Private Cuba tours

I spoke with an RCL representative today to ask if I would be able to get off the ship with having a shore excursion booked through someone else other than RCL. She advised me that I would have to check with that tour company and see if they fall under the guidelines that would allow me to tour with them. However, my concern is she did not look up my information nor ask where I am from. So obviously there is a huge difference between traveling as an American citizen (which I am) VS. a Canadian citizen.

What I am trying to find out is if I am still able to book a private tour with the new travel restrictions and if so, does anyone have any suggestions as to which company to book with? To add to the confusion, she also advised that I needed to print out the travel forms for cuba and fill them out. However, the forms still have the option of person to person tours as well as RCL tours. If I understand correctly, it is the person to person tour that were now restricted (or will be within the 90 days after trump announced the changes) and my cruise debarks in 98 days.

I'm sorry if this has been covered but I was unable to find it among the bickering on the other threads.

I do not think the new rules have been worked out yet

I think if you booked the cruise prior to his announcement then you are covered under the rules of P2P

all very confusing still

As a Canadian we are still bound by the rules if we are arriving from a US port from what I understand

If we fly from Canada we are go to go ;)

I would fill in the forms you have & send them in with P2P option checked

Some of the other threads have tour guides listed but just ask if they are private people or government run

Agreed, if you have reserved before June 16, you will be able to do what you had planned to do.

Agreed, if you have reserved before June 16, you will be able to do what you had planned to do.

If you're going as an individual, yes. If you're going on a cruise, that isn't certain. How will the pre-6-16 and post-6-16 passengers be differentiated? Any cruise that sails before the new rules come out is almost certainly OK. OP's cruise is just over the 90 days until the new rules are supposed to be ready, so that's a nail-biter.

OP, I agree that you should do the paperwork now. It appears that cruises are still going to be able to go under the person-to-person category. (Look at the list, will your trip satisfy any of the other categories? For must of us p2p is the only one that fits) If rules change and new paperwork is needed, RCL will send it to you.

....a shore excursion booked through someone else other than RCL. She advised me that I would have to check with that tour company and see if they fall under the guidelines that would allow me to tour with them

This is a US government requirement. Even if a Cuban tour agency or tour guide is aware of the brand new requirement, how would they know? (Probably though, most private individuals, because they work for themselves and not the government, would be OK.) Eventually the US government should publish a list of who can't be used.

......does anyone have any suggestions as to which company to book with?

 

....my cruise debarks in 98 days.

I'll try to post a list of private tour guides as soon as I can.

Alas, Denay not available on the dates I'll be in Havana (late November). Back to the old drawing board!

We used Humberto while we were there. Good job.

We used Humberto while we were there. Good job.

Was this Havana or another port? What kid of tour(s) did you do?

All the people on the list are in Havana, as mentioned.

 

What are you thinking you'd like to do or see? You can request an itinerary of your choosing. Usually half say or full day. Or request a standard basic tour/guided ride around the city, let them tell you what you would see, and add/subtract according to your interest.

You will also probably want to spend some time walking through the old part of town, with or without a guide. That neighborhood is more conducive to walking than driving.

I'm not going until winter, so I'm just getting started with research. I'm curious about museums. They never seem to appear on any of the ship tours and from what I've read so far, none of the private tours, either. Is that because they are run by the government and off-limits to US citizens? I know there are lots of other things to see in Havana, but DH loves museums and it was one of the first things he asked me about. He isn't good with a long walking tour, but I'd like to walk around on my own and take pictures. Or maybe do a walking tour with a guide. One of my favorite things to do is wander and discover, and on a cruise, he can hang out on the ship for a few hours while I go on my ramble.

Are churches generally open for people to go inside? I love church architecture, and I always light a candle if it's possible. I can't send my parents postcards any more, so lighting a candle for them is my substitute for that.

And I do want a tour in a classic car, of course. Here's where I really want to go independently. Azamara offers a tour in a classic car, but if you read it closely, you get a drive around, then you stop somewhere, I forget where. But here's the thing--you get a bus ride back to the ship. So they don't make it clear how long you actually get in the car. If I book on my own, I'll know what I'm getting.

