Merlinite

Do the machines take bills? We've never needed to do laundry while on board due to shorter cruises. But we have a longer cruise coming up, and will be doing laundry for the first time. Any tips or suggestions?

they do not take bills but have change machines, which may or may not be working. Pursers desk will also make change.

we take quarters along so are prepared if we know we will be doing laundry.

Yes, it is on Posadas street directly behind the Alvear Palace. It's located off the street in a small shopping galeria about the middle of the block. It is on the same side of the street as the Alvear.

 

The "cow in the window" cueva is on the right as you enter the shopping gallery."

 

I also found a place on Santa Fe. I believe it said Antiques, or something. Any time you see a decorative covered window with small openings displaying items and a door bell, you have probably found a blue dolar cambio. Once inside I saw that they could see out, but one couldn't see in from the street. The transaction area is in a separate room.

We are in Santiago now, leaving tonight after 4 days, could use a few more. We are on Merced in Centro only a few blocks from Plaza de Armas, with views of Cerro Santa Lucia and the Andes, except haven't seen much of the mountains because of the summer smog. Mornings are the best time for seeing them.

This is an easy city for walking, with many plazas, museums and markets close if you are in Centro. I got to try Patagonian Wild Boar on Lasterria and it was a real treat. DW has a great piece of grouper and enjoyed that as well.

We walked to the top of Cerro San Cristobal after taking the funicular up. A man opened the chapel in the base of the statue just as we arrived, which DW saw as a gift. Very nice experience despite the effort of the climb.

There is a place in the Cultural Center at Plaza de la Moneda called Civica where we took a break for Pisco Sours and a wonderful plate of grilled seafood that included pulpo, mussels, camarones and scallops. really really good!!

We had a wonderful stay here and recommend allowing several days if visiting. There is so much to see and do...

Color me stupid , but what is REI?

i never call anyone stupid!! http://www.rei.com/

Thought some folks headed this way would like to know:

Taxi from EZE to Centro AR$400-. The 24 hour bank was closed when we arrived so we paid US$47 at the official rate of 8.5. The porter that helped us to the car expected a tip, a dollar seemed to satisfy him. After an exciting drive into town we decided to tip our driver also. He appreciated it.

Received 13.3 exchange at the dolar blue cambio behind the Alvear Palace. Very easy and professional. i.e. US$300- = AR$3,990-. caveat, don't buy to many pesos as you might have trouble spending them. hint, look for the space with the cow covering the window, lower level, press the button and they will buzz you into a waiting area, then into the transaction area.

Here's some prices we experienced:

Mid day meal at Clarks, Empenada, steak & fries and nice desert AR$94- Bottle of Patagonia beer 44, glass of cab wine (forgot, but pretty cheap). Total cost for 2, with tip, less than US$30-.

Beer drinkers, try the Patagonia Amber Lager...

Bag of groceries for breakfast at the apartment AR$29-. Bottle of Malbec 24, they had cheaper (16) but we splurged :D

1/2 roasted chicken, large box of fries, large salad AR$170-. way more than we could finish. We are learning to scale down the orders...

Official jersey for Boca Juniors AR$320- (for grandson the soccer star)

Admission to Art Museum AR$20. Guided tour 15.

Walked most of the day around Recoleta and Palermo. With a pocket full of pesos we will be using taxis today and tomorrow. There are literally thousands of taxis moving around the streets. Remise to the dock from Recoleta is reserved for Saturday, AR$140- (US$10 or so). can't beat that with luggage and all!

Our apartment in Recoleta, (US$50/night through airbnb), has fast wifi and cable tv. We even found some English channels, but the local news gives us a chance to practice our Spanish. A decent kitchen and very secure.

I will say that is rather sad that some of the locals are disrespectful of their fine city. Rampant littering, awful defacing of buildings and monuments. Some information signs obliterated by spray paint, buildings graffitied. There is much deferred maintenance all over town, buildings, streets, sidewalks, etc. Probably due to the monetary situation, but sad to see the deterioration of this beautiful city :(

Hope this helps!

