Cabaret Tropicana: Keeping 1930’s Havana, Cuba Alive

A Dream Realized (Cabaret Tropicana Bonus)

I dreamed of Cuba.

Those were the four words I kept repeating to myself.

My feet had touched the ground of numero uno on my bucket-list!

Even now, I’m short on adjectives! I’ll never forget the reality of Cuba!

The lack of air conditioning in the customs area was the first reminder of stepping back into a simpler time.

Carnival went over the common no photography rule.

Most of the officials were females clad in skirts and fishnet stalkings.

I have a drawer full of the latter. Though it was unusual in that setting, I admired their fashion sense.

Each time we disembarked we had to stand in the long lines. Their no-nonsense demeanor had softened by the second time around.

I had no complaints about any slight “inconveniences”!

I was in Cuba and in just a few hours would be entertained by the world-famous Cabaret Tropicana.

“Homeland or Death, We Shall Overcome” (Cuba’s Motto)

Cuba and the U.S. have had strained relations for ages.

There were few exceptions allowing Americans access to the northern Caribbean republic.

President Obama began reconciliations during the historic visit to Cuba on March 20, 2016.

This led to somewhat amicable agreements as it related to economics and travel.

I live in Miami and Cuba is only an hour’s flight away. Politics made it seem unreachable.

My dream now had a way to come true without a complicated back door entry!

Little Havana ( Habla Español)

Culture has been the driving force behind most places I’ve longed to visit.

Miami has a substantial Hispanic culture and Cubans make up the majority.

Little Havana is one of the neighborhoods many Cuban exiles call home.

My deep appreciation for other cultures got its start from childhood.

I had a teacher in elementary that seemed to base the entire class curriculum on Native Americans.

Their beautiful skin, shiny black hair, dress, and ceremonies piqued my developing curiosity.

Language is an important aspect of culture.

Living in Miami meant having Spanish as an elective throughout my schooling.

There were many similarities to the Creole I spoke.

I don’t speak Spanish fluently. I consider myself “able to get by”.

Despite this, I would fit right in with the highly populated Afro Cubans.

The Calm Before the Storm

My Facebook newsfeed suddenly filled with page suggestions for future ferries to the island nation.

It was mirroring my Google searches.

Most of these endeavors never came to fruition.

Fathom ( a Carnival affiliate) started the trial run of cruises to Cuba in May of 2016.

Adonia was a smaller ship that would stop in three Cuban cities (Havana, Cienfuegos, and Santiago de Cuba).

The price tag was about $3K per person for an interior cabin. Travel dates could increase that amount.

Piece of the Pie

Soon after, the major cruise lines wanted in on the potential gold mine.

Their itineraries were limited to the capital city (Havana). Their amount was much more affordable.

At the time, Carnival was only cruising to Cuba out of Tampa, Florida.

Aside from affordability, I chose to cruise with them for the overnight stay. It was the only way to see the evening cabaret.

It was wise that I didn’t delay in planning my trip. Things changed quickly!

The Trump administration recently revived Cuban travel restrictions.

We are only allowed to fly into Havana. Cruise travel was the first to end.

Cabaret Tropicana

As I was researching excursions for Cuba, I came across Cabaret Tropicana.

Some say it had become a tourist trap.

The history of the place was enough authenticity for me.

I pictured American gangsters and their entourage vacationing in the 1920’s Cuba dressed in their finest.

Vintage cars would line the outside as wealthy Cubans and dignitaries stepped out for a night on the town.

If you look beyond the tourist-filled buses, you’ll see the aura of glitz and glam never left Cabaret Tropicana.

I love music, fashion, and the arts. The show was a perfect blend.

TIP: Arrange for your driver to wait until the show ends.

What to wear:

The website for Tropicana has a helpful FAQ section.

The dress code is casual elegance. Shorts and jeans aren’t allowed.

I wore a short romper and dressed it with up with knee-high boots.

The tickets were purchased in advance on the venue’s website. I didn’t want to risk a sell-out.

The “plus show” was $85 (USD).

