Review: Golden Princess: Feb1- Feb 15, BA to Santiago

[CraigRDR1]

I'm going to try to post this review while the trip is still fresh in my mind. I have not returned home yet, I'm still on the final leg of my journey here in Santiago, Chile. I apologize in advance for any typos or weird auto corrects as I'm writing this on my ipad. In addition, I will probably post the review in segments with some photos where possible. If there are any questions please ask and I promise give you my best answer. Ok, here we go .

 

My wife and I live in NYC and flew out on Jan 28. There was lots of nail biting as the weather in NYC was miserable. Snow was forecast for after midnight and we had a 10:30 pm flight. All I can say is I can't remember a flight ever being boarded, closed and pushed back from the gate as fast as this one. I think we were in the air at 10:35. So, we were very lucky in that respect.

 

By the way, make sure to pay the resoprosity fee and make MULTIPLE copies. They won't let you board the aircraft without it. Also, Argentina is very banana republic in that one day they require one thing and tomorrow they require another. We were told they would collect it while at customs and before boarding the Golden. They only collected it with your passport prior to boarding the Golden.

 

We arrived mid morning in BA, cleared customs (finger printed and photographed, kinda weird but ok), collected our bags and met our transfer. We had pre-booked an airport transfer through a private company via our TA. We had also pre-booked a room at the Four Seasons pre cruise. My wife and I tend to travel higher end whenever we can (within reason). In this case, we spent 595 per night which included breakfast daily at their buffet, free internet, 100 dollar credit toward food or drink in the hotel and a free upgrade to a better room if available.

 

Check in at the Four Seasons was a breeze,as we had preferred early check in and did not have to wait for our room till 3pm.

 

[ATTACH]302499[/ATTACH]

View from our hotel room

 

We had a nice lunch at the hotel's steakhouse. A large steak for two, drinks, sides, dessert worked out to about 46 dollars. Very inexpensive for the Four Seasons. After lunch we decided to go for a walk. The hotel is nicely located to most of sights and attractions. An easy walk for us. We enjoy walking and had no need for a cab. I had checked cruise critic and someone had recommended a free walking tour in BA. The meeting time wasn't until 5 pm so we decided to walk to the Recoletta Cemetery. We spent about an hour plus at the cemetery and then headed to the tour meeting place. The tour met at Plaza San Martin. The tour is TOTALLY FREE. If you like the tour you can tip the guide at the end whatever you feel is fair. It's called BA walking tours. They have a website, if you'd like more info. The tour was about 3 hours and our guide Maggie was great. We tipped her 20 dollars US. By the way, most places take US dollars in BA but if you have an ATM card you should be able to find a bank where you can get cash as needed. I wasn't comfortable doing the exchange via their "blue" market on the street but the ATM worked fine once we found one that worked in English. I was told you could get up to 14 pesos per US dollar on the street. Official rate was 8.

 

We enjoyed the tour on day one so much we decided to do another on day two. They have two different tours. One in AM and one in PM. All the people who took the tour with us the day before showed up the next morning. Maggie gave another great tour and we tipped 30 dollars. 50 dollars for 6 plus hours of tours seemed like a bargain. But, like I said you give what you think is fair or nothing at all as a few people had done. After the tour we went to Cafe Tortoni ( very famous in BA, I suggest you get there early otherwise the is long wait) for a snack and to cool off. We went back to hotel to rest and later had another nice dinner.

 

We hit a bit of bump in road on day 3 as my wife came down with food poisoning. We suspect it was some fruit she ate as it was the only thing she ate that I didn't. I was bit worried because if she was still sick on embarkation day they may have not let us board the ship. Fortunately my wife was fine by the evening, unfortunately we had lost a day in BA. Sometimes you just have to go with the flow.

