Cuba

roundymac

Ah, the Cuban state of America.:D

sue97

Anyone gone to Cuba with a family and would you recommend it?

finooola

roundymac wrote: »

Next year it will be full of starbucks and MacDonalds.

Hopefully they won't let them in. They're not going to pay proper tax so why should they?

Bored_lad

finooola wrote: »

Hopefully they won't let them in. They're not going to pay proper tax so why should they?

Why shouldn't they let them in? Cuba should be allowed to develop as much as any other country, should they stay living in the past just to preserve a few people's ideal "unspoiled" travel destination. Cuba has always been an extension of America and America culture, just look at all the old American cars that are so recognisably Cuba.

EagererBeaver

Bored_lad wrote: »

Why shouldn't they let them in? Cuba should be allowed to develop as much as any other country, should they stay living in the past just to preserve a few people's ideal "unspoiled" travel destination. Cuba has always been an extension of America and America culture, just look at all the old American cars that are so recognisably Cuba.

What absolute ****ing rubbish.

worded

Top tip - bring a pepper mill, the food is very bland.

jadie

sue97 wrote: »

Anyone gone to Cuba with a family and would you recommend it?

no I wouldn't, very long flight for kids. Food is terrible, no variety whatsoever. No snack places outside of Havana, hardly anything in supermarkets sometimes even hard to buy water. No entertainment for kids. Cholera outbreak there a few years ago. Everyone I know that has visited there including myself has gotten very bad food poisoning too

Bored_lad

EagererBeaver wrote: »

What absolute ****ing rubbish.

Are you really going to argue that up to when trade embargoes were put in place American culture didn't have a huge influence on Cuba. Even with the trade embargoes in place American culture was still influential through stuff being smuggled back in to the country.

As for Cuba for families that depends on the age of the kids if your talking teenagers then definitely Cuba is great. If we're talking young children, Cuba isn't really for you. If you've young children a Club Med resort in the Caribbean or South America might be better.

EagererBeaver

Bored_lad wrote: »

Are you really going to argue that up to when trade embargoes were put in place American culture didn't have a huge influence on Cuba. Even with the trade embargoes in place American culture was still influential through stuff being smuggled back in to the country.

No, but then again, I never said it did. Let's just recall exactly what you posted:

Cuba has always been an extension of America and America culture

Ever heard of the Spanish-American War? Cuba was (and continues to be) Latin long before there were American influences.

RichyX

jadie wrote: »

Food is terrible, no variety whatsoever. No snack places outside of Havana, hardly anything in supermarkets sometimes even hard to buy water. No entertainment for kids. Cholera outbreak there a few years ago. Everyone I know that has visited there including myself has gotten very bad food poisoning too

When were you last in Cuba?
Things have changed a lot in the last few years.
I was there in January and don't recall ever having an issue buying water or snacks. There were lots of people selling nut bars and things on the street.

The variety of food was reasonable too. There are a lot of new restaurants popping up. Lonely Planet was great for suggestions on this front.

My girlfriend was very unwell for a night, which we think was from a crappy Havana bar that might have given her tap water in a bottle.
Never had any problems myself.

jadie

well you were lucky. I was there last year. Didn't see anyone selling nut bars outside Havana. I also did come across a lot of shops out of water.

Nerdlingr

I was there in May. No water shortages, snacks available in shops ! food was grand, drink cheap! No problems whatsoever. We went to Havana, Vinales, trinidad and Varadero and never came across any of the issues you had Jadie. Maybe you were just unlucky.

jadie

Maybe though I travelled to all those areas too. Maybe things are changing when you say snacks what do you mean only things I saw in shops were dusty packets of expensive imported biscuits.

retalivity

flying into Havana for 7 days in october, looking to have a few days i the city and a few days on a beach somewhere....what are the best recommendations for beaches/resorts not too far away from Havana? Varadero is about 3 hrs away, is it worth the journey or is there anywhere closer that would just be as nice?

Thanks.

worded

Varasero is nice but not worth a 3 hour drive IMHO

There are loads of hotels there and everyone wear
Arm bands to ID which hotel you are from

Uninteresting touristy place

Fred Swanson

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EagererBeaver

Fred Swanson wrote: »

How far ahead can you get the tourist card?

Dunno if you can - we just got ours on the flight in from Toronto.

retalivity

Fred Swanson wrote: »

How far ahead can you get the tourist card?

As in the tourist visa? I got mine at the cuban consulate in dublin about 2 months beforehand

Fred Swanson

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wavert

Just as quick and cheaper to get it from Cuba travel. We went with the consulate last year - applied by post - only to discover they close for over 4 weeks during the summer. The application was held by An Post for weeks as instructed by the consulate.
Had the visa sorted in a few hours by Cuba Travel. They need you ticket details and may look for travel insurance.

Nerdlingr

You can get a visa on the plane with air canada if flying from toronto... for free. They hand them out as your coming in to land. Otherwise i think its around 50 quid to get it from the embassy or about 70 if you go through third parties.

Fred Swanson

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retalivity

Visa is 35€, pp, i made an appt in the consulate and brought all my docs with me, picked it up same day. If youre near the dublin area much handier than using an post.

http://www.cubadiplomatica.cu/irlanda/EN/ConsularServices.aspx#TouristCard

jmcgfd

Flying with AirCanada Rouge in June. Understand they will gve us the tourist cards on the flight from Toronto to Havana. Did you have and trouble getting on the flight in Dublin without the TC?

EagererBeaver

jmcgfd wrote: »

Flying with AirCanada Rouge in June. Understand they will gve us the tourist cards on the flight from Toronto to Havana. Did you have and trouble getting on the flight in Dublin without the TC?

No, nothing else required. Exact same route I flew.

IrishGooner83

Heading to Cuba later this year. Going to be there for 7 days so time quite tight. Will also be travelling solo. Looking for any advice for those who've been.

As such - Weighing up whether it may be best to go on group tour with the likes of Intrepid (all accom/travel sorted, multiple places, bit of craic in larger group) or to go solo and base myself in Havana and look to organise day trips (where possible outside Havana).

Has anyone gone on a coordinated tour before to Cuba? Would they recommend it? I only have 7 days so looking to get most out of trip...

Thanks.

EagererBeaver

IrishGooner83 wrote: »

Heading to Cuba later this year. Going to be there for 7 days so time quite tight. Will also be travelling solo. Looking for any advice for those who've been.

As such - Weighing up whether it may be best to go on group tour with the likes of Intrepid (all accom/travel sorted, multiple places, bit of craic in larger group) or to go solo and base myself in Havana and look to organise day trips (where possible outside Havana).

Has anyone gone on a coordinated tour before to Cuba? Would they recommend it? I only have 7 days so looking to get most out of trip...

Thanks.

It's an awful lot bigger than you think. The one thing I'd say is don't try to do too much or you'll miss out. In 7 days you could do Havana, Viñales and either Santa Clara or Trinidad which would be a good first visit in my book.

Fred Swanson

This post has been deleted.

EagererBeaver

Fred Swanson wrote: »

Are there any companies that can organise a trip? I already have my flights sorted just need an itinerary sorted.

I'm sure there are but I'd just take Bus Azul or whatever the company was called from city to city.

J.pilkington

EagererBeaver wrote: »

I'm sure there are but I'd just take Bus Azul or whatever the company was called from city to city.

We did get same. Great bus company, catered for tourists so a little expensive but the plus side of this is that you get a bit of comfort in terms of seats and ac. Great way to see the country.

Viazul is their name. They have a good website with all their routes and can be booked in advance too