Travel organizer tips
Transfer
Upon arrival in Cuba, we can arrange the transfer to Marina Cienfuegos. You need a transfer to the hotel or another location. We can arrange the car or bus transfer.
Food provisioning
We are happy to help when ordering food.
Please send us the completed form at least 2 weeks before starting the trip.
Money in Cuba
The most important hints:
• Don’t bring US dollars. They are not accepted any more and changed at the most
unfavorable rate. Better use Pound Sterling or Canadian Dollars in not too high
denomination.
• Changing and paying with cash is much more favorable than by credit card.
• When arriving outside bank hours (weekends!), already change at the airport!
• There are two currencies: „Peso Convertible“ (hard currency, value ca. 1 Euro)
and „Moneda Nacional“ (Peso Cubano, internal money, value ca. 4 Cents).
Don’t mix them up!
Since November 2004, US Dollars are not accepted any more for cash payments in Cuba. The
Dollar has been replaced by the "Peso Convertible" (CUC) only, which had been already in use along
with the Dollar for more than a decade.
The exchange rate of the "Peso Convertible" is being set independently by the Cuban National Bank
since April 2005. The former parity with the US Dollar has been ended because of the weak
international value of the Dollar. In April 2005, the official exchange rate was 1 CUC = 1,08 US$.
The change of US Dollars inside Cuba is "punished" by a 10% extra fee. There is no such fee for other
currencies (e.g. Euros, Swiss Francs, Pound Sterling or Canadian Dollars) besides the normal difference
between "buy" and "sell" rates of the banks. For this, it does not make sense any more to bring US
Dollars to Cuba.
Change and change-back of "Pesos Convertibles" is only possible in Cuba. Cash can be changed at
banks and exchange offices. Many hotels and hard-currency shops accept (only non-American) credit
cards. Cash can be withdrawn by credit card, but at a higher commission compared to cash. When data
lines are occupied or out of order, credit cards can not be used. When arriving during the weekend, it
is recommended to change money at the airport.
All "western" goods are available for "Pesos Convertibles" in hard-currency shops as they were
before. Besides, the "Peso Cubano" (CUP) or "moneda nacional" (1 CUP = ca. 0.04 US$) is used
internally but has no importance in tourism. The normal traveler will maybe never get in contact with
this type of money. However, who intends to shop in farmer’s markets should provide himself with
some „Moneda Nacional“.
Don’t mix up „Pesos Convertibles“ and „Moneda Nacional“! The $-symbol is used for both.
Embark and Disembark
To meet the travel plans of our guests as good as possible, embarkation and disembarkation can be done every day of the week for entire boat rent.
Embarkation is at 18:00 of the first day of the charter, disembarkation at 10:00 of the last day. Different times to meet airline schedules etc. are possible, but they require to be agreed with your Trip Organizer