TIP: Verify authorization with your bank since it is an international transaction.

Showtime

All of the action takes place in an outdoor tropical garden.

I hoped for good weather. Rain would force the show indoors and I wouldn’t get the full experience.

Reviewers who were unfortunate complained of the inside space being too small to handle such a big lineup.  

Thankfully, the weather behaved and the show blew me away. The dark skies made me forget we were outside.

The trained talent was on full display.

Every time I thought they reached the end, dancers would pop up throughout the audience and onto the stage.

Each set seemed to compete for most elaborate costumes.

There was singing, various dancing styles, and a little of Cirque du Soleil mixed in.

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A Panoramic View

I knew my seats would be somewhere in the front, but I literally had the best one in the house.

My chair touched the edge of the stage.

Some of the dancer’s outfits were skimpy enough to have me turn away to avoid seeing too much.

I missed the complimentary rose each lady received upon arrival.

Gentlemen were presented with a Cuban cigar.

Our server brought nuts, vintage glass Cokes and bottles of Havana Club rum to the table.

There is an option to add a meal. I declined since most of the reviews advised against it.

A couple at my table ordered food without any complaint.

I read about a fee to take pictures. It wasn’t mentioned and I didn’t ask!

The show was flawlessly executed! My only qualm is for it to be a tad bit shorter.

I’ve included some other excursions on my trip to Cuba below.

Spoiled Appetite

My tour on day one was called Sights and Sounds of Cuba.

At the time, most of the excursions had to be booked with the cruise line to meet the “people to people” requirement.

The excursion consisted of a walking tour, food, drinks, and music.

 First, we stopped at a restaurant to watch a bartender make mojitos and other Cuban drinks.

This turned into a disaster! They expected us to share 3 glasses per group (by using straws).

Next, we visited a dance studio named Habanas Compas.

It is a dancing, singing, and drumming company that has traveled all over the world.

The videos highlight a small portion of the female members and leader.

Cuba is not short on natural talent.

On the way to our food stop, our guide proceeds to enlighten on us on the better taste and quality of paladars.

Paladars are private homes that serve as restaurants.  

Don Congrejo was a government-owned restaurant.

I barely touched the food. The tour guide had spoiled my appetite.

Comida Americana en La Habana (American food in Cuba)

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The least I expected was dishes Cuba was known for. Even a simple chicken with black beans & rice would have appeased me.

I love Cuban food in Miami and I’m disappointed I didn’t get to try any in Cuba.

I was taken aback by the lobster.

On the bright side, maybe it was the government’s attempt at serving us “the best”.

I don’t know if it was the seeds already planted in my head. Most of the food did not look too appealing.

My critical “foodie” eye told me everything was overcooked.

I saw their effort. We were serenaded throughout our meal and provided impeccable service.

I stepped outside after dessert to the back of the property. It was right on the water’s edge.

Mission Accomplished

The second half-day in Cuba was reserved for shopping. I took my time in an effort to memorize my whole trip.

If details slipped, I wouldn’t dwell on it. What mattered most is my dream had come true!

I’m elated to have touched down on Cuban soil.

I practiced my “poquito español” to the surprise and delight of the natives I came in contact with.

 I saw a place unspoiled by modern technology.

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From the vintage cars littering the streets to the dark-skinned “grandmothers” smoking cigars in public.

Cuban people were inviting in their desire to share their homeland with America.

It was hard to walk the cobbled streets without hearing the men loudly greeting you with that very name.

Restoration of The (other) Pearl of the Antilles

I hope the U.S. can move forward with restoring a working relationship with Cuba. Private citizens were able to reap some of the benefits of increased tourism.

There was a somber moment on the tour when the guide showed a ration card.

Many times the amounts (food/personal care) allotted by the government were not enough for families.

The country has a ways to go in bridging the poverty gap and all the complications that it entails.

I believe the great U.S. of A can play a big role in Cuba’s advancement.

Cuba, I hope to see you again in your restored glory!

Happy 500^th Anniversary and 80^th birthday to Cabaret Tropicana.

Have you been?