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Cuba Cruise & Land Safari – 3 Nights On Land

Cuba Cruise & Land Safari – 3 Nights On Land

From USD $5,999

Description

Experience Cuban culture the most authentic way possible – through its people.

On this circumnavigation cruise of Cuba, get acquainted with Cubans in their daily lives, from the beautiful Santiago de Cuba to the colonial architectural haven of Trinidad, to the colorful, cultural city of Havana, and much more. Engage with people directly in discussions about their lives and work, culture and traditions. Meet with Cuban historians, artists, musicians and naturalists and experience this diverse island through their eyes.

Trip Name
Cuba Cruise & Land Safari – 3 Nights On Land
Days
10
Overview
Vessel Type: Motor Ship/Small Ship Length: 286 ft, 87 m Passenger Capacity: 202 Built/Refurbished: 2001/2015 Refined, intimate ship experiences The indisputable joy of sailing is brought to life on the M/V Victory I and II, agile intimate ships that easily navigate canals and locks, tranquil bays, and hidden ports where larger ships dare not go. Onboard, our fresh, modern design tips its hat to our maritime past as spacious open-air lounges, inviting dining venues, and generous windows ensure you never miss a chance to savor the spectacular view. Intuitive and attentive service With a caring crew of 84, pampering no more than 202 guests, you’ll feel at home from the moment you step on board. Whether it’s a favorite cocktail served on deck or the delicate chocolate on your pillow ensuring sweet dreams, our attentive, intuitive staff are available whenever you need them. Serving you is our pleasure. On-board experts and included excursions Aboard the M/V Victory I and II, you’ll often travel in the company of engaging specialists focusing on areas where our journey takes us. They share their expertise freely in presentations and impromptu discussions throughout the journey. In port, included shore excursions with knowledgeable local guides provide meaningful opportunities to uncover the rich history, unique wildlife, and fascinating cultures of the destinations you will visit. Onboard Amenities Complimentary coffee, tea, juice, soft drinks and filtered water - Free flowing house wine, beer, and spirits during entire cruise - Free Internet & WiFi available onboard - 100% Egyptian cotton bedding - Personal robes and slippers - Top of the line bath amenities that are environmentally sensitive - Premium mattresses - In-room electronic safe - Individual climate control - LCD flat screen television (satellite) - Alarm clock - Hair dryer - Telephone - Daily housekeeping with nightly turndown - Onboard Salon & Spa - Themed afternoon tea service Pamper Your Palate On Board And On Shore Beyond outstanding service and hospitality, every meal will bring about moments of sheer bliss. Each day, you will enjoy mouth-watering canapés as a prelude to casual and sophisticated cuisine in distinctive venues. The Seascape Tavern Share stories and laughter with friends and fellow travelers in the casual comfort of this cozy, English-style tavern. In the early evening, talented musicians bring the ship to life with all your favorite songs. Cliff Rock Bar & Grille Enjoy fresh air and fresh selections at the Cliff Rock Grille, where “hot rock” cooking is the special of the day, every day. Choose your ingredients and watch them cook to perfection on 100% pure volcanic lava rock. Serving buffet breakfast and lunch and seated dinner. Shearwater Dining Room Savor delicious cuisine in the easy elegance of the main dining room, where a professional wait staff serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily from our chef’s menu of regionally inspired dishes. The Compass Lounge Log onto the ships WiFi and catch up on the latest news or send a few emails to friends back home. Attend an enriching presentation by an onboard specialist. Gather around the grand piano for an old fashioned sing-along. After dinner, music, and dancing keep the fun going into the evening hours. Observation Deck Lounge & Sun Deck Lounge on the aft deck on comfortable, cushioned outdoor sofas under the pergola… the perfect place to celebrate a successful shore excursion, gather for afternoon cocktails, amber sunsets or a little late-night stargazing. In the morning or afternoon, take advantage of the forward deck to greet the day with your morning coffee, relax with a book and soak up some rays on one of the outdoor lounge chairs. Latitude Salon & Spa Renew yourself with a relaxing massage or with one of our many beauty treatments during your stay. Latitude Salon and Spa features indulgent scented oil treatments and a beauty salon for manicures, pedicures and styling. 

