Soon after disembarking from Norwegian Cruise Line's Norwegian Sky in Havana, Cuba, it becomes clear that time has stood still in this place.
The architecture is from another age, the music is from another era and the cars are certainly from another decade.
Cabaret Tropicana fits right in to this wonderful time warp.
Cuban activities are all about cultural exchange, and now Norwegian Cruise Line has "The Legendary Tropicana Cabaret" shore excursion available for purchase. During the ship's overnight stays in the Cuban capital, this three-plus hour evening tour takes passengers to the legendary performance venue in an outdoor jungle setting.
The Norwegian tour description says Nat King Cole, Josephine Baker, Libertad Lamarque, Cheo Feliciano, Rita Montaner, Elena Burke and Bola de Nieve have all performed here. It makes sense given how its timeline goes all the way back to when it was established in 1939.
A cross between art deco and Googie architecture welcome guests to a site full of lush tropical vegetation lit at night by vibrant neon colors. Once past the restaurant and reception, female visitors are given a rose while male visitors are given a cigar.
Parties are then escorted to tables and chairs along a terraced concrete center with views of the main stage.
For every four people, a bottle of Havana Club rum is provided complimentary as well as one can of free cola each. It's the perfect makings of a Cuba Libre (i.e. rum and Coke with lime). Additional cocktails can also be ordered, and mixed nuts are free to snack on.
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After about an hour of getting settled in with drinks, the stage and its massive infrastructure is activated. Giant trees arch overhead as catwalks bridge across multiple platforms. A three-tiered waterfall trellis supports even more staging to the left as a full orchestra sets up shop on the right.
Dozens upon dozens of dancers and singers parade into the aisles and onto the center stage as the live music amps up the festivities.
One of the signature attractions here are, of course, the classic scantily-clad showgirls in a multitude of colorful costumes. While the show is sometimes borderline burlesque, it remains mostly family-friendly. The women are truly talented dancers that at one point even segue into an acrobatic circus-style interlude.
Most astounding is the production's overall scale. The visual canvas is indeed immense, and so too is the soundscape as singers vary between Afro-Cuban, techno and opera numbers all while the musicians keep pace.
Also appreciated is the diversity of the cast: While most of the dancers are younger, the vocalists vary in age, giving them a fuller collective range.
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At two hours in length, the show can be a bit long winded and could perhaps be reduced to a solid hour and a half, but there's no denying that it is an event worth seeing on a visit to Cuba. There's also plenty of time to experience more of Havana on overnight visits with full days of available tours bookending the Cabaret Tropicana.
Also, if you choose not to smoke the cigar on site, it makes for a great souvenir to take home since it's in a clear plastic protective sleeve. (For us at least, the rum did not quite make it that far.)
Norwegian Cruise Line is sailing to Cuba aboard the Norwegian Sky on four-night itineraries roundtrip from Miami, Florida through 2018. This year, the ship also heads to the line's Great Stirrup Cay private island. The Sky is uniquely inclusive with free drinks available at a dozen onboard bars and lounges.
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