Would love some help from anyone who has taken Holland America to Cube

[lneilan]

Four of us are hoping to cruise this January, stopping in Cuba. Does anyone have any experience with excursions available on this cruise?

[Alberta Quilter]

HAL doesn't start cruising to Cuba until December so I think it will be a while until someone can answer your questions. Did you try looking in the ports forum? Maybe someone who has sailed to Cuba on another line can help you.

[lneilan]

Oh, I didn't know that about Holland America. They only have 2 shore excursions and they are both at night. So, I am a little nervous about booking with them.

 

Thanks

[Tampa Girl]

Oh, I didn't know that about Holland America. They only have 2 shore excursions and they are both at night. So, I am a little nervous about booking with them.

 

Thanks

 

 

You are nervous because the excursions are at night? But there will be a guide with you. Unfortunately, visitors are going to be limited as to what excursions will be allowed in Cuba, and it appears now that all excursions will have to be U.S. approved, non-Cuban military sponsored. We can't be too choosy, in other words.

[lneilan]

My concern is that I would like to be able to do both a daytime and evening tour, as is possible with some of the other ships, I was concerned that HAL is not offering enough variety.

[Tampa Girl]

Have you called HAL to ask if there will be additional excursions offered? I think this itinerary is so new that it might not be completely formulated.

[lneilan]

That's a good idea - thanks

[SFO Peter]

[beginquote=lneilan;53480664]Oh, I didn't know that about Holland America. They only have 2 shore excursions and they are both at night. So, I am a little nervous about booking with them.

Thanks[/endquote]

====

 

Cuba at night is a great night out usually there is dinner and real jazz from the old times not the BB King stuff. Highly recommended.

Just keep your arms in the bus since some of the back streets have trees with limbs sticking out. Travelled there with an "exchange culture" group not with cruise ship. Cuba may still be dictating places you have to go i.e. Castro education talk so HAL may be ironing out excursion details with Cuba.

 

Peter

[Tampa Girl]

[beginquote=lneilan;53480664]Oh, I didn't know that about Holland America. They only have 2 shore excursions and they are both at night. So, I am a little nervous about booking with them.

Thanks[/endquote]

====

 

Cuba at night is a great night out usually there is dinner and real jazz from the old times not the BB King stuff. Highly recommended.

Just keep your arms in the bus since some of the back streets have trees with limbs sticking out. Travelled there with an "exchange culture" group not with cruise ship. Cuba may still be dictating places you have to go i.e. Castro education talk so HAL may be ironing out excursion details with Cuba.

 

Peter

 

It is not just Cuba dictating places we can go. The present administration is about to put new rules into effect, restricting touring in Cuba. Until those rules or regs are made public, it is difficult to say how free a tourist will be to DIY excursions. However, it does appear that people will have to be part of a U.S. approved excursion that meets the 12 points for legitimate travel to that country. Further, lodging in Cuba and the excursions cannot result in subsidizing the Cuban military. It does not appear, however, that cruise ship passengers will be unduly affected by the new rules, as long as the tours, themselves, are approved by the U.S. Government.