nmbnancy

Excel Suites cabins have the 1st option to purchase the cabanas. If there are any cabanas still available about 1 month prior to sailing they will open them up to non Excel cabins. Usually a banner offering the Loft 19 cabanas will appear half way down the page once you go to the website and open the manage my cruise tab

They also say you can purchase them by the day once on board, but I have never been on a cruise that showed any daily availability.

On 8/24/2023 at 12:30 PM, lassie21 said:

Thanks for all the information on renting the loft 19 cabanas. If you had to choose one of the numbered cabanas, what would you recommend - just two adults ? Looking at booking this for the Celebration. Appreciate your input! 

 4 & 9 are closest to the pool/hot tub. 10 & 12 are across a walkway and face the pool/hot tub across an open area. Fewer people are over in that section. 5 is probably the most private. There is loft 19 map on the website in the picture section of where you book the cabanas

We were on the NCL Sky last week. The official government run cigar stores in Havana were offering buy 5 cigars and get 1 free. Be sure to ask for that special when you are there.

I found the guide (Katiusca) recommended by another person on Cruise Critic who had toured with her earlier in September, so I emailed her directly. She is an independent guide. I outlined what we thought we wanted to do during out 10 AM to 6 AM port time and she said she would fit the tour to our needs. Since it was our first visit we were unsure of what we wanted to do. We discussed a lot of options through emails and the only concrete plan we had decided on was a car tour first with lunch outside of Old Town and then a walking tour in Old Town (the 4 squares). Katiusca met us at the designated time and then offered us suggestions and allowed us to decide what we wanted to see. We decided on our evening plans after we saw certain areas of Havana. Katiusca was very flexible and made all arrangements and evening reservations for us.

There are many companies to chose from that give tours, but most of them have a set itinerary and I knew that would not work for us.

You fill out the forms online prior to sailing. When you check in your visa will be given to you with your room key.

If you go back to the main page and scroll down to the Ports of Call section then click Caribbean and then Cuba, you will find detailed information on the ports in Cuba. There are many opinions of what you should see and do.

I would recommend you take one of the tours that includes a walking tour and a car tour. We were there overnight, so our guide arranged for the driver to take us to Hotel Nacional de Cuba to watch the sunset on their outdoor patio and then on to a wonderful dinner at Riomar

I was on the NCL Sky last week and had an independent guide who was fantastic ! katiusca77@gmail.com

I was on the NCL Sky last week. The bartender gave me my drink and then provided me with a paper straw without my asking for it. The straws are individually wrapped.

I would assume if the paper straws are on the smaller ships they are now available fleetwide

If you go back to the main page and scroll down to the Ports of Call section then click Caribbean and then Cuba, you will find detailed information on the ports in Cuba. There are many opinions of what you should see and do.

I would recommend you take one of the tours that includes a walking tour and a car tour. We were there overnight, so our guide arranged for the driver to take us to Hotel Nacional de Cuba to watch the sunset on their outdoor patio and then on to a wonderful dinner at Riomar

I was on the NCL Sky last week and had an independent guide who catered to our schedule and was fantastic ! katiusca77@gmail.com

Once our tour drops us back at the terminal, how easy would it be to go back into the cruise terminal to exchange more Euros for CUC, if needed? I don't want to exchange too much with the 3% fee to exchange back to USD.

If you are at the cruise terminal in Havana the currency exchange is just up the stairs. There is also a currency exchange by the post office in the square.

We did not see either show, but the Hotel Nacional de Cuba is a sight to see in itself. We watched the sunset over the Malecon on their outdoor patio area. They had musicians playing also. The main dining room is beautiful. The hotel and grounds are stunning !

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One of the restaurants with dancing close to the port was Cafe Taberna. They had a 7 piece band and 2 professional dancers. The dancers invited the customers to learn the dance.

We visited Havana last week on NCL Sky. We used Havana Journeys for a private tour. I posted lots of details (category of travel under new regs, docking, time to get off ship, visas, customs, Havana on our own at night, helpful links. etc.) on my blog at http://wanderwiles.com/2018/09/20/visiting-havana-under-the-new-regulations/

 

All went well and I hope my post will spare others a lot of the pre-trip concerns I had.

 

Enjoy Havana!

