Almost all the "People to People" tours start at $4000 per person. An incredible discount price offered to Florida residents in the heat of summer (I guess we are use to it), convinced us that this was a can't miss opportunity. And it was. It is impossible to separate the overall experience which was wonderful from the cruise ship experience which, with little effort, could have been better.

The ship, the former Renaissance 8, is similar in configuration to to the older Oceania ships. Public rooms are still spacious, beautifully finished and more intimate than the giant behemoths at sea these days. The cabins have ample storage space though not much room to move around or dine-in. Bathrooms are quite tight with small sinks. Balconies and built-in furniture show signs of age. But you won't spend much time there anyway. There are lectures, films, dance lessons, Spanish lessons, self-exploration groups, spa treatments and just plain hanging by the pool. There are NO casinos, or glitzy shows. The shops were pleasant, but lacked imagination. Though the watches and jewels were the exception, neither the crafts, nor the tee shirts were attractive, unusual or Cuba-specific.

Our shore experiences were top notch. Be aware that Adonia has NO control over the guide you will get....tours are run by Havanatour and the quality varies widely from a history professor with in-depth military background to recent grad spouting Socialist government scripts she memorized yesterday. Nevertheless, everyone saw and did whatever was important to see and do in the ports we visited. Adonia deserves HIGH praise for getting people off and on the ship with maximum efficiency. Not a second of your time is wasted! The "people to people" experiences included music, dance, art, and street conversations. I must warn that many of those experiences result in the donation of money (in any denomination and currency) from passengers to Cubans. Though discouraged by the Cuban government, many cannot survive without tips, gifts, donations and just plain old begging. Read more