Overall, a tight ship with nice amenities and pleasant servers, but disappointing in some respects; and not particularly good value for the money.

Our cabin, dubbed a “Penthouse Suite,” was certainly nice and roomy, but it was neither a penthouse nor a suite. The butler service was nice, but the butler himself gave a rather grumpy reception to all but the most basic requests.

Excursions were expensive, lackluster and uninspired. Far too much time was spent boarding, driving, shopping, etc., and there was far too little time on the ground with the sights and activities. The excursion to San Juan Hill, Santiago, for example, was a waste of time. Nothing much to see, and not much for the guide to say either, but it took nearly an hour getting there and back and walking around aimlessly. Similarly, the long drive to the Havana Cemetery was a bust. The time could have been much better spent walking through neighborhoods, driving by Havana’s unique, crumbling edifices, or just listening to live music in a cafe. Read more