Let me begin this review by saying that anyone who travels to Cuba needs to be flexible or choose a different destination...the Cuban government imposes changes on cruise ship schedules, which is no fault of the cruise line and those changes can/will happen to any cruise ship. Our Pearl Mist voyage had two major changes: 1) We sailed in a clockwise direction (the opposite of the planned schedule) ...
We, as most of the passengers on this ship, choose it because it promised so much time on land in Cuba. THAT was LAST year, NO LONGER. We were in Cuba ONLY 3.5 days. And the ship constantly blamed the government when that was not usually the case. Crew members readily admitted that they could not remember ever being on land for seven days.
Furthermore, we are cruisers who typically sail with ...
Our cruise on the Pearl Mist was a serious disappointment, for two reasons.
First, we didn't get the cruise for which we signed up. We reserved on information indicating that we would spend two full days and an evening of entertainment in Havana, and then one full day each in Santiago, Trinidad de Cuba and Cienfuegos. Instead, we got a half day and the evening of entertainment in Havana and an ...
I understand that travel to Cuba is not totally predictable, but an unpredictable Cuban government is very different than a deceptive itinerary. Our "Planned Cruise Itinerary" says we will have a "day of cruising" only twice during the entire cruise. The reality was 2.5 days of cruising out of Fort Lauderdale and a total of 5 days of cruising. We were told the only change was the time in Havana ...
We chose this cruise because it was to go to 5 Cuban ports and included 2 days in Havana. The cruise operation is a bit sloppy. Embarkation was a zoo including slow process for turning in passports and getting aboard at 7:00 PM. First were told there would be no dinner but food in lounges. Then last minute change to offer minimum dinner in dining room. The "hotel" aspect of the cruise was ...
This tour was advertised as 11 days, comprehensive tour of Cuba. We actually had 2 full days and 2 half days in Cuba. The ship was not stable in rough waters. The elevators often did not work and were shut down. Our stateroom was on the 4th. floor and when the ship rocked the drawers flew open. We were told to stay in our room for one whole day because of the roughness, food was delivered to ...
Summary
This Cuba “experience” is marred by deceptive advertising, bait-and-switch promises and on-ship excuses. Look at Oceania cruises for alternative Cuba cruises recommended by people who have gone on both. The bottom line is that while shipboard accommodations are excellent, this small ship is at the mercy of the Cuban government, which favors larger ships in its limited ports. You don’t ...
The Pearl Mist and Pearl Seas Cruise Line represent a missed opportunity. This cruise missed the mark in several ways, but fulfilled many of my main goals for the cruise: the food was great and so was the room turn-down service. Every day the dining room was open for about 2 hours for each meal. There was no assigned seating and it was never dressy. The service was expedient and the food was ...
We wanted to experience Cuba before it gets too commercial so we booked a 12day/11 night cruise on the Pearl Mist. We ended up being on Cuban soil only 4 days of the entire trip, and they added Freeeport, Bahamas for the 5th day off the ship; way too much time at sea. While Cuba itself was fantastic, the food on the ship was very good and it was very clean, it was completely unacceptable that ...
Their Cuba itinerary is a straight flat lie!
They publish as if they are having 7 excursion days in the island of Cuba, out of 12 total cruise days.
We actually got only 3 excursion days! (2 full days and 2 half days) in Cuba. Not to mention that they cruise during the day and dock at night, instead of cruising at night and leaving the days for touring.
There was nothing to do onboard ...