Santiago

[coiran]

We are cruising from Buenos Aires to Santiago in February 2006 - we are thinking of flying in early and doing a BA - Iguazu - BA tour with Port Compass - their prices seem to be in line. We would like to stay a day over in Santiago - Does anybody have any suggestions for a day tour - evening stay - tour and trip to the airport the next day?

 

Ron

[dileep]

Try http://www.chilecallcenter.com/

 

I am considering them too.

[dileep]

Port Compass has several options at their site http://www.portcompass.com/regionproducts.php?region=SouthAmer#18

 

Did you not like what they offered? What are they charging you for Iquazu falls trip? I found air=hotel+ 1/2 day sightseeing for $85o for two people incl hotel transfers in Iquazu falls and transfer to ship in BA.

[ACJV]

Be sure to check out the Ritz Carlton Santiago. We stayed there in January of this year and it was so wonderful. Check on packages that include massage and breakfast. We have never had a better experience anywhere.

Vicki

[coiran]

Port Compass has several options at their site http://www.portcompass.com/regionproducts.php?region=SouthAmer#18

 

Did you not like what they offered? What are they charging you for Iquazu falls trip? I found air=hotel+ 1/2 day sightseeing for $85o for two people incl hotel transfers in Iquazu falls and transfer to ship in BA.

 

 

Was that with portcompass? They gave me a quote of $599pp for a BA-Iguazu-BA with a two nite stay and two days at Iguazu - I'll probably take thet but I was also looking for something nat the Santago end - Portcompass has these also, but just wondering if there was anything else.

 

Ron

[dileep]

Was that with portcompass? They gave me a quote of $599pp for a BA-Iguazu-BA with a two nite stay and two days at Iguazu

Ron

 

We have booked a 2 day 1 night stay with Ricardo at Defrantur.

[Sumar76]

Hi I agree with the Ritz Carlton....especially the Club Level. We were there in May and what a great place. On the Club Level you don't have to check in in the main Lobby, they escort you right up to the 10th floor, to the Club Concierge. They arranged for a half day tour of Santigo <that very day for us, and had other tours available. They also have food offerings 4 times a day which is really great! Continental breakfast, light lunch, tea in the afternoon (with goodies of course) and cocktails and h'ouderves from 7 to 10!

 

We did rent a car from the airport ourselves and drove to the ocean one day(going through wine country and vinyards)...and the mountains(ski area) the other, both about 1 1/2 hours away . I would suggest pre-arranging a wine tour as we didn't and certain wineries are closed certain days, etc. We did see a couple pull up in a mini-van, obviously private guide for a tour when we were there.

Santigo is very pretty...we only went for a "lark" for the weekend, and glad we did. Have a great time no matter what you do.

 

Sue

[coiran]

We have booked a 2 day 1 night stay with Ricardo at Defrantur.

 

What is the price Defrantur quoted you for this - as I said portcompass wants $599 for a 2 day 1 night package from BA - Iguazu-BA. His site doesn't have anything like this listed - what did you ask for.

 

Does he have anything for Santago?

 

Ron

[coiran]

Me Again

 

We are on the Feb 11 sailing of the Regal starting in BA and ending in Santiago. We would like to do a pre tour of Iguazu falls and a post tour of Santiago/Valpariso with transfer to the airport. Looking for tour company suggestions.

 

Ron

[juliejoe]

Our tour begins in Rio instead of Buenos Aires, but it ends in Valparaiso.

 

We'll be using www.enaturchile.com for tour/transfers following our cruise in January. We'll tour Vina del Mar, Valparaiso, transfer to Santiago with a stop at Indomita Winery, ending with a city tour of Santiago and being dropped off at 2 different hotels.

The next morning (2:00 a.m.) they will pick us up and and transfer us to the Airport. We were pleased with our communications and the prices are acceptable - though not a major bargain. No pre-payment is required.

Julie

 

[Aysen]

DW and I like to go to Santa Lucia for crafts. They have some of the best deals on Lapis Lazuli jewelry as well ;)

[juliejoe]

Hi Steve,

 

Good to see your post. For some reason they pulled the entire thread where we were discussing Chacabuco - fortunately I had saved your e-mail before they did and I'll be getting in touch with you. There must have been some link to a tour guide posted that they didn't like. Hopefully the one I posted on this thread is OK, since it is in response to a request.:confused: I have a hard time figuring out when it's OK to post that info and when it's not.

