No HAL to Havana in 2019?

We were on a cruise last month and another passenger said they had just talked to the Future Cruise Consultant to book a trip to Cuba next year. They said that HAL wasn't going to Cuba next year due to new travel regulations. I called HAL today and was told that they have several cruises in early 2019 to Cuba but they do not go to Havana, only to Cienfuego. Can anyone shed any light on the reason behind this?

We are on the January cruise to Cuba. The regulations are that you have to have a US government excursion in order to get off the ship. You have to do at least 4 hours of a people to people activity in order to be on your own. There can be no money going to the Cuban government or military.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Hadn't heard and don't know what was behind that decision, but to go to Cuba and not see Havana would be a huge disappointment. Cienfeugos though does have sufficient charms and can give one a good exposure to modern day "Cuba" as well as seeing one of their newly spiffed up for tourists historic sites - about an hour and half shore excursion away with views of the countryside. Hope you can report back if you get more information.

I think I would look for other options than a cruise that did not include Havana, but that being said only a one long day stop is barely enough of a visit in this incredible city - a two full day stop would be so much better. A week long land tour just of Havana would be even better.

We are on the January cruise to Cuba. The regulations are that you have to have a US government excursion in order to get off the ship. You have to do at least 4 hours of a people to people activity in order to be on your own. There can be no money going to the Cuban government or military.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Does your cruise include a port stop in Havana?

Hadn't heard and don't know what was behind that decision, but to go to Cuba and not see Havana would be a huge disappointment. Cienfeugos though does have sufficient charms and can give one a good exposure to modern day "Cuba" as well as seeing one of their newly spiffed up for tourists historic sites - about an hour and half shore excursion away with views of the countryside. Hope you can report back if you get more information.

 

I think I would look for other options than a cruise that did not include Havana, but that being said only a one long day stop is barely enough of a visit in this incredible city - a two full day stop would be so much better. A week long land tour just of Havana would be even better.

I totally agree that a cruise to Cuba that does not include Havana is a cruise that I am not interested in going on. Since HAL is still going to Cuba, I would love to know why they are not going to Havana next year.

Does your cruise include a port stop in Havana?

No, just Cienfuegos. But we are taking a tour of the countryside with stops along the way in little villages. I am sure one of the reasons there is not a stop in Havana is that there is no way from keeping money from going to the government or military in that city. It was a decision made because of the human rights violations with the citizens by the government and military.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I am on the Amsterdam right now so I can't do much research without using up my minutes. Does anyone know if other cruise lines have cut out Havana?

I am on the Amsterdam right now so I can't do much research without using up my minutes. Does anyone know if other cruise lines have cut out Havana?

My cruise search website says RCCL, Norwegian, Azamara, and Oceana also go to Havana, mainly from Miami. Jun 2018-Jun 2019

HAL Prinsendam - in Nov/Dec 2019 at the end of the FLL to Amazon cruise - Cienfuegos and Havana before going back to FLL.

My cruise search website says RCCL, Norwegian, Azamara, and Oceana also go to Havana, mainly from Miami. Jun 2018-Jun 2019

HAL Prinsendam - in Nov/Dec 2019 at the end of the FLL to Amazon cruise - Cienfuegos and Havana before going back to FLL.

Thanks for the quick reply!

I just got off the Ms. Veendam Wednesday and our stop to Cienfuegos was cancelled at the last moment, so I'd be weary of cruising to see any more of Cuba.

We were told that the Veendam is the largest ship to navigate the channel in Cienfuegos and has to make a difficult 90 degree turn so if there are winds over ~20 knots, you don't get to stop. Expensive lesson learned.

I just got off the Ms. Veendam Wednesday and our stop to Cienfuegos was cancelled at the last moment, so I'd be weary of cruising to see any more of Cuba.

 

We were told that the Veendam is the largest ship to navigate the channel in Cienfuegos and has to make a difficult 90 degree turn so if there are winds over ~20 knots, you don't get to stop. Expensive lesson learned.

Wow. That's excellent information. Our cruise next month does NOT go to Cienfuegos but does have a stop in Havana. I found one other Veendam cruise that is scheduled to go to Havana in 2019, but it is not until December.

Wow. That's excellent information. Our cruise next month does NOT go to Cienfuegos but does have a stop in Havana. I found one other Veendam cruise that is scheduled to go to Havana in 2019, but it is not until December.

Yeah, we paid practically double to be able to go to Cienfuegos. I wish I’d known there was a known issue when I booked since the cruise lines don’t guarantee an itinerary.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

No Havana on a Cuban cruise reduces my interest in such an itinerary even more than it is.

No Havana on a Cuban cruise reduces my interest in such an itinerary even more than it is.

That is the only reason I booked for next month. I wanted to wait until next year but, "no Havana, no me".

Wow. That's excellent information. Our cruise next month does NOT go to Cienfuegos but does have a stop in Havana. I found one other Veendam cruise that is scheduled to go to Havana in 2019, but it is not until December.

