PH8

Best Of Havana included lunch

That's what I booked..did you enjoy it?

Thanks.........have friends going so was checking for them.........

Are they still enforcing the everyone in the cabin has to buy the beverage package(even if only one wanted it)?

ON HARMONY!!

Good luck Kathy!!!! Have fun

Just got back I too was nervous But once on Ship Carlos Cruise Director will explain everything. They will also have excursion information explain everything before you get there. So you could decide what excursion to take after you get on ship. It actually went smooth no problems.

Thanks Paul!!

What's to be nervous? I'm going in a couple of weeks. The money is easy. Get off the ship, exchange it in the port area. You will be there for two days, and pass by the windows multiple times. Exchange $200.00, enjoy a tour, eat some lunch, which is part of claiming you are doing people to people, have a drink, people watch, check out some museums, eat dinner in the street, go to El Floridita for drinks and music in the evening or some of the other places. Drink too much, next morning, get more money for the day. Have lunch again, and visit more sites.

 

Nothing to be nervous about.

I am cruising solo( not something I normally do).

Going to some place very unfamiliar to me.

Will be there just one day.

So I think a ship excursion ( again,something I never do) would be my best bet.

$200? While I have no problem with that,I doubt I would spend that much in one day.

I did the all day tour and it was wonderful. Money was not a problem as it was easy to find somewhere to change it. The Cuban folks were great and I highly recommend visiting Cuba.

 

 

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I am booked for Oct 7th so really can't cancel,if I wanted to.

Paul--did you do the 4 hr walking tour or the motorcoach?

I need to figure this out today.........

Not sure about the 7 hour tour..

When we were there in August, there were 7 or 8 windows where you could exchange money and the process was very quick. If you have any Cuban money left over when you get back to the terminal, they will exchange it back to dollars.

 

If you take the 4 hour tour, there are not too many opportunities to spend money anyway. The stop at the tobacco and rum shop in the fort is one place and the other is the craft market. The craft market is quite large and has many individual stalls selling the usual souvenirs. If you are going to buy cigars or rum, the guide did not recommend doing it at the craft market.

 

On our walk in old Havana, we actually did not see any stores. Maybe it was the streets we took, but we did not buy anything that day. Our guide for the walking tour suggested two restaurants for lunch, but neither looked good to us, so we just walked back to the ship for lunch.

Thanks........with some of the comments above yours,I am getting nervous about this whole trip and wished I didn't book it........

Just not sure how much money to exchange..

From what I've read, it's more complicated. I think there are two kinds of Cuban money and only certain places to make the exchange.

First the beverage package,now the money.........this is turning into a complicated trip ,all in all...;p;p;p

Old Havana is right outside the terminal. If you want to see it I would recommend that you take the 4 hour tour in the morning and then walk around old Havana in the afternoon.

 

If you have been to San Juan, old Havana is very similar

That is exactly what I was thinking by looking at the pics.........even the fort names are similar..

Any other thing you think of,please let me know......

I know it's cash only.........US or do I need to get Cuban $$$ ?

Thank you........I am not overnighting.....we will be there 8am till 8pm......

I'm thinking about the 4 hour city tour(bus,not walking)........OR the 7 hour one......but that does not go to Old Havana..

Is Old Havana within walking distance of the ship.?

I would post this in Ports of call,but need some info for RCCL excursions.

I just booked a cruise to Cuba ,leaving in 12 days. Not much time to research and get something booked.

Normally I do not book shore excursions,but for this trip I am.

Anyone have personal experience on any RCCL tours?

Which one did you do and what are your thoughts on it?

I really appreciate any and all input..........thank you

The onboard price varies, Royal could not make Dynamic Dining work, so they went with Dynamic Pricing instead.

 

The least expensive non-discounted onboard price I've seen has been $55 plus 18%. I've also seen it as high as $58 plus 18%.

Guess that is why I had trouble figuring it out.

Thanks Bob!

Kathy, no US sales tax is charged on packages. Only on individual drinks. I think you are better off with the 40% onboard discount.

It's not......I know it is on individual drinks .....thanks for your help.......

How much is the package going for these days?? $55 plus tip???

I'm trying to figure out whether to buy my Deluxe drink package now or onboard....Not quite sure of the numbers,since I never buy one.

As Pinnacle,I get 40 % off.....but would have to pay tax since I am buying it the day I board and before sail-away.

Right now,I can get it 30% off online.....and NOT pay tax..

I understand I pay 18% tip no matter which scenario.......

So can someone figure out the cost for each?? Truthfully,I'm not sure of the real price(without discounts).

I am going on a 4 day cruise.

Thanks

Hi there! Yes my wife and I are still around.

 

We haven't cruised a lot lately but we did do a B2B on Celebrity this past May, Pacific Coastal followed by a Alaska Cruise. On there they just gave us coupons and we could use them anywhere on the ship. Some of the larger RCCL ships were doing the same thing last we were on them.

 

I didn't know the smaller ships that RCCL has doesn't do that too.

 

Those drink packages seem so high though even with the discounts, you would still have to drink so much a day to make them cost effective.

 

 

 

Jimbo:)

I figure if I had maybe 4 drinks a day,I would come out ahead with the drink package........not so much on ships with CL

You would be well advised to get the drink package on Empress. They have a very limited interpretation of c&a drinks.

 

 

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We do most of our drinking during the free drink time, happy hour between 5pm to 8pm each night.

 

Maybe we aren't drinking enough to think a drink package would be worth the extra cost? :tropical-drink:

 

 

Jimbo:)

Hi stranger.......Long time,no hear..:D

Anyway,in my case,the EM does not have a CL or even a dedicated area for the free drinks(like MJ does)......I still get the 3 drinks during that time,but it is NOT the same as having drinks in a lounge..

Yes Kathy, the 40% off (Deluxe package only) for PC is fleetwide.

Thanks Bob!!

Normally I do not buy a beverage package,but just might on the EM. Do they still offer 40% off???(Pinnacle)

Thank you!

Interesting comparison report, thanks Kathy.

Thanks Bob!!

The Mongolian Grill is really very good and always has a long line.

 

I think the clientel on Carnival is different depending on the length of the cruise and the destinations. I was on the Carnival Liberty for 14 days through the Mediterranean and did not have the problems you posted. I also was on the Dream for a 10 day cruise where you had to fly to Puerto Rico and then it ended up in New Orleans. I think the added expenses make a difference on who is on the ship.

I think you have a valid point. I mean,I would cruise Carnival again.......just not a week long one out of FL to the Caribbean...

Halloween is a lot of fun on most cruiselines.......people sure know how to dress up..

. I wish I could remember the name of the Fun Squad member who was hosting the games (do you remember PH8), but he was a hoot. .

Cando!.He was great........I made sure to mention him in the survey...

We were the family from Maryland with the little boy and slightly bigger girl. I think we were the green team and were on the coffee bar side near the stage.

 

 

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And we were right behind you.

I forget the color.