How Much Cash to Bring to Cuba?

DH and I are going on the Paradise to Cuba in May and wondered how much cash to bring ashore on the excursions? Any suggestions as to how much things like Cuban cigars cost? Other things? Thanks.

It depends on what kind of cigar you buy. You can get cheaper ones in the 5 - 7 CUC range or pay up to 50 CUC (CUCs are close to even with USD now). Rum is in the same range. T-shirts and other souvenirs are a bit less than many ports we've been to. I got 8 magnets for 5 CUC.

So when exchanging dollars to CUC, keep in mind it is pegged to the dollar ($1 = 1 CUC) HOWEVER, the exchange desk charges 10% service fee... so in reality you are only getting .80 per $. So keep that in mind for budgeting. If your excursions are booked through CCL then you are just budgeting for souviniers and maybe a mojito. A cocktail will cost around 3-6 CUC at the touristy places, cigars (decent) from $6- $15 depending on what you want (we are not cigar smokers so did not really look)... Souvenirs are all 2-$10 CUC (T-shirt’s, magnets, some handmade espresso cups, licence plate etc..) Rum, I got a 3 year for about $6 or $8 per bottle and a few different 7 year for about $12 - $20 ... I would recommend not over cashing money as you will lose another 3% when you change back . We spent about $60 a person.

FYI- Right after you pass through customs, there is a bank right on the same level. There are quite a few windows and there will be a person standing there directing you to a window. If you have any CUCs left, you can cash them back in before going back through customs to the ship.

If eating ashore, plan on $20 per meal per person.

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Can’t you just use US dollars?

for the most part no you need to pay in their currency. Not sure where the calculations above came from...the going rate for usd to cuc is you get 87 cuc for 100 usd.

Can’t you just use US dollars?

There will be an informational meeting on the day before you stop in Cuba. I highly recommend going to that. The way it was explained to us is that one US dollar is equal to one CUC. Where they get you is that they charge you 13% to convert our dollar to their CUC. If you have any CUCs left over and want to convert them back to US dollars, they charge you another 3%.

At the meeting they will tell you what to avoid, how many cigars you can legally bring back to the US (100) etc. There is a huge train station that was converted to basically a straw market. The line for cigars stretched quite a ways. There was a guy going from person to person selling his homemade cigars. Knowing we'd be in line forever, we went with him. Told him how many and he disappeared. About ten minutes later he showed up with ours. $7 each. On the ship, they were $12 for the cheapest ones. Just got them for souvenirs so the quality of them meant nothing to us.

What is odd about stopping in Cuba is that the way the terminal is set up, Carnival had to remove two cabins on the Main Deck to facilitate offloading the passengers. We had M62 which unfortunately was right next to the two that they removed. I say unfortunately because they shut off access to our cabin. We had to go all the way down to the front of the ship, cross over and go all the way back to our cabin. We stayed overnight and people were coming back in all hours of the night talking real loud so it was hard to get any sleep. The following morning at 6 AM they started tearing down the xray machine and closing up that area. They were not quiet so I suggest anyone stay far away from cabin M62 or any in that area.

Cuba sounds kind of expensive for a place that is new again to the American tourist

for the most part no you need to pay in their currency. Not sure where the calculations above came from...the going rate for usd to cuc is you get 87 cuc for 100 usd.

Don't suppose you happen to know what rate they are using for exchange of Canadian dollars?:confused::confused::confused:

Don't suppose you happen to know what rate they are using for exchange of Canadian dollars?[emoji782][emoji782][emoji782]

I am seeing about 1.27 online. Not a great exchange rate!

https://www.xe.com/currencyconverter/convert/?Amount=1&From=CUC&To=CAD

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Cuba sounds kind of expensive for a place that is new again to the American tourist

Cuba is not expensive at all but it is common knowledge that cruise passengers are targets for overcharging so you need to be alert when changing money and making purchases. Bargaining at the market is expected.

What ship were you sailing on?

What is odd about stopping in Cuba is that the way the terminal is set up, Carnival had to remove two cabins on the Main Deck to facilitate offloading the passengers. We had M62 which unfortunately was right next to the two that they removed. I say unfortunately because they shut off access to our cabin. We had to go all the way down to the front of the ship, cross over and go all the way back to our cabin. We stayed overnight and people were coming back in all hours of the night talking real loud so it was hard to get any sleep. The following morning at 6 AM they started tearing down the xray machine and closing up that area. They were not quiet so I suggest anyone stay far away from cabin M62 or any in that area.

