owl61

I just left BA yesterday (Jan 2) ALL taxis at the "old terminal" have a set price of 70 dollars (by port authority) to airport. Our particiular taxi could hold 4 passengers and probably 5 large suitcases many others were smaller.

There are NO other taxis there. Option is to take the free shuttle offered by H. Stern to their store next to Marriott and get a taxi from their.

There is one cruise terminal. There is no port authority set price. The $70 set price is an arbitrary fare established by the so-called taxi mafia that works the cruise terminal. The reason there are no other cabs is that these thugs will intimidate any street cabs that try to pull into the terminal lot to service the pax at normal rates. Reminds me of Istanbul's pier.

Despite the existence of these ripoff artists you should be able to call a radio cab, remis or limo service like Silverstar to pull into the terminal lot and take you to your destination for the correct price. If need be, take the Stern bus, exit as soon as possible and grab a regular street cab. If you offer 80 pesos total (incl tolls and tip) the cabbie should be willing to take you to EZE.

Owl61,

 

Thanks for your reply. Will there be any Radio cabs at the pier which I can hail or they have to be called in advance? i just afraid I will not be able to do the calling as I won't have a cell phone with me and finding a phone booth nowadays can be difficult. Actually the ideal thing would be to prearrange everything before my cruise starts, either by phone or email. But are they reliable enough to show up if I book that early, like 16 days in advance? Forgive me for being so paranoid as I 've heard cruise ships docking at Buenos Aires sometimes could be late due to strong wind and I don't want to miss my 1 pm flight. So knowing my ride is waiting for me can be a great comfort.

Do you or a travel mate speak Spanish? If so, you can call a radio taxi from the pier. Phone is readily available in the terminal communication center ( locutorio). Several of the biggest are: Taxi del Plata 4504-7776, 4505-1111, Radio Taxi Pidalo 4932-2222, 4956-1200, Radio Taxi Premium 5238-0000, 4374-6666. Car should arrive in less than 15 minutes. For a more upscale, reliable limo service of an expat American, see http://www.silverstarcar.com/ . The fee is competitive.

I found this link: http://www.taxiezeiza.com.ar/ from the taxi company at the airport, it´s only in spanish but maybe they can help you!;)

Taxi Ezezia recently raised its fare to/from EZE to 138 pesos. Radio cab cos like Premium, Pidalgo and some remis cos have an executive service for about 110 pesos which includes an upscale car, wifi in the car, bottled water, etc. The standard fare is 80.

We have a flight to catch at 1 pm at the Buenos Aires airport on the same day our cruise ends. What is the best way to get to the airport from the cruise terminal? if we catch a taxi, how much is the fare? Will there be extra charge because it's the cruise terminal? Are there other forms of transportation? I understand there is a lot of confusion at the cruise terminal, so we like to have some plans in place so we will not miss our flight.

Thank you for your answers.

Taxi or remis (pvt car) is the way to go. It will take about 45 minutes during weekday mid day traffic. The normal fare is around 80 pesos, but taxis at the pier will charge twice that at least. You can try calling a radio cab - Premium Cab Co is 5238 0000, but see other numbers by searching "Pidalgo" here. You can prearrange for the cab or remis ( for other remis cos you can google "remis Buenos Aires").

It would have been $8,000. but just discussed lowering play from 2 coins to 1 so we could play twice as long.

Does this mean you realize that if you play long enough , you will lose all your coins?

Does the total of your winnings exceed the total of your losses?

Most of us lose, but it sure is fun!!!!

Most or all?

Your question and your response has (sic) just as much value as anybody else's. If someone condemns you for that they (sic) , not you, are wrong.

Everyone is entitled to an opinion, but contrary to what is written here, not all opinions are of equal value. Some opinions are not accurate and, as such, they are misleading and not at all helpful. Opinons can fall into this category because they are based upon bad information, because they are devoid of reason or logic or because the person offering the opinion is obviously not well. If the purpose of the boards is to assist others it is absolutely critical to question opinions that are suspect. Asking for clarification or pointing out the distortion in the opinion of another should be welcome if done in a courteous manner as it reinforces helpful/credible opinions while exposing misleading/incredible ones as such.

Too often someone whose opinion has been properly questioned responds by mindlessly incanting the magic words " I am entitled to an opinion" instead of supporting the opinion with facts and reason. That is a sign that the person doesn't really know what he or she is talking about and that the opinon lacks credibility, i.e., it is of little or no value.

An interesting discussion. On a more mundane note, Phillip, do you know where MSC fits in vis a vis the per diem food costs?

The numbers you are looking for are very carefully guarded secrets in the cruise industry. The cruise lines are even reluctant to give them to each other.

