Cuban Cruise Review - May 1st, 2017 - The very FIRST Norwegian sailing!!!

[Twinprincesses]

A couple questions

 

1. Did you book the Cabaret on your own or w the ship?

 

2. Can you tell me more about the cabaret?

 

3. How was your interaction w citizens? I have read that they can be standoffish?

 

4. Can we bring our drivers a "USA" bag? We were thinking items specific just to the USA would be cool to bring to them.

 

5. Also I have heard of people bring crayons to kids, paint brushes to artists stuff like that. Do you know if anyone onboard did that?

[CTCruiser001]

 

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[DAllenTCY]

I've been following your thread, and surprisingly see me in the Havana terminal.

 

Ha ha, what a small world!

 

David

[CTCruiser001]

 

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[CTCruiser001]

 

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[CTCruiser001]

 

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[CTCruiser001]

I've been following your thread, and surprisingly see me in the Havana terminal.

 

Ha ha, what a small world!

 

David

The world gets smaller everyday!

 

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[CTCruiser001]

A couple questions

 

1. Did you book the Cabaret on your own or w the ship?

 

2. Can you tell me more about the cabaret?

 

3. How was your interaction w citizens? I have read that they can be standoffish?

 

4. Can we bring our drivers a "USA" bag? We were thinking items specific just to the USA would be cool to bring to them.

 

5. Also I have heard of people bring crayons to kids, paint brushes to artists stuff like that. Do you know if anyone onboard did that?

 

We booked the show on our own when we visited the Hotel earlier in the day.

 

The show takes about two hours, and is in Spanish. After the show, we were invited to stay for music and dancing. If you are with the Norwegian tour, you will leave right at the end of the show.

 

We had no issues with Cuban Citizens. In fact, many were very welcoming and are happy that more Americans are visiting.

 

We didn't bring a bag, but I don't know how welcome that would be. Most drivers and tour guides are better off than the average Cuban citizen due to their close proximity to tourist dollars.

 

We did not see anyone bring bags for children. I would advise you speak with your tour guide privately via email about this before you bring something that might be seen as an insult.

 

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[Karmary]

Thanks. Trip advisor also has some information about teenagers that is not consistent. Ill keep reading.

 

 

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[smithop]

We were on this cruise also, thanks for the great review commentary and pictures. We also booked a private car tour for the first day, then did our own walking tour on the second day. We booked with old cars havana dot com. We paid 110 CUC and tipped 15 CUC, you are a big tipper :)

 

The only excursions booked onboard was the waverunner, not bad at $139 for both of us on one.

 

We rated it 5 stars, wonderful experience, no problems with the ship, cabin, entertainment and dining, or time onshore.

 

We liked the freestyle NCL so much I took advantage of the deposit for a future cruise to get the onboard credit bonus. Now I just need to figure out how to get the best value out of the credit, we are looking at the Pearl out of Seattle for Alaska cruise.

 

I bought a box of 25 cigars and had no problem with US Customs, they didn't inspect bags or xray them. You can bring in 200 cigars. If you bring cigarettes there is a form to fill out to pay some kind of tax.

 

 

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[Twinprincesses]

We were on this cruise also, thanks for the great review commentary and pictures. We also booked a private car tour for the first day, then did our own walking tour on the second day. We booked with old cars havana dot com. We paid 110 CUC and tipped 15 CUC, you are a big tipper :)

 

The only excursions booked onboard was the waverunner, not bad at $139 for both of us on one.

 

We rated it 5 stars, wonderful experience, no problems with the ship, cabin, entertainment and dining, or time onshore.

 

We liked the freestyle NCL so much I took advantage of the deposit for a future cruise to get the onboard credit bonus. Now I just need to figure out how to get the best value out of the credit, we are looking at the Pearl out of Seattle for Alaska cruise.

 

I bought a box of 25 cigars and had no problem with US Customs, they didn't inspect bags or xray them. You can bring in 200 cigars. If you bring cigarettes there is a form to fill out to pay some kind of tax.

 

 

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Anything special to Cuba to bring back besides cigars? rum? Any other handmade goods?

[LOdragonmom]

Is it $200 USD in cigars that you can bring back or 200 cigars?

We were on this cruise also, thanks for the great review commentary and pictures. We also booked a private car tour for the first day, then did our own walking tour on the second day. We booked with old cars havana dot com. We paid 110 CUC and tipped 15 CUC, you are a big tipper :)

 

The only excursions booked onboard was the waverunner, not bad at $139 for both of us on one.

 

We rated it 5 stars, wonderful experience, no problems with the ship, cabin, entertainment and dining, or time onshore.

 

We liked the freestyle NCL so much I took advantage of the deposit for a future cruise to get the onboard credit bonus. Now I just need to figure out how to get the best value out of the credit, we are looking at the Pearl out of Seattle for Alaska cruise.

 

I bought a box of 25 cigars and had no problem with US Customs, they didn't inspect bags or xray them. You can bring in 200 cigars. If you bring cigarettes there is a form to fill out to pay some kind of tax.

 

 

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[smithop]

Is it $200 USD in cigars that you can bring back or 200 cigars?

 

 

 

200 cigars, no tax on them, nothing to declare. I paid 100 CUC for a box of 25 Cohibas.

