Bon Voyage Uncle Les

[NSWP]

Sounds great. I know somebody who recently did an overnight shore excursion to Maccu Picchu, and it was so expensive. One place that I want to visit one day.

The overnight ones the ships sells are $2000, way too much money and way too rushed ! In 2002, we had 3 nights in Cusco and 2 at Aguas Calientes (Macchu Picchu) including the plane Lima/Cusco and train Cusco/Macchu Picchu for much less than that, I think it was $1000 each.

 

You are better off doing Cusco/Macchu Picchu separate from a cruise. Try http://www.chimuadventures.com (Australian Company.) We are doing precruise travel in Chile/Argentina with them, they do Cusco/Macchu Picchu very well.

Edited February 15, 2014 by NSWP

[Kiwi Kruzer]

He will be on board now. The ship overnighted in Buenos Aries.His voyage around Cape Horn begins...

 

[Sandielle]

Nice. I am sure he will be having a great time. :)

[Kiwi_cruiser]

Hope he has a good day in Puerto Madryn, Argentina today:

 

 

GOLDEN PRINCESS at ShipWatcher

[Kiwi Kruzer]

They are now heading off into the South Atlantic to visit the bleak Falkland Islands.

 

 

[Kiwi_cruiser]

They are now heading off into the South Atlantic to visit the bleak Falkland Islands.

 

Hopefully they will be able to get to the Falkland Islands!!

[Kiwi Kruzer]

Hopefully they will be able to get to the Falkland Islands!!

 

I think the Captain has a fairly good idea of where they are..:D

 

however when they get there the port of Stanley is very sheltered but where the ships has to anchor can be prone to heavy winds. The Islands are very low so they do not provide much protection.

[Kiwi_cruiser]

Stanley, Falkland Islands today:

 

 

GOLDEN PRINCESS at ShipWatcher

[Kiwi Kruzer]

Looks like they have struck a really calm and perfect day in the Falklands.

Heres some shots of the tenders from Golden Princess coming and going from the landing at Stanley from the live webcams , and a couple of general shots showing the local scene and the weather conditions.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[rabbitoh_777]

.

Wishing Les ....NSWP..... all the best for his upcoming voyages.

Trust you have smooth seas especially Round The Horn.

Have a great time with your pre cruise stay in South America.

 

Here's where he is heading......

Golden Princess - 1 March 2014,

South America - Cape Horn,

Buenos Aires to L.A. - 31 days.

.

Saturday Mar 08 Cape Horn (Cruising) 5:00 pm 6:00 pm

.

.

........ Feelin' Horny yet Les? ...... :D

 

Hope you're havin' a ball! :eek:

 

Safe seas & fine travels mate...

.

:cool:

.

[Kiwi Kruzer]

They rounded "The Horn" this morning. I did not realise that the "Horn" was an Island and you can sail around it...weather permitting. :eek:

From the cam, it looked like the weather was OK.

At the moment they will be sailing through the Beagle Channel on their way to Ushuaia in Tierra del Fuego..., the southernmost settlement in the world .......

 

Fin del Mundo.

 

 

 

[Aussieflyer]

They rounded "The Horn" this morning. I did not realise that the "Horn" was an Island and you can sail around it...weather permitting. :eek:

 

From the cam, it looked like the weather was OK.

 

At the moment they will be sailing through the Beagle Channel on their way to Ushuaia in Tierra del Fuego..., the southernmost settlement in the world .......

 

 

 

Fin del Mundo.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It's funny but the cruise ships don't actually sail 'round the Horn'. They sort of do a loop then back through the Beagle Channel. Glad the weather was good for them. We had big seas and high wind but would not have missed it fir the world. Incidentally sailing past the Patagonian glaciers demonstrated how much ice has been lost. The rate of glacial retreat is really concerning.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Cruise Critic Forums mobile app

[Kiwi Kruzer]

Golden Princess at Ushuaia.They are now threading their way through the Chilean Fiords on the way to Punta Arenas.

 

 

[rabbitoh_777]

.

It's funny but the cruise ships don't actually sail 'round the Horn'. They sort of do a loop then back through the Beagle Channel.

 

Glad the weather was good for them. We had big seas and high wind but would not have missed it for the world. Incidentally sailing past the Patagonian glaciers demonstrated how much ice has been lost. The rate of glacial retreat is really concerning.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Cruise Critic Forums mobile app

.