 

The numbers do vary quite a bit as well, depending on ship, itinerary, and time of year.

Here is a general break-down, per passenger, per day:

Seabourn, Silver Sea - $24 - 26 per day

Oceania, Regent - $18 - 20 per day

Celebrity, Princess - $12 - 15 per day

RCCL, HAL - $12 - 13 per day

Carnival - $8 - 10 per day

NCL - $7.50 - 8.50 per day

Thank you Phillip for your usual insightful response. Would you have any idea where MSC fits in on this list?

Is there a reliable source to discover the average per diem per passenger cost of food spent by each of the different cruise lines? I have seen references to this kind of per diem breakdown and wonder if the info is public. Is there much of a difference among the various mass market lines?

The shareholders of the cruiselines and the casino concessionaires are delighted to have as many players as possible reminisce about the time they won a big jackpot in a cruise ship casino. Moreover, those who were multiple winners are really adored by the "house' because they are the biggest losers of all for just as surely as night follows day, those who play the most lose the most.

I am not opposed to all gambling. I like to play poker, bridge for money, even bet at the track (where the odds are not applied uniformly to the universe of betters), but I can not fathom the mindset of those who spend their $ and time at the machines and the tables in cruise ship casinos. Except perhaps for the card counters who can eke out favorable odds against the house at 21. I have no objection to their gambling, mind you, because their play helps to underwrite the cost of my cruise. No doubt the casino revenue helps to hold down the basic price of any cruise.

I am incapable of wrapping my mind around the concept that someone could enjoy a game of chance knowing the odds were stacked against them. The response frequently offered by gamblers as to why they indulge, to wit, "it's fun" or "it's worth the expense for the entertainment it affords" often combined with "and I only play with a set amount of money" fail to convince me. How can someone have fun knowing they are sure to lose if they continue playing. In the long run there are NO winners in a casino except the house. Furthermore, I suspect the unpublished machine odds in cruise ship casinos are significantly lower than in other shoreside gambling meccas. No doubt they have the lattitude to adopt the most favorable regulations available just like cruise lines can flag their ships in countries with favorable employment and tax laws. Ergo the casinos ar not required to publish their payout odds or probably even adopt a minimum payout. Anyone care to bet?

In any case, keep playing. I like being able to buy a cabin on a nice ship for less than $200 /day. While you are at it, take a few more excursions, buy enlarged photos, and get some spa treatments.

Hi Owl61,

Thanks for your comments.

We were thinking of sailing with Skorpios III - the reason for going is to get to more inaccessible parts of the fjords and see all the different glaciers up close. Did you get to see them up close. The cost is aproximately AUD $1500.00 per day for a couple which is extremely expensive and we wanted to make sure that we are going to see more than what we will see with the cruise with Oceania from Buenos Aires/to Valparaiso.

Cheers

Boy AUSCHI, it sounds like you really don't want to be dissuaded by the likes of freddie or me. I thought we were pretty negative, but you don't seem convinced. Let me give it another shot.

I am not sure of the current Skorpios III itinerary. Check it's web site. http://www.skorpios.cl/ingles/. Last year Skorpios II traveled round trip for 7 nights from Puerto Montt down to the glacier in the Laguna San Rafael with stops in a couple of small towns and the owner's private island reserve. When you arrive at the lagoon, they take you out in small motor boats to within a mile or so of the glacier. There they chip off some 30,000 year old ice from the chunks floating in the vicinity. The ice, formed that long ago, it is totally free of contaminants. They use the ice to chill 12 year old whiskey served in a souvenir glass (as if you needed a chilled drink in that environment). You pray that the glacier calves a lot while you are there, which it usually does thanks to global warming. The accomodations and entertainment on Skorpios II were bad. The food was okay. Excursions, wine and drinks are inclued in the cruise price.

Skorpios III is not likely to be better now than when the ship was new 9 years ago when I was on it... and then it was not that good. I note the price for the III now runs over US$ 700 per day per couple. For that price you can go on the Silversea Prince Albert II which I gotta believe would be several orders of magnitude nicer in every conceivable way. The Prince Albert is also equipped with zodiacs for up close glacier examination.

By the way, anyone considering taking the Navimag ferry from Puerto Natales to Puerto Montt or vice versa referred to in greatam's bullet point # 3 above should very carefully research this journey. I did it in 2000 going from Puerto Natales to Puerto Montt. In a word, it was horrible. You do not get to see much in the way of glaciers - something to do with the inside passage route. We were bunked dormitory style 4 or more to a cabin, with one ill-equipped bathroom. Towels were hard to come by. The "beds" were like bad camp bunks. The food was inedible and there was nothing to do onboard. Back then it cost about US$100 per night which means they were getting $400 a day for the cabin etc. What a ripoff!

