Cuba & Eastern Caribbean cruise

[Rickster50]

Hi All,

 

Thank you for your replies regarding my post on Cuba and the Caribbean.

We are in the process of booking some tours of these ports thru Holland America. My question here is whether any of you folks have booked tours privately for Cienfuegos, St Thomas and San Juan. The Holland America tours of these 3 ports look ok but....do the private tours offer more?

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

 

Rick

[TN Fem]

We booked a private tour for Cienfuegos https://www.havana60.com/tours/trinidad-y-cienfuegos/ 

 

We went to San Juan pre-Maria but it is such a wonderful place. 

 

[ChinaShrek]

I booked a private tour in Cienfuegos through Caribbean Pearl Tours:  https://www.caribbeanpearltours.com/

 

The tour was very good.  In planning your tour, be advised that Cienfuegos is a tender port and HAL will allow people on their tour off of the ship first. 

[Sue from Canada]

FYI - I did HAL's sailing that included Cuba last month.  The line-ups in Cienfuegos for Cuban CUCs were very long.  I got off the ship at 10 am and it took me 40 minutes before I got my CUCs (faster in Havana cruise terminal to exchange money).   Best to bring Euros or Canadian bills as there is a 10% hit on USD and the exchange officers were very fussy is there was any mark or minute tears on the bills - they'd refuse to take.  Note:  There is a trolley at the port that is only 5 or 10 CUCs for an hour long tour - very interesting.  Also some craft booths to buy souvenirs.  I plan on doing this cruise again as I want to go back to the two Cuban ports.