Sightseeing in Havana, a short review

[tallyho8]

I just returned from Cuba on a cruise on the Norwegian Sky that stayed overnight in Havana. This was one of the most remarkable cities I have ever seen. We took a hop on hop off bus the first day that was parked right outside the terminal exit for 10 CUCs per person and the ride was about 2 1/2 hours.

 

Some people have complained that the buildings look rundown compared to many American cities but you have to realize that Havana was founded more than 250 years before New York City and many of the buildings are about 400 years old. The architecture is amazing with buildings covered with statues and amazing detail of all kinds. These ancient buildings look like a Rembrandt in comparison to the skyscrapers in Miami that look like a child designed them.

 

Instead of tearing down these beautiful historic structures, they preserve them until the time when they can be fully restored as nothing this magnificent could ever be built in modern times. Having some of the finest schools and best education facilities has been the priority in Cuba over restoring dilapidated buildings.

 

The second day I walked across the street from the terminal to San Francisco Plaza and down the road a few blocks to the huge artisans market, Alcamenes de San Jose, where they sell many local art works plus souvenirs of all kinds. The merchants were very friendly, but, of course, there were many of them asking you to look at the items they had for sale. A simple no gracias, and there was no pressure after that and most of the items I saw were very cheap compared to most islands in the Caribbean.

 

I felt much safer there than almost anywhere I have been in the Caribbean and hope to go back there soon to visit some of the other cities. After I find a good place to host my photos I will post many of them on this forum.

[garlictown]

Sounds great ! :):D:cool:

Question: Did the Hop On Hop Off bus have commentaries in English as well as French ? My husband's aunt will be traveling with us and that's her first language.

[cruisin from vegas]

Does the hop on hop off bus satisfy the people to people requirement,? How did you get around that?

[cruisin from vegas]

Also, how did you just go to the market on the second day, without satisfying the people to people requirement? 'According to Carnival and NCL you cannot do that? ( I know they want to sell you expensive excursions). I am very interested how that worked, as it is exactly what I want to do.

[FredZiffle]

Don't get hung up on the People to People requirement. Just check Support of the Cuban People on your affidavit and do what you want in port.

 

I have read that you really can't hear the guide on the HOHO bus very well anyway, so it may not matter what language they use. My guess is English though, since they are catering to tourists.

[tallyho8]

The Hop on hop off bus narrated in Spanish only. This did not bother me even though I don't speak Spanish because I didn't want to hear as much as I wanted to see all that was around me. We did the Hop on hop off bus in Miami also and after awhile I removed the ear buds from my ears because the lame narration was more irritating than it was informative. The bus narrator will give you a small map of the bus route showing you where it stops and many of the interesting places on the route but I went on the internet and printed up a much better and larger map of the route and places I wanted to see and with that map needed no narration to tell me what and where things were.

 

You are supplied with a list of businesses that are State owned in Havana that you are not allowed to visit. This includes many hotels and lots of other establishments. If the place you want to go to is not on the list then it is not owned by the government and when you frequent it you are supporting the Cuban people, encouraging them to favor Capitalism over Communism.

 

The cruise lines want you to use their very expensive shore excursions and will tell you that their excursions meet all the requirements and that they will keep records of them for 5 years and that excursions that you do on your own might not meet the requirements and that you have to then keep records of what you did and where you went for 5 years.

 

But all excursions that you do on your own, busses, taxis, markets or tours, will satisfy requirements of support for the Cuban people as long as it does not benefit a Cuban government owned business that is on the list they give to you, mostly which you would not want to go to anyway.

[skateycat]

thanks for this great review. leave a week from tomorrow out of tampa for an overnight on the rcci majesty of the seas.

[Arzeena]

I just returned from Cuba on a cruise on the Norwegian Sky that stayed overnight in Havana. This was one of the most remarkable cities I have ever seen. We took a hop on hop off bus the first day that was parked right outside the terminal exit for 10 CUCs per person and the ride was about 2 1/2 hours.

 

Some people have complained that the buildings look rundown compared to many American cities but you have to realize that Havana was founded more than 250 years before New York City and many of the buildings are about 400 years old. The architecture is amazing with buildings covered with statues and amazing detail of all kinds. These ancient buildings look like a Rembrandt in comparison to the skyscrapers in Miami that look like a child designed them.

 

Instead of tearing down these beautiful historic structures, they preserve them until the time when they can be fully restored as nothing this magnificent could ever be built in modern times. Having some of the finest schools and best education facilities has been the priority in Cuba over restoring dilapidated buildings.

