Itineraries

[kruzseeka]

6 hours ago, Britboys said:

Yes, a similar situation when I went. I booked as it was advertised as two days in Havana. On the second day, instead of departing at, I think 4.30pm, we departed, I think, at 1.00pm. This was to allow another ship to berth. I was on a Marella ship and I think the one due in was HAL.

 

That's interesting........ Holland America (Carnival)

[tring]

Very strange with people saying only one ship can get into Havana at one time, I am wondering if they have built a new docking base and are not now using the two sided pier we docked at about 4-5 years ago (could have been damaged by storms). We were docked together with the MSC ship for most, if not all of a day.

[kruzseeka]

I've not been recently but all I remember reading last year was that ships were having their time in port cut short by a significant amount to accommodate another ship.  This is what Britboys reported happened to his cruise which is a disappointing move if you are expecting a 2 day stay in Havana. 

My comment was really a concern about scheduled Havana calls being a bit unreliable - at least for some operators last year.  I honestly can't remember whether one or two ships were berthed when we went - but that's out of date info now anyway.

Was yours an overnight stop Tring?  I'd love to go again.  

[Britboys]

7 hours ago, tring said:

Very strange with people saying only one ship can get into Havana at one time, I am wondering if they have built a new docking base and are not now using the two sided pier we docked at about 4-5 years ago (could have been damaged by storms). We were docked together with the MSC ship for most, if not all of a day.

I was there in January 2018. We docked at the main cruise terminal, Sierra Maestra, in the old town close to Plaza San Francisco. It was indeed a long, two-sided pier. If you were looking at it from the shore, we berthed on the left-hand side and the right-hand side was empty. The right-hand side did look in a state of disrepair. As mentioned in my earlier post, I was on a Marella ship. We were lucky that we got a full day and a half in Havana as I recall there were a lot of Marella customers whose 2 day call got shortened to one day. The explanation at the time was that the calls were cut short to allow another ship to berth.

[Denarius]

Last year I was on a Star Clippers cruise. Someone asked the captain or cruise director (can't remember which) why they had stopped doing Cuba cruises. They replied that it was the issue of reliability.

[Slugsta]

On 7/20/2020 at 12:34 AM, kruzseeka said:

Havana is brilliant.  Done it twice with overnight stays - I know US owned ships never used to go there but I don't know if that has been relaxed.   

 

I know this has been raised before but itineraries with overnight stops appeal to us.  Of course it has to be at ports where there is plenty to draw cruisers off the ship in the evening.  That's perhaps not so likely in the Caribbean.

 

But I did note that this year and next they have introduced some different ports to the usual ones which figure in the Baltic cruise itineraries.  In fact we should have been on one now which had an overnight on Oslo which is a fabulous city not often seen on Baltic itineraries.  There were also about 3/4 other ports not usually included - well perhaps sometimes just one which was different but this cruise seemed to be trying to offer a different mix, which for those like us who gave visited the Baltics several times, is quite an attraction.  We've swapped it to next year to one which again has some more unusual ports though sadly not Oslo.  This isn't on one of the big ships though and I take the point made by wowzz that alternative ports in the main will have to accommodate the bigger ships - might be limiting in the Caribbean.

 

We should have been on that Baltics cruise with you now. One of the things I was really looking forward to, along with the overnight in Oslo, was visiting Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. We have rebooked for next year but are not due to visit any of those places (although there are places new to us, which is why we chose that particular option) 😞

[kruzseeka]

2 hours ago, Slugsta said:

 

We should have been on that Baltics cruise with you now. One of the things I was really looking forward to, along with the overnight in Oslo, was visiting Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. We have rebooked for next year but are not due to visit any of those places (although there are places new to us, which is why we chose that particular option) 😞

 

I must confess, it was the itinerary I had been most excited about for a long time......we'd been to Oslo once before and were charmed by it so were really looking forward to a very leisurely exploration.......oh well!   We'd also previously had a half day stop in Riga and were looking forward to seeing more of the city. 

We have also rebooked for next year (fingers crossed!) but had to take a fairly early sailing at the end of May to get a mix which included a few new ports for us - mainly Danish.  Still got Estonia and Lithuvania but lost Riga and as I mentioned before, fabulous Oslo.  Still we are very much looking forward to it - I think if things are OK by then, we'd be pleased to be going almost anywhere! 😀

 

 

 

[Triggertravel]

Havana really does sound like a great place to visit ,just out of interest does anybody know when was the last time a p&o ship stopped there as a scheduled port of call ,and secondly why do you think p&o do not take advantage of going to Cuba in there itinerary especially with the current ban on US cruise ships ?

