HAL Ship in Havana Harbor?

[sail7seas]

Air Force One just touched down in Havana. Aboard are President Obama, First Lady, daughters and mother-in-law. How soon before we see a blue hulled beauty anchored or docked in Havana?

 

I know we had a thread a few months ago along those lines but this is such a huge development since, I suspect the itinerary makers, infrastructure arrangers and busy planners in Seattle HAL offices are working on such plans.

[rafinmd]

Based on what other cruise lines are doing, it might mean a reprieve for the Maasdam or Veendam. Any long retired HAL ships that they could repossess like RCI did with the Empress?

 

Roy

[sail7seas]

Oh what a great idea!!!! KEEP our beautiful Maasdam. Sail from Boston round trip to Havana. Ten day cruises..... with some overnights in Havana. Sign me up!! :D

 

[dot73]

Oh what a great idea!!!! KEEP our beautiful Maasdam. Sail from Boston round trip to Havana. Ten day cruises..... with some overnights in Havana. Sign me up!! :D

 

That would be great, an overnight in Havana. I have been to two resorts in Cuba but never made it to Havana as the resorts were too far away by bus and I was never going to fly on the old Polish and Russian little planes.:eek: I have found the Cubans to be wonderful and super friendly to tourists. Hopefully, things will get better for them economically but I hope the Cuban culture doesn't get swallowed up.

[rkacruiser]

Based on what other cruise lines are doing, it might mean a reprieve for the Maasdam or Veendam. Any long retired HAL ships that they could repossess like RCI did with the Empress?

 

Roy

 

Maybe a Cuban itinerary might be suitable for the "Elegant Explorer" in her twilight years.

[KirkNC]

I would want to get a better understanding of the infrastructure there before I visit. Not sure it is ready for guests yet.

[donaldsc]

Air Force One just touched down in Havana. Aboard are President Obama, First Lady, daughters and mother-in-law. How soon before we see a blue hulled beauty anchored or docked in Havana?

 

I know we had a thread a few months ago along those lines but this is such a huge development since, I suspect the itinerary makers, infrastructure arrangers and busy planners in Seattle HAL offices are working on such plans.

 

If you only stop in Havana, you are not seeing the the real Cuba. It would be the equivalent of spending 8 hours in New York City or San Francisco and saying that you have seen the United States. If you want to see the real Cuba, you have to at least stop in several ports in eastern and/or southern Cuba or better yet do a land trip to Cuba where you will have the opportunity to meet with and converse with locals who do not live in Havana. There are really 2 Cuba's - Havana and everything else.

 

DON

[minimartha]

I would love to do a land trip in Cuba or a cruise that had 2 or 3 stops there

 

 

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[CruiserBruce]

Some changes just this last week by the State Department makes the possibility much nearer.

[rkacruiser]

If you only stop in Havana, you are not seeing the the real Cuba. It would be the equivalent of spending 8 hours in New York City or San Francisco and saying that you have seen the United States. If you want to see the real Cuba, you have to at least stop in several ports in eastern and/or southern Cuba or better yet do a land trip to Cuba where you will have the opportunity to meet with and converse with locals who do not live in Havana. There are really 2 Cuba's - Havana and everything else.

 

DON

 

Yours is a good argument for why M. S. Prinsendam, the "Elegant Explorer", might be the perfect current HAL ship for a Cuban itinerary. Ports that would not be able to handle a large vessel, maybe even the size of the S-Class vessels, might be able to accommodate the Prinsendam.

[dot73]

I would want to get a better understanding of the infrastructure there before I visit. Not sure it is ready for guests yet.

