.
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I just returned from a land, DIY tour. I purchased my $50 visa at JetBlue's ticket counter at FLL airport.
I booked our hotel online, but if you want to do more than ride a 50sChevy around town (unsure if that meets the person-person qualification), you'll need to book a gov't-sponsored tour, only available (if DIY) at a hotel kiosk. &, please note, no historical tours (probably b'c of political implications).
We opted to take the HOHO bus (you can join at the Mercado at the port) for 10CUC/day. We got off & found university professors & students for tours (we speak fluent Spanish).
Note, too, $0.87USD = 1 CUC (eek). There is a money exchange at the Mercado if the ship doesn't have CUCs.
The 50s Chevys are 50CUC/hr (but we were able to get them down to 30) & the horse-drawn carriages, the same (we got them down to 20). They'll take you around for some wonderful photo opps if cars, the fort, architecture. Take a mask: Car emissions rival India & China.
If you like rum, try the Havana Club's Museo de Ron across from the Mercado & South about 4 blocks (12 CUC for an hour English tour, coupled w a 7-yo rum tasting). Next door is Restaurante de Dos Hermanos, where Hemingway, Garcia-Lorca, & Erol Flynn used to hang-out (lot less crowded than Floridita). Close by is the Church of Asis; climb to the top for 2 CUC to get the best views of the city. The lady at the church will sell you post cards, stamps, & will mail them for you. Post cards are a very foreign concept in Cuba, so I recommend doing it here.
I loved going to the University of Havana on the HOHO bus. Again, found a prof (some speak English) who showed us where the Revolution began, & explained the events leading to, during, & after. If you're lucky, they'll take you to Fidel's former home for "his" drink & to see the caskets impregnated in the bar's wall, where weapons & soldiers' clothing were hidden. Fidel still came to this bldg until he became ill; meeting w the "27 best students."
The HOHO bus will take you into Old town & beyond. It is a long ride, though, about 2 hrs for a 1-way ride & commentary is lacking.
P.S. We did more than this, as our time wasn't as limited as yours will be. There is plenty to do/see in Old Town. If staying overnight, the Hotel Nacional's cabaret show is much cheaper & better than the Copacabana's, which is past its days & far from downtown. The Copacabana starts at 85CUC w/out dinner & the Nacional's (closer to the port) is 75CUC w dinner. Getting there can be an issue at night...
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IMHO, Longhorn Steakhouse has the best steaks/sandwiches. Rusty's at the port has the best chowder. Best seafood still is Red Lobster.
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Cubans have nothing; a high salary is 30CUC/mth & they must pay the same prices as tourists. Their monthly allotment is 5 lb rice, 2 lb sugar, and some cooking oil. It is a tragic situation. I had many, mixed emotions while there...
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Please see the HOHO "map" (I use the term loosely):
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If you like rum, check-out the Museo de Ron at the Havana Club (across from the Mercado at the port, south about 4 blocks).
English tour is at noon (1 hr) & is 12CUC, which includes a rum tasting.
Next door is the Restaurante de Dos Hermanos where Hemingway, Garcia-Lorca, & Erol Flynn hung out.
If you want to buy rum, try the bottles for 16.90CUC. The staff will remove the boxes & re-wrap in another box: They'll decrease the price to 12.90CUC (if I can remember). These bottles are the 7-yr rum.
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P.S. If you want to take a ride around town in a convertible, 50s Chevy, it will set you back 50CUC/hr (per car). We were able to get them down to 30, but decided not to do it. The horse-drawn carriages are the same price, though we were able to get them down to 20. Horses seem well-cared-for, but I didn't like they were out in the smog.
Warning: If you have breathing/eye problems, Havana isn't for you. I have asthma & my sister, glaucoma (w a stint). The black, billowing smoke from cars/buses was terrible. I couldn't breathe & my sister's eyes were blood red & she couldn't see. 😢
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Wow the show is very late? I'm not sure if I would want to be out so late .. did you take a taxi there and do the cab drivers speak English?
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Not many speak English (they do at Hotel Nacional). I took a taxi there, yes, but my sister & I speak Spanish.
People can hail a taxi for you at the port, but agreed, I would be wary that time of night. We started from a hotel & booked the taxi from there.
