Flights booked through Hurtigruten - What's Included?

[BORDER REIVER]

After reading the excellent report by Sparky333, I'm a little confused. There's a mention of a $140 entry fee to Argentina, but my understanding is that when you book flights through Hurtigruten, all taxes, transfers etc are included. Is this entry fee only applied to visitors from North America or is it worldwide? Maybe it's included in the Hurtigruten price?

The other thing that I'm wondering about is the "Antarctic Discovery" expedition. I cannot find it on the Hurtigruten UK website, but yesterday I did get an email from Coastal Cruises (Hurtigruten agents I think) offering this same expedition at a special rate for first-time customers....problem is, the prices are for 2011/2012. It does sound good though and at a very reasonable rate ...albeit for unspecified cabins.

 

If anyone has any knowledge of these topics. I'd be pleased to find out more.

 

Thanks

[peterscot]

I think the entry fee is only for certain nationalities. Certainly, there were signs at the airport for Australians to pay the 'reciprocity" fee in Immigration.

[2552phxcrzr]

The $140, I believe, is the reciprocity fee (in lieu of a visa fee); not sure who all have to pay it, but I know that it applies to US nationals. I doubt it's included in any airline fare or tour package.

[BORDER REIVER]

Thanks to h2so4 & peterscot.....it sounds as though its a case of "if you charge our citizens, then we'll charge yours"....fair enough I guess. Better get there soon before Brits are banned from Argentina over the Falklands business.

[digitl]

It's not payable by UK nationals: we don't charge them, they don't charge us.

 

As for booking flights through Hurtigruten, They're mega-expensive. On our recent Antarctic trip they wanted around £1475pp from the UK to Buenos Aires. I booked with KLM/Air France (Leeds - Buenos Aires - Manchester) and paid £1666 for the two of us and noted that some of those who had booked through Hurtigruten shared the same flights. The only 'extra' you get with Hurtigruten is the airport transfer.

 

We're going again in 2014 and, no surprise, I'll be booking the flights myself when they come on sale in March 2013.

[peterscot]

"if you charge our citizens, then we'll charge yours".

 

Yep - definition of reciprocity.

 

I'm not saying it will never happen, but very unlikely Brits banned by Argentina. Argentines still want to visit Falkland war cemeteries, and there is a regular flight from Argentina (with LAN Chile), plus large number of Brits live in Buenos Aires.

 

And there are Argentines who happily live on the Falklands. Issues are distractions generated by politicians to deflect attention from economic problems.

[2552phxcrzr]

There have been recent incidences where if a ship calls on the Falklands first, Argentina has refused the ship entry into ports like Ushuaia, requiring an adjustment to the itinerary. I don't klnow that they do this consistently, however.

 

Having been to both places, I'd be upset about being barred from an Argentinian port, but the Falklands would be worth it -- especially since it's more difficult to get to the islands than it is to make a return trip to Argentina at a later date. Just my humble opinion.

[dpro]

 

We're going again in 2014 and, no surprise, I'll be booking the flights myself when they come on sale in March 2013.

 

We are also going again in 2014, we booked today for the Polar Quest itinerary on the Fram. What is your date and your itinerary if you don't mind us asking.

 

RonC