cuba tour has to be purchased from MSC excursion

[saranda02]

Hi All! Super excited to tour Cuba in August on MSC Armonia. MSC is telling us we have to buy port excursions (both days) through MSC to fulfill the visa requirements. They said we are not free to wonder off the ship without a booked excursion purchased through them. I was going to reserve a tour through Blexie but was told this information through MSC representative. Can anyone confirm or tell me if I can just wonder off with our group and explore Havana on our own? Thanks in advance for the info 😀

[EngIceDave]

No, you don’t. 

We booked a walking food tour (Saturday) and a 3 hour classic car tour (Sunday) 

i booked it independently. 

 

Www.foodtourshavana.com

Edited June 2, 2019 by EngIceDave

[saranda02]

29 minutes ago, EngIceDave said:

No, you don’t. 

We booked a walking food tour (Saturday) and a 3 hour classic car tour (Sunday) 

i booked it independently. 

 

Www.foodtourshavana.com

Thanks EnglceDave! It looks like that website is down or isnt working. 😞 

[EngIceDave]

I think I got it right. 

Food tours Havana or Havana Food Tours

[saranda02]

9 minutes ago, EngIceDave said:

I think I got it right. 

Food tours Havana or Havana Food Tours

Maybe its this one? 

https://www.foodtourshavana.com/

[lizinvan]

We had wonderful two days one evening with Fer tours. Elvis was our guide and drivers Carlos(2) and Miguel. One hardtop, two convertibles, great food just not enough time!:)

[EngIceDave]

27 minutes ago, saranda02 said:

Maybe its this one? 

https://www.foodtourshavana.com/

 

Thats it

[EngIceDave]

By the way, look for my thread “LIVE from the Armonia”

I wrote a review in there

[saranda02]

2 hours ago, EngIceDave said:

By the way, look for my thread “LIVE from the Armonia”

I wrote a review in there

Read the thread. Great information about the ship and your Havana Tour. Thanks for the informative review. I've only been on the MSC Davina and am looking forward to all the ports on this Armonia cruise. I sure hope they don't cancel any ports. I think the group has decided to do the first day excursions from MSC then the evening and next day on our own. Our excursions through MSC should fulfill the requirement for Visa. 

Edited June 2, 2019 by saranda02

[NCTribeFan]

I did 3 tours in Havana on 5/11 & 5/12.  All through Strawberry Tours.  Booked a classic car ride for DD & I for $99.  Note that it's a ride and if you want a tour guide, that's extra.  We just rode and stopped several places.

 

Saturday night, we did the Nightlife Tour (free walking tour) to 3 different bars and a salsa dance lesson at one of them.  Drinks from 3CUC to around 6CUC.

 

Next morning, did a 3-hours "free" walking tour of Old Havana.

 

So much less expensive than the ship tours and we were even able to disembark earlier than the ship excursion folks because we docked early and the ship was cleared quickly.

 

I wrote a brief review so it shouldn't be too far down the pages, if interested in the details (and a few pics) of the tours.

 

We checked the "support the Cuban people" option on the document that you're required to fill out (NOT the Visa).

[saranda02]

1 hour ago, NCTribeFan said:

I did 3 tours in Havana on 5/11 & 5/12.  All through Strawberry Tours.  Booked a classic car ride for DD & I for $99.  Note that it's a ride and if you want a tour guide, that's extra.  We just rode and stopped several places.

 

Saturday night, we did the Nightlife Tour (free walking tour) to 3 different bars and a salsa dance lesson at one of them.  Drinks from 3CUC to around 6CUC.

 

Next morning, did a 3-hours "free" walking tour of Old Havana.

 

So much less expensive than the ship tours and we were even able to disembark earlier than the ship excursion folks because we docked early and the ship was cleared quickly.

 

I wrote a brief review so it shouldn't be too far down the pages, if interested in the details (and a few pics) of the tours.

 

We checked the "support the Cuban people" option on the document that you're required to fill out (NOT the Visa).

Sounds Fun! Did you use strawberry tours for the "free" tours? Ive contacted them about a private tour for our group. Were you on MSC too? Was there any problems putting "support the cuban people" on your document? 

[NCTribeFan]

Well, this is probably all moot now.  So glad I went when I did!

 

The car tour isn't free but the others were a tip-the-guide sort.  Tipped the girl on the Sunday tour more than the bar crawl because she gave all that historical info.  The other girl just led us from one bar to the next although she was very nice and answered questions.  Also tipped the driver.

 

I think Strawberry's website stated that their tours qualified for "support the people" category.  I did attend the CD's talk prior to arrival in Havana and he stressed that it should be the People-to-People option, but that's not any more valid than stressing that a ship's tour is best.

 

Just so sad that I'll probably be cancelling my cruise for next spring that was going to Havana.  I wanted to do the food tour and get a taxi over to the castle/fort. 😥