Itinerary



Day 1 - Day 1: Miami, FL
Flight from Miami to Havana
Day 2 - Day 2: Havana, Cuba
Havana was founded in 1519 and within a hundred years it had emerged as one of the Caribbean's wealthiest ports and an important shipbuilding center. Although it's now a vibrant city with more than two million residents, its historical core still retains a wonderful mix of fine Neoclassical and Baroque architecture. Focusing today on the historic core of Old Havana, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, our guided tour takes us along the city's charming cobblestone streets and through its four main town squares - each with its own distinctive charm and fine Colonial-era landmarks. Beyond the streets of Old Havana, we'll drive along the waterfront Malecón, past the University of Havana and through Vedado - an upscale district where classic, mid-century Havana chic has been seemingly frozen in time. After lunch, we'll be treated to a private rehearsal by independent dance company MALPASO and have the opportunity to meet the dancers. We'll end our guided touring at the lively San Jose Craft Market; it's one of the best places in the city to shop for Cuban art and handicrafts and offers another chance to engage with local artisans and merchants. This evening after dinner, we'll experience a bit of Havana nightlife as it was in the 1950's! The city is rich with music history and no group is more famous than the Buena Vista Social Club. In the atmospheric Salón Rojo at the landmark Capri Hotel, we'll join the living legends of the Social Club for an unforgettable concert.
Day 3 - Day 3: Havana, Cuba
After breakfast, we'll visit the hilltop home where Hemingway wrote two of his most famous works - For Whom the Bell Tolls and The Old Man and the Sea. Peering through its open windows, you'll see hundreds of the author's personal belongings almost exactly as he left them when he departed Cuba for the last time in 1960. Then we continue to Cojimar, the picturesque seaside village that inspired The Old Man and the Sea. Spending time with local fishermen is another rewarding People-to-People encounter. You'll have free time again today for more sightseeing or shopping on your own: You might visit the National Museum of Art, famed for its extensive collection of Cuban art from the Colonial era to the 21st century, and then stop by a local cafe for a Cuban coffee. Or perhaps you'll choose to explore the colorful book and antique market in Plaza San Francisco before heading to La Floridita, where Hemingway himself would come for their famous daiquiris.
Day 4 - Day 4: Havana, Cuba / Cienfuegos
We will depart Havana after breakfast and travel a short distance to captivating Cienfuegos. Cienfuegos is physically handsome and also bestowed with elegance and flair. Culturally and artistically, it's also one of the most vibrant in Cuba. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site recognized for its architectural diversity, which we'll explore first in Punta Gorda. Driving along this thin slice of land that extends into the bay, we'll discover a fine collection of early 20th-century palaces - many built by wealthy Americans during the Batista regime. Back in the center of town, we'll enjoy a walking tour through the finely preserved Colonial district. After lunch at a local paladar, our first stop is at UNEAC, an organization of Cuban writers and artists. We'll meet with its director to learn how the center is helping its members to follow their talents and passions. UNEAC Members even include school-age children, and we'll be treated to a performance by these young musicians. Then we'll explore the neighborhood, stopping into galleries and studios to engage with the artists.
Day 5 - Day 5: At Sea
We will continue to hear from our resident Cuban National about what it is like to live in Cuba today -education, religion, and the medical system along with details about how the Revolution started in our next Port of Call, Santiago de Cuba.
Day 6 - Day 6: Santiago de Cuba
Fidel Castro launched the Cuban Revolution in Santiago in 1953 and declared victory here six years later. But the town's importance goes back hundreds of years earlier to its days as a center of Spanish Colonial power. Starting with these earliest days, we'll tour the 16th-century mansion of Diego Velázquez, the Spanish Conquistador who served as the first Governor of the island. It's now a fine museum filled with period furnishings. We'll have lunch at El Morro, set on a seaside bluff with spectacular views. Nearby is one of Cuba's most famous UNESCO World Heritage Sites: The Castillo de San Pedro de la Roca. Better known as El Morro, this 17th-century stone fortress was built by the Spanish high on a rocky promontory overlooking Santiago de Cuba Bay. Before returning to ship, we'll spend time at Casa del Caribe, founded 35 years ago to preserve Caribbean culture. Spending time with the Casa's members offers a chance to learn about their spiritual beliefs and daily life.
Day 7 - Day 7: Santiago de Cuba
Our first sightseeing stop this morning will be at Santa Ifigenia Cemetery. Home to impressive burial crypts and mausoleums, this is a great place to learn about the historical figures buried here including the Cuban national hero José Martí. Our tour will be timed to coincide with the Changing of the Guard - a moving spectacle of pomp and ceremony! We'll also enjoy a performance by Ballet Folklórico Cutumba. Blending African, European, Haitian and Cuban styles, this company has performed around the world. After the performance, we'll have time to meet with the dancers. In the afternoon, we'll visit Revolution Square, a park-like plaza dominated by a monumental bronze statue of Lt. General Antonio Maceo astride a rearing stallion. At the Moncada Barracks, we'll learn about the events that unfolded here on July 26, 1953 when the 26-year-old Fidel Castro set out with 122 followers to attack the military barracks.
Day 8 - Day 8: At Sea
We wrap up our discussions with speakers and guests and enjoy a last day of sumptuous food and Victory camaraderie.
Day 9 - Day 9: At Sea
This relaxing day is enriched by talks with our shipboard experts; delving into a wide variety of topics from politics and the arts to the continually evolving relationship between our two nations.
Day 10 - Day 10: Miami, FL
Arrive in Miami. After breakfast on board, disembark for the airport for your flight homeward bound.
Day 11 - Please Note:
Embracing the unexpected is part of the fun of travelling. Programs and schedules may change due to weather, tides, local circumstances and venue changes. A measure of flexibility is something all of us must bring to a voyage.

