Norwegian Sky - January 11, 2019

[iwalani67]

Hello!

 

Excited as this is our first trip to Cuba!  We just booked and got double points along with obc with latitudes rewards.

 

Anyone else got great deals?  We noticed right after booking that the price went up.  Also, any advice on do's and don't from seasoned travelers to Cuba.

 

Aloha,

Tracy

[BigNance]

Congrats on a good deal!  Havana was awesome!  Advice?  Look up Blexie Havana Tours on Trip advisor or f  b.  Use his company to take you around Havana and environs.  They do a tremendous job and they are extremely reasonable!! (MUCH cheaper than NCL tours)

Have a great cruise!

[iwalani67]

Hi BigNance!

 

Thank you for the advice info!  Would like to comply with the people to people interactions somehow, even though I've read they really don't follow up on them.

 

Mahalo,

Tracy

[ColeThornton]

If you haven't done so already check out the Cuba port of call forum for info on excursions, currency issues, etc.

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/765-cuba/

[BigNance]

IF you use a private tour guide in Cuba, you don't do the People to People.  You check off the "Support of the Cuban People" option on the Visa application (or whatever it is).  Since you are supporting the Cuban people by paying a private guide, who will take you to a privately owned restaurant (palador) for lunch (if you would like).  

As Cole Thornton states above, you can read more suggestions on the Cuba port of call forum..

 

Whatever you decide to do, enjoy it!  Havana was really outstanding.  If your sail in is at dawn, haul yourself to the upper decks for some beautiful photo ops!!

 

[iwalani67]

Thank you Both!

 

BigNance, I've already submitted the paper so wonder if I need to submit another if I don't plan to buy an NCL excursion and go with a local.  Will figure it out.

 

Mahalo,

Tracy

[BigNance]

Did you use a Travel Agent?  We did and they insisted that we check people to people, based on Norwegian's direction (if you are using their tours).  

Once we had conversations with Blexie (via e-mail), we asked for another form from our TA and asked our her to resubmit.  We were a group of 10 and we all resubmitted.  

If you did it through NCL, perhaps you can ask for another form and resubmit through them.  

Good luck and enjoy!  

 

[iwalani67]

We used the form you can submit directly to NCL and when I just tried to change it, it came back with error, error, lol so just going with the flow.  If I can change it upon check in, will do so.

 

Thank you!

Tracy

[jdvmd]

Another vote for Blexie's Tours. Been to Havana twice in the last 2.5 years - one cruise and one land trip. No one has asked for any of our documentation ever.

[iwalani67]

Awesome...thank you for the info!  Booked with a local company that had high reviews as well for a 3-hour classic convertible car tour.  Looking forward to it!

 

Aloha,

Tracy

[amyaacc]

for those who have already cruised on the Sky to Cuba--we are going in April--any information to share about the Wifi in Cuba which I hear is not very plentiful--or if you used the Wifi package on the ship.

 

Not sure if we should get the WiFi from the ship--would that even work in port?  Don't usually buy into ship WiFi as it so slow, and we like to get off the ship in ports and end up using at local hotels and bars in other ports that may not be an option in Cuba--but would like some means of staying in touch in case of emergency.

 

Also is the premium beverage package much better than the included open bar?

thanks in advance for any tips.

[crkdad]

31 minutes ago, amyaacc said:

for those who have already cruised on the Sky to Cuba--we are going in April--any information to share about the Wifi in Cuba which I hear is not very plentiful--or if you used the Wifi package on the ship.

 

Not sure if we should get the WiFi from the ship--would that even work in port?  Don't usually buy into ship WiFi as it so slow, and we like to get off the ship in ports and end up using at local hotels and bars in other ports that may not be an option in Cuba--but would like some means of staying in touch in case of emergency.

 

Also is the premium beverage package much better than the included open bar?

thanks in advance for any tips.

 

We just returned form the Sky to Cuba.  We did not find any Wifi in Cuba that could be accessed.  We just unplugged for a few days.   Amazingly, the world functioned without us, but just barely.  We did get 100 free minutes of Wifi on board and checked our email each day.  NCl has an unlimited WIFI package, but it was expensive.

 

No question that the open bar is much better than a ship with the beverage package.  bartenders did not have to scan cards or print tickets for signatures, just make the drinks.