In October, I took a 7-day cruise on RC The Empress of the Seas. The trip included ports in:
- George Town, Grand Cayman (11am – 6pm): The weather was not cooperative at all…it rained most of the day. We had booked an excursion through Royal Caribbean for a beach escape at 7-Mile Beach for about $80 per person. This was cancelled due to the weather. We got off of the ship with plans to walk around aimlessly when we were approached about a Stingray Encounter. I have done the Stingray Encounter before, but the rest of the people in my party had not. We agreed on the price of $40 per person, and I decided that I would never again pay full price through the cruise line. The weather cleared when we got to the Stingray Reef and there were very few other boats this time around. We spent a long time with the stingrays, and then were taken elsewhere to do a little scuba diving. Well worth the $40 price tag.
- Cienfuegos, Cuba (8am-6pm): This is a very underdeveloped port with very few excursion options, so I am not sure why RC has it on the itinerary. We exited the boat, not knowing what we were going to do, and were greeted by two young men (boys) with a horse and buggy. They agreed to take us around town for $40. We went everywhere! They took us to the main square where we enjoyed a mojito, the shopping center, a mansion with spectacular views, and a beach bar. There are not really any decent bathroom facilities, and bringing your own wet wipes or toilet paper is a must if you do find one. This is a very impoverished town that will make you appreciate luxuries such as clean water and electricity, so it was a humbling experience. We were lucky to get the tour that we received from two young boys that were trying to make ends meet.
- Havana, Cuba (hurricane delayed our arrival): We were supposed to have almost two full days in Havana with the ship porting overnight. We arrived at 6 pm on a Tuesday (versus 8 am) and left Wednesday at 4 pm. We got off the ship on Tuesday evening and had a nice evening in the main square. We had dinner and listened to a band while watching people dance in the square…it was authentically lovely. The next day, we got off the ship and agreed to have one of the vintage convertible cars drive us around all day for $60. This was a great deal! The cruise ship wanted almost $300 for the same excursion. Pro tip: Get off the ship and when you get to the street right outside the terminal, there are hundreds of drivers with vintage cars ready to make a deal. We, again, went everywhere….our driver (and his girlfriend) were a blast. They took us to Revolution Square, a cigar factory with a Cuban coffee bar, the Cuban forest, and they made sure to stop and take many pictures. As we drove by different building, the driver gave us the history of each. It was truly a memorable experience.
As for the Royal Caribbean ship, I was expecting great things. I have traveled on Carnival Ships exclusively prior to this trip, and I am hesitant to ever stray from Carnival again. The Empress of the Seas must be one of the oldest boats in the RC fleet, as we were under-impressed with the size of the boat, the quality of the food, and the very limited number of activities/entertainment offered. Luckily, my sister and I traveled with a large group of our male gay friends, and they never disappoint. We had a great time on the ship, because of the group that we were with. If we had been alone, we would not have enjoyed this trip as much as we did but our friends kept the drinks flowing and kept the laughs going!
We also got a great deal due to the 120 people in our party that was booked under a group rate through one of my friend’s travel agency. Here is a break down of the cost:
7-Day Cruise to Cuba on Royal Caribbean (October): $533.77 per person
Gratuities: $101.50 per person
Visa required for Cuba: $75.00
Ground Transportation to and from Ft. Lauderdale to Miami: $40.00
Stingray Encounter: $40.00
Horse/Buggy Excursion: $10 per person (split between 4 people)
Vintage Car in Havana: $15 per person (split between 4 people)
Meals/Drinks in Havana, Souvenirs, Etc: $40.00 (can save money by eating for free on the ship)
Drinks on the Ship: I never had to pay for one 🙂
Total Cost: $855.27
Not bad for a 7-day vacation….
BudgetTeacherTraveler 