 

Embarkation:

We had also booked a private transfer from hotel to ship. The driver was on time at 12 pm and it took us about 20 minutes to get to the BA port. The BA port's terminal is small and chaotic. We are platinum cruisers and had a preferred boarding pass. After being herded into a large room we all had pass through metal detector for the security screening. As we were preferred we did not have to wait for our number to be called. We headed up stairs to the Princess check in. We had our own preferred check in line which was very short and moved quickly. We had to pass through Argentine customs and surrender our passports to the princess staff. After this it was on the the shuttle bus for a short ride to the Golden. Upon boarding the Golden they scanned our cruise cards and took our photos with hand held scanners which saved a lot of time. Overall, embarkation was fairly smooth. Our cabin was D418 ( midship, dolphin deck)

 

To be continued....

[A1A]

I was unable to open your attachment, but really looking forward to your review! Great Start, can't wait to hear about the ports!

[CraigRDR1]

The Golden and cabin:

 

Both the ship and cabin are showing a little bit of wear and tear but nothing to really complain about. Normal for a 12 year old ship which is probably due for another drydock. They do a great job of keep her clean and neat. I even saw them replace a section of hallway carpeting while on board. A/C and climate control in D418 was great. Balcony was smallish but fine. I know some of you out there go nuts about balconies but for this trip we barely used it as the weather gets very chilly as you go south. Port side is better as we had good views of Cape Horn and Amalia glacier. At the glacier the captain turns the ship 180 degrees so don't panic you folks with starboard cabins, the port side just gets the first view. If you have issues with noise there was lots of wind, rain, bouncing balcony furniture, etc..etc... Being from NYC it didn't bother us at all...Rey our cabin steward was very nice and super efficient. We aren't ones that require lots of attention. In my opinion, the best stewards are the ones that you don't know are there unless you really need them. Rey did a great job, always getting our room done when we were gone.

 

More to come...

[CraigRDR1]

I was unable to open your attachment, but really looking forward to your review! Great Start, can't wait to hear about the ports!

 

Could be the ipad app... I'll try to post pics when I get home from my PC

[lovevacadays]

I'm looking forward to reading more of your review and seeing more of your pictures.

[CraigRDR1]

First thing we did after checking out our cabin was head out for lunch. We dislike the buffet and rarely eat there but we got on too late to make the MD. so, off to the horizon court for lunch which was up to princess standards. I liked the fact that they had a crew member standing at the entrance making sure that you lathered up with purell prior to grabbing a tray. After lunch we headed to Sabatinis to make a pair of reservations on formal nights. We have never eaten there and since we had a 175 dollar onboard credit we figured why not...

 

The first night/next day was in BA, we had booked a ships tour for the next day to the Recolleta cemetery and countryside estancia/BBQ. The weather in AM was very rainy and damp in BA. Fortunately, we had packed the rain gear. This tour was a bit disappointing. The stop at the cemetery was poor and lasted about 15 minutes. We were glad we had spent an hour plus in this very interesting place the day before. We were hoping for more info and history of some of the more interesting crypts. The guide to took us to the crypt of Evita ( which is one of the more non descript tombs ) and that was it..back on the bus...she went so fast a few people missed it all together. Glad we went the day before. I'm told that they have guides there and for a few bucks they can give you a nice tour. It was on to the the estancia and lunch. The estancia was nice..food and wine were pretty good. They did a gaucho show for us with traditional dancing. They were unable to do the horse riding exhibition as it was too soggy from the rain. Overall, not a great excursion...not a great guide...I'd pass on this one.

 

Back to the ship for the muster drill, dinner and the Super Bowl. I watched the Super Bowl in the Vista lounge as it was still rainy. They had a nice selection munchies (including: pizza, sliders, hot dogs, wings, popcorn, dips, chips..etc). The game was shown on a big projection screen...if you are doing this cruise at the same time next year get a good seat early at sight can be poor on the sides. Bronco fans were disappointed, I enjoyed it as I was pulling for the Seahawks. Unfortunately the game was essentially over by the 3rd quarter and I went off to bed as it was approaching midnight.

 

Up next Montevideo....

[CraigRDR1]

Recoletta Cemetery

 

 

 

. Evita's Tomb

[CraigRDR1]

View from Four Seasons BA

 

 

[Luvmyrotti]

Great start to your review! I'm looking forward to the rest of your review as we are considering doing this itinerary next year. Thanks for sharing!

