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Cuba is mainly a safe destination to travel to. All Cuban cities are safe in general and the island counts with one of lowest crime rates in the hemisphere.
However we feel you should be alerted of the following:
Petty crime such as pick pocketing and bag snatching occurs. Good advice is not to take a lot of cash with you on the streets. Leave your credit card and passport in the hotel safe and take a copy with you. Do not wear expensive jewels or gold chains, snatching off gold chains does happen sometimes.
Never exchange money on the streets; chances are that you will receive counterfeit or outdated banknotes in exchange for your good money.
When you rent a car, never leave it unattended, always leave it in a guarded parking lot.
Avoid walking alone at night in scarcely lit streets, especially in Old and Central Havana.
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Cuba enjoys a warm weather all year round with temperatures seldom below 24 degrees Celsius. From May to october is the rainy season and humidity reaches its peaks. The hurricane season is most likely between september and october. In general, nice weather all year long. Summer is quite hot making the winter months the peak travel season.
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Cuba has a subtropical climate with a wet season from May to October and a dry season from November to April. Average annual temperature is 24 C,, January and February are the coolest months.
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You can as long as it's not issued by an American bank. Unfortunately, it's part of the US embargo restrictions on Cuba. No US travelers cheques either. Americans have to carry cash.
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From May 2010, by law, all travelers entering Cuba must be in possession of a travel insurance with medical coverage. The measure is applicable to all foreign visitors and Cuban residents in other countries. The chosen insurance must be one that is recognized by the Cuban authorities.
The official announcement text is as follows:
On last February 16th , the Government of Cuba agreed to establish that all travelers, foreigners and abroad Cuban residents should have a travel insurance policy with medical expenses coverage, when visiting the country starting on May 1st , 2010.
To fulfill this demand, the traveler should have a travel insurance that includes medical expenses or a medical expenses policy, with coverage inside of Cuba.
The policy should be acquired in the country of residence. Those travellers that exceptionally don’t have the insurance at their arrival, will be able to acquire a policy with insurance and assistance coverage subscribed by Cuban insurance companies at the airport, port or marinas.
The travel insurances subscribed by Cuban insurance companies and by most of the international insurance companies have the ASISTUR Assistance Services in trip inside of Cuba. It is a 24 hour service during 365 days of the year.
According to statistics, more than 80 per cent of people who visit Cuba at the moment; have an insurance provided by companies of their country of residence. This insurance covers the medical expenses in Cuba.
In the case of residents in the United States that travel directly to Cuba, they will have to acquire a policy with Cuban insurance coverage in the US. This policy is marketed through a network of agencies associated to HAVANATUR-CELIMAR Company, due to the impossibility for North American insurance companies to guarantee covering in the national territory.
Travelers arriving to Cuba, should show the policy, certificate of insurance or travel assistance card, valid during their stay in Cuba.
For any case of medical emergency, the Cuban Health care system guarantees primary assistance through a net of clinics and hospitals all over the country. The primary medical assistance is provided in most of the tourist facilities.
For more information on these services you can visit the insurance and assistance company ASISTUR website. ( http://www.asistur.cu ) in charge of medical services in the island.
Local insurance coverages cost is of some 2 to 3 CUC a day ( 1 CUC = 1.20 USD ). You can find the complete price and coverage detail table in the Info and Tips section of this website under Health Topics.
For more information you can contact ASISTUR 24 hour Alarm Centre Phones (53 7) 866-8527, 866-8339, 867-1315; Fax (53 7) 8-66-80 or e-mail: asisten@asistur.cu; seguros@asistur.cu.
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All inclusive at all hotels on our website means the price covers all your meals and drinks as well as use of all of the hotel facilities and amenities. That is all its restaurants, bars, sports and fitness etc.. it does not include airfare as we do not provide international flights.
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When you try to book on our website, after providing the system with your reservation details, two results are possible: That your hotel comes up as "Available" or that it comes up as "On Request"
Available: means the hotel or service is confirmed already as it is taken from our inventories. You may proceed to pay for your services or save it for later payment.
