A Cuba Voyage With International Expeditions (Part 1)

Cuba Voyage with International Expeditions

N.B. Please be advised that due to recent U.S. Government regulations, U.S. citizens and most non-U.S. residents are no longer permitted to cruise to Cuba, hence I.E. is currently only offering land tours. We have decided to save this report as it gives good information about what travelers will find on land.

G Adventures, a Canadian firm, operates three cruises itineraries of 6, 8 and 13 days aboard a small catamaran taking 16 passengers with pairs of double cabins sharing the shower and toilet facilities. Fares are very reasonable. The website makes it quite clear that the firm will not accept U.S. and foreign U.S. residents on Cuba cruises.

Also, Variety Cruises, a Greek-based cruise line operates the more upscale 46-passenger Panorama on 8-day cruise circuits, the same vessel that is described in the article below.

More lines will be added to the site as they become known.

By Cele & Lynn Seldon.

Travel to Cuba is hotter than a July day in the Caribbean. It’s not surprising when you think that visiting Cuba just a short three years ago wasn’t even a possibility for most Americans. But, along with Obama’s 2014 restoration of diplomatic relations with Cuba and the subsequent easing of restrictions, and with airlines, hotels, tour operators, and cruise lines getting into the action, exploring Cuba by sea is easier than ever.

Cuba Voyage with International Expeditions

Classic car parade, Havana, Cuba

Many cruise lines have added stops in Cuba to their Caribbean itineraries, offering a day or overnight in Havana. Plus, some smaller lines stop in other Cuban cities, like Cienfuegos or Santa Clara, as a port call. However, there may be no better way to immerse oneself in the enigmatic culture and people of Cuba than with a Cuba Voyage with International Expeditions aboard the intimate 46-passenger Panorama.

The intimate 46-passenger Panorama. * Photo: International Expeditions

Known as a pioneer in ecotourism and conservation, International Expeditions was first able to take Americans to Cuba in 2003, and in 2012, introduced their land-based Complete Cuba itinerary. Interacting with the Cuban people and exploring the largest Caribbean island as a true ambassador through their “people-to-people” program, International Expeditions offers a schedule of immersive and interactive activities and events with the movers, shakers, entrepreneurs, and artists of this colorful nation.

People-to-people children’s musical performance of Cucarachita Martina at the Julio Antonio Mella Cultural Center, Cienfuegos, Cuba. * Photo: Seldon Ink.

These same activities and personal interactions are the cornerstones of their 9-night Cuba Voyage itinerary. Led by three guides—a U.S.-based Cuba expert who is available through the entire trip, a ship guide who acts as a hotel director once onboard, and a Cuba-based tour guide for the day-to-day travel—who address every detail, this small group experience is best suited for travelers who have a sense of adventure and deal well with travel curveballs.

Cuba is still new to tourism—especially by American standards—and the one constant is that things will not always go as planned. An open mind, patience, and spontaneity will enhance exploration of this magical island and prepare expedition participants for the uncertainties that make travel to new horizons transformative opportunities.

Our 8-night Cuba Voyage started in Miami with a welcome reception, briefing, and overnight in a nearby airport hotel. This gave us the opportunity to meet our fellow travelers, ask questions, and complete the required paperwork. Cuba requires a VISA for all U.S. citizens and, although International Expeditions did much of the legwork ahead of time, there are still some final forms that need to be completed, as well as detailed information about the flight and arrival in Cuba.

Editor’s Note: International Expeditions’ 2018 itineraries are slightly different, sailing from Cienfuegos to Havana with 7 nights on board, plus the one night in a Miami hotel and one night in a hotel in Vinales during the middle of the cruise to explore the lush Sierra de los Organos mountains and the Viñales Valley of western Cuba. Otherwise, the ports and experiences in the Seldons’ story are exactly what you’d get on the current itinerary.