You may be right re overpaying. However, there were 7 different taxis transporting our group and everybody paid individually to different agents at the kiosk and we all ended up paying the same amount. Go figure

and you overpaid by a whole US$10... darn, that's a martini at Crooners :eek:

whatever... i have been traveling for 20 hours. hand 2 20's to the guy and get me to a siesta!!

muchas gracias pochito... that is very helpful response

now i comprehend the whole issue...

As with others we empty the fridge of anything we don't use and then have it for our use. ...

whew... way to complicated. there are ice machines on every deck, maybe several, just behind a door somewhere... you just need to know where :)

that way you have it whenever you need it. or you could call room service, but that usually costs a dollar ( for us anyway) ;) and takes longer...

It can be used in the MDR, specialty restaurants or buffet. They'll store remaining wine for another day even at a different dining location.

Can you take a partial bottle from the MDR to your cabin? or have it delivered?

food is extra. go to salmon bake in Denali for some fish tacos and a Mt. McKinley margarita, see my avatar... at the Mt. Mckinley lodge there is no choice, but is not out of line. great trip!!! we loved it...

The game will be turned off in all venues including MUTS during the Muster Drill.

so you are 'speculating' that the game will be played during the muster drill? or something... :rolleyes:

or the muster drill will be held during the game... sounds dumb to me :confused:

i don't believe you really know for sure, swscruiser

Last year for the Super Bowl, we sat in the back of the theater and as soon as it was over, I threw my vest to my husband, was the first one out and ran like mad. He took the vests to the cabin and joined me. I was the first one up there but as I said, all the lounge chairs had things on them.

I wonder where you were. we are in South America and maybe there's not the same interest there? I will find out in 2 weeks!

i WILL watch the game!

http://www.princess.com/bridgecams/np/golden_bridgecam.html

Did they stop at Puerto Montt?

we were in Crooners while some kind of champagne give a way was happening. our server, mr magic man, saw to it we had plenty of champagne to have with the martinis :D

the wheelhouse bar might be our favorite though... but then again, there was the Wake View on the Sapphire... hmmm...

We've been on b2b's during significant sporting events. The sound is cut off, as the announcements go out over "everything". It is highly likey that the game will be interrupted and you will be attending muster during a portion of it.

Enjoy the scramble for loungers after muster.....

they wouldn't dare for the Super Bowl Seahawks REPEAT!! :D

we are overnight so there's plenty of other times for it. do we still have to take our life vests to muster drill?

We will be watching the Seahawks repeat against whoever on Feb. 1, in the harbor in Buenos Aires... they better not have the muster drill during the game!!

nah, they wouldn't do that, would they? :eek:

I read that the ships casino is closed from Ushuaia to Puerto Montt.. is that so?

that's 4 days! :eek:

... 😱 With their emphasis on making food from scratch,

 

 

 

who told you that? :confused:

hard to hurt a martini/ dw does like the dirty banana tho

thanks again! I'm sure you just saved me several hundred $. i will put one on the board for you :D

I'm confused.....so your steward's name is Stewart? Or are you being funny and I just wasn't in on the joke.

guess it wasn't that funny :rolleyes:

Yeah What's with that. I just got an e mail saying our cruise out of Buenos Aires has been delayed one hour which means we will have one hour less in Montevideo. Our whole cruise is ruined lol.

i'm going to recheck, but think our Montevideo call got extended an hour also. we do have 2 sea days next, or is it 1? whatever, so what's an hour or 2.

i'm already starting to relax completely, oh wait come back new :D

so they just changed the itinerary to leave BsAs at 7 pm Sunday instead of 6... :D

we will show up between 2 and 3 as requested. no worries ;)

Much better picture from there than from the Star. We were caught in that fog bank and didn't dock until way late. Everyone was several hours late getting off.

I imagine planes were missed.

Welcome to San Francisco, enjoy your stay :D

Look, for future reference, you can actually WALK from the jetty in Stanley to Gypsy Cove in 2 hours and see the penguins there for free. Or take a $10 shuttle bus, or a taxi.

 

You don't need expensive tours or guides. Just saying.

 

Yes, Volunteer Point is slightly special in that it has 3 types of penguins breeding there. But so has Murrell farm, about 3 miles from Stanley."

 

thanks for the reinforcement peterscot! ships tour to bluff cove is US$400- for 2 people. for 4 hours... how do we get to Murrell farm?

 

thanks again!! :)