I just read your blog. You are famous in Cuba - Katiusca retold me the story of you going to the brewery, as we were having coffee across the square from the brewery ! I wish I had found your blog before I went, she would have known who it was that was recommending her

We cruised on NCL Sky last week to Havana. We hired a private guide, Katiusca, through one of the companies you mentioned for $120 for 6 hours, but she is open to taking bookings directly and that does seem the best way to get funds directly to Cubans who really need it. Her email is: katiusca77@nauta.cu. We booked a "Support for the Cuban People"-qualified tour and I can’t recommend Katiusca enough. She met us promptly at Plaza de San Francisco, just in front of where the cruise ship docks. She’s an intellectual property lawyer, but needs the guide work to support her family. She's a mother of 2 teenage girls, bright, very knowledgeable about Cuban history, and speaks excellent English. Katiusca knew Havana well, took us through a walking tour of Old Havana, then by driver in a perfectly-preserved 1955 Ford to more distant areas of the city and a charming palador (private restaurant) where we enjoyed lunch and a little impromptu music and dance by the owner and cooking staff. She was mindful of the restrictions put on Americans by the new regulations and adapted our tour to our specific interests and places of interest. A visit to lush Parque Almendares provided a fascinating and unexpected glimpse at a riverside Santería ritual in progress. Katuisca was frank and fascinating in her explanations of Cuban life and culture.

 

 

We, too, were scheduled to dock at 10am so planned our tour from 11am-5pm. We actually docked earlier and even though we were in Group 4 to disembark, we were off a couple of minutes past 10am. (Groups of non-excursion guests were called quickly--every 10 minutes or so--and Groups 3 and 4 were called together.) Despite our fears, it took us all of 20 minutes from the time we stepped off the ship until we were through customs, security and money exchange. All is very efficient and the cruise terminal is very conveniently located. Out earlier than expected, we had free time, so explored the church on Plaza de San Francisco before meeting Katiusca. After the tour, we cleaned up then went back out and wandered the city until midnight, enjoying daquiris and great music at Floridita (famous Hemingway bar and "birthplace of the daquiri") and walking down the Prado (wide avenue) and back along the seawall to the ship (a long walk, but we're big walkers). Parts are very seedy (and parts are gorgeous), but we never felt unsafe. The worst street was Teniente Rey between Plaza Vieja and the Capitol: dark and derelict with scattered people hanging out--but again, we didn't really feel unsafe and no one bothered us. People do try to get you to stop at restaurants and clubs, to buy things or hire a taxi, but no one hassled us if we just said "No, gracias," and kept walking. Taxis were plentiful.

 

BTW, I see very little chance of anyone questioning tour qualifications for the "Support for the Cuban People" category. Check that category on the cruise line doc, the cruise line obtains a tourist visa which says absolutely nothing about why you're in Cuba, local Cuban authorities only look to see there is a visa. Upon returning to the U.S. (the only country that cares about the "Support for the Cuban People" and other "license" requirements), you'll just be one of hundreds getting off a cruise ship from Cuba. We went through passport control in Miami without question. We are, of course, keeping all our records for 5 years as required, but it seems like a pointless exercise.

 

 

[As an aside, the company messed up the dates of our tour. I requested the correct date and they confirmed the correct date, but the final document they sent the week before the cruise reflected the day before our arrival. Both of us were at fault as I did not notice prior to leaving on the cruise that the date on the document was wrong. Thankfully, I had ship wifi due to a situation at home I needed to be reachable for so they were able to contact me via WhatsApp and rebook the tour. I didn't get the message until later, though, because we were ashore at Great Stirrup Cay that day so poor Katiusca waited nearly two hours in the heat the day before we arrived, but showed up cheerfully the next day anyway after I sorted things out with the company. She expected nothing for her wasted time although we were happy to make it up to her. Anyway, it reflected well on her and the lesson is to double check documents before leaving.]

Enjoy Havana!

Due to reading your post, we contacted Katiusca directly and were able to secure her services last week. She was absolutely the best !! She modified the tour to our wants. We did some of the same as you did, but also some different things. We missed the ritual, but saw plenty of the ritual items left behind. Katiusca never rushed us and she genuinely wanted us to get to "know" Cuba and the people of Cuba

She even arranged dinner reservations and for the driver to meet us again later at night to take us to watch the sunset and to dinner.

I thoroughly recommend Katiusca to anyone traveling to Havana !!

Tcut, I told her I found her through the post you made and she questioned your name, as she wanted to reach out and Thank You ! I told her I'd let you know. She was going to look through her notes. Did you go to Buenvista for lunch ? I did not keep track of actual spelling or area it was located in and I wanted to recommend it to others.

In Havana the currency exchange was closed when we returned to the ship around midnight. So if you are going out at night ask what time they close if you want to exchange CUC back to your currency

We spent a full day and night in Havana. There was the occasional person dressed up to pose for pictures, a few trying to sell you cigars and 1 person in a wheelchair with a coin cup. I agree with Magnetchef a polite "No thank you" sends them on their way. In my opinion there are more people trying to sell you in the ports of the other Caribbean Islands and the tourist areas in the USA.