Trip Dates

StartEndPrice FromRoom Type
20-03-201929-03-2019USD $0Category E
20-03-201929-03-2019USD $0Category D
20-03-201929-03-2019USD $0Category C
20-03-201929-03-2019USD $0Category B
20-03-201929-03-2019USD $0Category A
20-03-201929-03-2019USD $0Category AA
20-03-201929-03-2019USD $0Owners Suite
18-04-201927-04-2019USD $0Category B
18-04-201927-04-2019USD $0Category A
18-04-201927-04-2019USD $0Category AA
18-04-201927-04-2019USD $0Owners Suite
18-04-201927-04-2019USD $0Category E
18-04-201927-04-2019USD $0Category D
18-04-201927-04-2019USD $0Category C

Inclusions

    • Discover Cienfuegos. Cuba’s Perla del Sur (Pearl of the South) has long seduced travelers from around the island with its elegance, enlightened French spirit and feisty Caribbean panache. If Cuba has a Paris, this is most definitely it. Arranged around the country’s most spectacular natural bay, Cienfuegos is a nautical city with an enviable waterside setting. Founded in 1819, it’s one of Cuba’s youngest settlements, but also one of its most architecturally interesting, a factor that earned it a UNESCO World Heritage Site listing in 2005.
    • Explore Trinidad. It is a meticulously well-preserved Spanish colonial city, with rich architecture, cobblestone streets, palaces and plazas. As a result, it is sometimes referred to as the “museum city of Cuba.” It was founded by the Spanish in 1514 and named for the Holy Trinity. It flourished in the late 18th and early 19th century, when sugar production in the Valley de los Ingenios (Valley of the Sugar Mills) was at its peak, with more than 11,000 slaves and 50 sugar mills in operation.
    • Enjoy Havana. This town is buzzing with an eclectic, sophisticated mix of museums, galleries, music, and dance. Frequent open-air festivals take full advantage of the island’s sunny Caribbean climate. Our first day in the city, we’ll visit Havana Vieja (Old Havana), a UNESCO World Heritage site, and the charming colonial squares of Plaza San Francisco, Plaza de Armas, Plaza de la Catedral (Cathedral Square) and Plaza de la Revolution (Revolution Square).

Map