My Cuba Cruise

Hi all!

We stayed one night at the Doctor's Cave Beach hotel which had its good points & not so good. The location was good across from the ( pay) beach & walking distance to the Pork Pit. The room wasn't that great but the place itself was quite nice. Check it out on Trip Advisor. We took a taxi from there to the Rockland Bird Sanctuary that I'd always wanted to see then to the cruise port.

BTW I was reading the April edition of ITN & there was an article about an American who went on the Cuba cruise. He supplied a lot of info & said there about 200 Americans onboard. If you can get your hands on a copy that might be of interest.

Hope this helps.

~ Jo ~ :)

Thank you, I will check it out. ITN, what is it please?

Hi again!

EmmasNana ~ you're welcome. ITN is International Travel News, a newsprint type magazine published monthly in Sacramento CA. It's written by travellers for travellers. It's quite good as the people give detailed accounts of their trips including dates & prices.

~ Jo ~ :)

The June 2016 issue of la Habana magazines is now on line.

http://www.lahabana.com/content/?page_id=569/

This issue is probably most appropriately entitled

The US-CUBA ....travel issue....From gringo to guest

The June 2016 issue of la Habana magazines is now on line.

http://www.lahabana.com/content/?page_id=569/

This issue is probably most appropriately entitled

The US-CUBA ....travel issue....From gringo to guest

My bad:

http://www.lahabana.com/content/wp-content/uploads/2016/magazine/lahabana-magazine-june2016.pdf

Hi again!

 

EmmasNana ~ you're welcome. ITN is International Travel News, a newsprint type magazine published monthly in Sacramento CA. It's written by travellers for travellers. It's quite good as the people give detailed accounts of their trips including dates & prices.

 

~ Jo ~ :)

Thanks!

My bad:

 

http://www.lahabana.com/content/wp-content/uploads/2016/magazine/lahabana-magazine-june2016.pdf

Thank you so much!

HI all!

E N ~ you're welcome.

Ron ~ thanks for the link, looks like some interesting articles in it.

So cold here eh? DH put on the woodstove last night which is unusual for June!

Chimo!

~ Jo ~ :)

HI all!

E N ~ you're welcome.

Ron ~ thanks for the link, looks like some interesting articles in it.

So cold here eh? DH put on the woodstove last night which is unusual for June!

Chimo!

~ Jo ~ :)

Just weeks ago we were being told by the weather clowns that this was to be a much hotter summer than normal. Here it is June and we have our wood stoves burning. The good news of course is that Havana is now getting rain in substantial amounts solving their water shortage problem.

Chimo

Ron

HI all!

My friend told me of a Rick Steves show in Cuba on PBS. Maybe you can get the channel if you're interested..This is for KCTS9:

• Wednesday, June 15 at 7:00 p.m. — Rick Steves' Guide to Cuba
  
• Sunday, June 19 at 4:00 p.m. — Rick Steves' Guide to Cuba
  

~ Jo ~ :)

Hi again!

I saw somewhere there's an itinerary change for next year & it's back to Isla de la Juventud, a lovely beach day!

Ron ~ how did the other port compare to this IYO please?

~ Jo ~ :)

Those who boarded the ship in Jamaica, would you tell me where you stayed prior to the cruise and if you would recommend it.

We stayed for 2 nights at the Royal Decameron Montego Beach (all inclusive). It is super close to the airport and the Hip Strip. We were there around spring break time/Easter in March 2016 and paid $248 per night.

We walked to the Hip Strip and did a little shopping on Friday morning before we left for the cruise. Very easy to arrange a shuttle to the port from the hotel (and even though we checked out, they kept our luggage at the hotel until we were ready to leave).

I was very happy with the hotel for the 2 nights that we were there and would definitely book there again for a short stay like we had. (Not many restaurant choices, so with a longer stay it might get boring with the food...but then again I wouldn't complain - it is Jamaica!!)

Enjoy!

Hi again!

 

I saw somewhere there's an itinerary change for next year & it's back to Isla de la Juventud, a lovely beach day!

Ron ~ how did the other port compare to this IYO please?

~ Jo ~ :)

Jo, we took one look at the place from our deck and stayed on board. We are not beach people and those who ventured ashore spoke of little to do but take the sun. We later found out that there was a charge for the luncheon the ship had prepared ashore. Many nasty comments.

The problem was and is that the ship cannot cast anchor there due to the sensitive Coral Reefs and as such the engines work endlessly and noisily to keep the ship on location point for the duration of the stop. Hence the move back to Isla de la Juventud. But if they must pick a location at which to drop anchor for the day, let it be at Antilla again, for that was for us the heart of the cruise.

Chimo

Personally, I really preferred the beach at Isla de la Juventud. The sand was perfect and there was a lot of shade. It was also very quiet, vs the loud music being played at Maria la Gorda. The beach at Maria la Gorda was all coral, which made even trying to wade in unpleasant. There were, however, a lot more facilities at Maria la Gorda (store, restaurant, wifi, changing room/toilet, etc), and there was a lot to see snorkeling just off shore (allegedly... I don't snorkel :p)

Also interested in overnight for Montego Bay cruise. Looked into Holiday Inn Sunspree since it's close to airport. Can't find cruise port on map for Montego Bay but presume it's close to downtown. Any body know?

Also wondered about experience with paperwork for US citizens. We're booked on December 2016 cruise and were told our required documents would be provided with tickets. Any comments?

Very excited to finally be able to go to Cuba.

