My Cuba Cruise

[cookingcountrygal]

You've outdone yourself again Ont. Superb info on Antilla as we too will be staying in the village and chilling with the locals. Sorry to hear of your not so good tour experiences but great info to share. We are doing private tours in cienfuego and Habana as love to do our own thing in our time frame and share more time with the cuban people. You've been really helpful with all your tips and general relaying of useful information. Thanks again and also to Jo for the info etc she has shared. 1 more cold winter night and we're off to mobay.

 

Mucho Mucho gracias. Judy and Virginia

Edited February 27, 2014 by cookingcountrygal

[retiring soon]

HI all!

 

Judy ~ you're welcome. I sure hope you didn't get the same weather overnight as we did & if so drive safely. BTW the cruise terminal at Montego Bay is quite nice but I didn't find any wifi or stamps there.:(

 

That reminds me, I don't remember anyone commenting on their trip to Pinar del Rio or maybe it's the people still to come who are doing it.

I'm interested to hear what they think as I loved it when we did it 20 years ago.

 

ONT-CA ~ that's funny I don't recall seeing anybody who looked like Dustin Hoffman.:o Oh, that's too bad you didn't enjoy the steakhouse. We had a good experience & found our filet mignon to be tender & tasty. There was just one other couple there the night we went.

 

Have a nice weekend & a fab cruise to those of you sailing tomorrow & Monday.

 

~ Jo ~ :)

[ONT-CA]

When one has a gripe, best get off your chest and then forget it and that is what will follow here. I have detailed the more obvious negative points, not of the cruise but of the host country and so we can now move on.

Obviously the Cuban Government is in complete favour of the Cuba Cruise concept as exemplified by the presence of the son of Fidel Castro at the Captain’s table on the Louis Cristal many a Monday evening before the ship sets sail. So if it is in the interest of the Cuban government to propagate this cruise why then have they not had that message sent down the line to their border control people? At each port arrival did they see us as an advanced naval landing party for some dubious purpose? In an immigration building placed on the dock one finds over a dozen uniformed officers milling about with little to do while one officer sits in the cage and grunts at the arriving passengers viewing and viewing over and over again first passport photo then looking deep into your eyes. Take off your cap, take off your glasses are the hand commands. Within this group of “trained” officers who we are told were educated with a second language of English was there not one that could speak English? Could they not see the value in making us feel welcomed? Tourism is their largest foreign exchange producer..

In most countries a wheelchair is inspected by security by swabbing various areas of the chair and analyzing the swab. In Cuba they wanted it sent through the x-ray unit, which being metal would tell them nothing. Initially they insisted that we fold and lift the chair and place it on the belt. Eventually we had had enough of this stupidity and told them in their customary sign language that if they wanted the chair placed on the belt they would have to do it themselves. After a committee meeting of sorts they decided, rather than get off their backsides and lift the chair, to just wheel it through the gate without inspection.

While we would not have missed this cruise nor will miss the opportunity to repeat it in the future regardless of the reception, we would have to recommend that anyone contemplating the Cuba Cruise do so by planning to embark at Montego Bay. The harrowing Havana airport reception clearly indicated that. In the presentation of our entry documents we were subjected to veiled suggestions that a monetary contribution be made to the troika panel of beurocrates to allow us through the terminal to retrieve our luggage. As this then evolved into veiled threats, we quickly came up with some Canadian cash having yet converted our currency to CUC. The exceptional delay in baggage is the actions of Cuban security. After final delivery of the bags we then waited for our wheelchair. We travel at times with our chair to assist us in long distances between airport, gates, etc., and on land tours. Normally the chair would be waiting for us at the door of the aircraft but not in this case. Long after most passengers had departed the baggage area we searched, found and retrieved our chair from the tarmac, we having ignored security warnings and then being chastised for opening the exit security door. The chair’s armrests had been broken open presumably to satisfy Cuban security’s paranoia. Montego Bay will be our point of embarkation when next we take this cruise.