There was an employee on board whose responsibilites included passenger comfort and he tried to organize some activities for the 70 or so of us passengers. The captain, a grouchy lech who hit on one of the young females (she told me he comped her trip), fired him mid "cruise." The passengers, myself included, couldn't believe it so we circulated a petition I drafted stating that the fired employee was the best thing about the trip and all of us would be willing to vouch for him. Almost all of us signed it (except the captain's wench and one or two others) and we gave it to the employee for a reference. What a nightmare those 4 days were! If this ferry experience hasn't changed drastically, it is not a trip for civilized persons.

p.s. I note that parischris has just now confirmed my opinion too.

Would love to hear of anybody that has made a trip with Skorpios III or Skorpios II in the southern Icefields in Chile.

I sailed 2x with Skorpios, once on III in 2000 and once on II in 2008. My overall opinion is that it is not a good value. The first on III was fun and the ship had decent facilities although at about $400 per day for a single it was rather expensive back then. When I wanted to repeat the trip with my wife it was no longer doing the same itinerary so I settled on II. Big mistake. Expensive and not much on board activity. The accommodations are not good. I would suggest you investigate other expeditions.

My wife and I went on a walking tour with Michael today. He is well informed, savvy and a bargain.

We cruise a lot (usually about 70 days a year) and had a related issue regarding swollen ankles. My wife noticed that her ankles would swell whenever we were on a cruise (and we tend to take long cruises of 14+ days) but she did not have this problem at home. Than on one cruise a physician at our table suggested the problem was simply that cruise lines cook banquet-type food and their chefs tend to add lots of salt to every dish to enhance flavor. He suggested my wife drink lots of fluids (much more than when at home) and that would solve the problem. Well, it did work and has continued to work on subsequent trips. For those whose BP is sensitive to salt/sodium (this is only a segment of the population) it is not surprising to have higher BP on cruises. If this is a major issue, you should speak to your physician who could suggest an adjustment to your meds (such as a diuretic) during your trip.

Hank

Thanks. I guess PHilip has not seen the request for his expertise on the water´s sodium level.

The "tap" water on a cruise ship is desalinated sea water, however all of the sodium is not removed. It has a higher sodium content than "tap" water at home. This causes water retention and edema (swollen ankles/feet) which increases BP.

 

To avoid this, you can drink bottled water, or other non-alcoholic beverages that are not prepared with water, such as juices or milk.

I have heard that the tap water has less salt than most bottled waters. Maybe Philip can clear the air on this.

What causes increase in blood pressure while on a cruise?

 

Driving 1200 miles to the cruise terminal because you can't/won't afford the airfare.

Arrving at the pier 3 hours before embarcation starts and getting upset that you have to wait 3 hours to board.

Pushing and shoving to be first onto the ship.

Eating 8 meals per day.

Having 2 main courses and 3 desserts with dinner.

Having 3 dishes of ice cream "because it's free".

Waiting 20 minutes to take an elevator one deck up or one deck down.

Getting upset every time 3,000 other passengers decide to do the same thing you want to do - at the same time.

Getting de-hydrated because you can't afford the bottled water and are afraid to drink the tap water.

Drinking 8 diet cokes every day, hoping to cancel out the obscene amount of fattening food you have consumed.

Going to the pool and finding that you can't get a sun chair directly next to the pool.

Getting a sun chair directly next to the pool and then getting splashed and bothered by all the unruly children and adults in the pool.

Pushing and shoving to be first off the ship.

Driving 1200 miles home, completely losing any benefit you received from a relaxing cruise, because you cannot afford the airfare.

I guess this is intended to point out that certain conditions/behaviors unique to a cruise can elevate BP as can any stressful situation. However I can rule out all or almost all of these stress inducing situations and nevertheless I have experienced a spike on last 3 cruises.

What about the sodium level in the ship´s tap water?

I have high blodd pressure for which I take meds. My BP measures between 14/9 to 11/ 7 with the meds. When I go on a cruise it goes up. I have asked that my meal at dinner be prepared with no salt.

Has anyone else experienced this phenomenon of increased BP on a cruise? Is there something inherent in cruising that could cause higher BP than normal...besides the salt in the food?

Nice job.

The Ideal is a downtown tangueria which is open in the afternoons for dancing to live music. I do not believe there is an afternoon show per se, but if you like to see good dancing by non theatrical members of the public this is a great place. Be forewarned . There is a certain etiquette that frowns upon taking photos of the dancers.

http://www.confiteriaideal.com/index.htm