My Cuba Cruise

[wu687]

Read here that there are great deals out of Seattle. Isn't that but a Ferry service for you? They spoke of Seattle to Montego Bay at a great saving. On the other hand I only wish we could have had your fare for the last cruise we flew Air Canada from Toronto to Havana and paid about $1,200. Being booked early this year will allow us to find a better rate.

 

Seattle to Montego Bay is almost the same as Victoria to Montego Bay on Delta. From Victoria via Seattle for my dates was $705 last week, from Seattle $695, now it is $750 and $682. Flights go through New York. Air Canada via Toronto from Victoria to Montego Bay is $968, West Jet $959.

[hlperez]

Me too! Beyond Excited!! Got SI as well! Who is going Jan 26? Ideas for where to stay in Havana, and how long? Three Days?

 

Before our cruise in January, we stayed 3 nights at Casavana in the Vedado area (http://www.casavanacuba.com). Wonderful place - number 1 of nearly 400 B&Bs in Havana on Trip Advisor. It was one of the nicest places places I have every stayed, much more personal than a hotel, and a quarter of the price! 5 minute, $5 taxi ride to Old Havana.

 

The cruise was wonderful too.

 

Hazel:D

[Liz54]

Thanks Hazel. I will look into this for sure!

[Balloon Man]

We spent three nights pre-cruise at the Iberostar Parque Central in Havana. Very nice hotel but some of the lower rooms can be noisy. That's because the hotel is absolutely in the centre of the old town (it also has an exchange). You can walk everywhere. We also used the hoho bus and took a day long excursion to Vinales. However I understand there are some very good private hotels for much less money - and you won't be short of somewhere to eat as the centre is full of excellent bars and restaurants.

 

You do need time to explore Havana. I know some cruisers who got on the ship in Montego Bay regretted they had such a short time in Havana. That might be why so many of them are going back this year / next year on the Louis Cristal.

[Liz54]

We spent three nights pre-cruise at the Iberostar Parque Central in Havana. Very nice hotel but some of the lower rooms can be noisy. That's because the hotel is absolutely in the centre of the old town (it also has an exchange). You can walk everywhere. We also used the hoho bus and took a day long excursion to Vinales. However I understand there are some very good private hotels for much less money - and you won't be short of somewhere to eat as the centre is full of excellent bars and restaurants.

 

You do need time to explore Havana. I know some cruisers who got on the ship in Montego Bay regretted they had such a short time in Havana. That might be why so many of them are going back this year / next year on the Louis Cristal.

 

Thanks Balloon Man! We were looking at that one, but at the moment cannot get any pricing info on line. We thought 3 days would be good. Location is probably important as my knees are shot so I can only manage an hour or two of walking, but my husband will want to walk about 12 hours a day! Best if I can go back to the hotel from time to time! Also, I get great relief from pain by swimming. Do you think the pool is big enough for laps? Can you give me a sense of the range of Rates? I don't know why I can't get that, even a "dummy booking" for sooner, yields an error message!

[Balloon Man]

Well the rooftop pool at Parque Central isn't Olympic sized but it's much much larger than you will find on a ship! You should be able to do laps. And eating at the pool grill in the evening overlooking the city was great. I was able to Google the hotel without any problem.

 

There is also the hotel Angleterre (not sure of the spelling) across the square which I am told is less expensive but also good - can't speak for the pool. If you have mobility problems then being in the centre is important; but it costs (especially if you want a pool). The Havana beaches I saw were not conducive to swimming).

 

There are many hotels outside Old Havana that can be accessed via the hoho bus. But if hubby likes to walk then if you are away from the centre everything will be a long hike.

Edited April 3, 2014 by Balloon Man

[ONT-CA]

Liz54, the Hotel Inghilterra (The English Hotel) is in the heart of the city.

Top three photos:

http://i999.photobucket.com/albums/a...erhill/ttt.jpg

 

Built in 1875 is has a lot of charm but a lot to be desired. The roof top garden bar is a wonder at night and the dining room food was excellent, especially the breakfast buffet.

[ONT-CA]

Sorry that site should have read

 

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

 

No pool though

Edited April 3, 2014 by ONT-CA

[ONT-CA]

Another shot from the roof garden

 

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

[wu687]

I guess it is about time that we started a new thread for the 2014/2015 cruise season for the Louis Cristal. I tried to start one but couldn't figure it out. Balloon Man maybe you could take on the task of starting a new thread. ;):o

 

Gary S

Victoria BC

Canada

[ONT-CA]

I guess it is about time that we started a new thread for the 2014/2015 cruise season for the Louis Cristal. I tried to start one but couldn't figure it out. Balloon Man maybe you could take on the task of starting a new thread. ;):o

 

Gary S

Victoria BC

Canada

 

Before we leave though, could we identify which cabins have fridges and which if any do not? I was told three separate contradicting details on this. I know the suites have them for sure but would like to hear from others

[retiring soon]

HI all!

 

Why not just keep on this thread so it doesn't die? There's a lot of info to be shared here.

 

Our outside cabin had a fridge & kept things quite cold.

 

Glad to hear some of you are getting the suites you want & are booked again. We're happy with an outside cabin so will wait. My Alaska cruise ship doesn't have many balconies & the price for 1 is over $6K for 2 weeks so you're getting a good price for your suite.