On Request : It means we will check with the provider and revert to you with a confirmation if available, or an alternative suggestion or denial in case the hotel is nor available for your requested dates. You will receive an email from umbrellatravel.com within 72 hrs with your reply and instructions on how to proceed.
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We have 2 categories for the young ones; Infants and Children.
That is :
Infants 0 - 2 years of age
Children 3 - 12 years of age
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We have 2 categories for the young ones; Infants and Children.
Infants are 3 years or under of age while children are between 3 and 12 years of age. Over 12, they are considered as adults by hotels for reservation purposes.
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In the Havana International Airport, you should address yourself to the Gaviota Tours Office located by the west exit. Drivers and representatives gather there calling out to clients and showing signs. You may also ask directly to the Gaviota representative in blue suit in that office to ask for your transfer. You may refer to your service with Umbrella Travel.
Transfers in hotels pass by the lobby of your hotel at the specified pick up time in your booking. You should be there to meet your transfer guide/driver.
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Yes they are. The regulation on this has been lifted.
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Yes. Simply add the items to your cart. Once in your shopping cart you will see an option: " Turn this cart into a gift !!!"
Check this option before you continue. This feature allows you to turn your shopping cart into a gift asking you for the actual names for the reservation and payment information separately in the following pages while checkout.
The option is actually designed the other way around, that is to permit users paying for services to make a reservation as a gift to others assigning a different client name as the actual titular of the reservation.
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Yes. Simply add the items to your cart. Once in your shopping cart you will see an option: " Turn this cart into a gift !!!"
Check this option before you continue. This feature allows you to turn your shopping cart into a gift asking you for the actual names for the reservation and payment information separately in the following pages while checkout.
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Double rooms are always double rooms and they can come with one big bed or with two separate beds. This is usually sorted out at check in time at the hotel but if you make us a note we will be more than glad to make the observation to the hotel in advance.
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We can but only do so on spot basis. The availability of cars in Cuba can be an issue. We only accept to provide the service if we feel we can guarantee it and usually to clients that have purchased other services with umbrellatravel.com.
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Adults only hotels are hotels that only accept clients from an age and above. Usually 18+ or 14+. This exists to provide a more relaxing ambience to those seeking tranquility.
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There are only a few with other available meal plans but most beach hotels in Cuba are All - Inclusive hotels.
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If your booking stated ON REQUEST at the time you requested the service, you will receive a response from umbrellatravel.com within working 72 hrs. Once your services are confirmed and you make your payment you will receive an email with your confirmation and e-vouchers. That is all you need. You may and should print your e-vouchers and present then at your hotel or other service provider in Cuba.
If your booking is available, then the process is similar yet shorter as you do not need to wait for any confirmation from umbrellatravel.com as your service (s) is confirmed instantly.
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We provide our clients with a 24/7 mobile phone in case of trouble.
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Not really. Although we do provide hotels that provide honeymoon services and can apply the upgardes to our clients. If you are on your honeymoon let us know!
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This mail we send to you is just to confirm the email address provided is yours and tjhat it is correct to make sure you receive all our future confirmations and communications.
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You can to most of them and yes, they are safe.
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We provide both private and collective transfers where available. The car you get depends maily on the number of passengers ranging from a taxi to a bus.
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No they don't. we do not provide flights.
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Collective Transfers consist of a bus that passes by several hotels picking up passengers with similar destinations, say varadero for example. The service works but the time for pick up given is aproximate.
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yes we do. we provide national flights in request. You need to drop us a line for that.
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Unfortunately we do not provide International Flights. Umbrellatravel.com only provides receptive services in Cuba including lodging, tours, and ground transfers as well as National flights.
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Security is also of great concern to us. Every online transaction you make on the umbrellatravel.com site is processed by our third party Swiss online processor klikandpay.com using state of the art and updated SSL encryption methods. Your payment is as safe as can be.
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In this case the whole reservation is considered "On Request" by umbrella travel and you would receive a confirmation email within the stated 72 hrs.
The insight is that the services in your shopping cart that are Available remain this way but you only receive your final confirmation email when we have the items marked "On request" in your shopping cart confirmed.