 

 

 

 

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Edited May 9, 2017 by smithop

[LOdragonmom]

Thank you so much for the details. You gave us the confidence to book with an outside tour. So many unknowns with Cuba! I was happy to be able to follow your journey in preparation for our trip on May 22 on the Sky!

[smithop]

Anything special to Cuba to bring back besides cigars? rum? Any other handmade goods?

 

 

 

We purchased a few trinkets but nothing special. We purchased rum in the shop at the port terminal. DW purchased some t-shirts, an apron, and some jewelry at the mercado. I purchased a couple of carved wooden pandora boxes with the cuban flag inlaid on top, pull it just right and it opens to reveal a secret compartment. 2 for 5 CUC.

 

Most of the goods we saw were made in Venezuela - wooden figures, hats, leather goods, etc all the vendors had the same stuff. Turn left when you exit the terminal, walk about 5 blocks along the embarcadero and you will find a large warehouse full of storage lockers that the vendors sell out of.

 

 

 

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[whtbearfan]

200 cigars, no tax on them, nothing to declare. I paid 100 CUC for a box of 25 Cohibas.

 

 

 

 

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You remember the shop you got that box? Sounds about right for what I need.

 

 

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[Sea_Legs38]

Smithop,

 

Did you buy your box of cigars at government run business or on the street from a vendor?

 

 

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[smithop]

You remember the shop you got that box? Sounds about right for what I need.

 

 

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It was a vendor in the mercado, he sold shirts and hats. I just asked around and was directed to him. He had the cigars in a backpack, only a few boxes. Black market for sure, he told me his mother worked at the factory, lol. I didn't mind, came in this nice box with official seals, very fresh, they smoke nice.

 

 

 

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[marcyjane]

We purchased a few trinkets but nothing special. We purchased rum in the shop at the port terminal. DW purchased some t-shirts, an apron, and some jewelry at the mercado. I purchased a couple of carved wooden pandora boxes with the cuban flag inlaid on top, pull it just right and it opens to reveal a secret compartment. 2 for 5 CUC.

 

Most of the goods we saw were made in Venezuela - wooden figures, hats, leather goods, etc all the vendors had the same stuff. Turn left when you exit the terminal, walk about 5 blocks along the embarcadero and you will find a large warehouse full of storage lockers that the vendors sell out of.

 

 

 

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Can you tell me if the T-Shirts were at the port shopping area that has been mention somewhere on this tread that you can use US dollars for. As well just wondering if the ship had a T-Shirt sale one day and if so did they have T-Shirts with Cuba Port on them or just the NCL Logo. Thanks

[CruiseGal999]

OK. I hate to admit that I'm not sure how to do this. Per the photo on Page 9 of this thread ... the Canadian Dollar Rate is 1.41092. So, I PAY 1.41092 Canadian to receive 1CUC? So I divide the amount that I have by 1.41092 to calculate amount of CUC I will receive? 515/1.41092 = 365CUC. I know rates could be different by the time I get there. As long as I know which way it goes. Please, if anyone can confirm this for me, thank you.

[smithop]

Can you tell me if the T-Shirts were at the port shopping area that has been mention somewhere on this tread that you can use US dollars for. As well just wondering if the ship had a T-Shirt sale one day and if so did they have T-Shirts with Cuba Port on them or just the NCL Logo. Thanks

You can't use USD at the port shop.

 

No Cuba shirts on board gift shop this trip, maybe they will add them. The clearance rack had the Happy Place NCL shirts.

 

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[darienill]

OK. I hate to admit that I'm not sure how to do this. Per the photo on Page 9 of this thread ... the Canadian Dollar Rate is 1.41092. So, I PAY 1.41092 Canadian to receive 1CUC? So I divide the amount that I have by 1.41092 to calculate amount of CUC I will receive? 515/1.41092 = 365CUC. I know rates could be different by the time I get there. As long as I know which way it goes. Please, if anyone can confirm this for me, thank you.

Sounds right to me and Would make sense if your paying for everything yourself, not thru ship tours.

[CruiseGal999]

Thank you! I still made out. $399.23 yielded 515 Canadian. 515 Canadian may/could yield 365CUC. That's correct, I am not going through NCL for any excursions. I have 2 scheduled through Old Car Tours for Tues & Weds. at 120CUC each. With 30CUC tip each day, that's my 300CUC. With 65CUC left over for 2 cigars, Tshirts, trinkets and food. If I need more, I'll deal with it then. But overall, it worked out really well. GREAT Canadian exchange rate. Even tho Canadian is 1.41092 for CUC, the Euro cost more to buy in the US to get the better Euro rate in Cuba.

[darienill]

I'm bring Euro's. My tour company quoted me in Euro, USD and CUC. I found a bank that will only charge me 3% for Euro and if I can pay them in Euro I don't have to reconvert. And we may go to Europe again someday.

So a one day tour 130 plus tip plus lunch . 200 Euro should cover it.

[getmeout]

Oh right, well I suppose that does make sense in a port as you can come and go multiple times. Not like at an airport where you will enter only once and leave once. Thanks for answering!

 

Hi Yunah, I note that you are from The Netherlands, could I ask how you managed to sort your visa/tourism card? Have you arranged this through NCL, and if so, how?

 

We have UK passports and think we've been incorrectly advised y NCL's visa agent to arrange a Cuba visa in the UK before the cruise, but as we'll be travelling to Cuba directly from the US I believe US rules apply, so visas sourced elsewhere will be invalid.

 

Hope you can help.