[jh1809]

27 minutes ago, Triggertravel said:

Havana really does sound like a great place to visit ,just out of interest does anybody know when was the last time a p&o ship stopped there as a scheduled port of call ,and secondly why do you think p&o do not take advantage of going to Cuba in there itinerary especially with the current ban on US cruise ships ?

 

1. It might well be prior to Fidel Castro seizing power in 1959, as I think Cuba has been pretty much off-limits to Western cruise ships until recently.

2. Perhaps because P&O are owned by the American company Carnival, and Carnival might not want to risk the US government not looking kindly at what they might view as a dodge to evade the ban on US cruise ships. 

[Britboys]

I don't know where Cruise timetables get their information from to populate their website but at the moment, the only cruise line shown there calling in to Havana appears to be Fred Olsen - right through to early 2022.

[kruzseeka]

3 hours ago, jh1809 said:

 

1. It might well be prior to Fidel Castro seizing power in 1959, as I think Cuba has been pretty much off-limits to Western cruise ships until recently.

2. Perhaps because P&O are owned by the American company Carnival, and Carnival might not want to risk the US government not looking kindly at what they might view as a dodge to evade the ban on US cruise ships. 

 

I'd always believed that it was a ban on US ships - and thought perhaps that would include any Carnival brand but interesting that Britboys thinks it was a Holland America ship in with the Marella next year.

 

Don't know if this link is still the case but clearly the relaxation of US visits to Cuba was reversed.  Adonia is mentioned - must have been that period when she was taken out of P&O schedules and did some US based cruises (were they classed as having some humanitarian/conservation type focus?)

 

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/05/travel/cuba-cruise-travel-ban.html

 

On a purely selfish note, I think the character and charm of Havana is in part due to the lack of Americanisation.  (I don't think they have a McD's yet!)  It's so refreshing to have a much more authentic experience than the usual tourist destinations - though 'authentic' is perhaps not quite the correct term as on one occasion we flew back from Havana and on the transfer away from the city the poverty was apparent.  Even Havana itself, though charming, has many beautiful buildings which are in a state of decay - some are just facades.  The souvenirs (paintings and wooden items in particular) were amazing and very cheap.  One big drawback when we went though was that you couldn't buy currency before you got there which lead to very long queues at the money exchange as we got off the ship. US $$$ weren't accepted.  But I'd love to go back.  

[Britboys]

1 hour ago, kruzseeka said:

 

I'd always believed that it was a ban on US ships - and thought perhaps that would include any Carnival brand but interesting that Britboys thinks it was a Holland America ship in with the Marella next year.

 

On a purely selfish note, I think the character and charm of Havana is in part due to the lack of Americanisation.  (I don't think they have a McD's yet!)  It's so refreshing to have a much more authentic experience than the usual tourist destinations - though 'authentic' is perhaps not quite the correct term as on one occasion we flew back from Havana and on the transfer away from the city the poverty was apparent.  Even Havana itself, though charming, has many beautiful buildings which are in a state of decay - some are just facades.  The souvenirs (paintings and wooden items in particular) were amazing and very cheap.  One big drawback when we went though was that you couldn't buy currency before you got there which lead to very long queues at the money exchange as we got off the ship. US $$$ weren't accepted.  But I'd love to go back.  

Just for clarification, my mention of a HAL ship was related to when I was there in 2018. That was in the relatively short period when American ships were allowed.

Completely agree about Havana. It's dilapidation is very much part of its charm. On the second morning I was there, I walked around the residential area of the old town, which is a very poor area. Despite that, it was Sunday and the locals were out and about, seemingly very happy and Cuban music wafted out of apartment windows. It felt completely safe even though I was wandering around on my own. I felt very humbled to be there and it will linger long in my memory. At one point three elderly ladies were walking toward me and looking at me when I heard one say "Americano". They seemed surprised as I smiled and said "No Senoras, soy Ingles" 😊

[kruzseeka]

27 minutes ago, Britboys said:

Just for clarification, my mention of a HAL ship was related to when I was there in 2018. That was in the relatively short period when American ships were allowed.

Completely agree about Havana. It's dilapidation is very much part of its charm. On the second morning I was there, I walked around the residential area of the old town, which is a very poor area. Despite that, it was Sunday and the locals were out and about, seemingly very happy and Cuban music wafted out of apartment windows. It felt completely safe even though I was wandering around on my own. I felt very humbled to be there and it will linger long in my memory. At one point three elderly ladies were walking toward me and looking at me when I heard one say "Americano". They seemed surprised as I smiled and said "No Senoras, soy Ingles" 😊

 

Sorry Britboys that was an error on my part saying 'next year' - I meant to say 'last year' but given it was 2018 even that would have been incorrect! 😏

 

Yes we felt very safe too - we went off the ship after dinner and just wandered.  Music, warmth and a welcome everywhere.  It was fabulous.  We did a trip to the Tropicana the next time we went - another great memory but the over-riding recollection was just being in the Old Town especially at night with that atmosphere - unlike anything else I think we've experienced. 

