Pre arranged classic car tour OR arrange one after we walk off ship?

Debating between pre-arranging a classic car tour with a group such as I Love Cuba or Old Car Tours vs. simply picking an old classic car when we get off the ship. Pre arranged trip I believe will cost more, but not enough I don't think to be a deciding factor. Arranged off the ship gives us more flexibility if the weather is bad the 1st day we arrive (in port 2 days), we are delayed getting off the ship, etc....

Any other thoughts re: pros and cons of each option?

Classic cars and drivers are everywhere, especially in Havana. Quite a few were right outside of the cruise terminal. We walked to the large square near the Capitol where lots and lots of cars were parked. You pick your favorite one and negotiate a tour. The most common rate was 40 CUC's (equal to $40) per car per hour.

I've seen posts where some of these prearranged companies are charging over $100 for a tour. Maybe something else is included, but I'm glad we bought ours directly from the driver. Whatever you choose, have fun!!

What I am finding is a 6 hr tour is approx. $50/person pre arranged so not much different than the walk up pricing you paid it sounds like. Hmmm.....I'm such a planner by nature, but I think I need to go just go with the flow those 2 days and literally see where it takes us!

What I am finding is a 6 hr tour is approx. $50/person pre arranged so not much different than the walk up pricing you paid it sounds like. Hmmm.....I'm such a planner by nature, but I think I need to go just go with the flow those 2 days and literally see where it takes us!

I recommend winging it....you'll find so many adventures! I can't imagine taking a 6 hr tour of Havana unless you'll be stopping at places and spending time there.

We got a nice tour of town, with several stops, in an hour. I might do 2 hrs, but no more. We wandered around on our own for 2 days and had a great time. Talked to lots of locals (many speak English), went to church, sat in a park and people watched, went into a few small museums, stopped at little shops and cafes. No pre planning....just wandered up and down the streets of Old Havana. But that is how we travel...like to be spontaneous and see how locals live. Not for everyone, though.

It depends on what you would like to do on the tour. We wanted much more than just a drive by stopping at places like Hemingway's House, Fusterlandia, Statue of Christ tc., with an English guide and got a car for 35 CUC an hour and will have it for 5 hours. The other 3 hours will be a walking tour. I just felt that since we were there for such a short period of time I wanted to see as much as I could with someone who would help us along.

We'll get out walk and shop on our later. Neither one of us speak spanish s I have to learn some between now and then.

It also depends upon when and where you want the tour. We had lunch reservations somewhat off the beaten path. We wanted to do a tour after lunch. We arranged in advance by email to have Old Car Tours pick us up at the paladar where there wouldn't have been any cars sitting around waiting for customers. It was $60 for a 2 hour tour plus $20 for an English speaking guide, pretty much the going rate. If you're just stepping off the ship and wanting a tour to start from Plaza de San Francisco across the street from the cruise terminal, winging it would work fine.

It also depends upon when and where you want the tour. We had lunch reservations somewhat off the beaten path. We wanted to do a tour after lunch. We arranged in advance by email to have Old Car Tours pick us up at the paladar where there wouldn't have been any cars sitting around waiting for customers. It was $60 for a 2 hour tour plus $20 for an English speaking guide, pretty much the going rate. If you're just stepping off the ship and wanting a tour to start from Plaza de San Francisco across the street from the cruise terminal, winging it would work fine.

If you get a car across from the cruise terminal for a tour do the drivers speak English?

It depends on what you would like to do on the tour. We wanted much more than just a drive by stopping at places like Hemingway's House, Fusterlandia, Statue of Christ tc., with an English guide and got a car for 35 CUC an hour and will have it for 5 hours. The other 3 hours will be a walking tour. I just felt that since we were there for such a short period of time I wanted to see as much as I could with someone who would help us along.

We'll get out walk and shop on our later. Neither one of us speak spanish s I have to learn some between now and then.

Who did you pre book thru? Was that price per person or total per hour?

Thanks

If you get a car across from the cruise terminal for a tour do the drivers speak English?

In some cases yes. Determining that would be a key part of the negotiation process.

If you get a car across from the cruise terminal for a tour do the drivers speak English?

I don't know much Spanish, but I just asked them "habla ingles?", which means "Speak English?" Yes is "si" and no is "no." Many of the drivers do speak at least enough English to give you a tour because that's the language that many of their potential passengers speak. If the driver says "no", just go to another one....there's plenty.

I don't know much Spanish, but I just asked them "habla ingles?", which means "Speak English?" Yes is "si" and no is "no." Many of the drivers do speak at least enough English to give you a tour because that's the language that many of their potential passengers speak. If the driver says "no", just go to another one....there's plenty.

In our case we had a driver AND a guide. The guide was a college educated woman who was fluent in English and had quit her job as a biologist because she could make more money as a tour guide. A notch above a driver who could speak enough English to give a tour I suspect.

I found a website you can pre book your classic car.

havanaairporttransfer.com

Cubans are warm and wonderful and love US American visitors. Many in the tourist business, which would include many of the Yank Tank taxi drivers do speak some English, some quite fluently. A "Hola!" and a friendly smile coupled with a positive attitude and some humor makes it possible to communicate without a common language. On PEARL MIST, where I lecture about our trip around Cuba and the four ports we visit, the tours are all included, including 20 to 30 minutes riding the old classic cars between our tour stops. It's great fun, no hassle, all included. Different ships do things differently. Different strokes for different folks. But the old classic car ride is something you want to do. Word of warning: some of these cars are better than others. A lot of the cars have been kept running just by Cuban ingenuity since because of the US Embargo they can't get genuine replacement parts. I've actually been in a car where the driver couldn't get a gas tank, so had a plastic container of gas IN THE TRUNK with a plastic tube feeding gas to the engine. You could smell the gas in the car. Had we gotten rear ended ... so I didn't stay in this guy's car very long. With the cars we use on the tours, arranged by our tour operator, there is more control. Enjoy Cuba and go while you can and before Cuba becomes another St Thomas or St Martin! Regards, Richard

Who did you pre book thru? Was that price per person or total per hour?

