Cuba questions

[oceanfan1212]

We are considering a cruise in March to Cuba.My first question is how do you get a visa? Does the cruise provide them? Do you have to be on a tour? Can you walk around? Sounds silly, but I read all this stuff about having an itinerary and saving your receipts, etc. Any other tips or advice welcome. Thanks.

[Essiesmom]

Lots of info on the Ports of Call board for Cuba.  EM

[Sue from Canada]

4 minutes ago, oceanfan1212 said:

We are considering a cruise in March to Cuba.My first question is how do you get a visa? Does the cruise provide them? Do you have to be on a tour? Can you walk around? Sounds silly, but I read all this stuff about having an itinerary and saving your receipts, etc. Any other tips or advice welcome. Thanks.

I was there this past January.  As your sailing gets closer HAL will send you a form to fill in (choose "support the people.")  You'll hand the form in when you embark.  You do NOT have to be on a HAL tour or any tour.  Although the shore excursion staff will try to tell you otherwise.

 

You can exchange your money at the first port into CUCs.  To avoid a 15% surcharge, get Canadian dollars before you leave home.   The people are very nice and there is so much to see.  In Havana, once you exit the port terminal, to the left is a HOHO bus ($10CUCs) for a 2 hour tour.  Tour was great.  Also outside the terminal you'll see lots of old cars which are not taxis and it's easy to negotiate a ride.  You can also take a carriage ride.  I forgot to mention that the Havana terminal is very nice:  benches to sit on,  money exchange section, stalls with all kinds of things to buy.  Don't forget to bring toilet paper as some of the stalls did not have any (the women's washroom had lots of stalls).  I plan on doing another cruise and kept my CUCs.

 

Hope this helps

[Sue from Canada]

4 minutes ago, oceanfan1212 said:

We are considering a cruise in March to Cuba.My first question is how do you get a visa? Does the cruise provide them? Do you have to be on a tour? Can you walk around? Sounds silly, but I read all this stuff about having an itinerary and saving your receipts, etc. Any other tips or advice welcome. Thanks.

I was there this past January.  As your sailing gets closer HAL will send you a form to fill in (choose "support the people.")  You'll hand the form in when you embark.  You do NOT have to be on a HAL tour or any tour.  Although the shore excursion staff will try to tell you otherwise.

 

You can exchange your money at the first port into CUCs.  To avoid a 15% surcharge, get Canadian dollars before you leave home.   The people are very nice and there is so much to see.  In Havana, once you exit the port terminal, to the left is a HOHO bus ($10CUCs) for a 2 hour tour.  Tour was great.  Also outside the terminal you'll see lots of old cars which are not taxis and it's easy to negotiate a ride.  You can also take a carriage ride.  I forgot to mention that the Havana terminal is very nice:  benches to sit on,  money exchange section, stalls with all kinds of things to buy.  Don't forget to bring toilet paper as some of the stalls did not have any (the women's washroom had lots of stalls).  I plan on doing another cruise and kept my CUCs.

 

Hope this helps