What has changed in reality for travelers ?

We went to Cuba for 2nd time in Oct. This time it was a cruise on RC.We pretty much went and did whatever we wanted to.

How will it be different- do you have to show where you are going? Do you need to fill out forms, or prove what you are going to do? We don't use cruise line excursions. Thank you.

We went to Cuba for 2nd time in Oct. This time it was a cruise on RC.We pretty much went and did whatever we wanted to.

How will it be different- do you have to show where you are going? Do you need to fill out forms, or prove what you are going to do? We don't use cruise line excursions. Thank you.

I just got back from Cuba yesterday. Was a 7 day on Oceania, doing 2 days/overnight in Havana, then one day each in Cienfuegos and Santiago de Cuba. This was my first time to Cuba.

We also did whatever we wanted and had a fabulous time - definitely want to return.

In Havana we walked around small neighborhoods talking to locals, buying some souvenirs in little shops in the front rooms of people's homes, went into a pharmacy museum (where we bought some skin cream), wandered around wherever we wanted and talked to a bunch of locals, relaxed in a public square, attended church at a Catholic church, then negotiated a tour in a classic car for an hour. We did take one ship tour to the Havana Cafe (at the Melia Cohiba hotel) to see the Buena Vista Social Club show at night - it was great! Our other tour to a farm and lunch had been cancelled but we were kinda glad cuz it gave us more time to just walk around on our own.

In Cienfuegos, we had arranged for a private driver and guide to take us wherever we wanted. The guide was FANTASTIC and very sweet. She took us out to walk around Punta Gorda, went through the palace, relaxed in a public square, went through a church, went to a dolphin show, went to a local beauty salon to get our hair cut, went to a drug store to buy some hair products, went to a local restaurant for lunch, shopped for cigars/rum, then visited a very nice hotel and relaxed with a Cuban coffee on the rooftop terrace.

In Santiago, we thought we had hired a private car/guide, but it turned out to be a caravan of cars that went to different sites together. We didn't like this because it didn't give us any flexibility to choose what to do and it took a long time to get everyone in and out of the cars - not much different than on a big bus. So, after 4 sites (a fortress, San Juan Hill, the cemetery where Fidel Castro is buried and Revolution Square) we told the driver and guide to just take us back to the ship. We were tired and VERY hungry but the tour wasn't going to stop for lunch. The ship was leaving early so we really didn't miss much of the tour.

Basically we did whatever we wanted and nobody asked or cared - not the cruiseline or anyone in Cuba. The only form we filled out was the Affidavit. The cruiseline kept a copy and gave us one. But no one ever looked at it or mentioned it again. We did have to present our visa and passport in Havana and they took our picture. No one ever asked for the visa again until Santiago, then they took it and gave us a tourist card which we turned in as we left Santiago. In Cienfuegos, no one even checked our passports!! We just walked in and out. :')

The only police or military we ever saw were at the cemetery since it's a military cemetery. BTW, if you go there (Cemeterio Sta. Ifigenia), obey the rules!! You have to stay on the sidewalks (no walking on the grass), stay with your group (no wandering off alone or lagging behind), and file by Fidel's grave slowly but not stopping. There was one guy in our group who insisted on arguing with the police about the rules! First, it's their country, their rules, and you're a guest - just follow them. Second, it's not a democratic nation and getting into trouble could be a very regretful adventure.

Just relax and have fun! It felt like we were in any other country and the people were super friendly and love to talk to Americans. :D

Can you provide the name, contact info, price, etc for your guide for Cienfuegos? I am going in Feb but have not been able to find much online for private tours there. Thank you, and it sounds like you had a great time!

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Same here, would like the name and contact for your guide in Cienfuegos.

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Can you provide the name, contact info, price, etc for your guide for Cienfuegos? I am going in Feb but have not been able to find much online for private tours there. Thank you, and it sounds like you had a great time!

The owner of the tour company is Fernando Hernández Mora. Email is: fernando8205@nauta.cu. Our guide was Beatriz Rodriguez. She was awesome! He might use other guides too; I'm not sure, he didn't tell us who we'd have in advance. We rode in a nice 1953 maroon Chevy.

It's $50pp for a guide in a classic car for the day. If you want lunch included, it's an additional $10pp. We also went to the dolphin show and it was $10pp. He suggested an itinerary, but we changed alot of it to include places we were interested in.

Thank you! I will reach out to them.

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**CORRECTION TO MY PREVIOUS POST**

The updated email address for Fernando Hernández Mora is:

fehmor1982 at gmail.com

Sorry for posting the old address. He changed email addresses very recently.

Thanks for the updated email, I already got a response back and Cienfuegos is booked! Thank you again!

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Thanks for the updated email, I already got a response back and Cienfuegos is booked! Thank you again!

Oh good! I really enjoyed Cienfuegos (seemed like the people are a little better off than the other cities and are fixing up their homes) and hope you do too! (y)

Great havana private tour yesterday with Isbel from Blexie tour.

No hassles with Oceania. Just confusing info form which didn’t mention all options, we checked what they highlighted and also “ supporting Cuban people.”

Can do whatever you want but glad we had such a great guide.

Just got back from the NCL sky, same thing, nobody asked what we were doing or where we were going.

Went on Viking; no hassles, although we did NOT arrange private tours.