jinky

What date in June 2015 is your trip? We are going out on 23rd and there are 6 of us looking for a St Petersburg trip over the 2 days. If you let us know costs and itinerary and it suits we might be interested in joining you. 6 adults .

Yes thanks to all who started this off/ contributed and helped make our Cuba trip such a success with all the great advice. I rarely go back to anywhere twice with so much world to see but I would love to get back to Cuba one day - especially Havana. Not sure I`d do the cruise again a I really fancy the idea of getting myself around and stopping wherever I choose but it was great fun and worth every penny. Not likely to look back in here much again - if anyone has any questions about going / trips best get me through my blog links I posted.

Too much time in Havana? !!! We had 4 nights there before we boarded and half a day there when we finished the cruise and I`d have liked another couple of days there myself. Was reading some blogs on Havana and hearing of places I`d love to see that we didn`t even know about / get to. Loved Havana so much I`d even consider a Havana / Varadero cheaper break at some time in the future to go back.

 

If you took those photos - let me congratulate you. I recognise many of them and you've caught the essence of Cuba with each one. I'm pleased that you went to Vinales. I've never been to Biran, or the Isle of Youth so must make the effort there.

 

Thanks a million for the treat!

 

Dee :)

Thanks Dee. They are indeed my own photos. I do a little bit of part time wedding photography and such in UK so should manage the odd good one ;). That said I had a wedding booked first day back so was forced to use one of my back up cameras which was misbehaving a little. So relieved when most turned out OK

Thx retiring soon. Yes ont ca - loved that taxi - just so many cars to shoot!

cubaholic- certainly no iron in our cabin. As for white night no real evidence of it on our cruise. We knew nothing about it until we saw the schedule and did our best

I hope Pototo turns up for you! Our first b0oking in Santiago should have been for an American ca with driver and English speaking guide. No-one came! After numerous calls and an hours delay we ended up with 2 cars for 4 people with two Spanish speaking drivers and no guide. We told them to forget it and got a taxi at a fraction of the price to do the same trip. We did not expect them to turn up at Cienfuegos as booked but everything there went smoothly and we were also taken to the Blue Palace with complimentary cocktails as a "sorry". Still spoiled our car adventure in Santiago though!

Did another overview blog of the trip if anyone is interested:

http://photographybypauldishman.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/highlights-of-cuba.html?spref=fb

I just hope that whilst change might bring increased prosperity to the lovely Cuban people it does not change it too much. So many I spoke to talked of the need for improved living standards and better access to goods but not wanting to give up on the ideals of the revolution. Their pride in their education, health service and country in general was a lesson to us all I feel when they had so little in terms of luxuries. Anyone wanting to see my blogs would need to go to http://www.photographybypauldishman.co.uk and click on the orange blog box on the front page , bottom right as I cannot post links here evidently. The first one talks of our 4 days in Havana with just a few of the many hundreds of images I was able to take of this fantastic country.

Just found that link works so try going direct to the blog with this link

http://photographybypauldishman.blogspot.co.uk/

Sorry we missed you Frank and Brenda. I got a note left in my cabin saying you`d been by. Well done on finding us after us getting our move. Spoke to Brenda and then that night someone took our dining table Strange - we`d asked about changing from time to ti me and they said " no , same place every night" then we come in and find a few Canadians and their daughter have been put on ours and we have ro be slotted in on our own elsewhere on what was our last night! Got us friendlier, more efficient service for that night anyway but sorry if you were looking out for us and missed us.

