Exchanging currency in Cuba

[solar panels]

I'll be on the NCL Sky in August. Have booked an excursion that starts at 9 am. Is there time and a place to exchange currency before I start?

[hawkeyetlse]

There is currency exchange available in the cruise terminal. Are you on an NCL tour or a private tour? The issue with an NCL tour is that they will probably lead you as a group off the ship and right to the bus. Maybe they will let everyone stop and change money first, but I kind of doubt it.

 

If it's a private tour, the first reports from the Sky in Havana suggest that you have to wait for all the ship's tours to get off first, so you probably can't be off the ship and through customs and change money in time for a 9am tour.

 

We exited the terminal at 10 am among the first few non shore excursion folks.

 

Customs took about 20-25 minutes. Money exchange took maybe 10-15 minutes.

[solar panels]

Thanks. This is a private tour. I'll have to check back with them about time. Very helpful!

[TruckerDave]

Just curious as to why you would need to exchange money. Unless you want some local currency for a souvenir (raises hand as being guilty of that) I'm assuming just some small us dollars would be more that useful.

[hawkeyetlse]

Maybe to pay for their tour?

[solar panels]

Won't I need Cuban currency to purchase rum and cigars?

[Profjej]

I was on Norwegian's maiden cruise to Cuba May 1 on the Sky. When we arrived in Cuba, they called us to disembark according to our tour group, but each of us had to go individually through immigration at the terminal. Once through the passport stamping and metal detectors, there was an area in the terminal for changing money: probably a dozen stalls all manned by terminal employees. It went pretty quickly. There was plenty of time to change money before rendezvousing with the tour group downstairs outside the terminal.

 

Hope this helps!

[jtdlmc]

Been to Cuba many times. They take US currency everywhere and credit cards except those owned by a US bank. Little road side craft tables and things like that may not, but tours and most other places will. I don't think I have ever changed currency over to CUCs.

[Son of a son of a ...]

USD will work

[goldenrod]

US currency is taken everywhere! In Cuba.

 

 

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[solar panels]

Thank you all for your help!

[NMG318]

US currency is taken everywhere! In Cuba.

 

 

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La Casa del Habano?