This cruise is all about the destination. Visiting Cuba now is easy and enlightening. NCL took care of obtaining your visa so no problem there. They also offer a wide variety of tours which I will comment on. Take: classic car tours ($$); evening walking tour (excellent) includes a stop at the original Sloppy Joe's - and you get free drink and a sloppy joe!!; tours of Havana (except as noted below) are well done and the guides speak English; UNESCO heritage tour ($$ and 10 hours); Tropicana night club includes a bottle of rum for your table; Hemingway tour includes a visit to his favorite hotel. Three sites not to miss: the cemetery (148 acres of beautiful statuary and history), revolution square and the old fort and statue of the Christ overlooking the harbors.

In my opinion the tour to AVOID is the rum and cigar tour..rum factory in misnomer..more of a visit to a store to buy rum and cigars. I did inform NCL of my displeasure and they actually gave me a partial refund..

Havana itself is at the same time beautiful and sad. The buildings, for the most part,are in need of repair as the salt air is taking its toll. Since everything is run and controlled by the government, repairs are last on the list. According to one of my guides, the Russian departure in 1990 really caused major problems...but that is a history lesson. Read more