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My Cuba Cruise

Balloon Man

By Balloon Man,
in Cuba

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ONT-CA

ONT-CA

Posted
Posted

I wonder if the captain is aware of the number of eyes that fall upon him each day. According to the "final touches" the ship has received the Your Cuba floral motif paint job, which in my eyes indicates a total commitment to this project.

 

http://i999.photobucket.com/albums/af114/Yarkerhill/YourCubaCruise.jpg

 

Once everyone reveals their experiences of the cruise there is unquestionably going to be a higher demand for bookings and that I'm afraid to say may mean higher prices. I hope not for currently there is something available for everyone's required accommodation price range.

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Downdie

Downdie

Posted
Posted
Because so much about this cruise is new to us we find little discrepancies here and there. Arriving in Havana to board the cruise it will be necessary to purchase a Cuban entry card, as must all visitors. However, once our ship sails and reaches Jamaica, it will be necessary for the Havana embarking passengers to again purchase a new entry card. In essence those boarding in Jamaica will pay once, we who board in Havana will pay twice. It's no deal breaker but something that the Cuban government should look at for it is unfair especially to pre cruise tourists who will be spending time and money in their capital.

 

hi ONT-CA; This info may PYO even more. I sailed on the Spanish ship Gemini from Cozumel in Nov 2010. We docked for 2 nights in Havana. We did not require a Cuban tourist card at all as we were not using any hospitality facilities in Cuba.

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ONT-CA

ONT-CA

Posted
Posted
hi ONT-CA; This info may PYO even more. I sailed on the Spanish ship Gemini from Cozumel in Nov 2010. We docked for 2 nights in Havana. We did not require a Cuban tourist card at all as we were not using any hospitality facilities in Cuba.

 

Thanks you for this information. Granted things change in almost everything between 2010 and today. However I have written the Cuba Tourist Board in Toronto advising them of the inequity in penalizing tourists who will be spending time and currency pre and post cruise. I don't expect a resolution but feel better having made my point.

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retiring soon

retiring soon

Posted
Posted

Hi all!

 

I haven't been able to see the ship's location on the tracking site but am glad to hear it's making headway.

 

ONT-CA ~ thanks for that link! I looked at the rest of the pictures & am now hungry for rack of lamb!;) Wonder what that sub type vessel was?

 

On vacations to all inclusives in Cuba we've had to pay a departure tax of $25 & I believe a tourist card came with the ticket when we booked. I can't remember if it was for Cuba or Mexico that one had to hold on to the return portion. I do remember when one filled it out no errors were allowed!

 

Have a nice day!

 

~ Jo ~ :)

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DUHCAR

DUHCAR

Posted
Posted
Thanks you for this information. Granted things change in almost everything between 2010 and today. However I have written the Cuba Tourist Board in Toronto advising them of the inequity in penalizing tourists who will be spending time and currency pre and post cruise. I don't expect a resolution but feel better having made my point.

 

Lol. I did the exact same thing, but got nowhere.

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ONT-CA

ONT-CA

Posted
Posted
Hi all!

 

I haven't been able to see the ship's location on the tracking site but am glad to hear it's making headway.

 

ONT-CA ~ thanks for that link! I looked at the rest of the pictures & am now hungry for rack of lamb!;) Wonder what that sub type vessel was?

 

On vacations to all inclusives in Cuba we've had to pay a departure tax of $25 & I believe a tourist card came with the ticket when we booked. I can't remember if it was for Cuba or Mexico that one had to hold on to the return portion. I do remember when one filled it out no errors were allowed!

 

Have a nice day!

 

~ Jo ~ :)

 

Thought I'd attach a copy of the tourist card in question with the entry requirements. Seems simple enough.

http://i999.photobucket.com/albums/af114/Yarkerhill/Cuba-Tourist-Card-300x264.gif

 

I was not aware one could view all the photobucket content other than the stated item. I'll have to be vigilant...

The rack of Lamb was presented at a most travelled luncheon, which is no longer held unfortunately. When we first started cruising this sort of meal was just daily fair. Now even in the specialty restaurants it is limited. Oh for the good old days...

The atomic powered sub was photographed in the Panama Canal as we passed one another near the locks.

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ONT-CA

ONT-CA

Posted
Posted
Hi Everyone - Happy Thanksgiving to any US friends.

I was just wondering what website you are using to track the ship.

