Any help will be greatly appreciated. I'll be going to Cuba via NCL cruise in Oct. it would only be overnight. The tours on the cruise are so expensive, however I would like to get a good flavor of the island can anyone suggest nightlife, where/what should we see, and what tours should we do, where can we buy cigars/rum. Can we book tours in Cuba ahead of time? Can we use tours once we get off the ship?We only speak English.I don't care if I don't sleep for the overnight as long as I do as much as possible. Will be in Cuba Tuesday and leave on noon on Wednesday,
Again thanks for any advise. Also any good restaurants please let me know.
Thanks again.

You said it yourself: " it would only be overnight. ...... I would like to get a good flavor of the island"
Sorry, but both are not possible. Cuba is a place to be experienced, savored at leisure, not simply seen in a rush. And Havana is certainly not representative of all of "the island", just a tiny slice of it.

Please support Cubans on the island, who need your business particularly at this time of crisis after Irma, by patronizing CUBAN businesses and not US based middlemen agencies who take a large percent of the fees. Do so even if this means you carry cash, rather than use a credit card from home.
There is a list of tour guides and agencies in Havana on Trip Advisor, a list collected and posted by a poster named Laurie. Do a search there.

At this time, and unless the DJT requested new guidelines come out before your departure, you may afaik do whichever tours you wish.

With hard work, much of Havana may be up and running by October. The Malecon is currently closed because of structural damage and there are still outages of electricity and water in parts of the city at times. It is unclear how much of a typical drive around the city is possible at this time, though, or how much of the old city is clear for a walking tour. Bottles water may be more difficult to find than usual while on such tours.

There are quite a few locations to buy rum and cigars within walking distance of the pier. For cigars, I'd recommend the Partagas store directly behind the Capitolio; you could take a bici-taxi ride from outside the pier through the old city to get there.

As far as music and restaurants, the site www.lahabana.com has a monthly "What's On" section that describes restaurants and music venues/bands. There are bands at many of the restaurants and bars along the main tourist street (Obispo) and the two main tourist plazas in Havana Vieja. Perhaps stay away from the Vegas-y cabaret shows for tourists. Do some Googling about traditional music styles of Cuba to better understand the listings. The 5* restaurants on the lahabana list usually have edible food; otherwise food quality can be spotty. You may have to make reservations way ahead for the more popular restaurants.

Thank you for your quick and informative response. I'll follow up and view the sites you recommended. Much thanks, and I'm very excited to meet and greet the Cuban folks. Have wonderful evening.

What great info, SambaChula. Thank you for posting it.

From your post elsewhere: "Laurie got word you are the guru on Cuba."
Nowhere in my post does it indicate that she is anything but a very thorough researcher who compiled lists of guides and of casa particular agencies for her short trip awhile ago.


The "gurus" on TA Cuba, most of whom also post on Lonely Planet's Thorn tree Cuba forum, are those who have been traveling to Cuba for years, some for decades.

Also, if you have skills in Spanish or Google Translate:
alamesa.com has some interesting options. Sign up at
[email protected]

So sorry didn't mean to offend by saying 'guru' just gave her props for her through research. Again thanks for all your info. It is truly appreciated.

Don't bother apologizing to me. Apologize over there to the real gurus on that forum who you may really have offended.

The Conoce Cuba site on Facebook has an example titled Música cubana para alegrar el viernes!! (Cuban music to brighten up Friday!!) that shows a typical type of band and music found at a lot of restaurants in Havana, both during the day and at dinner time.

Honestly, in Old Havana you can't NOT hear live music -- it's everywhere.

Yeah, Guantanamera and Chan Chan, repeated endlessly for clueless tourists.

SC - do you <i>ever</i> get tired of being snide and 'offended'?

It would wear me out being angry all the time . . .

I heard Guantanamera exactly once while we were there.

Then you didn't hang out much at the places you mention in "Old Havana".

janisj- do you ever get tired of supporting those who are patronizing of the locals?

Is it hard being so darned disagreeable?

Of all of you putting time and energy into asking about how to essentially take money out of the pockets of local Cubans by using foreign hotels and US based tour companies, not one person has even expressed interest, let alone concern, for those Cubans who are suffering because of Irma, and will be for months and years to come. Shame.

And how much interest or concern did you put into the millions who suffered because of Cyclone Nargis??

Are you Cuban? Where do you live? How many times have you been to Cuba? I'm asking questions here that any other poster would have no reluctance to answer. Will wait to see your response.

@ekscrunchy:

#1, not applicable.
I didn't have friends in Burma in 2008.
Myanmar is not 90 miles from the US.
The US does not have the same relationship with Myanmar that it does with Myanmar.

#2 not applicable.
I do have friends in Cuba with whom I spend considerable time.
Cuba is 90 miles from the US.
The US has had a uniquely fraught relationship with Cuba.

And you have not answered my question about why it matters to you and if you yourself, who have not posted any information on Cuban travel, have any interest in Cuba besides just trying to bust my chops.

@sf7307:
"Is it hard being so darned disagreeable?"

Not when I'm dealing with those so darned self-centered, even in the unique situation that is Cuba.