Anyone done a Buenos Aires City Tour w/Cintia?

[ALadyNCal]

I would like to use her for the city tour as she is highly recommended and has been helpful with my emails. We are a group of 5. Her email is $38/pp. I have seen city tours with two other places for $10/pp. Can anyone who's done a tour with Cintia tell me what hers includes or how it might be different for the additional cost? Thanks :)

[dolliesny]

We have also been in touch with Cintia about her services and the tours sound very informative. Recently we did contact Private Tours also. I do like the sounds of both companies. Our only problem lies with the cash thing. We never pay for tours that way and aren't real fond of doing so. Any input on this?

Thanks,

Valerie and Ernie

[ALadyNCal]

Can you elaborate on 'cash thing'?

 

I haven't given her specific dates for our tours, so she hasn't specified a 'cash' policy.

 

However, when I was going to have her book a hotel for me, she said they had to be paid cash in advance to secure the reservation. In the end I chose a different hotel that she doesn't book.

 

Thanks.

[dolliesny]

As with your case she mentioned the hotels being paid in advance-cash and I guess I just assumed the tours would be also. Does anyone else have experience with cash in Buenos Aires for tours?

[lovetocruise815]

Hi Valerie,

 

We are booked with private tours in Buenos Aires and do not have to pay cash until we get there. Have you decided if you are interested in using Jamie Toth in Puerto Montt? Cindy

[dolliesny]

I just wrote to you on the other board that we would like to go with you-I can't seem to reach you by e-mail. That being said I think in Buenos Aires we may use Carlos of Private Tours. Who will you be using?

Valerie

[markindayton]

I booked both my BA hotel and a city tour, along with airport/hotel/dock transfers with Cintia for next month. The hotel is payable in cash in US dollars when we arrive at the hotel. The rest is payable in Pesos, not dollars, when she picks us up for the tour.

[rayandbelle]

we are going to SA in november and are looking for a tour guide,could sombody give me some web sites to check out please:)

[Jane110]

We were in BA in Feb and used the services of both Cintia and Carlos at Private Tours. Both are extremely nice, honest and competant. I highly recommend their services.

 

I had Cintia book our hotel and paid her american cash on the first day. She met us for a coffee on our arrival day and we paid her for the stay. We had her book an evening tango show that we paid for in pesos.

 

We spent one day with Carlos of Private Tours and we paid him in cash - in pesos.

 

The Argentine economy is in bad shape and the credit card companies charge small business's a fortune in fee's as well as making them wait months for their money. That's the reason the tour operators won't take them.

 

Don't feel uncomfortable with either of these people or thier small companies.

 

For anyone going to Rio, Carlos has an associate in Rio, named Pedro (aka Peter). Pedro is just great. His company is also Private tours but it's privatetours.com.br instead of .ar for Argentina.

 

Jane

[earljr]

Hi -

 

Jane110 -- DW and I are doing a B2B on the Regal Princess in March 06 - BA to FLL. I have a question or two if you dont mind.

 

Why did you pay part in dollars and part in pesos?

 

How many in your party?

 

 

Thank you - Earl

[Jane110]

Hi -

 

Jane110 -- DW and I are doing a B2B on the Regal Princess in March 06 - BA to FLL. I have a question or two if you dont mind.

 

Why did you pay part in dollars and part in pesos?

 

How many in your party?

 

Thank you - Earl

 

Earl,

 

It was just my husband and I traveling to Buenos Aires for 4 days before boarding our cruise.

 

Cintia asked for the hotel money to be in dollars. I honestly don't know why she preferred dollars, I may have asked, but don't remember.

The price she quoted was less than I found on any website.

 

We didn't pre-plan any tours, we like to have flexibility. And she said that for tours she takes pesos, so we paid her in pesos for the tango show arrangements.

 

Carlos took pesos' for his tour. I don't know how he arranges hotel fee's since we didn't have him make the arrangement. We spent one day with Carlos going places that would be hard for us to get to on our own, so it was great.