CUC are 1-1 with dollar minus 3% exchange fee and 10% for US dollar. I was there last week and exchanged 400 US and got 350CUC.

One guy told me, he didn’t exchange anything. At shops, except small ones, they took US dollars and took off the 13%.

Cigars vary a lot. Met someone he said he only came down for cigars and rum and he bought boxes of cigars for 300 CUC but he was very specific on brand and type and from a government shop. Then met someone else who got a box for 125 CUC near Floridita. I took cruise tours and felt like the guide pushed us towards smaller shops and purposely avoided the government shops even when we toured the government factory. I ended trying my luck on my own and didn’t get official cigars but once visiting a factory we learned a roller is allowed to take home 4 cigars/day. I got a box of 25 Cohibas for 70 CUC, box labels weren’t perfect neither were the bands but I’m not a cigar smoker and they smelled very good to me. Later I got a box of monte cristo 25 for 60 CUC. Again these weren’t official but good enough for me. My wife got 5 in a small shop our guide took us to for 30 CUC. In the guided shops they were trying to sell variety 5-packs in cedar carrier from 50-80 CUC.

Coffee was 14.50 CUC for 1000g bags

Rum started at 6.50 CUC. Most at Legendario was 6.50. Aged Havana Club, I think was about 16-20 CUC.

Saw Cuban shirts for sale at Hemingway’s for 15 CUC for polyester and 38 CUC for linen

Our drinks were included on our tours but looked like about 4 CUC at both Sloppy Joes and Floridita.

I would recommend keeping some small bills also to take pictures with super Cubans and tip after, they are walking around the square with large cigars. The one even have a hat for me to wear and a cigar for me to hold. It was also nice to have small bills to buy items quickly from street vendors.

Also don’t forget to tip your guides and drivers.

CUC are 1-1 with dollar minus 3% exchange fee and 10% for US dollar. I was there last week and exchanged 400 US and got 350CUC.

 

One guy told me, he didn’t exchange anything. At shops, except small ones, they took US dollars and took off the 13%.

 

Cigars vary a lot. Met someone he said he only came down for cigars and rum and he bought boxes of cigars for 300 CUC but he was very specific on brand and type and from a government shop. Then met someone else who got a box for 125 CUC near Floridita. I took cruise tours and felt like the guide pushed us towards smaller shops and purposely avoided the government shops even when we toured the government factory. I ended trying my luck on my own and didn’t get official cigars but once visiting a factory we learned a roller is allowed to take home 4 cigars/day. I got a box of 25 Cohibas for 70 CUC, box labels weren’t perfect neither were the bands but I’m not a cigar smoker and they smelled very good to me. Later I got a box of monte cristo 25 for 60 CUC. Again these weren’t official but good enough for me. My wife got 5 in a small shop our guide took us to for 30 CUC. In the guided shops they were trying to sell variety 5-packs in cedar carrier from 50-80 CUC.

 

Coffee was 14.50 CUC for 1000g bags

 

Rum started at 6.50 CUC. Most at Legendario was 6.50. Aged Havana Club, I think was about 16-20 CUC.

 

Saw Cuban shirts for sale at Hemingway’s for 15 CUC for polyester and 38 CUC for linen

 

Our drinks were included on our tours but looked like about 4 CUC at both Sloppy Joes and Floridita.

 

I would recommend keeping some small bills also to take pictures with super Cubans and tip after, they are walking around the square with large cigars. The one even have a hat for me to wear and a cigar for me to hold. It was also nice to have small bills to buy items quickly from street vendors.

 

Also don’t forget to tip your guides and drivers.

Can you tip in $us for pictures taken with super Cubans?

Probably. I actually left most of my US money on the boat. We did tip a band with dollars when I saw others doing it and I didn’t have small CUC bills. That was a huge mistake at the money exchange not asking for smaller bills. I had thought I could break the largeer bills but as I spent them I still had to large of bills. They have 1,3&5 CUC bills I thought were great for street tipping and vendors. They also had coins in small denominations. My wife did see one guy come up to a person in our group with a sketch and he did take US dollars but he didn’t look too happy about it.

