Cuba

[salty dingo]

Just saw the announcement that Sunshine will sail to Cuba from Charleston. It's a great location to drive to and somewhere we have not been.

 

Nice to see a Passport is required here... will keep out those too cheap to buy one, so it could raise the bar for the type of passenger you would see.

 

Downside is the Cuba port makes you spend $75 per person on a stupid visa. My passport costs $110 and is good for ten years, to travel anywhere, but Cuba wants $75 for a few hours? Not a good deal.

 

Also, Carnival is hawking their own excursions (which I never buy) as a way to meet entry requirements. So add an extra expense for that.

 

Finally, it's only a 5 day max cruise from Charleston. This had a lot of potential, but we won't be heading to Cuba now. Just not worth it.

[goofycruiser]

We went to Cuba last October on the Paradise. It was well worth the extra expense! What an amazing place that we could not go to for so many years. We already have passports but still needed the visa. We took a Carnival tour to fulfill the requirement for visitors. It was a once in a lifetime trip and I am so glad we went! It was 5 days so we added another 5 day cruise to Key West and Cozumel as a BToB. We left from Miami. Sailing into Havana is breathtaking!

[cruzeluver]

We will more than likely book despite some of the issues. We are 20 minutes from Port of Charleston and already have passports. I agree that the passport requirement will help with the clientele which should be nice.

[CruisingNole]

If the $75 Visa is too cost prohibitive for you, a cruise might not be the best use of your money.

[mdsgu]

We booked a 5 day cruise to Cuba (but on RC) for this summer. Yes, you have to buy the visa -- but there are other countries that would require you to do the same. We will book a ship excursion to meet the entry requirements and it makes us feel safer doing that since diplomatic relations between the US and Cuba are still shaky at best. We are taking our two kids as it is definitely a once-in-a-lifetime experience. We imagine that Havana will become more and more commercialized before too long, so to see it now is exciting.

[salty dingo]

Sailing into Havana is breathtaking!

Sailing into any port is breathtaking to me. Going into Georgetown, Bermuda on a small cruise ship was probably the best ever... you get so close to the shore you can look down into people's back yards and see what they are watching on TV in the house.

[salty dingo]

If the $75 Visa is too cost prohibitive for you, a cruise might not be the best use of your money.

No, it is not cost prohibitive at all. It's just not a good value when all the other Carib ports do not have this fee. The port charges for the 5 day cruise were over $180 pp as well. Not good value at all compared to other options. Of course, if your sole objective is to check Cuba off your bucket list, it is probably a good value for that.

[cruisin from vegas]

Will be going to Cuba in september on the Paradise...can't wait! Many many countries require a visa to enter, some less in price some more. For me, well worth it to visit any foreign country. You don't have to use Carnival for excursions (you actually don't even HAVE to take an excursion...but there are lots of threads on this under Cuba Port of Call). Private tours much much les expensive. The Cuban people are wonderful, kind and appreciative of the new tourism. The restrictions put in as of 6/2017 are US, vey political with this administration...but I won't go into that...it's all about $$$$, these conditions are monitored by the US Treasury dept. (IRS)... that won't stop me.

[riffatsea]

Although we are platinum on Carnival , we have opted for a 7 day Cuba cruise on Oceania. I wanted a cruise that spent more than 1 day in Cuba. This one has 2 full days in Havana with an overnight and then goes to 2 other cities in Cuba. There is more to see there than the typical Caribbean island where folks just want beach time.

[nutterbutter818]

I think a trip to Cuba is more worthwhile if you fly into Havana and stay a few days. There is just too much to see. We went last October for five days and will probably go again. That being said, any cruise is awesome so I won't exclude it as a possibility. You will probably get more out of it if you go on an itinerary that has an overnight in Havana. I believe I saw one on NCL and on RCI but have yet to see one on CCL.

[cruisin from vegas]

Carnival offers overnight in Cuba in 4/5 day trips. My trip 9/20/2018 on the Paradise is an overnight stay in Cuba...I wish it was longer though

[CruisingNole]

Of course, if your sole objective is to check Cuba off your bucket list, it is probably a good value for that.

 

As another poster mentioned, if Cuba is in fact on your bucket list, a land trip is probably the way to go. I'd like to visit Cuba but there's so much to see/do that I think I'd leave feeling a little cheated if I went on a cruise and only had a day in port.

 

Hopefully one day...

[Micahs Grandad]

Would like to go but not for one day trip. Would either do 7 day cruise with 4-5 days there or perhaps do it as land trip

[salty dingo]

I think a trip to Cuba is more worthwhile if you fly into Havana and stay a few days. There is just too much to see.

I agree, a quick day trip won't cut it, particularly with the visa fee. Need to have a cruise that goes directly to Cuba and stays there until it returns... like some of the Bermuda cruises do.

[K&RCurt]

We are booked on the Paradise to Cuba next year.

 

I just wanted to point out that you DO NOT have to book shore excursions through Carnival to meet the legal requirements. When you fill out the affidavit you have to check the box "Support of the Cuban People" instead of the "People to People" that the cruise lines operate their tours under. There will be a list of places and venues where you can't go and spend money, which are operated by the Cuban Government. You CAN and SHOULD use independent tour operators, restaurants and merchants. Patronizing these establishments supports the idea of capitalism and conforms to the requirement to "Support the Cuban People."

[Chris1088]

You are glad a passport is required bc the additional cost will keep the riff raff out, but are bothered by the visa fee? 😂

 

I went last summer. It was a great experience and well worth the $75.

[CruisingNole]

We are booked on the Paradise to Cuba next year.

 

I just wanted to point out that you DO NOT have to book shore excursions through Carnival to meet the legal requirements. When you fill out the affidavit you have to check the box "Support of the Cuban People" instead of the "People to People" that the cruise lines operate their tours under. There will be a list of places and venues where you can't go and spend money, which are operated by the Cuban Government. You CAN and SHOULD use independent tour operators, restaurants and merchants. Patronizing these establishments supports the idea of capitalism and conforms to the requirement to "Support the Cuban People."

 

The cruiselines are using it as a scare tactic to sell excursions (shocker). I've read up quite a bit on the NCL and RC cruises to Cuba as I almost took one. 100% of reports were that no one gives a flip what you do once you step off that ship. As with any excursion, go local. Book nothing through the cruiseline unless it's something on one of their private islands.

[A&Jfamily]

If it coincides with my sons' spring breaks, I am on the 5 day...one day stop or not. That is a bucket list item and to be able to take my kids there - cost effectively - would be wonderful!

[sbcatcher1]

We went to Cuba last October on the Paradise. It was well worth the extra expense! What an amazing place that we could not go to for so many years. We already have passports but still needed the visa. We took a Carnival tour to fulfill the requirement for visitors.

 

Which excursion did you take? We are going this Oct. My husband will only take a Carnival excursion in Cuba this time.

[riffatsea]

As I mentioned in my earlier post Oceania(very different atmosphere than Carnival) has 7 day cruises round trip from Miami , that spend 4 full days in Cuba with 2 in Havana and an overnight.

My sister and bro in law did a land tour but we are not into being on a bus at a certain time in the AM and changing hotels.

This way we have one hotel, the ship! I agree that you not have to book ship tours. Once you are there you can get off and book private tours or do your own thing!

[newcruiser1956]

I am going on NCL next month. Worth $75 to me to get to go there.