I believe the tour packages for Cabarets do not include transport, but I may be wrong.
Please note that 99% of tours are regulated by the Cuban gov't. Tours are only available from authorized "kiosks" at hotels. You might be able to find a local to give a tour for about 10CUC, but most only speak Spanish. My sister & I went all over Havana trying to find tours & we speak the language fluently...
What I'd recommend is the 10CUC per day HOHO bus. It goes everywhere in Old Town. Near the port, it picks-up at the Mercado (everyone knows where this is) & at the church of Asis (across the street). It runs every 25 mins & the entire route is about 2 hrs. Runs from 0900 to 1800. Very limited commentary: She'll only announce the stops. Warning: the bus moves when you're trying to go upstairs!
I'll try to upload a pic in a few minutes...
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I just returned from Cuba this past Monday (land tour).
The Copacabana houses the Tropicana (&, its cabaret show). The show is prohibitively expensive (starting at 80CUC ( 0.87 USD = 1 CUC (yes, that's right))) without dinner, but includes a watered-down cocktail. The Copacabana & the surrounding area have seen better days. It's also a 25CUC cab (w a/c & no black smoke) ride at night, one-way, per car.
I liked the Hotel Nacional's show (terribly misnamed as the Parisien cabaret). It is a grand, old hotel, much closer to the port, & the show w dinner & 2 drinks (front row) is 75CUC. The dinner starts at 9pm, 1st show is 10 - 11:30pm & the price includes the "audience-participation" show until 2am (we didn't stay for the 2nd part. Dancers & singers, as well as costumes were very good.
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Always articulately & clearly stated and based upon vetted experience, including caveats for unknown situations/conditions. Having myself worked for NASA, I understand (though not necessarily agree w) why NCL doesn't provide a statement (team hasn't yet formulated resolution plan, etc). That said, I realize Florida TAs are bound by law (Seller of Travel) to divulge to their clients any issues that may lead to the detriment of their product (cruise, etc). Are the suppliers (I.e., NCL) required to do so as well?
Well, I guess that maritime safety professionals, and insurance underwriters (the classification societies) would disagree with you regarding a safety issue. Besides, while having no propulsion is undoubtedly an extreme inconvenience for your vacation, it is not a safety issue. Many ships have survived many storms without propulsion in the past. Besides, since this pod failure appears to be different from the previous one, it would appear to me that the ship could have taken the part needed for this second repair from the first failed pod to make the repair. -
I can't speak specifically about theship, but embark/debark from Terminal 10 (PC) is laborious. You'll need to take your patience...
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Remember, if azipod issues reoccur or other detriments to your cruise surface, those who booked w an agent located in California & Florida are protected by Seller of Traveler Laws:
Particularly, The Duty to Investigate & Warn:
Travel agents are legally bound, even after final payment, to notify their clients of any detriments to their travel.
Therefore, those travel agents selling in FL & CA were bound to notify their clients about the azipod issue when it occurred which could have affected a downstream (later) cruise.
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I was on the Volendam December 2015. My team (blush, blush) won about 99% of the time.
We received pins; decks of cards; fashion jewelry unrelated to HAL; and the last trivia night, our team won a bottle of champagne to be consumed by our team.
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got a cell phone?
call for a taxi (or UBER) about an hour b4 closing .....
Or, Lyft.
Be careful, though. Drivers have to pay for a permit to enter the port, so ask before booking if they can take you directly to the ship. Terminal 1 is easy, but the other terminals, it's a long walk.
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From our 27 March CC Roll Call (Dubai -> Venice):
See the response from Vivian Ewart, NCL:
Good morning:
Yes all of the repairs for the Norwegian Star will be completed with the termination of Jan 16 sailing.
Best,
Vivian
Vivian Ewart| Vice President, Passenger Services
305-436-4011 | fax 305-436-4036
NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE
7665 Corporate Center Drive | Miami FL 33126
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So glad you'll be with us!!!
Judy
Thank you, Judy!! Looking forward to meeting you!! 😀
Cuba cruise from Tampa overnight vs one day
in Cuba
Posted
Hi! I didn't go very far beyond Havana (just to Hemingway's country house). I will ask my friend who just returned from a 2-week, all-around Cuba land tour. 😀