If the final rules turn out to be restrictive, then I hope my ship will offer a good walking tour. From the poking around I've done on a few websites, ship tours aren't very varied--for example, most of Azamara's sound like the same itinerary with different titles. Azamara hasn't got anything for Cienfuegos or Santiago de Cuba yet. HAL has a few good tours for Havana, but nothing for Cienfuegos. I figure the cruise lines all are still scrambling for tours, especially if the rules force them to be sole providers of tours. So I'll keep reading my guidebooks and poking around the internet, and develop a plan (and contingency plans) gradually.

We're booked on Norwegian Sky April 2018. Time to cancel if needed, but I hoping it doesn't come to that. We booked our cruise the first of June so we should be grandfathered in. It'll be interesting to see how the cruise industry handles this. Booking a cruise excursion is not how I want to experience Havana. I've heard so many wonderful stories about the private car tours people have engaged and they sound wonderful. Posters on TA think "Support for the Cuban People" instead of "People to People" could be the answer.

It'll be interesting to see how the cruise industry handles this. ....

 

Posters on TA think "Support for the Cuban People" instead of "People to People" could be the answer.

Posters on TA and those same who post on TT have always suggested "Support" because currently it is not defined in any detail. (Read the OFAC definitions of the current 12 categories.) Could mean anything. However, if the new "guidelines" define that category more closely, it could redefine what might meet the criteria.

"How the cruise line handles this" could mean they move to a real (i.e. like Insight or Road Scholar) group P2P tour, with a full time schedule of activities (however that may get more closely defined) , based on application for a license which lists full time qualifying activities to be presented, in which case the other categories would be out of play. However, there might be "free time" over and above "full time" in which to take that classic car ride.

(Or I could be totally off; it's hard to tell until the new guidelines are issued how each cruise line will choose to adapt to them.)

I'm not going until winter, so I'm just getting started with research. I'm curious about museums. They never seem to appear on any of the ship tours and from what I've read so far, none of the private tours, either. Is that because they are run by the government and off-limits to US citizens? I know there are lots of other things to see in Havana, but DH loves museums and it was one of the first things he asked me about. He isn't good with a long walking tour, but I'd like to walk around on my own and take pictures. Or maybe do a walking tour with a guide. One of my favorite things to do is wander and discover, and on a cruise, he can hang out on the ship for a few hours while I go on my ramble.

 

Are churches generally open for people to go inside? I love church architecture, and I always light a candle if it's possible. I can't send my parents postcards any more, so lighting a candle for them is my substitute for that.

 

And I do want a tour in a classic car, of course. Here's where I really want to go independently. Azamara offers a tour in a classic car, but if you read it closely, you get a drive around, then you stop somewhere, I forget where. But here's the thing--you get a bus ride back to the ship. So they don't make it clear how long you actually get in the car. If I book on my own, I'll know what I'm getting.

 

If the final rules turn out to be restrictive, then I hope my ship will offer a good walking tour. From the poking around I've done on a few websites, ship tours aren't very varied--for example, most of Azamara's sound like the same itinerary with different titles. Azamara hasn't got anything for Cienfuegos or Santiago de Cuba yet. HAL has a few good tours for Havana, but nothing for Cienfuegos. I figure the cruise lines all are still scrambling for tours, especially if the rules force them to be sole providers of tours. So I'll keep reading my guidebooks and poking around the internet, and develop a plan (and contingency plans) gradually.

IMO you really need to get a guidebook and do research during the coming months, instead of depending on tour itineraries for ideas. But you seem a traveler who knows that already. Go over to Thorn Tree and keep reading there for info. too; lots of experienced Cuba travelers there, many who also post on TA. Look at the Real Havana (2017) guidebook, as well as Lonely Planet, and read the monthly art/music/dance schedule in http://www.lahabana.com

Most things you can do on your own, or in a taxi, if you prepare and do your research, but who knows what the new regs will turn out to be. It is a very safe place.

There are museums: art, revolutionary, dance (I like that one a lot, in Vedado, dedicated to the venerated Alicia Alonso, with costume sketches, portraits, and cases full of toe shoes.), and more.

One of the most ornate (interior covered in gold) churches is right in one of the most touristed plazas, but there are many more. Interesting too were the little storefront churches in Vieja that I found by following the sound of singing.

Wandering in Havana Vieja is a delight for a photographer. The Malecon in the evening with the locals is fun. There's a cannon firing at 9 every night, with a good bit of costumed pagentry, at the castle across the harbor (by taxi). Artsy places like Callejon de Hamel (for Sunday noon rumba or just to see the murals), Fusterlandia, and Muraleao. Lots of music everywhere. Visit Cuba Livro cafe and bookstore (Google Connor Gorry) in Vedado for a break in their little terrace.

