OK if you’re 70 or older, don’t mind small marginally outfitted staterooms. Good food but the new automatic tipping process may have made taken service down a notch - definitely skip Cuba unless you just need to see it for your “bucket list”
Embarkation
4 out of 5
The usual cattle call with reasonably helpful HAL employees ensuring that the livestock made it through
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
4 out of 5
The food was better than average compared w other cruise ships and a very nice variety and of course, quantity. The main dining room experience varied greatly ranging from quick and efficient to one night when we appeared to be forgotten. We went with friends who were able to speak with the dining room staff (in Philippino) and were able to have them make special Philippino food one night. The special French restaurant (Sel de Mer) was only fair and the food inconsistent (and actually poorly prepared for our friends).
Onboard Activities
3 out of 5
Good and ample machines at the exercise room
Entertainment
3 out of 5
The usual assortment of talent - entertaining enough but not generally worth any special effort to attend
Service and Staff
3 out of 5
The Indonesian and Philippino staff were generally polite and attentive but don’t get in there way if they have somewhere to be - you’ll get run over. It must be a cultural thing or the fact that tipping is now included in the “daily service charge” but the staff (like many guests) will cut you off without a thought or apology.
Ship Quality
2 out of 5
Well-maintained and clean but definitely antiquated and showing its age
Cabin / Stateroom
3 out of 5
Mostly small staterooms without balconies throughout the boat - only one electrical outlet in the entire stateroom - pretty bad especially considering that the ship was completely revamped less than 10 years ago. Shower water frequently ranges from lukewarm/hot to scalding and no adjustment to fix this. Stateroom attnedendents did a nice job of being inconspicuous, keeping the room clean and replacing towels while leaving fun towel-animals.
Ship tip
Would definitely look to book on newer ship or with cruise line where average guest age was < 75. We’re pushing 60 but felt super-young on this cruise.
Ft Lauderdale is pretty sketchy around the port and airport - cab from Port to Aiport costs $20 and the cab driver tried to rip us off (wanted to charge us $40 because of 2 stops at airport 100 yards apart). He only backed down when I asked for his cab license and then took $25. I should have gone with Uber but was talked out of it by wife - I’ll never take a taxi on Ft. Laud again.
Cuba is years away from being able to host a serious tourist industry. We took a tour of Havana and enjoyed the people and beautifully maintained 50s cars but there was no real shopping or other activities. It was mostly a sad look at what must have an amazing place to visit and party at before the revolution but most everything is still run down and not much construction in sight. Walking around the few areas that had been cleaned up for tourism was okay but we were frequently approached by beggars, street artists following us around aggressively trying to sell us characterture sketch’s or paying to use the rare public rest rooms. The tour guide was obviously being given a cut of the action from the tourist shopping areas that we were dropped off at. Credit cards were not accepted anywhere and the tourist currency (CUBs) required an upcharge for US dollars (but not other currencies) - like they were doing us a big favor to allow us to spend money in their country?). And then we were required to attend a “cultural person to person” activity in order to tour the island - a socialist propaganda program that was a 30 minutes utter waste of time and another chance for locals to collect more tips.
We were glad that our port call to Cien Fuegos was cancelled due to windy conditions in the harbor inlet.
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