Having two locations for currency exchange at the Havana airport seemed wise with the arrival of various international flights bearing hundreds and hundreds of passengers all in need of CUC currency. Alas, at that particular moment at this busy terminal with all these befuddled passengers, they decided to close one of the exchange kiosks. Bedlam followed. Make sure you take full advantage of a functioning currency exchange kiosk while you can for you may not get another chance. And obtain the correct variations in denominations for they will refuse to later exchange say one Cuban 20 CUC for four five CUC’s. Their mandate is to only exchange foreign currency and Cuban currency. Upon arrival at the port of Santiago de Cuba the exchange kiosk, while being marked open and manned, advised us that they had no CUC currency to exchange. Our tour bus arrived back at this port much later in the day only to find that they still had no currency to exchange. The two employees spent the whole day there twiddling their thumbs. Infuriating. The Cuban 1 CUC is available in a coin. Even a bank could not produce any on our request.

There, now I feel better…

[ONT-CA]

... ONT-CA ~ that's funny I don't recall seeing anybody who looked like Dustin Hoffman.:o ~ Jo ~ :)

 

Although not the best shot of him, a profile would do better justice but here is a comparison of them both.

 

http://i999.photobucket.com/albums/af114/Yarkerhill/DH.jpg

[doublebzz]

When one has a gripe, best get off your chest and then forget it and that is what will follow here. I have detailed the more obvious negative points, not of the cruise but of the host country and so we can now move on.

Obviously the Cuban Government is in complete favour of the Cuba Cruise concept as exemplified by the presence of the son of Fidel Castro at the Captain’s table on the Louis Cristal many a Monday evening before the ship sets sail. So if it is in the interest of the Cuban government to propagate this cruise why then have they not had that message sent down the line to their border control people? At each port arrival did they see us as an advanced naval landing party for some dubious purpose? In an immigration building placed on the dock one finds over a dozen uniformed officers milling about with little to do while one officer sits in the cage and grunts at the arriving passengers viewing and viewing over and over again first passport photo then looking deep into your eyes. Take off your cap, take off your glasses are the hand commands. Within this group of “trained” officers who we are told were educated with a second language of English was there not one that could speak English? Could they not see the value in making us feel welcomed? Tourism is their largest foreign exchange producer..

In most countries a wheelchair is inspected by security by swabbing various areas of the chair and analyzing the swab. In Cuba they wanted it sent through the x-ray unit, which being metal would tell them nothing. Initially they insisted that we fold and lift the chair and place it on the belt. Eventually we had had enough of this stupidity and told them in their customary sign language that if they wanted the chair placed on the belt they would have to do it themselves. After a committee meeting of sorts they decided, rather than get off their backsides and lift the chair, to just wheel it through the gate without inspection.

While we would not have missed this cruise nor will miss the opportunity to repeat it in the future regardless of the reception, we would have to recommend that anyone contemplating the Cuba Cruise do so by planning to embark at Montego Bay. The harrowing Havana airport reception clearly indicated that. In the presentation of our entry documents we were subjected to veiled suggestions that a monetary contribution be made to the troika panel of beurocrates to allow us through the terminal to retrieve our luggage. As this then evolved into veiled threats, we quickly came up with some Canadian cash having yet converted our currency to CUC. The exceptional delay in baggage is the actions of Cuban security. After final delivery of the bags we then waited for our wheelchair. We travel at times with our chair to assist us in long distances between airport, gates, etc., and on land tours. Normally the chair would be waiting for us at the door of the aircraft but not in this case. Long after most passengers had departed the baggage area we searched, found and retrieved our chair from the tarmac, we having ignored security warnings and then being chastised for opening the exit security door. The chair’s armrests had been broken open presumably to satisfy Cuban security’s paranoia. Montego Bay will be our point of embarkation when next we take this cruise.