 

~ Jo ~ :)

[wu687]

The suites all have refrigerators and unless things have changed, the only other unit that has a refrigerator are the deluxe outside staterooms (XE|)

 

See http://louiscruises.com/en/cruise-ships/cruise-ship/LC/louis-cristal.html

[retiring soon]

HI all!

 

Today I see an ad on the front page of Cruise Critic for the cruise.

 

Don't you think we could just keep this thread as it only says My Cuba Cruise so nothing about dates or years? This season people also started roll calls but they didn't amount to much with so few going.

 

Have a nice weekend.

 

~ Jo ~:)

[ONT-CA]

HI all!

Why not just keep on this thread so it doesn't die? There's a lot of info to be shared here.

Our outside cabin had a fridge & kept things quite cold.

Glad to hear some of you are getting the suites you want & are booked again. We're happy with an outside cabin so will wait. My Alaska cruise ship doesn't have many balconies & the price for 1 is over $6K for 2 weeks so you're getting a good price for your suite. ~ Jo ~ :)

 

Jo......shush.....you know that and we know that but do we want the bean counters to know that? :eek: I was not surprised at the fare increase but the early booking discount did help, however if that were not to be applied next year then the price approaches market and then there might not be such a rush to book as there was this year.

 

Is anyone having any difficulty in opening their booking number on line for verification and eventual deposit payment?

[Liz54]

I think we should stick with this thread. There is lots of good info for people like me who have not been yet.

 

I haven't been able to log on the "My Cuba Cruise" page either. They don't recognise my email address! (but they confirmed and sent docs to it!)

[wu687]

I think we should stick with this thread. There is lots of good info for people like me who have not been yet.

 

I haven't been able to log on the "My Cuba Cruise" page either. They don't recognise my email address! (but they confirmed and sent docs to it!)

 

The "My Cuba Cruise" seems to have had some work done on it, however it is not fully funcional yet.

 

You can select a date for sailing from Havana and can see what cabin/suites are available, however if you select a date for Montego Bay it indicates that "No category is available".

 

A quick check of available cabins for first sailing on 22 Dec shows 237 cabins available out of 480.

Edited April 5, 2014 by wu687

[wu687]

The "My Cuba Cruise" seems to have had some work done on it, however it is not fully funcional yet.

 

You can select a date for sailing from Havana and can see what cabin/suites are available, however if you select a date for Montego Bay it indicates that "No category is available".

 

A quick check of available cabins for first sailing on 22 Dec shows 237 cabins available out of 480.

 

My booking is for the 23 Jan out of Montego Bay and could not get past the "No category is available". I check the 19 Jan bookings for SI out of Havana and it indicated that SI 6200 was available. I believe that Liz has this one booked.

 

Maybe it will be fixed soon.

 

Gary

Victoria BC

[Liz54]

My booking is for the 23 Jan out of Montego Bay and could not get past the "No category is available". I check the 19 Jan bookings for SI out of Havana and it indicated that SI 6200 was available. I believe that Liz has this one booked.

 

Maybe it will be fixed soon.

 

Gary

Victoria BC

 

We are going on the 26 from Havana, and it is not showing as available. That would really have made me crazy. Sales sure are up over last year!

[wu687]

We are going on the 26 from Havana, and it is not showing as available. That would really have made me crazy. Sales sure are up over last year!

 

Sorry! For some reason I thought that you were going out of Havana on the 19th

 

Gary

[Liz54]

No problem Gary. I wonder how they make it work with ppl boarding in two ports. Easy when the ship is only half full, but could become a logistical nightmare. Do more people board in one place or the other?

[ONT-CA]

Although everything did work out well for us on this past cruise, because of the wonders of computers we were never really sure that our cabin would be available for us upon arrival in Havana. We also wondered whether we would be asked to leave the ship after the first week's cruise because that reservation remained "cancelled" throughout. Most frustrating when one has spent all that money and paid airfares. And it seems we may be going through something similar again this year because when we did get into the system, one of our two weeks is already "cancelled". Fortunately this time we have yet to put up any payment.

 

Jo, have not been able to locate the Cristal on her way home but see she is already booked for the Greek Islands, April 18th.

Edited April 5, 2014 by ONT-CA

[retiring soon]

Hi all!

 

Ron ~ sorry about that slip re prices.:o I tried tracking the Cristal the other day & didn't find her either. I'd love to take her in the Greek Islands.

Nice going for 2 weeks again!

 

Martha ~ I don't know if you can trust those figures about cabins available.

Last season they seemed all over the place. 20 Roads Scholars also got on at Cienfuegos & off at Santiago on our sailing & I'm wondering if getting on at Santiago would be an option.

 

I'll have to live vicariously through you all as we won't book 'til the fall or maybe even later.:(

 

Have a nice weekend.

 

~ Jo ~ :)

[wu687]

I think that a number of the regular cabins are blockled booked by the travel agencies, but not suites. I noticed on travel agencies web-site that they do not show suites.

[Balloon Man]

Retiring Soon: despite being the OP for Louis Cristal around Cuba, I have to say if you want to sail the Greek islands as a cruiser, rather than someone wanting to hop from one to another, there are many, many, better options.

 

She provided what we needed around Cuba - a comfortable ferry to see a lot of the island that was not available from the usual suspects. At the moment she has a captive market but that won't last when the US sanctions are lifted.

 

Which is a good reason to go now before they are!

 

I agree we should keep this thread going as it contains a lot of useful info. Why start from scratch?