Tips for NCL Sky trip to Cuba (based on June 2017 trip)

[SAPMAN]

Went on Sky last week. Here is some info to help you plan:

Getting CUC Cuban money was very easy. Right at the port after security. But if you have Euros, pounds, or Canadian dollars, you save the 10% surcharge they now have for US $$. You can convert back if you want to after you return to ship on Day 2.

There are only 2 docks in Havana (one on either side of the terminal) - so only 2 ships maximum. Actually there are 6 docks, but 4 are dilapidated and cannot be used. The port is right in middle of the Old Havana - so short walk to many squares, parks, forts, etc. Very safe.

We went to the Parisian show at the Hotel National the first night. NCL charges $88 per person incl a bus ride. We had our guide stop at Hotel National and we bought show tickets inside for $35 each. Then that evening we took an old car taxi (not the yellow cabs) that line up across the street from the port. I told them Hotel National and 10 CUC and they said ok. About a 10-15 minute scenic ride. Show runs 10pm - 11:30pm We took taxi there at 8:15pm and had a mojito on the beautiful back lawn overlooking the sea with music. If you go with NCL, you sit in the back as a group - we sat close to the front with our individual tickets. After show was over, they had dancing and music which we stayed around for a bit. NCL group all had to get back on bus. We then took a yellow taxi back to port afterward for 15 CUCs.

Getting off the next day was a breeze. No lines. We took Hop On Hop Off bus that stops in front of port. 10 CUC per person. The first half to the huge cemetery is interesting. The 2nd half is not much. The bus returns the same route, so easy to get back on a returning bus. We eventually got off at Central Park (Parc Central??) and walked back to port (15 minutes). Had lunch at a very interesting and nice place on way back. If lost, ask anyone for Plaza San Francisco.

If you download Havana from City2Go, you can use cell phone to track where you are and follow as the car or bus or walking. Just turn Location on and open the app. Worked great - but keep phone charged up.

Here are my tips

1. To disembark early in Cuba and if not on a NCL excursion, get to the hand out of numbers for disembarking about 25 minutes before announced time. The line gets long and you will not get a low number if you wait. They start handing out on time and it only takes a short time once the line starts moving. Ours started at 7am. I was in line at 6:40 and got Group #3 (but we were lucky they called groups 1-3 when getting off).

2. Go to Atrium (by Customer Services) about 30 minutes before scheduled disembarking - with passport and disembarking tickets and ship card. They started about 10 min late and took 50% NCL excursions and 50% independent travelers - so we were probably # 20 to get off.

3. Once off the ship, there are about a dozen "stations" for immigration passport control. Line up and wait until called. It takes about 1 to 2 minutes PER PERSON. They take your visa (both parts), take your picture, and stamp your passport. You do not need visa later on (they just look at passport stamp) -- getting off or on the ship goes very fast.

4. You then go through security, but pretty fast process.

5. Continue straight to currency exchange. This took us about 3-5 minutes total - no problem. But again, we were one of first off the ship, and it could be longer if you do not get off early. If you have Euro, Canadian, British pounds, you get a much better rate (US $$ have a 10% surcharge). (There is a restroom to Left of currency exchange area, if you need one - I used it to put Cuba extra CUCs in my moneybelt). They gave us mostly 10 CUCs ($10) bills, so no problem with large bills. Few Cuban will take US $$ as hard for them to exchange.

5a. We left ship Atrium area about 8:15am and were out on the street about 8:40am. Again we were close to 1st in line, which helped.

6. What to take: An umbrella for sun, sunscreen, map, list of places to go, moneybelt for extra cash and passports (not that we saw any crime at all), sunglasses, and your smile.

7. We used a private excursion called Havana Journeys - havanajourneys dot com. You can google it. If you can, get Ana; she speaks excellent English and a very friendly college graduate about 24 years old. Goes where you want to. It was a super deal with guided walking tour for 2- 3 hours in the Old City and then added a driver for another 3+ hours for about $100 (100 CUC) total for 6 hours!! I gave a nice tip as it was such a great deal. We met Ana on far side of square (Plaza San Francisco) directly across from the port by a statue of Chopin sitting on a bench. We scheduled to meet her 10am as we were unsure when we would get off ship. But were early so wandered around a bit as many things to see near the port. Returned in car about 4pm right at the port entry. And Ana can take you to a nice lunch place - just let her know what type of place you want. We went to an excellent inexpensive place and, I think, were the only tourists there!!