Rise & Shine

The next morning came very early with a 3:00 a.m. departure for the airport and our 6:00 a.m. Eastern Airlines chartered flight. Our Washington State-based guide, Brian, was on-hand every step of the way to help guests with their luggage, security, and to answer any questions. After the short 45-minute flight—complete with flight attendants in retro Eastern Airline uniforms—Brian guided us through passport control, immigration, and the somewhat chaotic baggage claim area. The long luggage wait time also gave everyone a chance to change their U.S. dollars into the tourist-based currency of Cuban Convertible Pesos (known as CUCs). Once outside the airport, we were met by the International Expeditions cruise director and our Cuba-based national guide.

Our first stop was to board our home-away-from-home for the week, the Panorama. Owned and operated by Greek Variety Cruises (and chartered to International Expeditions), the Panorama is a three-masted yacht built in 1993 and refurbished in 2014. It houses cabins on three decks, as well as an indoor reception area, library, dining area, and outdoor seating on the main deck. There’s also a separate inside lounge and bar, aft outdoor seating, and a sun deck on the upper deck. Although a bit smaller and less luxurious than traditional ocean liner vessels, all cabins featured individually controlled air conditioning, televisions (although there was no programming available on our sailing), hairdryers, mini-refrigerators, and bathrooms. Upper and main deck cabins feature windows, while cabins on the lower deck have portholes.

A twin cabin on the Panorama. * Photo: International Expeditions

Three Days in Havana

On the way to the Panorama, we made a brief stop at Havana’s iconic Plaza De La Revolucion. Home to the many political rallies that happen in Havana and the 31st largest square in the world, Revolution Square is dominated by the José Martí Memorial, a 358-foot tower and 59-foot statue of this national hero. Highlights include the National Library, many government ministries, and the Palace of the Revolution, which houses the seat of the Cuban government and Communist party, and oversized iron outlines of Che Guevara and Camilo Cienfuegos. A classic Havana photo opportunity also awaited us in the square, with dozens of brightly colored retro automobiles that enterprising Cubans will allow visitors to sit or ride in for a pre-negotiated fee.

Revolution Square, Havana, Cuba. * Photo: Seldon Ink.

After a short briefing onboard, we headed out as a group into the sensory-overloaded cobblestoned pedestrian streets of Habana Vieja (Old Havana) for a lobster lunch at the state-owned La Imprenta restaurant, plus a walking tour. While we gawked at the colorful sights and music- leaden sounds of Old Town, our guide pointed out many of the architectural wonders of the city, including: Casa de Gobierno y Palacid Municipal on the Plaza des Armas; the star-shaped Castillo de la Real Fureza, which now houses a maritime museum; the imposing Cathedral of the Virgin Mary; Hotel Ambos Mundos, a residence of Ernest Hemingway in the 1930s; the Museum of Natural History; shopping in Plaza Vieja and on many side streets; and watering holes cum tourist destinations made famous by Hemingway, including La Bodeguita de Media (where the Mojito was reputedly invented) and La Floridita (known for their daiquiris).

Floridita Restaurant, Havana, Cuba. * Photo: Seldon Ink.

Once back onboard the Panorama, we enjoyed a cocktail hour and an international meal in the dining area. Dinner every evening was a festive experience, with salad, soup, a choice of two entrées, and dessert, all served by the small staff who did double-duty as bartenders and cabin stewards. Cocktails and wines from a varied list were available for purchase. After dinner, we were free to head back into town—the port is conveniently located across the street from Old Town.

The Panorama’s lounge. * Photo: International Expeditions

Havana’s Fusterlandia, Finca la Vigia & More…

After a breakfast buffet the next morning, we boarded a bus and made our way to Fusterlandia. Located in the modest district of Jaimanitas, Fusterlandia is a mirage-like masterpiece of intricate and whimsical tilework and created by Cuban artist, José Fuster. The home—and much of the surrounding neighborhood—has been transformed into an extravaganza of Gaudi meets Picasso street art, with colorful sculptures, figurines, kaleidoscopes, mosaics, free-flowing fountains, and other objects d’art that attack the senses.