We were just in Havana and stopped for lunch. Our great driver and guide introduced us to to the owner and then said go enjoy your lunch " We are going to go do our own thing" Effectively keeping us from asking for them to join us. We had an absolutely wonderful guide and driver, but I do think sometimes they want to relax while we are eating

We traveled last week on NCL Sky. We filled out the paperwork and submitted it online. We checked Support for the Cuban People. When we arrived at Miami port they gave us our visas at check in.

When we arrived in Havana besides our personal items, we needed our ship key card, visa and passport to exit the ship. We needed the key card to get off the ship and get in line for Immigration. Then Immigration checked and stamped our passport and took the visa. No questions were asked. We went through security where they scanned your bags and you went through a metal detector. Next was currency exchange and then we were out the door.

If the lines are too long at the currency exchange they have some currency exchange buildings in the square by the post office

Once outside we met an independent tour guide and were on our way. Later that afternoon we went back to the ship and Immigration had closed down. There was a security check point coming back on the ship, but they were only taking water bottles away and directing you to check your liquor with them. When we exited the ship a little later we just walked off the ship and through the building, there was no immigration, just a small security check.

If I bring toothpaste (work at dentist office) where would I bring it to?

I have been told if you inquire ahead to a school or an organization in Cuba they will direct you to the proper place

I am a lil confused! I read on others post that we cannot bring gifts such as candy, toothpaste etc... did anyone have problems with this! Don’t they check your bags when getting to Cuba? I would really love to bring gifts, but I definitely don’t want to do something I am not allowed to do. Thanks so much for any answers I can get!

In Havana we followed a family off the ship each person carried a full duffel bag and back pack. The Mom and Dad were wearing cartoon back packs. When we went through security they were pulled over for a minute and the bags were unzipped a little and then the family was on their way. We followed the family out of the terminal and into the square where they were met by a group of people. I will assume friends or relatives. So in this case I assume the family off the ship were bringing requested items to their friends or family.

So I don't believe you would have any problem bringing items into Cuba.

But who would you be giving them to ? I know items are hard to get in Cuba and they are lacking many things we take for granted, but in my opinion if you don't know the person or haven't made arrangements with someone to bring specific items it is a little awkward just passing out candy and toothpaste to strangers on the street.

I have returned from Havana. We did a private walking and car day tour with a local independent guide. We stopped for lunch at Buenvista a privately owned paladar . After we showered and changed our guide had arranged for the driver to take us to Hotel Nacional de Cuba to watch the Sunset and then to dinner at Riomar.

I did pack bug spray, TP, hand sanitizer, hand wipes, small change CUC's, bottled water, rain ponchos and assorted "gifts" as suggested.

The only thing I used was the bottled water. We encountered no bugs, even at night, the bathrooms we used all had TP, running water, soap and hand towels. The Hotel is the only place that had an attendant (which I did use the coins to tip her). The weather was beautiful, but I live in South Florida, so if coming from cooler climates pack the sunscreen and hat.

I did not pass out my "gifts" as it would have been like me walking down the street in your city or town and randomly giving things to people !

I did give an expensive bottle of perfume to my guide and a nice tip and that seemed appropriate.

I would suggest you pack all the items everyone has listed here, in case you need them, as your experience may be different than mine.

My opinion about "gifts" is that if you have not made arrangements to bring specific people specific items don't bring random things.

We were just in Havana on Wednesday 09/26/18. We did not get back to the port area until 11 PM, so we just started to walk through the squares. There were many people out in the squares and there were various restaurants that had music and dancing. You should have no concerns about stopping at any of them, as everyone was welcoming and happy to have your business.

I don’t know the current prices for photos, but I would assume your guess is close. I have had the photo perk a few times and have left the ship with no photos. Sometimes we don’t stop to have the photos taken, sometimes we don’t like our look in the photos and finally - what are we going to do with more photos of ourselves ?

I would go with the dining credit and enjoy a nice dinner at a specialty restaurant.

I also believe the dining credit goes on your account as onboard credit, so you could use the credit against anything you sign back to your account. ( We are on the Sky to Cuba leaving Monday 9/24/18 and our dining credit shows as onboard credit )

We usually offer for the guide to join us for lunch, but most of the time they have declined. Once in awhile a guide will surprise us and join us. I really think they prefer to relax and do their own thing while we eat.

Anyone wish they had packed bug spray ?

What items should I buy to have on hand to use as small gifts to give to locals I meet along the way ?

What items should I be sure to have for our personal use when touring Havana ?

I have read on the board to bring umbrellas or rain ponchos. To buy 25 cent CUC coins and tissue paper for the restrooms.

What else did you bring or wish you had brought when you went to Havana ?

Today we booked a 09/24/18 departure, I would love some suggestions, so I don't have to do a lot of research on my own - Thank you in advance

Your one picture is from your balcony, was your cabin on the port or starboard side of the ship ?

Thank you