 

For our other 3 days, we explored the city on our own.

 

If you have any other questions, feel free to ask.

 

Jane

[dolliesny]

We were in Buenos Aires in Feb. before our Infinity Cruise and although we did not end up using Cintia we did use Carlos for his tour. It was absolutely wonderful-our own driver and guide and lots of fun and information. We want to go back!

Valerie and Ernie

[earljr]

Hi all -

 

 

Jane - Mucho thanks (the extent of my spanish!) for the info. DW is going to contact Cintia. We will be in BA 4 days before the cruise also. If I am not being a pest - do you have any recommendations regarding hotels?

We have heard the trip to the gaucho ranch is very interesting. Do you have any knowledge or feedback on that tour?

 

In advance - Thanks

 

Earl

[Jane110]

Earl,

 

I've been to Buenos Aires twice - this past Feb. and then 14 years ago.

 

On our first visit, we stayed at the Claridge Hotel and absolutely loved it. It has an "old world" charm, the front desk people are wonderful. There's also a very lively bar in the lobby that gets a nice mix of tourists and locals. The location is right near Florida Street which is one of the biggest streets and is a pedrestrian street filled with thousands of shops.

We went back to the Claridge on this visit to have drinks at the bar. We were sorry we didn't book it again.

 

On this visit, we stayed in the LoiSuites which everyone raves about. To be honest, it wasn't our cup of tea. The room was large and pleasant and modern, the breakfast is very nice and servied in a beautiful glass enclosed courtyard. But the front desk is manned by "children" who know very little about service. They give out incorrect and incomplete information. We were trying to figure out whether to use our US cell phone or our room phone to make 3 local calls and were told by the front desk that local calls were $5.00 each (our cell phone would have run about $8. each), so we used the room phone. When we checked out, we expected a $15. charge for the phone, instead we were charged $80!!!!. Arguments w/ the manager ensued and she wouldn't budge saying that the front desk people told us that local calls were $5. a minute, not per call. They most certainly did not, we asked clearly and repeated their answer back to them! She swore they would never make a mistake.

The rooms have the usual mini-bar, but no price list and there was a box of instant coffee and teas, which in my travels is always free in hotels. I used one tea bag one night, and we were charged $5.00 for it. Manager swore the price list was in our room. She sent someone to inspect and they confrimed that there was no price list. She consented to taking the $5.00 teabag off the list but not the $80. phone calls.

The hotel is in a fantastic location in the Recoleta section, which is the chic part of BA, just a half block from the famous cemetary.

 

We did one of the ranch/gaucho tours 14 years ago. It was a lot of fun, but wanted to do different things this time, so didn't do it again. The one we went to was also a winery and we enjoyed that aspect of it too.

 

DEfinitely make it to at least one evening tango show.

 

BA is a great city. I'm not waiting another 14 years to go back! :)

 

Jane

[earljr]

Thanx for the info Jane --

 

I have passed all on to DW - she is in charge of info analysis and research

(as well as most everything else:D)

 

We are off to the beach for a few days ( so I can think up more questions for you :))

 

Thank you - Earl

[Jane110]

Thanx for the info Jane --

 

I have passed all on to DW - she is in charge of info analysis and research

(as well as most everything else:D)

 

We are off to the beach for a few days ( so I can think up more questions for you :))

 

Thank you - Earl

 

Earl,

 

You're welcome. If you think of anymore, ask away! :)

 

Jane

[BCHappyGal]

WE were in BA in February 2005 and while there used Ricardo from http://www.Defrantur.com to arange all our tours and our hotel (Marriott for $135 inc breakfast). Ricardo also arranged a trip to Iguazzu Falls for us inc. the flights. He was professional and his tours were excellent and we felt the price to be great.

 

If you wish to check out my review of our SA cruise you will also find a list of all the private tour companies/guides we used in each of the ports. It is posted on this board.

 

Enjoy your cruise