Lynn

 

Because the tracking site is of a competitive nature to this board the address cannot be shown. But there are several items on Google that you can try and hopefully hit the one we are using.

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ONT-CA

ONT-CA

Posted
Posted
HI all!

 

ONT-CA ~ thanks for that info, right on schedule eh?;) I looked for a port cam to try to see Cristal but wasn't successful. Do you know of one?

Oh to be in Palma, such a lovely place!

Ciao.

~ Jo ~ :)

 

I don't think we would enjoy being there today with this weather front going through: http://www.intellicast.com/Storm/Hurricane/AtlanticSatellite.aspx

 

I found this location for the web cams, which are mostly of beaches. But when the weather clears take another look and who knows, she just might be sitting there in view.

http://www.meteosurfcanarias.com/webcams/webcams-gran-canaria/

 

I haven't been so involved in a cruise in the 20 some years I have been at it. My current interest (obsession?) has been likened to that of a child...

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Liz54

Liz54

Posted
Posted
I haven't been so involved in a cruise in the 20 some years I have been at it. My current interest (obsession?) has been likened to that of a child...

 

I certainly have never been this obsessed with a cruise I'm NOT going on!

Really want to book it for next year (15). When does the first one board? I need to count the days till reports come back!!

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ONT-CA

ONT-CA

Posted
Posted (edited)
I certainly have never been this obsessed with a cruise I'm NOT going on!

Really want to book it for next year (15). When does the first one board? I need to count the days till reports come back!!

 

The first sailing is mid December and we should get some feedback by month's end. There is bound to be some growing pains involved but we are anxious to hear of the excursions. Our sailing isn't until February but we booked this cruise last March because we wanted a specific cabin. I would suggest that you not wait but contact the company now to see what their plans are for next year in order to get the accommodation you would prefer. Should you want to or have to cancel your deposit is refundable. Could it be that the second most exciting cruise to Cuba occured in 1492? icon10.gif

Edited by ONT-CA
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Liz54

Liz54

Posted
Posted
The first sailing is mid December and we should get some feedback by month's end. There is bound to be some growing pains involved but we are anxious to hear of the excursions. Our sailing isn't until February but we booked this cruise last March because we wanted a specific cabin. I would suggest that you not wait but contact the company now to see what their plans are for next year in order to get the accommodation you would prefer. Should you want to or have to cancel your deposit is refundable. Could it be that the second most exciting cruise to Cuba occured in 1492? icon10.gif

 

Good Idea! It looks to me like they do not have a schedule posted yet, but I will get my TA on it!

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ONT-CA

ONT-CA

Posted
Posted

The Louis Cristal is currently out of range but was last reported cruising at a leisure 14 knots well west of Cape Verde on a more southern route to Cuba. It appears they have great weather. I envy the captain and crew on their journey, having the whole ship to themselves with no passengers in their care. But then maybe for them that’s a bit of a busman’s holiday.

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retiring soon

retiring soon

Posted
Posted

HI all!

 

Looks like there's a big push on to fill cabins! In the w/e Toronto Star there was an ad offering 2 for 1 on the 1st 2 sailings & Kids sail Free on some additional ones.

 

There was also a story about Granma with a sidebar about these cruises saying " the sailings are expected to be very popular with American tourists who will be able to visit Cuba legally for the first time since the 1950's through a program called Roads Scholar that has partnered with Cuba Cruise" then giving the cubacruise website.

 

I wonder what percentage of cabins have to be sold to make it profitable?

 

Have a nice weekend!

 

~ Jo ~ :)

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ONT-CA

ONT-CA

Posted
Posted

Again, apologies for the incorrect webcam information. Unfortunately the only webcam I can find for Barbados is:

 

http://www.caribbean-on-line.com/caribbean-web-cams/barbados-webcam.shtml

 

However, as of this morning the screen is black. Perhaps it will be operational when needed...who knows?

 

As to your point, retiring soon, I do believe that the first year investment will be successful only in that it will publicize the product. Thereafter the new bookings will depend on how well this new company handles their first passengers, for word of mouth can make or break a company. We wish them the best of luck in this new adventure. A Canadian company utilizing a ship of this size and dealing in Canadian funds could, for example, sail to the Caribbean from Montreal. I look forward to meeting U.S. citizens aboard although probably not large in number. But where there's a will there's a way...

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