Having two locations for currency exchange at the Havana airport seemed wise with the arrival of various international flights bearing hundreds and hundreds of passengers all in need of CUC currency. Alas, at that particular moment at this busy terminal with all these befuddled passengers, they decided to close one of the exchange kiosks. Bedlam followed. Make sure you take full advantage of a functioning currency exchange kiosk while you can for you may not get another chance. And obtain the correct variations in denominations for they will refuse to later exchange say one Cuban 20 CUC for four five CUC’s. Their mandate is to only exchange foreign currency and Cuban currency. Upon arrival at the port of Santiago de Cuba the exchange kiosk, while being marked open and manned, advised us that they had no CUC currency to exchange. Our tour bus arrived back at this port much later in the day only to find that they still had no currency to exchange. The two employees spent the whole day there twiddling their thumbs. Infuriating. The Cuban 1 CUC is available in a coin. Even a bank could not produce any on our request.

There, now I feel better…

 

My wife still has relatives in Cuba and this is what they suffer through and more every day of their lives. I regret you had to endure this but appreciate you relating your experience which provides a more accurate account of life in Cuban paradise than most tourists present.

[bjm07]

Hello All,

 

First of all, thank you so much to all those of you who have contributed here. I think this is one of the very most helpful and responsive Cruise Critic threads that I have seen, never mind participated in. Those who have gone before us have contributed so much to the preparedness and, therefore, the enjoyment of this cruise and travels "where no one has gone before." Well, not exactly no one but really few in this inaugural cruise season for the Louis Cristal and for Cuba.

 

From the tracking of the Cristal coming across the pond to the (sporadic) tracking of it around Cuba - in Havana harbour, once in Antilla, once or twice in Cienfuegos and as it approaches Montego Bay to the much anticipated reports from those sailing, I have truly enjoyed all of your contributions.

 

I thought that this year I was going to have to enjoy this cruise only vicariously through all of you but as the stars have aligned, we also are going, sailing from Havana on the 24th of March, the last cruise of the season. We will be flying in to Varadero at 3:30 a.m. on the day of sailing; usually I much prefer to arrive at the port a couple of days ahead but with the limited flights from Vancouver and, therefore, the very high cost of many of the flights, it was the best we could do. I have contacted Pototo, who several have mentioned as being very helpful, and we are hoping for him to help us make our connection with the ship in Havana. Because of that close-cutting of our arrival, we will have to make our other travelling around after the cruise, hopefully including a trip to Vinales, a bit of touring around in Havana and making use of Pototo's connections for a casa in Havana and back out at the beach in Varadero for a few days prior to our return flight.

 

So much looking forward to all aspects of this trip.

 

Regards,

Barbara

Edited February 28, 2014 by bjm07

[ONT-CA]

Clever

 

http://i999.photobucket.com/albums/af114/Yarkerhill/comp.jpg

[ONT-CA]

.

 

...I thought that this year I was going to have to enjoy this cruise only vicariously through all of you but as the stars have aligned, we also are going, sailing from Havana on the 24th of March, the last cruise of the season. We will be flying in to Varadero at 3:30 a.m. on the day of sailing; usually I much prefer to arrive at the port a couple of days ahead but with the limited flights from Vancouver and, therefore, the very high cost of many of the flights, it was the best we could do. ...Barbara

 

Glad you will get to experience this great cruise. Perhaps they will hold the best 'till last. We met several passengers from Vancouver some of whom told us of not only taking advantage of the 2 for 1 sale but also getting a very good deal with flight arrangements from Seattle direct to Montego Bay. Not sure of the particulars but it sounded not unlike our situation where regardless, we have a three hour drive to an international airport either in Canada or the US. The latter has given us some very good deals in the past.

[retiring soon]

HI all!

 

ONT-CA ~ glad you feel better after your rant. I'd find that maddening too.

Thanks for posting the picture. Is that Christo(s)? If so I didn't see the resemblance but did notice a distinguishing facial feature.;)

 

That is clever the prop & their symbol. They sure are going to have a lot of decals to remove to bring it back to Louis brand but then they've got a long journey to do it during.

Will you be posting more pictures at some point...please?