Interesting, found these after reading your post.

 

http://www.pelagic.co.uk/maps/TDFfull003short-route_1000.jpg

 

http://www.theepochtimes.com/news_images/highres/2007-7-28-cape-horn.jpg

 

Cheers, r

 

:cool:

[Kiwi Kruzer]

They were tender'd ashore today to Punta Arenas , the town that boomed when ships used the Straits of Magellan to get to the West Coast of America and the goldfields.

Merchants built mansions from the profits of provisioning the ships ,

....and then the Panama Canal opened in 1914 and time stood still...

 

 

 

[Kiwi_cruiser]

Santiago/Valparaiso, Chile today:

 

 

GOLDEN PRINCESS at ShipWatcher

[Kiwi Kruzer]

Valparaiso is about an hour away from Santiago. A lot of South American cruises start/end here. If you ever do a SA cruise its worth spending a few days in and around this historic and Bohemian town. One of the fun things to do is ride the funiculars...many are over 100 years old.

 

 

[NSWP]

Hi all, in Coqimbo today, all well on board. Missed the Horn because of big seas. Never mind. Lot of CC'ers on board. International pax, all parts of the world. 400 Aussies and 25 Kiwis too. Now two sea days, then San Martin, Peru.

 

No complaints about ship, good crew, food etc.

[Kiwi_cruiser]

 

GOLDEN PRINCESS at ShipWatcher

[Kiwi Kruzer]

Sailing out of Coquimba.

The area in front of the ship ,on the promenade , is a market.

 

 

 

 

The cruise ships dock just to the right of this pic.

On the hill is the largest religious monument in South America.

The Cross of the Third Millenium, built for the year 2000.

 

 

Just a short bus ride around the bay is La Serena.

A shuttle is usually provided.

La Serena dates back to 1550, when the Spanish discovered gold and copper.

 

[NSWP]

Not seen Karateman/Sutho abord, perhaps he did not embark?

 

Calm seas today. Plenty going on on the sea days and ship in VG condition.

 

Yes David, Coquimbo is just a port town with markets in front of ship, we also toured La Serena.

 

Re detour around Horn into Magellan Strait we had Force 11 Storm and rough seas leading to Horn, hence the detour.

Edited March 17, 2014 by NSWP

[MicCanberra]

Not seen Karateman/Sutho abord, perhaps he did not embark?

 

Calm seas today. Plenty going on on the sea days and ship in VG condition.

 

Yes David, Coquimbo is just a port town with markets in front of ship, we also toured La Serena.

 

Re detour around Horn into Magellan Strait we had Force 11 Storm and rough seas leading to Horn, hence the detour.

 

Hope you are enjoying the cruise Les.

I have returned from my sojourns to South america and Antarctica and am now in need of a another holiday/cruise.:D

[Kiwi_cruiser]

Pisco, Peru today:

 

 

GOLDEN PRINCESS at ShipWatcher

[Kiwi Kruzer]

They are docked at the port of General San Martin, perhaps the most desolate spot in the world. It never rains. It is so dry even weeds will not grow . It is however a fascinating port of call. It is only a short 20 minute drive around the bay to Paracas, also a desolate town . Highlights include , The Candelabra, The Isle de Ballestas, and the Nazca Lines.

The Candelabra has been carved into the hillside and can be seen from 12 miles out to sea. It has been carbon dated at 200BC. Origin unknown but theories abound.

Ballestas Island , from where they used to mine Guano. You leave from Paracas in speedboats and view wildlife that equals that of the Gallapogos Islands. It is teeming with wildlife who feed on the rich Humboldt Current, which is also the reason for no rain on land.

The Nazca lines. Can only be seen from the air and were not known of until an American flew over the area in the 1950's ,or thereabouts . Again origin unkown .Truly a unique port of call . Desolate but fascinating.

 

If you are ever planning a cruise up this coast of South America try to get one that includes this port , and Arica , if possible.

 

 

Here are some google image pics found . My own ones were stored on Webshots but they lost them all.We cruised this area on a Amsterdam as part of a World Cruise segment from Valparaiso to Sydney.

 

 

View of the dock from a ship

 

The road to the port

 

The Candelabra . Can really only be viewed from sea. I believe should you visit up close on land , you must have a registered guide with you.

[MicCanberra]

Great information, thanks for posting the pics as well.:D