HI all!

Nice to see a post on this thread, it's been pretty quiet!;)

Papa O ~ there's been quite a bit of discussion previously on this thread about paperwork for US citizens. Go back a few pages & you'll see.

Here's a link to a map with the cruise port on it.

http://*****************/DestinationGuide/CruisePortMap.aspx?PortName=Montego+Bay

I don't think it's close to downtown & it's not near the airport.

Nice you will finally get to see Cuba .:D

It looks like NCL Sky may be doing a cruise around Cuba, they're just waiting for approval apparently.

Have a nice weekend.

~ Jo ~ :)

I have attached a map showing the cruise pier (in blue) and the "Hip Strip" (in yellow). The closest hotels to the port are those on the peninsula with it. They are the Sunscape Splash and Cove and Secrets Wild Orchid and St James. Holiday Inn Sunspree is east of the airport (the opposite direction of the port).

Also interested in overnight for Montego Bay cruise. Looked into Holiday Inn Sunspree since it's close to airport. Can't find cruise port on map for Montego Bay but presume it's close to downtown. Any body know?

 

Also wondered about experience with paperwork for US citizens. We're booked on December 2016 cruise and were told our required documents would be provided with tickets. Any comments?

 

Very excited to finally be able to go to Cuba.

We are doing this cruise in January. We are flying in 2 days prior. We are staying at the Hilton Rose Hall. I'm planning on hiring a driver to take us from the airport to the hotel and the hotel to the cruise port. Have used various drivers over our many Jamaica trips.

We are also very excited to go to Cuba. 🎉✈️🚢😎✈️

Carol.

HI all!

I just received an email from a travel company in Toronto & the cruise they're offering, perhaps Feb 19 is sold out & taking requests only. This isn't the 1st year they offered the cruise so they must really think it's great. They made mention of it going to Punta Frances, which we who went the 1st couple of years, know is a beautiful almost deserted beach experience.

cawags ~ you're right to be excited, Cuba's an exciting place, probably like no other.:D

Chimo!

~ Jo ~ :)

HI all!

 

 

cawags ~ you're right to be excited, Cuba's an exciting place, probably like no other.:D

 

Chimo!

 

~ Jo ~ :)

My darling husband had no "interest". So I'm going with a friend I met on a cruise last year. His loss. As well as a couple from Alaska we met on the same cruise.

This is a place I have always wanted to see. And so did our cruise friends. 😉

Another thing to be checked off from my bucket list.

Carol

Jo, these details that I indirectly heard about a passenger on a cruise may not have been about a Cuba Cruise but I have to share regardless.

A passenger who was part of an Alaska cruise had taken a city bus tour of Seattle and upon it's completion was advised by the driver that, due to the day's PRIDE parade in the area, he could not return the passengers any closer to their destination than but two or three blocks. He advised them that if they did not wish to wait they could walk the final distance. She decided to do just that. But upon leaving the bus she realized that the only way forward was totally blocked by the crowds of spectators lined along the route watching the parade. She also realized that, at the moment the one and only way to get from that point to her destination was to join in the parade. So there she was marching along with all the LGBT participants, smiling and waving until she had covered the few blocks of distance that separated her from her final destination. :D

Just had to share that.

Chimo

Ron

HI all!

Ron ~ that gave me a laugh! She accomplished what she set out to do & had fun doing it.

Nice that our PM is participating in Pride parades, unlike those before him.

We won't be cruising to Cuba or anywhere else in February 2017. We decided to go to 2 all inclusive resorts in Panama instead. We've stayed at one for a week so now will try another for 5 days & the one we really liked in the rainforest for 2 .

Chimo!

~ Jo ~ :)

Just wondering what time you must get off the ship these days?

HI all!

I saw this article written by CC UK editor Adam, who I met on an excursion from Antilla on our 1st Cuba cruise..

He's writing about the changes on the ship as he just sailed in the Med.

http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=7220

Ron ~ we've just returned from a 17 day road trip to Yellowknife & the hummingbird feeder looks pretty much as full as it was when we left. Have the little birdies flown south?

Have a nice weekend.

~ Jo ~ :)

Thankfully someone directed me to this thread from another board. I had forgotten how I found it and was not getting notifications, so am happy for that post.

Just wanted to post a thanks to some of you for some posts a couple of pages back that were directed towards me a couple of months ago. Thanks for the info. about the terrain and the standing during embarkation, etc. Actually, we did an Alaskan cruise in May and my dh had to go through the over long mess in Vancouver's cruise terminal where there was no place to sit much of the time. (Not that he will like it if it's like that for this ship, too!)

We actually only just booked the Celestyal Crystal for 2/17/17 and did it through the line's website. I'd shelved the idea of doing it for a while and then a friend's parents just did the Fathom and enjoyed it. Got me thinking about it again. We didn't want to pay the Fathom's price and think this will be just as interesting if not more. We were 20 and 23 on our first cruise. A 3 dayer on a ship around this size I think. (The Emerald Seas out of Miami. Anyone remember that one?) I thought I'd died and gone to heaven on that cruise! We do like ships with all the bells and whistles but that doesn't mean we won't like this one, too. As everyone says, this one is more about the experience. (The entertainment alone interests me!)

We, too, will spend a couple of days in Montego Bay before and after our cruise. I've just started to think about where we will stay and see some of the same places mentioned on this thread that I have been considering. Not sure where we'll end up yet, though.

Thanks to everyone who has been posting helpful stuff on here.