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

[Always Cruising]

I was on the ill-fated Breakaway cruise last October, when Hurricane Matthew changed our route from 3 days in Bermuda to one day and night sitting in New York Harbor (and paying tax on all drinks!) and an overnight in Nassau. And we were given a $200 OBC per cabin as compensation. Not a lot of happy cruisers on that ship.

[LMaxwell]

Does anyone know of cruise insurance that would cover a change of port? With the rumblings about change in US' Cuba policy, I'm worried about a November Sky cruise. As much as I like Nassau, the price for this cruise is about 3 times what a Nassau one would be, and we'd cancel, if we could - if Havana was axed as our port. Final payment is first week of July, so we'd have 4 months to sweat it out as to whether we said to Cuba or Nassau. Thanks for any advice.

 

I have been looking into Cancel for Any Reason insurance; same circumstance as you. I am afraid Cuba will be blocked off again and we get a 4 day bahamas cruise, but at a very, very high rate in that case. Check out insuremytrip.com.

[Always Cruising]

thank you!

[joshlangan]

I certainly hope we all get to go!

[Sea_Legs38]

Any recommendations on restaurants in Havana close to the pier?

 

 

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[CTCruiser001]

Any recommendations on restaurants in Havana close to the pier?

 

 

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When you get off the ship, cut through the plaza in front of the ship and stay to the right. This will take you to Plaza of Arms, which is surrounded by museums and a really cool fort (see my photos earlier in this review). If you head out of the Plaza of Arms on the side of the Governor's Palace there are several restaurants (and bars) down this walkway. This is where we ate lunch on our 2nd day in Cuba (see earlier in review ).

 

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[Sea_Legs38]

When you get off the ship, cut through the plaza in front of the ship and stay to the right. This will take you to Plaza of Arms, which is surrounded by museums and a really cool fort (see my photos earlier in this review). If you head out of the Plaza of Arms on the side of the Governor's Palace there are several restaurants (and bars) down this walkway. This is where we ate lunch on our 2nd day in Cuba (see earlier in review ).

 

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Thanks! We will check it out.

 

 

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[KDub91]

Glad to help. I knew the bill was good for something!

 

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why did the bill have the total in USD if they don't accept American money? Just so you know the approximate amount you're spending?

THANKS!

Thoroughly enjoying this review...booked for Sept!

[darienill]

Also, do they accept euro coins?

[KDub91]

I think it's because you're in a suite. Service charge is definitely more in a suite.

 

 

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yes 18.99 for balcony 21.99 for suites

[CTCruiser001]

why did the bill have the total in USD if they don't accept American money? Just so you know the approximate amount you're spending?

THANKS!

Thoroughly enjoying this review...booked for Sept!

I assume it means this particular place would have accepted USD currency? I don't think American dollars are as widely rejected here in Cuba as some would like you to believe...However, you will get more value by not using USDs due to the 10% tax.

 

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[CTCruiser001]

Also, do they accept euro coins?

No idea. I would say probably not due to the low denomination of most common Euro coins. You can always try and see what reaction you receive. The worse thing they will do is refuse it.

 

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[KDub91]

I echo your concerns and it disturbed me a bit to hear some of the "oh how cute and quaint" chatter back on the ship from folks who'd gone on tours who clearly had not seen some of the same things we did.

 

Our first day we saw a lot less of the "off the beaten path" areas and while our driver did drive past a couple of regular neighborhoods, he seemed slightly less comfortable showing us anything that might expose the less touristy side of Havana. On our second day, once our guide realized we'd both traveled a lot in emerging economies and countries with transitioning political systems, we were suddenly able to deviate from the normal path and he took us into some back areas where we saw a very different Havana that will haunt me for some time.

 

I'm still mentally and emotionally processing this trip. If I take it just on the surface as a tourist trip then I'd say "awesome, beautiful - go see Cuba before it gets commercialized and ruined". If I go deeper and think about the people-to-people aspect of it, I'm no less glad I went, but my emotions are different.

 

Thank you for these thoughts. Regardless of any and all politics and political affiliations, traveling the world always reaffirms to me personally how incredibly blessed I feel to be an American.

[CTCruiser001]

Thank you for these thoughts. Regardless of any and all politics and political affiliations, traveling the world always reaffirms to me personally how incredibly blessed I feel to be an American.

Amen.

 

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[darienill]

No idea. I would say probably not due to the low denomination of most common Euro coins. You can always try and see what reaction you receive. The worse thing they will do is refuse it.

 

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OOPS forgot we'll convert to CUC's anyway.

[missdenise]

I have been looking into Cancel for Any Reason insurance; same circumstance as you. I am afraid Cuba will be blocked off again and we get a 4 day bahamas cruise, but at a very, very high rate in that case. Check out insuremytrip.com.

 

Nationwide cruise insurance.

 

Port Of Call Changes (Itinerary Change)

 

Provides a one-time benefit of up to $1250 per person for the inconvenience of an itinerary change by the cruise line prior to departure, as long as you go on the cruise.