Fusterlandia, Havana, Cuba. * Photo: Seldon Ink.

From there, we explored the literary world of Havana at Finca la Vigia, the home of Ernest Hemingway from 1939 to 1960 and where he penned most of For Whom the Bell Tolls. Today, it serves as a museum and monument to the legendary American novelist. Although visitors can’t go into the house, they can peer in from the many doors and windows, as well as explore the outdoor pool and his 38-foot fishing boat, Pilar.

Finca Vigia, home of Ernest Hemingway, Havana, Cuba. * Photo: Seldon Ink.

The next stop was the Nostalgic Car Garage. Owned by the son of a former GM engineer, owner Julio Alvarez has turned the retro car craze of Cuba into a successful business of automobile tours and taxi services.

After another lobster lunch (Cuba has plenty of lobsters and they seem to save them all for tourists), we set out on our own classic car parade. With a dozen Chevys, Fords, Fairlanes, and more, we were treated to a tour of the city in our very own brightly colored convertibles and felt like royalty as we paraded along the streets of Havana.

Classic car parade, Havana, Cuba. * Photo: Seldon Ink.

The rest of the afternoon was ours to explore Old Town on our own. We wandered through the narrow streets, explored the street markets, took photos with enterprising cigar-smoking Cuban women who’d pose for a CUC, shopped for cigars and rum, and checked our email at one of the relatively few (and slow) wi-fi hotspots in Havana.

Since that night was New Year’s Eve, several of our group made a sojourn to the infamous Tropicana Club for dinner and a show that didn’t disappoint. Over-the-top costumes, risqué dances, and the pulsating beat of Cuban music complemented our three-course dinner and unending Havana Club rum, served with bottles of Coke.

Dancers performing at the Tropicana, Havana, Cuba. * Photo: Seldon Ink.

Havana’s Museum of the Revolution, Hotel Nacional & More…

The Museum of the Revolution was our first stop the next morning. Housed in a former Presidential Palace, it’s filled with photos, artifacts, and exhibitions. The grounds surrounding feature tanks, planes, and boats—including Granma, the boat that transported Castro back to Cuba from his Mexican exile in 1959.

Revolution Museum, Havana, Cuba. * Photo: Seldon Ink.

The afternoon was spent exploring the famed Hotel Nacional—Havana’s grand dame; the unique Merger’s Art Studio, where we chatted with Sandra Borges, the artist responsible for the contemporary combination of art and mechanical engineering; and a visit to Eastern Havana, with stunning views of Havana from across the water.

La Nacional Hotel, Havana, Cuba. * Photo: Seldon Ink.

Lunch (and dinner) were in thriving paladars—the new wave of privately-owned restaurants housed in homes that have been popping up throughout Havana as governmental restrictions have eased. After dinner, we were treated to the pulsating salsa music of the Buena Vista Social Club at Café Taberna.

And to set the mood, press play to listen to Camila Cabello’s addictive award-winning song Havana!

Departing Havana the next morning gave everyone an opportunity to enjoy a day at sea on the Panorama. We all caught up on sleep, enjoyed a lecture on 500 years of Cuban history, relaxed and read on the sundeck, watched a movie about Hemingway, and enjoyed delicious meals in the dining room.

On deck aboard Panorama. * Photo: Michael Gomez/International Expeditions

Here’s Part 2 of the Seldon’s Cuba voyage ….

For more info, visit ietravel.com or call 800-633-4734

International Expeditions sets sail for Cuba with seven Cuba Voyages in 2018. The voyages alternate between Havana to Cienfuegos and reverse. The 2018 itineraries also add in an overnight stay in the Viñales Valley, allowing passengers less sea days and the opportunity to experience the stunning mountain vistas. With all cruises, but especially cruises involving Cuba, itineraries are subject to change.

Editor’s Note: As with any travel, we would recommend staying on top of the Cuba travel policy changes in your resident country, as well as following International Expeditions guidelines.