Went on NCL's first Cuba trip. Good overall. Some glitches getting off ship in Cuba. Poorly organized as they did nothing to help those without ship excursions to get off the ship in a timely manner. They push you to the stern of the ship where everyone with paid excursions is suppose to wait while exiting closer to the front. It was unnecessary for them to confuse everyone as they did. They pick by group number, but the problem is, they don't want a bunch of people hanging near the exit so they push everyone into one of the big entertainment areas farther away. They really cater to those who pay for an excursion through the ship vrs what they call "independent's", everyone who didn't.

Cuba was very interesting, but a couple of days and you've pretty much seen it. Nice buildings, nice people for the most part. What is interesting is there is really nothing there to buy outside trinkets. The stores have little inventory and for the locals, you may or may not have money to buy goods, but if you do, the goods simply are not there to buy. The government is totally inept and it isn't because of the embargo for so many years. They trade with Mexico, Central , South America and Europe and they still cannot get it together. Tourism will not rescue them anytime soon as they simply do not have the infrastructure to accommodate them, so for now, the ships are the only hotels that can house additional tourists over what they had prior to American's coming to visit. The people are very ingenious with what they do have and get. They can and do make anything over time as they have the time but not the inventory or goods to purchase. It is very 3rd world and locked in 1959 as far as the infrastructure.

NCL is a good cruise lines and the people who work the SKY are amazing and friendly. The food is what you would expect, not gourmet, but good for the most part. The drinks were included and they did not hold back. We were always served within a minute of walking up to any bar. Good service everywhere. The Cay was nice enough, we didn't do anything other then hang out at the beach. I just wish they let those who did not pay for a ship sponsored excursion the same as those who did.