Yes, the port is right alongside the St Francisco de Asis Square, and the Plaza Vieja is an easy stroll away through pedestrianised streets. Very easy. However if you want to see the Revolution Square that is in the new town which is some distance away. There is a double decker red bus which will take you around the whole city for about 2 hours so that you can get an idea if what you would like to see, and then if it is at a distance you can take a taxi. Taxis cost a bit more in the port area, but can be much cheaper if hailed away from the port and the main highlights.

Don’t forget to carry toilet paper as seem to ration it! No public restrooms so keep small notes and coins for attendants...hand sanitizer/wet wipes also a must!

Most of the people we spoke to just got one of the old cars to drive around and show them the sights. It sounded as though they got much better value for money than us . We booked a guided tour . Just make sure your taxi driver can speak English and is willing to explain what you're looking at. Haggle over the price.

So sorry we didn't do acruise, as we had 2 weeks in Varadera, and had 3 day stay in Havana.and used taxis from our hotel.

Do not know. We did it ourselves by downloading websites

Cuba is safe even for a solo female traveler like me. I went there in early November for 8 days. I'm doing some research to go again next year. It'll be my third time. Once you meet Cuba you cannot stop thinking about going again. My advice is to go there, you have nothing to be worried about. Try to go with friends if you can, it'll be even cheaper because you can share prices among all of you. Always avoid US travel companies, they will charge a lot of money for simple activities you can book by yourself with local companies. For example, I went on a marvelous one-day tour to Viñales Valley. I booked online directly with a local private group. I paid $180, but the price is the same for up to 4ppl, so if you take a similar tour with friends it be cheaper and more enjoyable. Hope you finally decide YES!

Hi Guys David has answered this question and he is correct. It well worth a look. There are walking tours which are also very informative. I may be wrong but I think the re is a timber roadway in this area bit I swear it looks like cobbles. The walking tours provide a local perspective of the history and are far better than guessing what you are looking at.

Food-on the street is not that common, but you can always find someone selling churros in an old fashioned cart, and peanuts "Mani". There are no US style food trucks, but plenty of cafes-Cuba does not have amazing food, but it is inexpensive, and fine. Find a breakfast place called "Cinco Esquinas" (5 corners) Breakfast is ALL-YOU-CAN-EAT for $4.50! Includes fruits, beautiful pastries, eggs, coffee etc...Best deal in town, and our fav cafe in Havana. Ask for Jonny to be your waiter-he speaks English, and is charming as anything. He named his son John Lennon. If you can bring a jar of Nutella for his son-Jonny will really appreciate it. and take VERY good care of you. We went to 5 Esquinas every morning in Havana, we sat outdoors, and planned our day out while drinking coffee and people watching. Look up! A lot of the locals hang out on their balcony talking to each other across the streets-it's a beautifull thing.

Hi. We also did a two day through NCL. We arrived in the morning. Tip regarding that. When they announce to you where to get your "number" for debarkation, be sure to get in that line about 15 minutes before they hand them out. We left by group number. Getting 1 or 2 gets you off quicker. We also did not book through the ship, so if they tell you for example to wait where all those who did book an trip with them, just hang out where they debark instead as you will avoid the cattle call when leaving the area where all those who booked hang. We did a 6 hour car tour with a very well reviewed guide in his 65 I believe it was, Chevrolet, all original. He was outstanding. His name is Fabio. He and his dad run Havana vintage car tours. Best of the best. He does shorter tours as well. Having 6 hours gave us a lot of time to see all of Havana and get a history lesson you never learned in school. That is how we spent day 1. After all day in the sun and all the sights, we were done for that day and hung out on the ship after the tour. The next and last day which is shorter of course, was spent in the square right out front of where the ship docks. You can't miss it. You go through these nicely shaded gates that lead to a turn of either left or right. Go right, that takes you into Plaza Vieja where there are so many interesting buildings and people milling about. Locals and tourists. Great way to spend a couple hours without having to taxi anywhere. We felt we saw everything else well enough in the 6 hours we drove around. We did stop at the Hotel National for drinks mid tour. That ate up some time but that is a must see. That is how we spend our 2 days in Havana and we felt we saw everything we wanted. If you book with this guy, he will take you to a few other places well worth going to see. He will ask what you want to see. Just tell him you leave it to him as he knows what is best. If you book, tell Fabio when you see him that this advice came from the couple who have the wild property in California where the bears and mountain lions are common. He will understand. He is a great guy and you can't go wrong if you book with his dad. Just mention you want to make sure Fabio is your guide. Oh, and if the ship says you're off by 8? Take it with a grain of salt. We got off at 9:30 due to it being first time for them in Cuba. If you are taking the NCL, they will probably have it worked out by the time you travel. You will love it. It does get really hot and you are exposed to the suns intense rays, so take that into consideration. Have a great trip.

I assume, since you only have 12 hours, that you are visiting for the day as part of a cruise. I would recommend that you hire a local car/driver/guide. I used Nosotros Cubameamos and really liked them. My guide was Claudia Machin. She spoke excellent english and you'll get more out of your visit with a local guide. I would ask to spend 1/2 your day touring old Havana sights and the other 1/2 seeing "modern" Havana, embassy row and the National Hotel.