 

On our roll call thread I shared from memory (as poor as it is) what I could recall of your great tips. Originally I posted a link to the thread but since it was zapped I tried to remember. One of our group is interesed in the horseback riding (with Rodrigo?) so I'll get in touch for more info on that.

 

Since Santa Lucia is not one of our ports - I'll ask a dumb question: Where is it? Also, I wanted to ask you about Alpaca. I was planning to buy some Alpaca socks while in Chile, but read that Alpaca "sheds". Can you enlighten me about that? Might look at the Alpaca sweaters too - but living in TX we don't have much call for them.

 

How are the plans coming for your approaching cruise?

 

Julie

[Aysen]

I have no idea why that thread went poof. Be nice if they'd drop a note of explaination when they do that. Being new to all this I might learn something.

 

Santa Lucia is in downtown Santiago. It's a craft market next to Cerro Santia Lucia where (if my memory serves) Santaigo was founded. Both are kinda nice to visit and the crafts are reasonable and good there.

 

A note about Santiago: Crime is way up and I urge caution when you go to crowded places. Mostly pickpockets and some will shove you to the ground as they make the grab. Do NOT wear necklaces or jewelry out on the street. I usually carry a "bait" wallet with a few pesos and not much else. My real stash is hidden in a waist belt or something. Don't need to be paranoid, just cautious.

[dileep]

Me Again

 

We are on the Feb 11 sailing of the Regal starting in BA and ending in Santiago. We would like to do a pre tour of Iguazu falls and a post tour of Santiago/Valpariso with transfer to the airport. Looking for tour company suggestions.

 

Ron

 

We used Ricardo at http://www.buetours.com/ingles/

for Jan 21-22

[coiran]

We used Ricardo at http://www.buetours.com/ingles/

for Jan 21-22

 

I got some prices from Ricardo - did you take the one night or two night packagfe? Are you flying back from Iguazu on the same day as the ship's sailing?

 

Maybe we should use email rjandy@chartermi.net

 

Ron

[xpcdoojk]

anyone with any other suggestion for transfers from Valparaiso to Santiago?

 

Still looking and need to book soon!

 

jc

[dileep]

I got some prices from Ricardo - did you take the one night or two night packagfe? Are you flying back from Iguazu on the same day as the ship's sailing?

 

Maybe we should use email rjandy@chartermi.net

 

Ron

 

We are staying only one night and flying back from Iquazu in the afternoon of the ship sailing.

[Aussie Gal]

jc,

 

Not long now until you are off. Please post a review when you return. We are not leaving until 30th Dec. so I will still be here to read of your experiences.

 

I booked Pancho for a trip from Valpariso to Santiago at the beginning of this year. I only cancelled him because we are sharing with Juliejoe and she had found someone else.

 

He was recommended on this Board and we were going to be picked up from the ship, shown Valpario and Vina del Mare, go to a winery on the way to Santiago and a short tour of that city. He was very reasonable and didn't require any money upfront.

 

Here is his address: transfran@chile.com

 

Jennie

[xpcdoojk]

Jennie, does he have a website that I can check out? and is Pancho a different vendor and does he have a website.? There will be six of us and luggage.

 

Your post cruise thing sounds perfect. I am waiting to here from my English friends when they need to be at the airport on December 6. Us and our American companions don't fly out until late the next night so we are spending a night in Santiago.

 

We have had a major pain booking the train from Cusco to MP... we arrive on Dec 8 about noon in Cusco and it is a national holiday and the train station where you have to pick up and pay for tickets the day before is closed. Fortunately, we have become email friends with a ticket agent, and we had to do a bank electronic transfer and then they are taking our train tickets to the concierge at our hotel in Cusco.

 

What would we all do without the kindness of strangers to maul Tennessee Williams? :D

 

jc

[Aussie Gal]

Hi jc,

 

Here is his name: FRANCISCO MORENO RUIZ ( everybody call me PANCHO )

TRANSFRAN

 

He told me in his first email that he had an airconditioned new van for six people. He is so sweet when he writes. Unfortunately I don't know if there is a website or not.