In regards to the cool Cuban he was making his way through the crowd at a mojito bar outside, we told him we didn’t have any small bills for tipping and he insisted on me and him getting pictures due to our beards then he just moved on. We felt bad because he was so generous and made a cool travel photo for me; we were able to get some smaller bills traded with one of guides and tipped him even though he didn’t expect it and he was so gracious.

Anyone know if the money changers at the port change Chinese Yuan for CUC? I’m sure they must change Mexican Pesos. I have Yuan I’d gladly change and know here in Houston Mexican Pesos would be easy to get to avoid the 10% fee on USD changes.

CUC are 1-1 with dollar minus 3% exchange fee and 10% for US dollar. I was there last week and exchanged 400 US and got 350CUC.

 

One guy told me, he didn’t exchange anything. At shops, except small ones, they took US dollars and took off the 13%.

 

Cigars vary a lot. Met someone he said he only came down for cigars and rum and he bought boxes of cigars for 300 CUC but he was very specific on brand and type and from a government shop. Then met someone else who got a box for 125 CUC near Floridita. I took cruise tours and felt like the guide pushed us towards smaller shops and purposely avoided the government shops even when we toured the government factory. I ended trying my luck on my own and didn’t get official cigars but once visiting a factory we learned a roller is allowed to take home 4 cigars/day. I got a box of 25 Cohibas for 70 CUC, box labels weren’t perfect neither were the bands but I’m not a cigar smoker and they smelled very good to me. Later I got a box of monte cristo 25 for 60 CUC. Again these weren’t official but good enough for me. My wife got 5 in a small shop our guide took us to for 30 CUC. In the guided shops they were trying to sell variety 5-packs in cedar carrier from 50-80 CUC.

 

Coffee was 14.50 CUC for 1000g bags

 

Rum started at 6.50 CUC. Most at Legendario was 6.50. Aged Havana Club, I think was about 16-20 CUC.

 

Saw Cuban shirts for sale at Hemingway’s for 15 CUC for polyester and 38 CUC for linen

 

Our drinks were included on our tours but looked like about 4 CUC at both Sloppy Joes and Floridita.

 

I would recommend keeping some small bills also to take pictures with super Cubans and tip after, they are walking around the square with large cigars. The one even have a hat for me to wear and a cigar for me to hold. It was also nice to have small bills to buy items quickly from street vendors.

 

Also don’t forget to tip your guides and drivers.

Thanks for much for this information!

I have heard that you can avoid the charge for exchanging US dollars by bringing euros. Apparently, there is a 10% fee for US dollars, but not for euros. I have also heard you can exchange a few pesos too, using them for tips. I am curious about this thread: We are going in July, and at the moment am planning on about $200. This will cover rum, coffee, cigars, t-shirts, magnets, and whatever we drink at Tropicana. What do you think? Am I on target?

I have heard that you can avoid the charge for exchanging US dollars by bringing euros. Apparently, there is a 10% fee for US dollars, but not for euros. I have also heard you can exchange a few pesos too, using them for tips. I am curious about this thread: We are going in July, and at the moment am planning on about $200. This will cover rum, coffee, cigars, t-shirts, magnets, and whatever we drink at Tropicana. What do you think? Am I on target?

Skip the currency exchange into Euros. You're not saving anything because of foreign transaction fees charged by your bank when you buy the Euros. Just exchange your US $ for CUC when you arrive in Cuba.

Does it make sense to exchange in the states before we travel? Is that even possible?

Does it make sense to exchange in the states before we travel? Is that even possible?

Welcome to Cruise Critic. No, it is not possible to exchange before leaving.

We'll have Euros left from our European Viking river cruise and were told we can use them in Cuba. I would think they are widely accepted there, am I wrong? If they do accept them, what are they worth compared to a CUC?

Just like US Dollars, you can use Euros in some circumstances, but many places will not accept them. Individuals (cab drivers, etc.) will take them but they will have to wait in line somewhere to exchange them for local currency. The right thing to do is to change your Euros to CUCs. The exchange rate between Euros and CUCs is the same as the rate between Euros and USD, which fluctuates. There will be a 3% commission.

Does it make sense to exchange in the states before we travel? Is that even possible?

My understanding is that the CUC is a closed currency which means it cannot be purchased anywhere other than in Cuba.

Right now I am seeing a US$/Euro conversion of $1.00 to .86, which is no difference between the US/CUC exchange rate. Unless things change dramatically in the US$/Euro conversion rate, it makes no sense to take the extra step, imho.