 

The second day I walked across the street from the terminal to San Francisco Plaza and down the road a few blocks to the huge artisans market, Alcamenes de San Jose, where they sell many local art works plus souvenirs of all kinds. The merchants were very friendly, but, of course, there were many of them asking you to look at the items they had for sale. A simple no gracias, and there was no pressure after that and most of the items I saw were very cheap compared to most islands in the Caribbean.

 

I felt much safer there than almost anywhere I have been in the Caribbean and hope to go back there soon to visit some of the other cities. After I find a good place to host my photos I will post many of them on this forum.

 

Thanks for posting this review. I am looking forward to seeing your photos.

[cpayne]

Do you happen to have a link to the map you printed pre cruise and used for your walking "adventure"? Would like to find a detailed map to assist us during our 1.5 days there onboard RCL Empress.

 

Thanks.

[tallyho8]

Do you happen to have a link to the map you printed pre cruise and used for your walking "adventure"? Would like to find a detailed map to assist us during our 1.5 days there onboard RCL Empress.

Thanks.

 

I just used this Google map for walking around and you can always zoom in to see more places listed:

 

https://www.google.com/maps/@23.1377301,-82.3575905,15.62z

[tallyho8]

Here are maps of the Hop On Hop Off bus routes. T1 is the City route for 10 CUC and T3 is the beach route for 5 CUC.

 

https://docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/218248_34037389f241430b8a9296f7807aabd7.pdf

 

https://docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/218248_1338fc88884b4df4bbeb06e50ce1a598.pdf

[candydane]

From the map, looks like Hop On beach route goes both directions on the same route. Is that correct?

[jdvmd]

Thanks for your comments. Heading to Havana on the 14th.

[tallyho8]

From the map, looks like Hop On beach route goes both directions on the same route. Is that correct?

 

Yes it is.

[crimsonbird]

Here are maps of the Hop On Hop Off bus routes. T1 is the City route for 10 CUC and T3 is the beach route for 5 CUC.

 

https://docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/218248_34037389f241430b8a9296f7807aabd7.pdf

 

https://docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/218248_1338fc88884b4df4bbeb06e50ce1a598.pdf

Does the hoho bus take US dollars? And, is there really 42 steps up from the cruise terminal to the street. We have some limited mobility? Thanks so much.

[jdvmd]

Does the hoho bus take US dollars? And, is there really 42 steps up from the cruise terminal to the street. We have some limited mobility? Thanks so much.

You need CUCs to pay for the HOHO bus. Can exchange right in cruise terminal before you walk down the stairs to the street. Elevators not working.

[tallyho8]

The elevators were working when we were there. Might be a temporary thing.

[jdvmd]

The elevators were working when we were there. Might be a temporary thing.

We were there one month ago.

[Arzeena]

The elevators were working when we were there. Might be a temporary thing.

 

Elevators were also working when we there in the end of June.

[RiverBlues]

Some people have complained that the buildings look rundown compared to many American cities but you have to realize that Havana was founded more than 250 years before New York City and many of the buildings are about 400 years old. The architecture is amazing with buildings covered with statues and amazing detail of all kinds. These ancient buildings look like a Rembrandt ......

Instead of tearing down these beautiful historic structures, they preserve them until the time when they can be fully restored as nothing this magnificent could ever be built in modern times.

 

IMO some Americans would like to feel justified making a political point that Cuba is a failed Communist state and the poor condition of the iconic Colonial infrastructure in Havana proves it.

However, if anyone has traveled to any tropical city with a historic district of similar age, you can see for yourself that the condition of Colonial era buildings has to do with advanced age and particularly with climate, more than lack of money for recent upkeep. Examples might be the crumbling Colonial buildings in the Pelourinho district of Salvador, Brazil or in the Reviver district in Sao Luis there, both tropical cities; even with money invested in them, the climate continually causes damage to these magnificent structures.

[Cruisin’A]

Great review, thank you!

[cruisin'rose]

Here are maps of the Hop On Hop Off bus routes. T1 is the City route for 10 CUC and T3 is the beach route for 5 CUC.

 

 

 

https://docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/218248_34037389f241430b8a9296f7807aabd7.pdf

 

 

 

https://docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/218248_1338fc88884b4df4bbeb06e50ce1a598.pdf

 

 

 

How long does it take to get to the beach? When is the last bus going back? I am wondering if our tour is over at 3:30, if we could go to the beach for a little while.

 

 

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