Cuban Cigars

Will be cruising in the southern Caribbean, visiting Tortola, St. Maarten, St. Kitts, Barbados and Dominica. Would Cuban cigars be for sale in any or all of those ports of call?

You should be able to get them at all those listed ports. I have gotten mine in St. Kitts the last couple of years. For future reference, anywhere that is not US affiliated should have Cubans.

These both look like legit places to buy authentic cuban cigars

St Kitts

http://www.ramstrading.com/duty-free/smoke-and-booze

St Maarten

http://www.cigaremporium.biz/

Will be cruising in the southern Caribbean, visiting Tortola, St. Maarten, St. Kitts, Barbados and Dominica. Would Cuban cigars be for sale in any or all of those ports of call?

Keep in mind that you can't bring Cuban cigars into the US and that includes Puerto Rico.

Make sure you are buying from a reputable vendor. There are more fakes out there than real ones.

Keep in mind that you can't bring Cuban cigars into the US and that includes Puerto Rico.

Many people bring just a few back for personal consumption...just take off the bands as then it's hard to tell what they are..The Cigar Emporium in St Maarten puts them in a nice plactic resealable bag that holds four that says "Made in the Dominican"..We had them in our checked luggage and had no problem bringing them back to our SIL...But thanks for being the cigar police :)

Authentic Cuban cigars La Casa Del Habano:

1. Limegrove Lifestyle Centre, 1st Floor, Holetown, St. James, West Indies, Barbados
   
2. 71 Port La Royale. Marigot. 97150. Saint Martin. F.W.I
   

FWIW, if you are not familiar with Cuban cigars, and have any concerns about fakes, look for the triple cap on the cigar. YouTube has a variety of videos that will show you how to check. The ports you have listed though, as long as you're going to a reputable cigar shop you'll be fine. Fakes, might be at a straw market, for example. Enjoy yourself.

BTW, if you are not sure what to ask for, try a Monti #4, A Bolivar Belicos Fino, or a Hoyo de Monterey Double Corona. Not sure what you like so those are organized from smallest to large.

FWIW, if you are not familiar with Cuban cigars, and have any concerns about fakes, look for the triple cap on the cigar. YouTube has a variety of videos that will show you how to check. The ports you have listed though, as long as you're going to a reputable cigar shop you'll be fine. Fakes, might be at a straw market, for example. Enjoy yourself.

 

BTW, if you are not sure what to ask for, try a Monti #4, A Bolivar Belicos Fino, or a Hoyo de Monterey Double Corona. Not sure what you like so those are organized from smallest to large.

I just smoked a 10 year #4 Monti that has been in my humidor all this time. It was very very nice. Personally speaking, I love the Cayams for buying Cubans.

Also check out prices before buying. DH is cigar lover. Last year in Cozumel found his Cubans, vendor said $25 per cigar. DH looked for authenticity, etc. & started talking cigars to vendor. Once he found out he know what was what, bought a box of 20 for $8/ea. Again, took wrappers off, but did have time on the cruise to smoke a few of them.

Thanks for all the great tips and advice!!!

So are there any vendors in cozumel for the real cubans?

thanks

michael

Keep in mind that you can't bring Cuban cigars into the US and that includes Puerto Rico.

ordinarily I am all about not violating import/export laws and declaring stuff and paying duty.. but Cuban cigars are the one thing that for personal consumption.. not even Customs cares about.

half a dozen?! not even worth the effort. now if you were trying to bring back several dozen, then I would suggest that Customs may have a problem with.

You can also play it really safe, and smoke the cigar before you come back to the US, or even before you get back to the ship. As Sigmund Freud nicely pointed out, sometimes a cigar is just a cigar. Is there really a big difference between Cuban cigars and, say, Dominican cigars?

You can also play it really safe, and smoke the cigar before you come back to the US, or even before you get back to the ship. As Sigmund Freud nicely pointed out, sometimes a cigar is just a cigar. Is there really a big difference between Cuban cigars and, say, Dominican cigars?

Freud was right, but then there is the view expressed by Kipling that: "A woman is only a woman, but a good Cigar is a Smoke".

Keep in mind that you can't bring Cuban cigars into the US and that includes Puerto Rico.

I learned several years ago that Puerto Rico has a way of getting around that law. The farmers in Puerto Rico buy their tobacco seeds from Cuba and grow their own tobacco. So, in a way, you can get Cuban cigars in Puerto Rico.;)

I learned several years ago that Puerto Rico has a way of getting around that law. The farmers in Puerto Rico buy their tobacco seeds from Cuba and grow their own tobacco. So, in a way, you can get Cuban cigars in Puerto Rico.;)

Cuban seed tobacco comes from Cuban tobacco plants or seeds that were here before the embargo.