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Base pricing in the umbrellatravel.com website is established in US Dollars. Exchange rates for other currencies in this site are fixed considering currency trends obtained from several sources.
Presently umbrellatravel.com accepts payments in USD, CAD, GBP and EUR.
Although this website presents only a limited number of currencies to choose from, you can make payments using your credit card or bank transfer in other currencies. In these cases, it is the bank of your credit card or account who will apply its current conversion rate to convert the currency you will pay with to the selected one in the web site.
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Presently umbrellatravel.com accepts payments in USD, CAD, GBP and EUR.
Although this website presents only a limited number of currencies to choose from, you can make payments using your credit card or bank transfer in other currencies. In these cases, it is the bank of your credit card or account who will apply its current conversion rate to convert the currency you will pay with to the selected one in the web site.
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Prices on our website are total prices for the whole stay and number of people specified in your booking. The total stated in your shopping cart is the total you will actually pay for at the time of payment. There are no hidden extra costs nore taxes of any kind.
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Your Payment must take place at least 7 days before your chronologically most immediate service in your cart.
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Yes it is. When making your online you will have the option to choose wire transfer. What this option does is send you all our bank information for you to order the payment to your bank in umbrella travel's favor. Then it is tracked by our online payment processor and we are notified of receipt of payment at which time your final confirmations and e-vouchers are sent to you by email.
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Currently there are two running currencies in Cuba but all payments in establishments operating in foreign exchange in Cuba must be made with pesos convertibles (CUC).
Since 2002, the Euro is admitted as payment currency in the tourist poles of Varadero and Cayo Coco.
For more information check our Info & Tips under "On the Road"
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At Hotels, banks and currency exchange houses spread widely in the country called "CADECAS"
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1 USD = 0.80 CUC.
Euros and other currencies use daily exchange rates stated by the National Bank of Cuba.
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Prices on our website are total prices for the whole stay and number of people specified in your booking. The total stated in your shopping cart is the total you will actually pay for at the time of payment. There are no hidden extra costs nore taxes of any kind.
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Many hotels count with a business center with internet connection and in some places some internet service lounges may be found , specially in Havana. It won’t be the fast connection you are used to but it should serve for communication purposes without big trouble.
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You can obtain a SIM card right at Cubacel’s Office at Havana Airport or any Cubacel office. You can also rent a mobile as well. Cost for SIM card rental is 3.00 CUC / day ( 3.60 usd). Phones should be GSM 900 mhz. Phone rental is 6.00 cuc /day ( 7.20 usd). You would be fully set-up and informed at the Cubacel Office as they have informed us.
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It will if it is a GSM 900 mhz device.
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You can obtain a SIM card right at Cubacel’s Office at Havana Airport or any Cubacel office to use with your phone. Your phone must be a GSM 900 mhz device in order to work in Cuba.
You can also rent a mobile as well. Cost for SIM card rental is 3.00 CUC / day ( 3.60 usd). Phones should be GSM 900 mhz. Phone rental is 6.00 cuc /day ( 7.20 usd). You would be fully set-up and informed at the Cubacel Office as they have informed us.
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You can obtain a SIM card right at Cubacel’s Office at Havana Airport or any Cubacel office to use with your phone. Your phone must be a GSM 900 mhz device in order to work in Cuba.
You can also rent a mobile as well. Cost for SIM card rental is 3.00 CUC / day ( 3.60 usd). Phones should be GSM 900 mhz. Phone rental is 6.00 cuc /day ( 7.20 usd). You would be fully set-up and informed at the Cubacel Office as they have informed us.
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Mobile rates in Cuba are high but receiving foreign calls are free.
Outgoing SMS is 1.00 cuc / msg (1.20 usd / msg) . Outgoing calls are at fixed International call rates depending on country.
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Mobile rates in Cuba are high but receiving foreign calls are free.
Outgoing SMS is 1.00 cuc / msg (1.20 usd / msg) . Outgoing calls are at International call rates depending on country. They were not able to provide me this info on spot but if you need it, let me know!
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