 

Tourists from the rest of the world have been visiting Cuba for decades without major mishaps. Personally, as a woman travelling alone, I always felt safest in Cuba as opposed to other Caribbean countries. Both of the resorts I stayed at in Cuba had a doctor on call and a nurse available 24 hrs. Just make sure you have medical insurance. Cuba also has an excellent education system and good free medical care. There may not be an MRI machine in most hospitals, but Cuba ranks very high in life expectancy and infant mortality rates. It if hadn't been for the embargo, I personally believe that communism would have fallen in Cuba as soon as the Soviet Union collapsed. Once the Castro brothers are dead along with their communist compatriots, I believe communism will collapse.

 

In any event, I wouldn't worry about visiting Cuba. If you cruise to Cuba, you will always have your comfy cruise ship bed to come back to. One thing that you will be surprised about is how much the Cubans know about the rest of the world, including the U.S. You will find that most the people who work in the tourist industry in Cuba are very well educated and very proud of their culture and country.

[sail7seas]

If you only stop in Havana, you are not seeing the the real Cuba. It would be the equivalent of spending 8 hours in New York City or San Francisco and saying that you have seen the United States. If you want to see the real Cuba, you have to at least stop in several ports in eastern and/or southern Cuba or better yet do a land trip to Cuba where you will have the opportunity to meet with and converse with locals who do not live in Havana. There are really 2 Cuba's - Havana and everything else.

 

DON

 

Not everyone needs to see all of the 'real Cuba'. I want to see Havana. I don't want a research project of the whole island but certainly can understand why others want more than just Havana. If I still had my late DH to travel with, perhaps I would feel differently. Please don't rain on my parade. I'm excited at the hope I may get to see Havana and will be grateful if that opportunity presents itself.

 

I wanted to see St. Peter's, Sistine Chapel, Pieta and viewed them our first time in Rome. I waited until our third visit to Italy before I got to see Moses by Michaelangelo.

 

Edited March 20, 2016 by sail7seas

[Keith1010]

I look forward to visiting Cuba.

 

Keith

[Lizzie68]

I would want to get a better understanding of the infrastructure there before I visit. Not sure it is ready for guests yet.

 

Canadians have been going there for years. There are some wonderful all-inclusives there.

[sail7seas]

Americans have also been going to Cuba for years.

My congregation held a group trip and had the dates worked for my DH and me, we would have gone. There have always been certain exemptions that allowed for legal travel for U.S. citizens.

[Topsham]

Bring in a small HAL ship like Maasdam or Prinsendam? Nah. It will be a Vista class or they will loose out to the opposition.

 

MSC OPERA is due to make seven day cruises this year.

 

MSC OPERA was in Havana last December... larger than the Vistas.

 

Foreign flag vessel have been calling for years... only problem was starting from European ports.

[rkacruiser]

Bring in a small HAL ship like Maasdam or Prinsendam? Nah. It will be a Vista class or they will loose out to the opposition.

 

MSC OPERA is due to make seven day cruises this year.

 

MSC OPERA was in Havana last December... larger than the Vistas.

 

Foreign flag vessel have been calling for years... only problem was starting from European ports.

 

Sir, a different point of view:

 

Havana, yes, probably a Vista/Signature Class ship would be accommodated.

 

If a cruise was to do a "circle Cuba", i.e. circle Australia, and visit much less visited ports, a Prinsendam would fit the bill in my humble opinion.

[kazu]

Maybe a Cuban itinerary might be suitable for the "Elegant Explorer" in her twilight years.

 

YIKES! I hope she has a better swan song than that.

 

Sorry, Cuba doesn't meet the cut for the ship that has the wonderful itineraries - at least not for me. Cuba has been a Canadian escape for too many years and, for us, not an exciting place. I know it appeals to many, but for us, where it's been there for so long, it's the same old.

 

For those where it is a new "port" enjoy. ;)

[thinfool]

Spend a little time with Google Earth looking at Cuba. You might find that Cuba has been well developed by non-US capitalists. Many, many seaside resorts are in evidence.

 

On the US side, here is an interesting news item about visiting Cuba...

