Cuba Public Restrooms

[coffeebean]

I've read all the December 2018 reviews of the Empress OTS Cuba itinerary. No one has mentioned the condition of public restrooms in Cuba. I've read articles about this subject and I'm curious if the public restrooms are as primitive as I have read about. Can anyone shed some light on this subject? Thanks.

[Magnetchief]

Restrooms are fine, mostly no toilet seat. Not sure why that would be.

Mostly clean, most have an attendant selling toilet paper. There was none in the stalls.

We just gave them $1 or the equivalent in CuCs.

Tip, take your own toilet paper or disposable wet wipes.

 

Only encountered 1 bad restroom, that was because of the actions of a fellow cruise passenger.

[coffeebean]

I am bringing small packs of tissues to use as toilet paper. I read that toilet paper can not ever be put down the toilet and it must be tossed into a pail. I have purchased antibacterial Wet Wipes to wash our hands. I read there is no running water in restrooms. I also read there is no water in the tank to flush toilets. The bathroom attendant gives you a bucket of water to "flush" the toilet. Is this what you have encountered in the public restrooms?

Edited January 14, 2019 by coffeebean

[EatonDoolittle]

1 hour ago, coffeebean said:

 I read that toilet paper can not ever be put down the toilet and it must be tossed into a pail. 

 

This is very common practice all over the Caribbean in beach bars and restaurants and on smaller boats. 

Not sure why that would even be a concern, since you won't be emptying the pail. 

 

Magnetchief summed things up pretty well.  Bring a couple seat covers (if you want), TP, and Wet Wipes, you will be fine.  

I imaging water availability varies from place to place, just let your guide know you have concerns.

In two trips I never had to carry water to flush my own. That sounds extreme. But  I used the facilities in nicer places.  

Frankly, it is so hot, that most excess water in your body will come out as perspiration anyway. 

 

The worst one I ran into was the one in the cruise terminal, on my first visit. I avoided  using it the second time. 

 

 

[kent4489]

Some are better than others. But definitely take tissue. Even in "nicer" bathrooms, I was only given one tiny square of tissue. The only time I encountered "water from a pail" to flush, the attendant went in and did it after I came out. (At El Morro, I believe.) 

[coffeebean]

Another tid bit about public restrooms I read about.......the doors to the stalls are very short so the locals have a habit of peering over the door to see if the stall is occupied rather than looking below the door. Privacy is an issue.