Just back after our Cuba cruise and what a treat. We had 4 nights in Havana first staying at the Telegrafo Hotel on the main square. magical. Felt so sorry for those joining the cruise in Montego bay (and Cienfuegos) who had one night in Havana. The music, the friendly people, the buildings and life there was just fantastic to see and so may chats re: modern Cuba, the Castros and so much else. Did a trip to Vinales and walking tour of Havana but walking the back streets with my camera in perfect safety was the highlight. One Sunday morning early when the internet did not work I allowed myself to be gently hustled into a 1.5 hour mojito drinking session with a baseball coach i a local bar which was the most enlightening chat I had all holiday. It was 8am and far too early to drink but best mojitos ever if overpriced (but still cheaper and better than Hemingways El Floridito :D). The cruise was great too. Went to Biran from Holguin on ship tour and amazed at the wealth of Castros family and actions / effect on family after the revolution when the farm was split up. In Santiago a planned trip with Pototo was a disaster. No-one turned up until we phoned and then they sent 2 cars with no English speaking guide and 2 drivers for 4 of us. Ordinary cars - not the American Plymouth ordered. We said no thanks and took a taxi doing the same trip for 40 cucs instead of 160 for the 4 of us Saw the castle, mountain viewpoint and town center tour with a self appointed guide who was really useful and well worth the tip given. Pototo made u for it in Cienfuegos whne the car and guide were there early and gave us a fantastic day in Trinidad taking in Sugar valley and culminating in a guided city tour and complimentary cocktails at the Blue Palace to make up for the previous disappointment. Montego bay we found to be a bit of a rip off costing us dear for a short taxi ride to a paying beach with paid for sunbeds but pleasant enough sit in the sun for a few hours. The walk to the currency exchange shop was a worry though - lots of accosting and a feeling of unease I never felt in Cuba. One Vancouver woman on the beach advised my wife to take off her wedding ring and not "flaunt it here" as it was dangerous - given that she was planning to open a B&B there I wondered why if it was so unsafe! The boat we found pleasant enough after changing our initial cabin which was a 4 berth akin to a cross channel ferry room. We asked and were allowed to move to a suitably improved premium inside cabin 2 berth which was more what we had expected. Entertainment was good but not up to Royal Caribbean standard though the acrobats on silks / ropes were fantastic and the singers good. Food was good, service again inconsistent and not up to bigger cruise ship standards but everyone friendly and willing. Loved the Alberta steakbar upgrade to celebrate our anniversary but so muc food! They noted that we had struggled by the time of dessert and offered to have us come back the next night to strt with desserts but we soldiered on - nice offer though. Punte Frances Island of Youth was bliss - a real paradise island and so much nicer than Montego Bay. Then all too soon it was back to Havana with another day of sightseeing before the plane home. Fantastic experience which I shall never regret. had a few problems / family health issues to shock us when we got back so only just editing the 1200 or so pictures. I`m doing a book and slideshow and will no doubt do a blog so will post a link to it when I get around to it. Anyone still to go - enjoy!

Thanks for that info retiring soon.

We`ll look out for you Frank and Brenda. We`re in cabin 6131 - don`t know our friends` cabin number.

We`re Sue , Paul + Christine and Peter. I`ll most often be seen as "the big bloke with the camera / camera bag on his back all the time".

Been so useful reading the reviews and hoping that the link up with Pototoworks well for our Santiago and Cienfuegos trips.

Hi - just a couple of days now until I head off to Havana and so excited. Got a Havana and Vinales tour booked, Holkguin / Biran with boat and and a Cienfuegos / Trinidad and Santiago tour in an American car booked through Pototo mentioned on here at much lower than boat prices with guides. The one port I am wondering abut is Montego Bay. What to do / where to go and whether it is easy to exchange some money there as I`ll only have pounds and CUCs at that time. Anyone been already that can advise?

We had a planning session with the couple we are going with last night. So looking forward to it.Re: excursions we have decided to book we have already booked a Vinales / havana half day tour independently and will be booking the Holguin and Biran trip but unsure of what else. Ideally we want to get a taxi in other places and go off but not sure how practical / easy that will be.

Anyone know anyone who did the Cienfuegos to Trinidad trip. Seems a long way but really want to see Trinidad if possible. Wondering whether we might look around Cienfuegos then get a taxi for a couple of hours in Trinidad rather than pay what seems a lot for the Trinidad trip that seems to miss out Cienfuegos.

Not sure what to do in Montego either. Not interested in the action stuff - maybe get a taxi to Falmouth.Any suggestions?

Whatever we do - so looking forward to it. Some great info on here and loved Aaron`s blogs.

Enjoying reading the tips and Aaron`s blog. Shame about wifi issues. So looking forward to our cruise on 17th Feb after a few days in Havana.

Look forward to reading your blog Atomica. We go the 20th Feb and so looking forward to it!:)

Hi. What are tou guys doing about excursions on the cruise? I hear you have to book so many days before it departs and I`m not sure what the infrastructure is like there. Where do you think it best to go with a boat excursion adn where can you sort something out at the port? Are there ports where we are so far away from anything we need to go with the ship? Any views?

I`ll be passing on drinks packages at that price too- don`t drink enough. Our tour company say bookings are going well and quite positive. You`ve sewn doubt i n my mind now though ;)

Seems everyone else on here is Canadian at first glance. Had a couple of great holidays doing the eastern side from Windsor up to Quebec and then another trip taking in Vancouver and doing the Rocky Mountaineer. Cousin lives in Windsor too.

Anyway we are booked with the Holiday Place in the UK to go to Cuba on 13th Feb 2014. 4 nights staying in Havana at the Telegrafo Hotel with a one day excursion taking in a half day city tour and a full day Pinardelrio and Vinales. Then we are on the cruise from 17th February 2014 for the week. The Holiday Place are their main agents in UK selling it as a whole package and are reporting good sales to me with a promise of an alternative or full refund if what they offer is not acceptable if there are any issues with the cruise not happening following their previous failures in Cuba.

Useful seeing the you tube video of the boat. Looks more up market Channel ferry than the only experience of a cruise we had with Royal Caribbean but it` the itinerary we booked for as others have said above. Anyone know how expensive the drinks are on board and if you have access to all the restaurants without paying additional fees or whether you have to?

Anyone else on here going from 14th February 2014? We are going with a couple of friends and so looking forward to it.