 

Barbara ~ so glad to hear that the stars aligned & you'll be taking your Cuba cruise this year.:D Looking forward to hearing how you liked it. I don't envy you the trip but you don't leave Havana until late so can get some rest.

 

Have a great weekend. I might start working on my photo book or I might start my taxes to see if any money's coming back to us.

 

~ Jo ~ :)

[retiring soon]

Hi again!

 

After talking to DH about going again next year & thinking of what's been said about embarkation ports I'm thinking maybe we could fly to Santiago de Cuba or Cienfuegos. Remember 20 Roads Scholars boarded in Cienfuegos & I asked Danny,( I think it was) is that okay, could you board elsewhere & he seemed to think it was okay but not advertised? Something to think about.

 

~ Jo ~ :)

[ONT-CA]

Hi again!

 

After talking to DH about going again next year & thinking of what's been said about embarkation ports I'm thinking maybe we could fly to Santiago de Cuba or Cienfuegos. Remember 20 Roads Scholars boarded in Cienfuegos & I asked Danny,( I think it was) is that okay, could you board elsewhere & he seemed to think it was okay but not advertised? Something to think about.

 

~ Jo ~ :)

 

From what we were told about flying within Cuba, i.e., missing a sailing and flying to the next port to catch the ship, the cost is horrendous. "Small planes, short distances, high prices" was the analogy. Perhaps those that boarded mid cruise got there via land tours.

[ONT-CA]

I put together a few shots of various locations where I was impressed with the restoration of buildings and streets. Our press sometimes likes to show the dilapidated hollow buildings found in Cuba and, yes, they are there. But one has to also appreciate what is being done with them in time. Obviously a slow process for this is not Disneyland. The climate must be particularly hard on the architecture and colour surfaces, which undoubtedly call for a perpetual upkeep.

 

http://i999.photobucket.com/albums/af114/Yarkerhill/Cuba-1.jpg

[ONT-CA]

... Thanks for posting the picture. Is that Christo(s)? If so I didn't see the resemblance but did notice a distinguishing facial feature.;) ~ Jo ~ :)

 

~ Jo ~ you should be in our diplomatic corp... :D

[ONT-CA]

Although not very well reproduced here, I wanted to show a few of the black glass etching/paintings found throughout the Rendez-vous Lounge of the Louis Cristal. The deep etching into the 7-8 foot high glass was then fill painted in these pastel colours with a stunning result. The Flapper Ladies lend a nice touch to this room where live contemporary music is presented each evening to enhance cocktail hour.

 

http://i999.photobucket.com/albums/af114/Yarkerhill/Rendez-vousBar.jpg

[retiring soon]

Hi all!

 

ONT-CA ~ thanks for the photos & the comment, lol. I loved those flapper ladies & the rainbow lighting behind the stairs. I just really liked the ship overall & DH was impressed with the build of it.

 

There's been some snarky comments on the Cuba Cruise unmentionable website. Guess we all don't enjoy Cuba or maybe cruising. To me this is the perfect way to see different areas of Cuba without having to stay on the land, I liked that about my Mexican Riveria cruise too.

 

Soon the season will be coming to an end.:( Sure hope this winter season does too, it's been dreadful!

 

~ Jo ~ :)

[BC_Brent]

Hi everyone

My husband and I are meeting up with my parents in Santa Clara before heading to Havana to board the Louis Cristal. We set sail the 17th of March and I realize this thread has been going for a long time. To save myself some time reading through everything, I hope someone wouldn't mind providing me with a bit of information or suggestions. Does anyone know where I can find information on the dress code for the dining room? I checked the site but can't find anything. Also I saw something mentioned about white shirts and was wondering what that's all about. Also if anyone has any must know information about the boat and country that would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks

[ONT-CA]

... Does anyone know where I can find information on the dress code for the dining room? I checked the site but can't find anything. Also I saw something mentioned about white shirts and was wondering what that's all about.

