Havana Journeys wants USD for payment

[jdvmd]

I also posted this on the NCL board but have gotten no responses.

We are on the NCL Sky and will be in Havana in a few weeks. Yesterday, I contacted a few private tour operators including Havana Journeys, which has great reviews on TripAdvisor and here. They want to be paid in USD for the tour.

Everything I have read everywhere else indicates that dollars need to be exchanged into CUCs. Why would they want USD? Will I get into trouble for doing so? The email indicated that we will need CUCs for meals and any other expenses but for the tour and guide, USD.

There was also this: "Havana Journeys only hires legal taxi drivers who pay taxes to the Cuban government."

I was in Havana 1.5 years ago and had to use CUCs everywhere.

If you look at their website, it also indicates that CUCs are to be used and that they will even take you to a bank to officially exchange but in their email reply, they have indicated 15 separate times that they want USD!

[victory2020]

I used Havanjourneys last September & will be again next week. They asked for & we paid in CUCs last time. I just looked at my confirmation & it did say 100 dollars, first communication we has said CUCs. I'm going to confirm dollars, as it is easier (and cheaper without conversion fees).

[WestfieldTraveler]

Actually, it's hard to imagine that the Cuban government would be willing to fogo their 3% (or 13%) off the top for any money that is paid by a tourist to anyone. But there has been a move to eliminate the CUC for a while so maybe folks in Cuba would rather hold on to a more stable currency, per the below story in the Miami Herald

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/world/americas/cuba/article207829599.html

[nmyorkiemom]

My confirmation for 5/21 says 100 CUC for 2 people in hardtop