[WackyWayne]

Nationwide cruise insurance.

 

Port Of Call Changes (Itinerary Change)

 

Provides a one-time benefit of up to $1250 per person for the inconvenience of an itinerary change by the cruise line prior to departure, as long as you go on the cruise.

 

Very interesting. Unfortunately, I am from a state that this is not available in.

 

 

https://travel.nationwide.com/plans-cruise-universal.html

 

Itinerary Changes

 

 

 

• Ports of call changed prior to departure (not available to residents of FL, MN, MO, NH, NY, OR, PA, VA, WA)
  
• Fire, mechanical, other covered issue impacting cruise experience (not available to residents of FL, MN, MO, NH, NY, OR, PA, VA, WA)
  
• Itinerary change after departure causing you to miss a pre-paid excursion
  

[staceehowse]

If anyone following this thread goes on the sky in the owner's suite please let me know if you have photo's and how you liked the cabin and butler. As we have booked the owner's suite # 8201 for our Cuba 2018 cruise. Thank you in advance.

 

 

We are in this suite on June 26 - will keep you posted! :)

[EatonDoolittle]

I have been looking into Cancel for Any Reason insurance; same circumstance as you. I am afraid Cuba will be blocked off again and we get a 4 day bahamas cruise, but at a very, very high rate in that case. Check out insuremytrip.com.

 

I got Cancel for Any Reason insurance from Allianz for my upcoming Cuba trip on RCCL. I agree, it is way too expensive to just go to Key West, Coz, Bahamas, or any other place they might substitute if Cuba falls through.

 

I went through my TA,, but happened to meet the insurance company rep at a cruise trade show. He assured me, even if I get to the departure port and get the news that there is to be no Cuba, no problem, I can cancel with full reimbursement.

In fact, he even said if we get to Key West, and they suddenly say "We are not making it to Havana tomorrow", I can leave then and get a partial refund - it becomes trip interruption. I suppose I would be on my own getting home from Key West, but that seems like an unlikely example.

 

It was a no brainer for me to buy the $200 protection for peace of mind.

[WackyWayne]

I got Cancel for Any Reason insurance from Allianz for my upcoming Cuba trip on RCCL. I agree, it is way too expensive to just go to Key West, Coz, Bahamas, or any other place they might substitute if Cuba falls through.

 

I looked at their website and I don't see coverage for "cancel for any reason" or for itinerary changes. Am I missing something? I do see a long list of "covered" reasons.

 

https://www.allianztravelinsurance.com/purchase

 

When I checked on https://www.insuremytrip.com I couldn't find anybody that offered "cancel for any reason" for us. With some insurance companies, we had booked our trip 'too long ago' and we were now outside the 14-21 day windows. So for anybody new, thinking of booking Cuba and thinking of insurance, make sure you get your insurance fairly quickly after making your cruise booking and first payment.

[EatonDoolittle]

I checked the paperwork, and you are correct, it doesn't specifically say itinerary change, or because you don't want to go any more.

But, I got verbal assurance (I know, for what that's worth) that it would be covered. That's the "any reason" part.

 

Also, I misspoke, it would be 80% refund, not 100%. But still...better than taking an overpriced, unwanted trip to Nassau.

[BOAZ5]

We are on the plane headed to Florida now. We board Sky today for the 3 day Bahamas and then B2B for the 4 day Cuba next week. Did NCL have any of the evening parties (White Hot or Norwegian Night Out) while on board? I threw a white dress in just in case (can never hurt!) but was curious what the onboard schedule looked like.

 

jenidallas, We are doing the B2B in November. Have not done a B2B on NCL. How did they handle your B2B? Did you have to leave the ship for a certain amount of time or were you escorted off and then allowed to scan right back on the ship? THANKS!

[Karmary]

Very interesting. Unfortunately, I am from a state that this is not available in.

 

 

 

 

 

https://travel.nationwide.com/plans-cruise-universal.html

 

 

 

Itinerary Changes

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• 
   
  
• Ports of call changed prior to departure (not available to residents of FL, MN, MO, NH, NY, OR, PA, VA, WA)
   
  
• Fire, mechanical, other covered issue impacting cruise experience (not available to residents of FL, MN, MO, NH, NY, OR, PA, VA, WA)
   
  
• Itinerary change after departure causing you to miss a pre-paid excursion
   
  

 

 

I just got off the phone with this company and Cuba is excluded from this clause and many others. FYI: it will not benefit if we change course...

 

 

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[Karmary]

Nationwide cruise insurance.

 

 

 

Port Of Call Changes (Itinerary Change)

 

 

 

Provides a one-time benefit of up to $1250 per person for the inconvenience of an itinerary change by the cruise line prior to departure, as long as you go on the cruise.

 

 

I just called them and Cuba is excluded from this clause as well as many others. It will not benefit us if we change course

 

 

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[darienill]

What's the NCL policy on changes? An option for a refund?

Then your stuck with the airfare.