[tring]

3 hours ago, kruzseeka said:

 

I'd always believed that it was a ban on US ships - and thought perhaps that would include any Carnival brand but interesting that Britboys thinks it was a Holland America ship in with the Marella next year.

 

Don't know if this link is still the case but clearly the relaxation of US visits to Cuba was reversed.  Adonia is mentioned - must have been that period when she was taken out of P&O schedules and did some US based cruises (were they classed as having some humanitarian/conservation type focus?)

 

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/05/travel/cuba-cruise-travel-ban.html

 

On a purely selfish note, I think the character and charm of Havana is in part due to the lack of Americanisation.  (I don't think they have a McD's yet!)  It's so refreshing to have a much more authentic experience than the usual tourist destinations - though 'authentic' is perhaps not quite the correct term as on one occasion we flew back from Havana and on the transfer away from the city the poverty was apparent.  Even Havana itself, though charming, has many beautiful buildings which are in a state of decay - some are just facades.  The souvenirs (paintings and wooden items in particular) were amazing and very cheap.  One big drawback when we went though was that you couldn't buy currency before you got there which lead to very long queues at the money exchange as we got off the ship. US $$$ weren't accepted.  But I'd love to go back.  

 

The relaxed rules era was when we were there - see my post #25.  Adonia became Fathom and did "people to people" cruises for the US folk - yes had to have a sort of cultural role and they had specific tours/talks about Cuba (we slid in to a couple of the talks).  Obama let the cruises (and similar land stays) happen, though Trump put a stop to it in summer 2017 https://www.newyorker.com/news/daily-comment/donald-trump-reverses-barack-obamas-cuba-policy

 

Our ship was originally run by a Canadian company and was called "Cuba Cruise" - we booked on line with the company, but the cruise was taken over directly before we sailed, by the owners of the ship Celestyal  Crystal (the one Jane MacDonald has been on there and also in Greece).  Cannot find it now, so may not go anymore, but was an around the Island cruise and we had an overnight in Havanna.  We had 10 nights in a hotel there as well as another 3 nights a few years earlier = both visits finished with 11 nights on a beach in Varadero.  We had 3 weeks in the East of the Island since then, but think we are pretty much done with Cuba now.  We went just before Obama went there https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/in-pictures-35860670 everyone booked in The Nacional were sent to other hotels so it could be used for Obama and his entourage.  We booked a slightly out of town hotel with balconies and a bigger pool area for that long stay, but had stayed in the Nacional on our first visit and the President of India was there - but only in one wing.   

Edited July 22, 2020 by tring

[kruzseeka]

6 minutes ago, tring said:

 

The relaxed rules era was when we were there - see my post #25.  Adonia became Fathom and did "people to people" cruises for the US folk - yes had to have a sort of cultural role and they had specific tours/talks about Cuba (we slid in to a couple of the talks).  Obama let the cruises (and similar land stays) happen, though Trump put a stop to it in summer 2017 https://www.newyorker.com/news/daily-comment/donald-trump-reverses-barack-obamas-cuba-policy

 

Our ship was originally run by a Canadian company and was called "Cuba Cruise" - we booked on line with the company, but the cruise was taken over directly before we sailed, by the owners of the ship Celestyal  Crystal (the one Jane MacDonald has been on there and also in Greece).  Cannot find it now, so may not go anymore, but was an around the Island cruise and we had an overnight in Havanna.  We had 10 nights in a hotel there as well as another 3 nights a few years earlier = both visits finished with 11 nights on a beach in Varadero.  We had 3 weeks in the East of the Island since then, but think we are pretty much done with Cuba now.  We went just before Obama went there https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/in-pictures-35860670 everyone booked in The Nacional were sent to other hotels so it could be used for Obama and his entourage.  We booked a slightly out of town hotel with balconies and a bigger pool area for that long stay, but had stayed in the Nacional on our first visit and the President of India was there - but only in one wing.   

 

Thanks for filling in those details.  You've certainly had the opportunity to spend quite a lot of time in Cuba and in particular Havana and staying at the Nacional must have been something else!   I can appreciate that after that you might favour pastures new but having spent only short time there, I'd definitely enjoy a return.   Making me feel quite nostalgic! 