 

http://www.usnews.com/news/business/articles/2016-03-20/online-lodging-service-airbnb-opens-cuba-listings-to-world

[ookpik]

Bring in a small HAL ship like Maasdam or Prinsendam? Nah. It will be a Vista class or they will loose out to the opposition.

 

MSC OPERA is due to make seven day cruises this year.

 

MSC OPERA was in Havana last December... larger than the Vistas.

 

Foreign flag vessel have been calling for years... only problem was starting from European ports.

 

Tee hee, exactly.

Cuba has been a great tourist destination for years for the rest of the world.

Just hope that this reconciliation does not ruin this beautiful island with their Starbucks, Walmarts etc.

[Caribbean Chris]

Oh what a great idea!!!! KEEP our beautiful Maasdam. Sail from Boston round trip to Havana. Ten day cruises..... with some overnights in Havana. Sign me up!! :D

 

 

I envision shorter cruises from Tampa including other western Caribbean ports, but time will tell....

[Topsham]

Sure there are several ports that can be used... mostly by small vessels... yacht cruise types. Ceinfuegos is a larger ship, but I understand they stay at anchor.

 

I was there in 1981 at Nueva Gerona and Ceinfuegos... almost ten days in these two ports.... loading GRAPEFRUIT! Beautiful harbor, but very run down. It will take years to bring it right up.

 

As far a Cuban grapefruit? Well, best I've ever tasted. No acid, just sweet. Hold a piece of fruit and when cut the juice just runs out. Ahhhhhhh!

 

I don't think long cruises will work... like from New York of Boston. It will be more for the seven day market. Run like Miami to Havana then on to other islands. Even better... three days. Twelve hours, two days there and twelve days back!

 

I don't know how many ships can berth alongside. I think only one at the moment. This means only seven ships a week.

[sail7seas]

Could one ship berth at the dock and one anchor and tender?

[sapper1]

Tourists from the rest of the world have been visiting Cuba for decades without major mishaps. Personally, as a woman travelling alone, I always felt safest in Cuba as opposed to other Caribbean countries. Both of the resorts I stayed at in Cuba had a doctor on call and a nurse available 24 hrs. Just make sure you have medical insurance. Cuba also has an excellent education system and good free medical care. There may not be an MRI machine in most hospitals, but Cuba ranks very high in life expectancy and infant mortality rates. It if hadn't been for the embargo, I personally believe that communism would have fallen in Cuba as soon as the Soviet Union collapsed. Once the Castro brothers are dead along with their communist compatriots, I believe communism will collapse.

 

In any event, I wouldn't worry about visiting Cuba. If you cruise to Cuba, you will always have your comfy cruise ship bed to come back to. One thing that you will be surprised about is how much the Cubans know about the rest of the world, including the U.S. You will find that most the people who work in the tourist industry in Cuba are very well educated and very proud of their culture and country.

Very well said. Our Cuban vacations rank right up there among our favourites. I felt safer there than on any Caribbean island and our resort was top notch.

I think I would rather go back to a resort there than take a cruise to Cuba. Day excursions are available from the resorts. Luckily the area we stay in is within easy driving distance to Havana.

[sail7seas]

Well good.

 

Choices are the best.

We all can take our pick. I'm not big on AI but I know lots of people like them.

I want to cruise there. If enough people want to, ships that in the past could not sail there may be able to sail to Havana soon. Anyone that doesn't wish to be aboard has the same choices as for all cruises. Go..... or don't. :D

 

The negativity toward some who would like a cruise to Havana is very surprising to me. Can't people be happy for others that may have an opportunity they have not had for more than 50 years? If it doesn't please you, can't you find something pleasant about others seeing an opportunity we never thought would happen in our lifetimes.

 

If it is Ho Hum and boring to you, find someplace that interests you.

If is sounds fun to those of us who have never been, try to allow us some pleasure.

Thanks. :)

 

3 or 4?

Edited March 21, 2016 by sail7seas