 

Thanks

I booked with Nosotros Cubaneamos. I contacted 3 of trip advisor recommended companies and she replied first, was willing to change the tour route to the places I wanted to go to for 215CUC for total for 8 hours of guided tour starting with Havana Viejo continuing with a convertible car ride/tour of new Havana. They have a web page and you can read reviews on trip advisor. I contacted them through email and the owner Geikis replied quickly.

Just back from cruise with two nights in Havana, March 16-18. Either way will work. While walking near the port we were often asked if we wanted a ride, but declined. We had our tour with Blexie prearranged. For $130 plus tip we had part walking, part driving from 10-4. They met us with a sign with our name across the street from the cruise port. Our guide was college educated teacher, making more money doing excursions. They took us everywhere we wanted to go, including a cigar factory (only to buy, you needed a ticket for a tour), Colon Cemetery, National Hotel, the John Lennon statue, Fusterlandia, and dropped us off at the Alcamenes craft market, which is walking distance back to the ship. In particular I was interested in local grocery stores to see how Cubans shop, and we were taken to several. Very small, just hole in the wall places for the most part, with a sign saying what was for sale and the price that day.

I had researched and e-mailed several companies beforehand, including Tours with Blexie, Fertours, Nosotros Cubeamos.....Blexie had the best price ($130 car and driver all day), and were willing to be very flexible. We even decided to skip lunch because of eating too much on cruise!

Was the $130 price per person or for your entire group? It’s for the group, how many people in your group? Thanks.

Was the $130 price per person or for your entire group? It’s for the group, how many people in your group? Thanks.

We also have arranged via Blexi, 130 for the car, 6 hour tour with English Driver speaking/guide.

Meeting us outside the terminal, should have a sign with our name on it.

We leave from Tampa May 9th 2018

Just back from cruise with two nights in Havana, March 16-18. Either way will work. While walking near the port we were often asked if we wanted a ride, but declined. We had our tour with Blexie prearranged. For $130 plus tip we had part walking, part driving from 10-4. They met us with a sign with our name across the street from the cruise port. Our guide was college educated teacher, making more money doing excursions. They took us everywhere we wanted to go, including a cigar factory (only to buy, you needed a ticket for a tour), Colon Cemetery, National Hotel, the John Lennon statue, Fusterlandia, and dropped us off at the Alcamenes craft market, which is walking distance back to the ship. In particular I was interested in local grocery stores to see how Cubans shop, and we were taken to several. Very small, just hole in the wall places for the most part, with a sign saying what was for sale and the price that day.

I had researched and e-mailed several companies beforehand, including Tours with Blexie, Fertours, Nosotros Cubeamos.....Blexie had the best price ($130 car and driver all day), and were willing to be very flexible. We even decided to skip lunch because of eating too much on cruise!

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What did you do on your second day? We're there for two days have a tour through Blexie for the first day but looking for second day

Just go out and walk around. We had a wonderful time exploring on our own, visiting parks, churches, museums, shops, cafes, and anything else we ran into. If you get too tired to walk back, just grab a taxi.

What did you do on your second day? We're there for two days have a tour through Blexie for the first day but looking for second day options.

 

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For our cruise in August my wife and I are taking a classic tour from Havana to Vinales. This is a relatively long drive, but includes parks, tobacco farm, lunch and more.

Our first day, we arrived at 2 pm and took the Havana Free Walking Tour at 4 pm. Very good tour, in fact I had researched that there is a ferry walking distance from the cruise port that costs $1 and takes you across to walk up to the Christ Statue. I mentioned it to our guide, and she took us to the ferry, paid for all 8 of us to go each direction, and showed us the stairway up the hill. I don't know if I would have found that myself. Second day we took the Blexie tour. $130 covered the car, driver and guide all day. We did not do any evening activities onshore but probably should have. Third day our ship departed at 3 pm, so we only walked around town again and shopped at the Alecranes artists market, which is quite large.

Our first day, we arrived at 2 pm and took the Havana Free Walking Tour at 4 pm. Very good tour, in fact I had researched that there is a ferry walking distance from the cruise port that costs $1 and takes you across to walk up to the Christ Statue. I mentioned it to our guide, and she took us to the ferry, paid for all 8 of us to go each direction, and showed us the stairway up the hill. I don't know if I would have found that myself. Second day we took the Blexie tour. $130 covered the car, driver and guide all day. We did not do any evening activities onshore but probably should have. Third day our ship departed at 3 pm, so we only walked around town again and shopped at the Alecranes artists market, which is quite large.

Where is the Alecranes market?

How long was the free walking tour? Did you have to pre-arrange that? If so who through? What was the recommended donation for the free tour?

Where is the Alecranes market?

Almacenes San José Artisans' Market

When exiting the terminal, head left and follow the street that goes along the waterfront. About a 12 minute walk, can't miss it, big warehouse sort of thing..

I was going to again refer you to Google Maps, but the previous poster got the name wrong so you wouldn't have found it.

Is it customary to tip the driver and the guide? If so, how much would be appropriate? I've booked through Old Car Tours?

Thanks,