Cuba felt very safe everywhere we went. Do some advance planning and you can see a lot in 2 days!

[easyboy]

That is a very helpful guide! Will relay this to a friend sailing this month.

Thanks for taking the time and sharing.

Bookmarked!

 

 

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[ginabab]

Nice write up Thanks

[hannibal54]

There are only 2 docks in Havana (one on either side of the terminal) - so only 2 ships maximum. Actually there are 6 docks, but 4 are dilapidated and cannot be used. The port is right in middle of the Old Havana - so short walk to many squares, parks, forts, etc. Very safe.

 

When we were there on the Sky, we saw another small cruise ship anchored in the bay. I agree, only 2 ships can dock there at a time, we were next to the Fathom.

[EatonDoolittle]

Thanks for posting the info on the Hotel National show. I'm sailing on RCCL, they do not offer this as an excursion, instead they bus the herds to the Tropicana for almost $200.

I appreciate the taxi info as well.

 

I was able to reserve and prepay the show online for $35.00, and I too plan on going early for a mojito or 2. :D

 

Did you bring home any rum? If so, how strict was customs back in Miami regarding limits?

[princeton12321]

There's no limit on rum or cigars- we brought close to a case back and they just smile and send you on your way.

 

 

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[EatonDoolittle]

There's no limit on rum or cigars- we brought close to a case back and they just smile and send you on your way.

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Good to hear, thanks.

[VidaNaPraia]

Yes, in October 2016, Obama lifted the previous limit of U$100 on rum and cigars for personal use.

[Snit13]

We plan to do dinner and show at Hotel Nacional when we sail in October on RCCL. When you booked on line, did you pay with credit card?

[bcaha]

thanks so much for posting this!

[EatonDoolittle]

We plan to do dinner and show at Hotel Nacional when we sail in October on RCCL. When you booked on line, did you pay with credit card?

 

Yes. It looks like it goes through a European bank, or a European version of PayPal.

My bank has a pretty aggressive anti fraud system, so they did immediately email me to verify if it was legit. I said yes, and it showed up correctly on my statement the next day.

 

Very easy.

They emailed a confirmation, which I printed and will bring along. If you change the web page to US Dollars, and English, it's much simpler (I was going back and forth to Google translate until I figured this out).

[Clover Girl]

Thank you so much for all the tips!

[rkaplan]

Thank you so much for so much great information. We are looking for to our trip in October.

 

 

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[Snit13]

Yes. It looks like it goes through a European bank, or a European version of PayPal.

My bank has a pretty aggressive anti fraud system, so they did immediately email me to verify if it was legit. I said yes, and it showed up correctly on my statement the next day.

 

Very easy.

They emailed a confirmation, which I printed and will bring along. If you change the web page to US Dollars, and English, it's much simpler (I was going back and forth to Google translate until I figured this out).

 

Thank you so much for your most useful information. I use Celebrity Visa thru Bof A so maybe I should notify them first. They do know I travel frequently and are not surprised when out of area charges appear.

[gail245]

Thanks for posting the info on the Hotel National show. I'm sailing on RCCL, they do not offer this as an excursion, instead they bus the herds to the Tropicana for almost $200.

I appreciate the taxi info as well.

 

I was able to reserve and prepay the show online for $35.00, and I too plan on going early for a mojito or 2. :D

 

Did you bring home any rum? If so, how strict was customs back in Miami regarding limits?

 

Great Info! Did you get the show tickets on the Hotel Nacional website or a somewhere else? If so, can you please provide a link. I looked on the hotel site, but could only make room reservations from what I could see. Many thanks!

[EatonDoolittle]

Great Info! Did you get the show tickets on the Hotel Nacional website or a somewhere else? If so, can you please provide a link. I looked on the hotel site, but could only make room reservations from what I could see. Many thanks!

 

Here's the web site - I actually emailed the regular reservations person and he was nice enough to re-direct me. I heard from him within an hour, so the internet is evidently available, for some anyway :)

 

The show is under the "Offers" tab

 

http://www.hotelnacional-decuba.com/

 

Someone was concerned about the smoking situation, so I'll report back on that, as well as the whole experience. I leave in 10 days