Norwegian Cruise Line is now taking over 2,000 guests at a time to Cuba aboard its Norwegian Sky roundtrip from Miami, Florida. As the largest passenger ship carrying US citizens to the Caribbean nation, its potential to offer a grand Havana experience is great.
As I experienced on the inaugural run, the ship is definitely up to the challenge ashore but could offer a bit more onboard.
After departing on Monday, Havana is first up on the itinerary by Tuesday morning, overnighting into Wednesday. As such, guests are encouraged to pre-book their shore excursions ahead of the sailing to ensure they secure their preferences. Some availability may be available once onboard, but it's likely to be limited.
Tours available across the two days range from three to 11 hours in length and $79 to $299 in cost, all of which are US government compliant. Alternatively, guests may opt to explore on their own should they still meet the requirements individually.
To start, first-timers are likely to feel more comfortable with a guaranteed tour from the line. On our cruise, over 2,000 were sold, indicating that most, if not all, partook in at least one such excursion.
Tour varieties encompass city overviews, art discoveries, classic car rides and Hemingway haunts during the day, with the famous Buena Vista Social Club and Tropicana at night. One tour even features a local farm-to-table dining experience, and the 11-hour excursion heads out to the Vinales Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
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As for our touring, we had a bit of a hybrid experience, taking a classic car at dusk through Havana to the Tropicana cabaret on the first day. I had the privilege of visiting Cuba previously and riding in a few classics then but only during the day.
It was completely different at night and a great lead-up to the evening show that has been remarkably running since 1939. The scale of the whole event is indeed impressive.
Upon arrival, women are gifted a rose and men a cigar. Seated at tables, everyone is poured a glass of champagne before each is given a can of cola and an entire bottle of Havana Club rum for every four people. Once the show starts, the nearly two-hour production is all glitz and glamor with dozens of talented singers and dancers (often scantily clad showgirls) on multiple stages and terraces all around and above the audience.
It's nothing short of spectacular, a la Las Vegas during its heyday.
The following day, we took "The Art of Cuba - Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow" tour with stops at Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, Muraleando and Fusterlandia. Of the three, the art museum is a great traditional primer for Cuban art, while the latter two are considerably wilder.
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Muraleando has taken a neighborhood slum and its once garbage-filled street corners and turned them into eclectic art pieces, some found and others higher in nature. All are beautiful and colorful in typical Cuban style. The most vibrant though is Fusterlandia where Jose Fuster has used his own home as a canvas for his awesome sculptural mosaic tile art.
Back onboard, Cuban programming is less extensive. There is "A Taste of Cuba" menu in the main dining room, showcasing one regional appetizer, entree and dessert, as well as two cocktails. The Frituras de Malanga was particularly tasty, and the Pescado de Habana was also good though just a bit dry.
Elsewhere, Cuba was represented musically with a live band in addition to DJ selections, but that was about it. Some additions that would be nice to see would be more cultural inclusions such as film and documentary screenings.
All in all, Norwegian Cruise Line hit it out of the park with a seamless Cuban experience. Such a large capacity ship could've felt bogged down at disembarkation, for instance. But while the customs procedures are slow, they are no slower than on a smaller ship. The Norwegian Sky scaled up perfectly to accommodate its guests in Havana.
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