Just keep in mind that Havana (and the rest of Cuba) isn't really about Must-See Sights (like, say, NYC or Paris), but about experiences and encounters with Cubans. If you miss a monument you won't remember the name of 6 months after the trip, you may have used the time to meet some Cubans who you develop lasting friendships with.

We were in Cuba on the Fathom Adonia in March. Had an amazing private tour all day in'53 Oldsmobile with Yuri. http://Www.cubaguider.com or email at yuri.arcayaborrego@nauta.cu. Can't praise him enough. Prompt, great English, knowledgeable, personable, and plans the day to your interests. We had a blast!

From the webpage, it appears he only does the west side of Cuba (i.e. Santiago etc).

Do you know whether he does Havana?

correction: I meant the EAST side of Cuba

Forgot to say, Yuri is in Santiago de Cuba. Fascinating place. Read Teddy Roosevelt's San Juan Hill & the History of the Baccardi Family.

Has anyone use "Locally Sourced Havana Tour" company?

If you do a search for Royal Caribbean Cuba Sailings on the big social media site, there is a group with lots of great info!

One more idea for private guides:

https://www.toursbylocals.com/find_guide&area=782

We were in Havana on July 3 and used I Love Cuba Guided Photo Tours.

http://ilovecuba.webs.com/

Our guide was Damian. He speaks perfect English. He is a friendly and engaging young man who really knows his history. We did a 2 hour walking tour of Old Havana and then got into an AIR CONDITIONED old car for a tour of the city with stops for photos. We were also taken to a paladar for lunch. The costs was 220 CUC for the 6 hour tour. There are 4 other guides with this company and from what I've read on Trip Advisor, they are all wonderful.

....... got into an AIR CONDITIONED old car for a tour of the city

Don't you love the clever after market air conditioners some of these old classics have had installed? Best of both worlds. :p

Don't you love the clever after market air conditioners some of these old classics have had installed? Best of both worlds. :p

The driver also managed to install an MP3 player. There was American country music playing when we got into the car!

The driver also managed to install an MP3 player. There was American country music playing when we got into the car!

Country !?!?! WOW. Too funny.

And yeah, I have a photo of the impressive interior of one very well done classic with ac and video player.

This is cut and pasted from a review I just wrote on the RCI board. Mostly about our private tour in Havana, which was easy to do, and was probably a LOT better than the more expensive ship tours. Hopefully, the rules don't change so much that individuals can't take these tours.....

I will note that we had two seminars on the ship the day prior to arriving in Havana...

Here's the paste:

During the seminar we were told to wake up at ~6:30, so that we can see us sail by El Morro (named the same as San Juan) at 6:45 or so. We ended up being about 45 min early, and thankfully, the lighthouse on El Morro woke me up. So from 6am to about 7:30, we hung out on our balcony- drinking coffee and eating some cupcakes that I got for a present.

Very cool to see Havana wake up.

Being in an aft cabin, we were not sure how the ship would dock, and was surprised to see that we went in aft first, so we just overlooked the city.

We booked a tour on our own, so we were not in a huge hurry to wake up and get off the ship. Nice and relaxing morning, and when we headed down to the Schooner Bar to leave (which is where the self organized were to meet)- we were directed right off the ship right behind a small tour group. The wait going through Immigration was fast enough- they took our picture, took our visa, and stamped our passport. The passport stamp is all you need to get on and off the ship even for an overnight stay.

Then we changed dollars into CUCs, looked at what they had in the store (so you knew prices before heading out), and then walked out.

We were a little early for our appointment, so we wandered around Plaza San Francisco. This is where we started satisfying our People to People Travel requirements- meeting a guard and some of the other independent tour operators. Take pictures, so that you can document all of this.

Then, our tour.

My wife had a long list of items that she wanted to see, and tried hard to work with RCI to put an excursion together. But it just could not get worked out. While doing that, she found Tour Republic. Tour Republic is a group out of Miami who help tourists connect to specific tour operators to meet all of the things YOU want to see. Since you pre-pay the tour before leaving, it's all in U$, and that satisfies the official tour operator requirement AND allows you to support the independent tour operator in Havana outside of the official government agencies. As a bonus, it's considerably cheaper than the ship's tours.