 

The dining room has been receiving everyone as is. The Monday night White Night seemed to have petered out although a scattering were wearing white. Some dress to what other lines would call Smart Casual and Elegant Casual is the suggestion given in the Daily News for the Captain's Party. For that some ladies wear full-length gowns and men were wearing jackets with open collars but mostly just casual. And then there are those who dine in t-shirts, shorts and flip-flops. Personally I find that unacceptable but it's not my ship. So fear not, whatever you have will do.

[ONT-CA]

~ Jo ~ I have been meaning to tell you that I saw the $2.50 glass of champagne in the Daily News. I remembered your comment. So I decided to also order one for you. I told the waiter that I wanted two glasses, one for me and one for ~ Jo ~. He returned with the two and placed one in front of me and one in front of my partner (who no longer drinks alcohol) and said, "Here Joe" A good laugh. What surprised me though was the quality. Those who have sampled for the first and final time that paint remover called Chanpagne on other larger lines would be very surprised. I have no idea as to the brand but they were light, smooth and delicious.

[ONT-CA]

I thought I would show a few shots of the two hotels we stayed at while in Havana, pre and post cruise. The Ingliterra in Old Havana was built in 1875. The beautiful ironwork gates in the dining room were spectacular as was the old fashioned wide corridors where guests can sit and socialize. One could sense the likes of Hemmingway making use of the space with a cigar or two.

 

The other is the Quenta Avenida in Miramar, a very modern hotel plunked in the middle of nowhere. Although fully air conditioned, the open air concept for dinning was wonderful for this climate, And when we looked out our window and saw the pool we knew we had found a great finale for our visit to Havana.

 

http://i999.photobucket.com/albums/af114/Yarkerhill/ttt.jpg

[ONT-CA]

Although probably far too late to warn Cristal passengers about the folly of Pedicab operators in Santiago de Cuba, we can relay our story for those who will seek out a personal tour of the city next season. Firstly, the real beauty of the city is nowhere near the dock area and so most Pedicabs will be unable to take you anywhere but that local area. The driver will offer you an hour’s tour for 5 CUC. He means 5 CUC per passenger but does not say that so take that into your calculations. Each Pedicab is licensed according to law. Having visually inspected the contraption and knowingly agreeing to the price, we were off. Few if any drivers speak enough English to give you an overview of the city. He pointed out the diesel locomotive running along the adjacent tracts as a gift from Rossi. Suddenly he darts up this narrow street, encounters a hill, gets out and pushes us forward. Another cross street a quick left turn and we find ourselves in the middle of what must have been the poorest community in the city. Street vendors selling fresh fruit and vegetables from hand made carts, a butcher stall with various meats presented in the open noon day sun, a rather inebriated senior selling pint size bottles of illicit alcohol. Oh, the mental flashes of the movie My Fair Lady and the market scene in Circa 1800 London

At this point we are quickly apprehended first by two policemen on bicycles followed by two more and finally the fifth for good measure. Their bikes are impressive and top of the line. They ask the driver for something, which we later learn was his license to operate this contraption. Having none, his pleas for understanding, supported by photographs presumably of his family fall on deaf ears and he is ticketed. We are instructed to leave the vehicle. Miraculously there is a Pedicab on that very street at that very moment, the driver of which readily showing the cops his license. We transfer to his unit leaving our original driver to his misery and citation. The new driver then tells us, we think, that he is taking us to the old Baccardi factory. However within one block of that, his unit has a complete transmission breakdown. Out we get as he upends the thing in order to do whatever is required. He removes at least 50% of the workings, places it in a bag and asks us to resume. There being no other means of transportation available and as a curious community began to gather to see the fun we climbed aboard and off we went hopefully with some form of brakes. As we proceeded we notice that driver number one has now caught up to us and is adjacent and keeping up with our advance to the distillery. Much conversation ensues between them, which we believe is about how the final payment is to be cut up. The purpose of the distillery visit we discover is to buy our driver and his competition a drink. Sensing that we may have stumbled into a Max Senitt movie set and the day being a wash anyway, we tell our man there will be no drinks and to get us back to the ship. So off we go, with escort at the elbow, we can see we are within walking distance of the dock security when both units abruptly turn in to a very secluded area behind a railway boxcar. Close enough we though but why the seclusion? That is when we are told that we have to pay 20 CUC for both units. At the risk of stroke I exploded and told them in a combination of English, tourist Spanish, sign language and profanity that they are lucky to get the original ten CUC and if that didn’t suit them then there was always the police, placing great emphasis on the word police. The Hobson’s Choice prevailed

