Punta Del Este, Uruguay - port trip report

[coldweather]

(I am posting here because this port is not listed in the port review section.)

This is a great cruise ship stop. It is easy to get around but will require a lot of walking. If you see tourist information you can pick up a walking tour map with the key stops highlighted. The beach is the main attraction. As Punta Del Este is located on a peninsula, one side has a beach with waves and the other side has a beach with calm waters. There are people who will rent you beach chairs/umbrellas.

As our cruise ship arrived at 4pm (16:00) we planned to walk around. Upon hindsight I would have planned to go to the beach. In December the sun sets around 8pm. There were many people arriving at the beach at 6pm. It was very, very hot and humid and it started to cool down around 6pm. It was an ideal time for a beach visit.

I don’t recall seeing a lot of taxis but as I am walker I don’t use taxis much.

There are many, many high rise style condos and hotels. The harbor is worth a stop to see all of the fancy boats.

There is shopping but I am not a shopper so I can’t comment.

 

I hope you find this review helpful.

[marazul]

coldweather-

thanks for posting reviews on the five beaches you visited. Could you comment on the water temperature at each of them? For example, Maine frigid or Caribbean bathwater, or wherever they are in between.

Thanks!

[coldweather]

Will do. I didn't swim in Punta del Este so I can't comment. I can say that many people were in the water. The temperature was in the 90s and very, very humid. (December 2012)

[Acrusa]

We will be at each port in feb.on our Rio to BA cruise.Did ur ship ever offer you tours of these ports?

[coldweather]

We will be at each port in feb.on our Rio to BA cruise.Did ur ship ever offer you tours of these ports?

 

 

Hello Acrusa - We did the Rio to BA cruise on Azamara. They did offer excursions at each stop. We are beach/swimming people so we did not take any of the cruise excursions. We signed up for a snokel boat ride in Parati but it was cancelled due to lack of participation. We were able to get to the beaches on our own. Your cruise ship will offer excursions. You can also research each port to see if their is a local guide/tour that you like. Also, join your Cruise Critic roll call and ask questions there. The people are your specific cruise will have ideas. Enjoy your cruise!

[coldweather]

I received a request that a fellow CC poster can't find my reviews. This post will bump it to the top so it can be found.

[KirkNC]

Thanks for the report.

[trixietx]

In 2009 we took a city tour and I highly recommend it. When we got off the ship they were offering it at the port , probably ten or so people in a van. It was inexpensive and we so enjoyed it. Beautiful place!!!!!

[weatherman46]

We are on the QM2 in February and this is down as a tender port. Does anyone know where the tender drops you?

[4774Papa]

We did a great biking tour and saw the whole peninsula. It was great.

[Northern Aurora]

We are on the QM2 in February and this is down as a tender port. Does anyone know where the tender drops you?

 

We tendered at Punta del Este last March while on the Celebrity Infinity. The tender port is not on the Atlantic side of the small peninsula, but on the estuary side. The tender dock was in the marina on the southern end of Playa Mansa. The walk from the marina to downtown was just a few minutes.