[tring]

5 hours ago, kruzseeka said:

 

Thanks for filling in those details.  You've certainly had the opportunity to spend quite a lot of time in Cuba and in particular Havana and staying at the Nacional must have been something else!   I can appreciate that after that you might favour pastures new but having spent only short time there, I'd definitely enjoy a return.   Making me feel quite nostalgic! 

We loved the place and wold return to Havanna or Varadero, but not struck on the big AI hotel on the East, though some trips out were good.  We did overnight trips from there and also the Vardero and second Havanna hotel to less touristy areas and that was really great - well some bits were tourist areas but the sort of places you go to for a sight seeing rather than a longer stay.

 

Just thinking is is unlikely that a HAL ship did call into Cuba (unless no US pax on board), as when US visitors were allowed they had to be on specially designed group holidays and that is what Fathom (Adonia) was all about.  A holiday for holiday's sake was still not allowed, as had to be on the "people to people" scheme with specific requirements.  MSC Opera was doing weekly runs from/to Havana but again, would not have had Americans on board.  Most people on Cuba Cruise were on that scheme, but there were some of us who were not.  We booked early before the "people to people" scheme was planned and approved.

 

Nice to remember some good holidays this year.  I also like to have something planned, we lost a TUI holday to Spain on Sunday and a CMV one Monday, so had to replace the TUI one today.  We are now going to Lanzarote for 3 weeks in March - so all we need is a vaccine - otherwise I think we will go anyway as not prepared to waste the rest of our life while we are still able to travel.

Edited July 22, 2020 by tring

[wowzz]

5 minutes ago, tring said:

going to Lanzarote for 3 weeks in March -

3 weeks in November for us.  We keep going back. 

Hope you're going to Playa Blanca. 

[tring]

19 minutes ago, wowzz said:

3 weeks in November for us.  We keep going back. 

Hope you're going to Playa Blanca. 

 

No I asked about best base on TA forums and realise that is very popular and looks nice and open, so can see why.  However we want to go so we can hire a car and go out and about a lot, especially to the north of the island as the coast around that northern part looks really nice and quite a number of villages/small towns around there and the Arrecife area, so we have plumped for Costa Teguise (the Coronas Playa).  I realise it is not that glam, but seems a lot better for us.  We have been to volcanic regions in Tenerife and extensively in La Palma, so not totally new to us, even though it will be our first to a Lanzarote hotel.  We will go to the volcanic region and visit the southern resorts as well - will likely earmark a couple of hotels down there as a reccy for a future visit as will not be doing much long haul stuff in the next couple of years and getting a bit old for the sort of travelling round we have become accustomed to of late.  We have been to Arrecife a number of times from cruises, so if we just get a hire car for two weeks can potter as far as there and the local cactus garden etc. for part of other week.  

Edited July 22, 2020 by tring

[wowzz]

3 minutes ago, tring said:

 

No I asked about best base on TA forums and realise that is very popular and looks nice and open, so can see why.  However we want to go so we can hire a car and go out and about a lot, especially to the north of the island as the coast around that northern part looks really nice and quite a number of villages/small towns around there and the Arrecife area, so we have plumped for Costa Teguise (the Coronas Playa).  I realise it is not that glam, but seems a lot better for us.  We have been to volcanic regions in Tenerife and extensively in La Palma, so not totally new to us, even though it will be our first to a Lanzarote hotel.  We will go to the volcanic region and visit the southern resorts as well - will likely earmark a couple of hotels down there as a reccy for a future visit as will not be doing much long haul stuff in the next couple of years and getting a bit old for the sort of travelling round we have become accustomed to of late.  We have been to Arrecife a number of times from cruises, so if we just get a hire car for two weeks can potter as far as there and the local cactus garden etc. for part of other week.  

You obviously know the island well. Car hire through Autoreisen I hope . We always hire a villa with private pool in PB - eat out a lot,  and costs less than a hotel and more relaxed. Even more so in the current environment. 

We are not fans (understatement) of CT. Just too much like Brits on holiday for us.

Even in PB it only takes an hour to get to the north of the island, so I wouldn't let geography put you off staying in the South.

Regardless, have a great stay.

