Tuesday, April 2, 2024

10 of The Best Cruises in Cuba to Book Now

cuba on a cruise

Royal Caribbean will take care of providing each guest with a Cuban visa. The cost of a visa is $75 per person, and will be processed by the cruise line and will be waiting for you when you board the ship. You just need to sign an affidavit certifying participation in one of the ship’s excursions or ensure that you qualify for another category. The basilica is located on Plaza de San Francisco, one of the four main plazas in Old Town Havana.

Royal Caribbean cruises to Cuba

The show, Cubano, Cubano, runs from 10pm-12am with dancing until 2am. La Bodeguita del Medio lays claim as the birthplace of the mojito, though it is questionable if Hemingway was actually a regular here. El Floridita while a bit touristy, is a historic bar in Old Havana that is acclaimed to have the “Best Daiquiri in the World” by the man himself. Finally, the Ambos Mundos Hotel was also home to Hemingway in the 1930’s. His room, 511, is now a small museum with tours offered daily.

Majesty of the Seas

The productions are superb, and the costumes are amazing. It's worth the price of a ticket to see the chandelier headpieces worn by the showgirls in one number. With over 200 musicians, singers, and dancers, the show is non-stop fun. A few people may think it's a little hokey, but the Tropicana is a fantastic look back at club entertainment of the 1950s.

Vista al Golfo Bar

That being said, there are nearly endless things to do in Cuba. Yes, the embargo is still in place, but travel to Cuba is allowed for certain types of trips. But even on the trips that are allowed, travelers to Cuba may not use U.S. credit and debit cards during their travels (this was briefly allowed in 2016 and early 2017). As of June of 2022, those regulations allow twelve types of general travel authorizations, but retain the restriction on travel strictly for tourist activities. However, the short window of opportunity closed on June 5, 2019, when U.S. policy changes again blocked tourist travel to Cuba. Some ports of call, like Nice, France, were easy to get around, but others like Rome were packed to the gills.

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The Cuban people are happy to see you.

This square got its name from its role as the administrative center of Havana and where the military held its parades and drills. In the center of the Plaza is Cespedes Park, the same name as a downtown park in Santiago de Cuba. It was named for Carlos Manuel de Cespedes, the father of the war of independence from Spain. The Vista al Golfo Bar has photos of many of the famous people who have stayed at the Hotel Nacional de Cuba. Havana's Revolution Plaza is huge and has been the site of many political speeches and rallies.

cuba on a cruise

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If you are spending the evening in Havana, don’t miss the Cañonazo. This customary firing of the cannons that occurs nightly at 9pm has been maintained since colonial times signaling the closure of the gates in the city wall. Some cruise lines offer evening tours to the forts so you can experience this ceremony up close and personal. There are plenty of things to see and do in Havana that are all within walking distance of the cruise port. In fact, a walking tour of Old Havana, “La Habana Vieja”, is a popular shore excursion offered by the cruise lines.

Luckily for cruisers, the cruise lines will lump this mandatory coverage in with your cruise fare. In other words, simply by booking your cruise you have your required coverage, without having to find a policy that meets the Cuban government requirements. It is also viewed as the birthplace of the Cuban Revolution. The city has a beautiful mosaic of colonial architecture, including colorful parks, plazas, and cobblestone streets. Whether on a cruise or land, traveling to Cuba is a different world from what travelers are used to.

There is also a strong block of Cuban-American lawmakers, as well as Republican political leadership, who oppose normalization.

Cruise ships dock at the eastern edge of the island at the Sierra Maestra cruise terminal. From the cruise pier, you will go through customs and a money exchange bureau to convert your dollars into CUC money, which is the preferred mode of payment in the island. Odds are that whatever health insurance you have at home is not valid in Cuba.

The Jardines del Rey Archipelago is home to a rich diversity of flora and fauna, including palm trees, mangrove flowering plants, lions’ paws, cactus, and the world’s rarest butterfly. This is where you can enjoy swimming in beautiful clear waters or relaxing on one of the islands. All visitors to Cuba must use the CUC money, which was created especially for tourists (the locals have a separate currency). Due to the lack of ATMs and credit cards issued by American-owned banks in Cuba, you’ll need to carry cash in the form of Euros, American or Canadian dollars to exchange for CUC.

Fathom has two sea days, and Celestyal has one day at sea and one day at the beautiful beach of Maria La Gorda. Both cruises provide educational and cultural exchange opportunities for their guests. Although the Trump administration is tightening up individual travel, Cuba continues to approve cruise line sailings throughout 2018 and into 2019. For cruisers, this means you can book a shore excursion or tour that meets the requirements for this category of travel, either through the cruise line or a private company.

We spoke with three writers who just wrapped up cruises to Havana. Like U.S.-based mobile phone service, credit card service can be equally limited on the island. Restrictions on U.S. credit cards have been lifted but banks and merchants are still working out what’s needed to support them. There are two main currencies in Cuba  — the Cuban Peso (used by locals) and Cuban Convertible Peso (used by tourists).

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