Bit more info as to why Veendam's captain had to cancel the Cienfuegos port call this week

https://www.hollandamerica.com/blog/excluderecent/04-march-2018-cienfuegos-cuba-almost/

Bit more info as to why Veendam's captain had to cancel the Cienfuegos port call this week

 

https://www.hollandamerica.com/blog/excluderecent/04-march-2018-cienfuegos-cuba-almost/

Is that outline of the ship on the chart to scale?

Is that outline of the ship on the chart to scale?

Good question to ask Capt. Albert on his blog

The chart is probably to scale but not for this voyage as the clock date is Dec 30 06:44:22 2017 ZT

If you have a desire to see Cuba, visiting on a cruise ship is not your best option. This is a beautiful island with very friendly people. It is very safe, certainly safer that any other islands. The people are incredibly friendly. Food is not up to other standards but that will come. It is well deserving of more than a few hours ashore.

The chart is probably to scale but not for this voyage as the clock date is Dec 30 06:44:22 2017 ZT

The ship is awfully big for that turn in the channel! (Loved Ccpt Albert's comment about Cienfuegos getting a new hotel :eek:)

Hi-

After considering options for Cuba with HAL and Oceania I decided to go with RCI's "Cuba Immersion" Cruise which is 8 days on the Empress of the Seas. The Empress is RCI's smallest and oldest ship so I'm thinking it will be more of cruise for people interested in exploring Cuban and not just having another RCI cruise. It has 3 stops in Cuba including Havana.

The best part was the price, we scored the Royal Suite which is the biggest cabin on the ship for less then what a Vista would have been on the Veendam or a Penthouse on the Oceania ship. And the "Penthouse" on the ship they use for Cuba does not even have a bathtub! Come on man how can you call something a "Penthouse" and not have a bathtub.

-Paul

Hi-

 

After considering options for Cuba with HAL and Oceania I decided to go with RCI's "Cuba Immersion" Cruise which is 8 days on the Empress of the Seas. The Empress is RCI's smallest and oldest ship so I'm thinking it will be more of cruise for people interested in exploring Cuban and not just having another RCI cruise. It has 3 stops in Cuba including Havana.

 

The best part was the price, we scored the Royal Suite which is the biggest cabin on the ship for less then what a Vista would have been on the Veendam or a Penthouse on the Oceania ship. And the "Penthouse" on the ship they use for Cuba does not even have a bathtub! Come on man how can you call something a "Penthouse" and not have a bathtub.

 

-Paul

You might be suprised to learn tubs have fallen out of favor in hotels, cruise ships and even luxury homes.

Hotel refurbishments are tearing out tubs, new hotels seldom have them. Oceania tore out the tubs on Sirena replacing them with luxury showers. Viking Ocean new builds have few tubs, only the highest end suite comes with a tub.

High end Home designers had us tear jetted tubs out fifteen years ago. Now many advise to completely tear tubs out of master baths. A few advise tearing out tubs in kid bathrooms.

You might be suprised to learn tubs have fallen out of favor in hotels, cruise ships and even luxury homes.

Hotel refurbishments are tearing out tubs, new hotels seldom have them. Oceania tore out the tubs on Sirena replacing them with luxury showers. Viking Ocean new builds have few tubs, only the highest end suite comes with a tub.

High end Home designers had us tear jetted tubs out fifteen years ago. Now many advise to completely tear tubs out of master baths. A few advise tearing out tubs in kid bathrooms.

Not completely. ;)

Our ensuite is shower only, but the guest bathroom which is "my" bathroom has a tub.

Most high end homes in our area do have a tub available in one of their bathrooms (we are not what I would call luxury/high end).

Tearing out tubs saves space and makes for more spacious showers but, for those that like bath tubs, it's not up for discussion.

Myself, I like my bathtub, sorry. Showers work great for a number of people (DH included) and if I have to, I will but given a choice, I'll take my bath, thanks. A luxury and relaxing experience unto itself ;)

Hi-

 

After considering options for Cuba with HAL and Oceania I decided to go with RCI's "Cuba Immersion" Cruise which is 8 days on the Empress of the Seas. The Empress is RCI's smallest and oldest ship so I'm thinking it will be more of cruise for people interested in exploring Cuban and not just having another RCI cruise. It has 3 stops in Cuba including Havana.

 

The best part was the price, we scored the Royal Suite which is the biggest cabin on the ship for less then what a Vista would have been on the Veendam or a Penthouse on the Oceania ship. And the "Penthouse" on the ship they use for Cuba does not even have a bathtub! Come on man how can you call something a "Penthouse" and not have a bathtub.

 

-Paul

I'm with you on a bathtub. A jetted one is even better, but a bathtub for sure.

Glad you found a choice that suits you ;)

My comments are reflective of design trends, of course personal preferences vary.

We only have a tiny tub in our condo which we never use. So when we travel a tub is imperative to us because we don't have one in our regular lives. Yes I know all about the design trends to kill the bathtub in hotels, cruise ships and I guess now homes.

We just had a Princess cruise in a Vista Suite that had a great jetted tub, the QM 2 has excellent tubs in it's Queen Suites and the Royal Suite on the Empress of the Seas has a jetted tub. They are available when you stay in hotels if you make the effort to look, for irony's sake it seems the most bathtubs per capita are in Las Vegas hotel casinos. Both deep soaking tubs and jetted tubs.

-Paul