 

[kruzseeka]

25 minutes ago, tring said:

 

No I asked about best base on TA forums and realise that is very popular and looks nice and open, so can see why.  However we want to go so we can hire a car and go out and about a lot, especially to the north of the island as the coast around that northern part looks really nice and quite a number of villages/small towns around there and the Arrecife area, so we have plumped for Costa Teguise (the Coronas Playa).  I realise it is not that glam, but seems a lot better for us.  We have been to volcanic regions in Tenerife and extensively in La Palma, so not totally new to us, even though it will be our first to a Lanzarote hotel.  We will go to the volcanic region and visit the southern resorts as well - will likely earmark a couple of hotels down there as a reccy for a future visit as will not be doing much long haul stuff in the next couple of years and getting a bit old for the sort of travelling round we have become accustomed to of late.  We have been to Arrecife a number of times from cruises, so if we just get a hire car for two weeks can potter as far as there and the local cactus garden etc. for part of other week.  

 

We've stopped at the Coronas Playa some years ago and whilst not 5* we thoroughly enjoyed our stay there.   I think you have made a good choice of location if you want to get around the island.  We stayed in Playa Blanca and liked the resort but found it a bit out of the way - though to be fair we were using local buses, not driving around the island.

One of our all time favourite places to visit is the Manrique Fundacion - only a few miles from Costa Teguise but what a revelation!  How anyone could have the vision to create a home from 5 ash filled lava bubbles amazes me.  We have visited it several times but find it fascinating - something different catches the eye each time with so many creative touches.  Lots of other Manrique designed sites too like Jameios del Agua and Timanfaya National Park is spectacular - so plenty of variety.  Enjoy!

Edited July 22, 2020 by kruzseeka

[tring]

35 minutes ago, wowzz said:

You obviously know the island well. Car hire through Autoreisen I hope . We always hire a villa with private pool in PB - eat out a lot,  and costs less than a hotel and more relaxed. Even more so in the current environment. 

We are not fans (understatement) of CT. Just too much like Brits on holiday for us.

Even in PB it only takes an hour to get to the north of the island, so I wouldn't let geography put you off staying in the South.

Regardless, have a great stay.

 

 

Only part we know is Arrecife, but google earth is a great tool.  An hour might not seem long but an hour each way is two hours driving we could do without doing it for a good number of days - prefer shorter trips out.  Is the car hire company you mention good - we have used Cicar for day hire at cruise ports like La Gomera a couple of times and El Hierro in recent years, so were possibly thinking of going to them.  Enjoy your stay.

[wowzz]

6 hours ago, tring said:

 

Only part we know is Arrecife, but google earth is a great tool.  An hour might not seem long but an hour each way is two hours driving we could do without doing it for a good number of days - prefer shorter trips out.  Is the car hire company you mention good - we have used Cicar for day hire at cruise ports like La Gomera a couple of times and El Hierro in recent years, so were possibly thinking of going to them.  Enjoy your stay.

Autoreisen are based at the airport. Great company, book in advance, but only pay when you pick the car up, no hidden extras and no silly fuel policy. Just return the car with the same amount of fuel as when you pick it up.

Driving is so easy that we don't worry about the extra time driving from PB. We would rather do that than stay in CT, which we hate!

[Britboys]

I visited Playa Blanca some thirty-odd years ago when there were no buildings there at all. No hotels, no villas, no apartments - nada.

[wowzz]

1 hour ago, Britboys said:

I visited Playa Blanca some thirty-odd years ago when there were no buildings there at all. No hotels, no villas, no apartments - nada.

That would be the same as us, although we went slightly earlier- 35 years or so ago. Main street was just sand  - we had an apartment overlooking the harbour, and watched the "landing craft" type ferry leave every morning. 

We still go back after all this time - obviously totally different, but still like the "feel" of the town. 

[tring]

5 hours ago, wowzz said:

Autoreisen are based at the airport. Great company, book in advance, but only pay when you pick the car up, no hidden extras and no silly fuel policy. Just return the car with the same amount of fuel as when you pick it up.

 

 

Thanks will look into them when over there as an alternative to Cicar or other local companies.  Will not be picking up from airport as going with TUI and glad of the extra support in current climate.  Also we had an extra £500 discount applied to bill (as our booking cancelled) as well as normal net discounts, so a very good price and far cheaper than any SC bookings as well.  I do not want to be cooking and meals out are not that cheap in the Canaries so prefer HB.  We have booked a TUI taxi transfer and upgrade to a suite with own sun beds and near the hotel exit to the coastal path which apparently goes a long way to the south and in the direction of a fishing village (no buildings showing on google Earth going that way) and about a mile north into Costa Teguise (hotel out on edge of resort).  Price very good, but is a big TUI customer so well priced with them (in fact they paid for the upgrades as we had min spend to get full -£500).  It is apparently an older peoples hotel - so will be a bit like a cruise ship, but will not be lingering round in public areas anyway, which we don't on cruise ships 🙂

 

Edited July 23, 2020 by tring