The arrangement was a 6 hour tour in a classic a/c car, and walking through old Havana. Turned out to end up being 7.5 hours- which was awesome!!!

Our driver was named Ruben, and he had a '59 Chevy Impala. With A/C. Oh, so cool. Being a hard top, we were not worried about getting too much sun in a convertible. Very cool.

He was prompt at the Plaza at 10am, the agreed meeting time. From there, we drove under the harbor over to the statue of Christ (holding a rum and a cigar, as the say). On the way, we saw a memorial to the October Crisis (we remember it as the Cuban Missile Crisis), which was really interesting to see- there were remnants of a shot down USAF plane, some SAM missiles, some anti aircraft guns, and even an MIG 21. Then up to the Christ statue, which has an amazing view over Havana and our cruise ship. A short drive took us to the El Morro fort remnants, where the harbor lighthouse is. Can't go into the fort as you can in San Juan. But the view is great, and there are a lot of other tourists up there.

From there, we drove back under the harbor, and back downtown. Past a monument to some military stuff (including Castro's ship from Mexico), we parked near the capitol building. Very impressive building in what looks to be great condition (and it's being restored). The whole plaza area is really nice, and a short walk from La Floridita Bar- a Hemingway haunt. We were slightly early for opening, and after a short wander around (seeing the development of very modern and very high end hotel and shops- which is pretty out of place)- we went back just as it opened. Perfect timing, as it was empty, and we were able to get pictures with the Hemingway statue all by ourselves AND get a daiquiri, which was invented in this bar. It wasn't long before the bar was packed with tourists. So we moved on.

We drove through some neighborhoods including a very old China Town onto Revolution Square. Nice to see the monuments, but it's a big paved area... A couple of buildings have steel sculptures to some of the revolutionaries- including Che Guverra.

By this time, it was about 1pm, and time for lunch. Some more neighborhood driving, and we ended up in a paladar- which is a private restaurant. This was featured in some magazines a while ago- called La Casa- and reading the reviews, it has improved a lot in 15 years. We had soup, roast pork, rice & beans, and some other root veggies (kind of a sweet potato). And sangria, bottled water, and coffee- all for 18 CUC's per person. We very much enjoyed the food- after eating in Cuban restaurants in the US, we had a clear expectation of flavor profiles. While it was close, it was also not the same in a very good and interesting way. While we were eating, the skies opened up. So we were there for a while.

After lunch, we drove through a small forest on the way to the Tropicana. Since this was the middle of the day, it wasn't open. But it was cool to see- we had no idea that this was so far from Havana. If we come again, it's not likely we will go there vs. a jazz club or the Buena Vista Social Club.

From there, we drove back to the long Malecon, along embassy row. Of course, all of that area is in great shape. Along the way, we saw both the old and new resorts along the waterfront, stopping at the Nacional. Spent longer there, having a drink and seeing some of the history.

We then finished driving the Malecon back to the port area were we started our walking tour. By now, we were past the 6 our target time, but Ruben insisted on going on and seeing Old Havana. We started at the Havana Club old distillery for a small tour, and then walked to all of the plazas in old Havana.

He wanted to take us to a Cigar factory, too but given how we took a lot of time, we were fine with not going there.

It was an overwhelming tour in the greatest way you can think- saw a LOT, learned a lot, and saw so many things to see in more detail the next time we come. The process of organizing a tour on your own turned out to be very easy, and Ruben was a great tour guide and driver. Very professional (including a gift to me for my birthday). I would not hesitate to use Tour Republic or touring with Ruben again. BTW, he does speak English, but we were some of his first US tourists. I expect his English will improve a LOT quickly, as more and more cruises arrive in Havana. He's been a driving guide for more than the legal 5 years, and most of his customers are from Europe (mostly Russia, apparently). While I would not say he's fully in favor of the people who run the country, his passion for Cuba is pretty clear. He's very happy to show off his home.

While it may appear that everyone is struggling and very poor- I've seen far more obvious poverty on other islands. And Havana is changing as we speak- many of the buildings in old Havana are being restored (thanks partially to UNESCO), and many resorts and stores are being put in. If you want to go, do it now.

We used Tour Republic out of Miami to organize a private tour a few days ago. I just posted a review of it.

Worked really well.