Back aboard and over cocktails that evening we relived our tale and I don’t think I have laughed so much in my life. What an experience. Not the one we had intended and certainly not the one many satisfied Pedicab passengers got that day but a unique glimpse of the real life behind the parks, historical buildings and statues, one that most of us do not get to see and all for only 10 CUC’s

[retiring soon]

HI all!

 

ONT-CA ~ I feel that we know each other well enough that you can just call me Jo, no ~ ~ needed.;) That story about the champagne made me LOL. I sure won't miss it next time! Thanks for thinking of me.

Nice photos, they have some lovely old buildings there don't they?

OMG what an adventure by pedicab. I think somebody else had a problem with the fare too, maybe Hazel. DH walked up to the highest point & saw someone being arrested maybe a driver with a not so lenient officer.:confused:

 

BC_Brent ~ looking through my papers I see that all nights were casual

except captain's night where elegant was optional & I wore a nice dress with jacket & the night in Havana was white night but we were in such a hurry to eat & get to the Tropicana I didn't notice what people were wearing which generally is my way. I however, would never wear shorts to a restaurant as I don't go in public with shorts on as a public service.:o

The people at are table, mostly teachers, always dressed smart casual for dinner. DH never wore a jacket just a nice shirt.

 

Have a nice day. Wonder when this winter will end?

 

~ Jo ~ :)

[bjm07]

I could sure use a "like" button on here.

Thank you for the recent pix of buildings, glass etching and restored buildings; I've really been enjoying them. It is great to see some of the buildings being restored to their former glory. I guess that is the key though; they were originally great structures when built so the restoration brings back to light that which was already there.

Also really enjoyed the pedicab story and glad that you had a good laugh at the whole incident.

 

Regards,

Barbara

[retiring soon]

HI all!

 

 

bjm07 ~ just 3 weeks until you get to experience it all too!:D

 

Have a great weeks folks. Wonder if there'll be some new reports this week.

 

~ Jo ~ :)

[ONT-CA]

We were going to leave this subject be for the duration of the Cuba Cruise season but a comment was made that prompted me to open it up.

Those that sail the larger cruise line know that when ordering and paying for a beverage in the bar there is an automatic 15% or sometimes 18% service charge or call it what you will, a tip, added to the total amount. In a way we were happy to see that such was not the case on the Cristal for our feeling is that one should tip as one sees fit. As such we make sure to have plenty of one CUC coins on hand so that with each delivered order we will place the coin(s) on the servers tray, the number depending on the size of the order. We noted that we were not alone in this but there were very few who did so at least in our vicinity. I hope more passengers will understand that on any other line one would be paying these gratuities regardless of your assessment of service, good, bad or indifferent. On the Cristal we have the right to determine who will receive the tip and by how much.

As we understand the situation aboard, the Cuban employees are not paid directly by the cruise line but rather the line pays the government and the government pays the employees in a system of some sort of equality. Regardless, their wages will not be any greater than working ashore. The difference though is the gratuities. What they receive in this form is between you and them. We believe in rewarding good service and encourage others to do likewise before there exists a need to add a percentage amount to our bills as is done on the mega ships.

[burm]

As we understand the situation aboard, the Cuban employees are not paid directly by the cruise line but rather the line pays the government and the government pays the employees in a system of some sort of equality. Regardless, their wages will not be any greater than working ashore. The difference though is the gratuities.

 

That is interesting information. I have to wonder if the Cuban gov't allows them to keep their gratuities though. :confused: It would not surprise me in the least if they did not.