 

So far all my bookings for our post cruise have been okay though I did a silly thing on Tuesday when we had to pay for our Galapagos cruise through PayPal. I actually paid twice and so I now have to wait for the refund from our T.A. in Ecuador. How silly was that!!

 

I decided last year to book our hotels in Cusco and Machu Picchu through an agent in Peru. I then decided to let her organize our train and pickups in Machu Picchu. It was just getting a bit too hard to do it all and I was a bit worried that something would go wrong. It still could but at least I have tried to cover all bases.

 

Jennie

[xpcdoojk]

Jenny the train to MP was just frustrating, I was lucky I sucked up to the ticket agent, and was very appreciative and thankful for his help. When I first tried to book the train months and months ago, it was not available. he promised that it would become available but not until about 2 months out. Apparantly, the tour companies book all of the tickets and then release them 2 months before. I was at first in a panic, because we already were committed with plane tickets etc. I then thought it thru and sure enough a few weeks ago he booked exactly the tickets we wanted. Even though he knew I was willing to book the Hiram Bingham if necessary. Good guy. We are doing the early Vistadome 1 train and returning on the late Vistadome 2 train. Can't wait!

 

I got an email from Pancho, and I was not completely impressed, who is it that you and JulieJoe are using.?

 

I am very excited. In 13 days I will be in the plane starting the trip. This weekend we are going to a nearby city (3 hours) for an NFL football game shopping eating and drinking! I am not sure when I am going to find time to pack! We, also, are putting up the xmas tree before we go. It is a new tree that we bought after xmas last year that is 12 feet high, O crapola!:D

 

jc

[juliejoe]

Hello jc,

 

We are booked with www.enaturchile.com. I've been corresponding with Victor Aballai. They will pick us up at Valparaiso & we'll tour Vina del Mar, Valparaiso, Indomita Winery and then Santiago. Jennie and Peter will be with us and they will drop us off at our different hotels. I do not think their price is a bargain, but it is fair and I feel confident about them showing up. We are also using them early the next morning for transportation to the airport.

We were given a 10% discount because we were referred by a previous customer. Another couple who will be on our cruise contacted them and mentioned that I referred them and they too were given the 10% discount. If you want to see if you get the same deal, you could first request a price and then ask if you get a 10 % discount because you were referred by Julie Matthews.

 

Julie

[Aussie Gal]

jc,

 

If you aren't happy with Pancho why not give the firm that Juliejoe and I are using a try. Other than that I cannot help out. My sister when she was there in early January this year used someone else but wasn't happy so I am loathe to recommend them even though they refunded some of the money that they had paid because of the circumstances.

 

We will be paying for our Cusco-Machu Picchu excursion next week. We are also going on the Vistadome train but am not sure the time that we are returning from M.P. I do know we are leaving very early in the morning to get up there. We are also staying at the Sanctuary for one night. I just hope it doesn't rain!

 

Jennie

[juliejoe]

jc - I found Pancho's website in my notes: www.transfran.8m.com

 

Jennie - I believe he has updated his website. There is more information than I remember seeing before. I also think his prices are different (more) on his website than what he quoted you.

 

Julie

[xpcdoojk]

jc,

 

If you aren't happy with Pancho why not give the firm that Juliejoe and I are using a try. Other than that I cannot help out. My sister when she was there in early January this year used someone else but wasn't happy so I am loathe to recommend them even though they refunded some of the money that they had paid because of the circumstances.

 

We will be paying for our Cusco-Machu Picchu excursion next week. We are also going on the Vistadome train but am not sure the time that we are returning from M.P. I do know we are leaving very early in the morning to get up there. We are also staying at the Sanctuary for one night. I just hope it doesn't rain!

 

Jennie

 

I wish we would have had time to stay a night at the sanctuary, I envy you that evening!

 

I don't have a problem with Pancho, just didn't get that warm fuzzy feeling from reading the email. I am sure he is fine, and we may use him. I will check out JulieJoe's choice. Thank you both so much!

 

jc