[CraigRDR1]

Estancia & Gauchos

 

 

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[CraigRDR1]

 

 

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[jewel825]

First thing we did after checking out our cabin was head out for lunch. We dislike the buffet and rarely eat there but we got on too late to make the MD. so, off to the horizon court for lunch which was up to princess standards. I liked the fact that they had a crew member standing at the entrance making sure that you lathered up with purell prior to grabbing a tray. After lunch we headed to Sabatinis to make a pair of reservations on formal nights. We have never eaten there and since we had a 175 dollar onboard credit we figured why not...

 

The first night/next day was in BA, we had booked a ships tour for the next day to the Recolleta cemetery and countryside estancia/BBQ. The weather in AM was very rainy and damp in BA. Fortunately, we had packed the rain gear. This tour was a bit disappointing. The stop at the cemetery was poor and lasted about 15 minutes. We were glad we had spent an hour plus in this very interesting place the day before. We were hoping for more info and history of some of the more interesting crypts. The guide to took us to the crypt of Evita ( which is one of the more non descript tombs ) and that was it..back on the bus...she went so fast a few people missed it all together. Glad we went the day before. I'm told that they have guides there and for a few bucks they can give you a nice tour. It was on to the the estancia and lunch. The estancia was nice..food and wine were pretty good. They did a gaucho show for us with traditional dancing. They were unable to do the horse riding exhibition as it was too soggy from the rain. Overall, not a great excursion...not a great guide...I'd pass on this one.

 

Back to the ship for the muster drill, dinner and the Super Bowl. I watched the Super Bowl in the Vista lounge as it was still rainy. They had a nice selection munchies (including: pizza, sliders, hot dogs, wings, popcorn, dips, chips..etc). The game was shown on a big projection screen...if you are doing this cruise at the same time next year get a good seat early at sight can be poor on the sides. Bronco fans were disappointed, I enjoyed it as I was pulling for the Seahawks. Unfortunately the game was essentially over by the 3rd quarter and I went off to bed as it was approaching midnight.

 

Up next Montevideo....

 

Go Hawks! I'm glad to hear you were cheering for the right team!

 

Excited to read your review. We will be sailing on the Golden in August - different itinerary though. Thanks for taking the time to tell your story. :)

[riclop]

Thanks for the review.

[Astro Flyer]

Thanks! We board the Golden in BA on 3/1 to Santiago & continue back to LA so looking forward to your experiences. :)

Edited February 17, 2014 by Astro Flyer

[NearEnough]

 

We arrived mid morning in BA, cleared customs (finger printed and photographed, kinda weird but ok), collected our bags and met our transfer. quote]

 

Fingerprinted and photographed is what the rest of the world experiences when we enter the United States!!!!!

[CP50]

Thanks so much for your review. Will be doing the same cruise next February and can't wait to read each part of your review.:)

[CraigRDR1]

Montevideo, Uruguay:

 

The weather was still poor the next morning when we pulled into port. Gray and rainy but not cold. We decided not to do a tour of any kinda here for two reasons. First, we didn't like anything the ship was offering and second this port is very easy walking town. The ship docks right in old town and as you get off the ship they hand out maps and point you in the right direction. If you feel you want a tour there is a husband and wife that give them for a few dollars ( I think it's called Montevideo English Tours). They have a walking guide ( with maps and points of interest ) which I downloaded from the internet for about 6 dollars US. Montevideo is lovely little city, cleaner and a bit more friendly than BA. Actually, we found the people of Uruguay and Chile to be more pleasant and relaxed than Argentina.

 

The first stop as you walk into the old town is the Port Market and BBQ. The market has shops for souvenirs, leather goods, mate cups ( mate is huge in South America, it's a tea and it is drank from small cups through these metal straws with filters at the end) and woven ponchos, hats..etc. The market also has a ton of BBQ restaurants, which look and smell delicious. Open BBQ pits and ovens are all around filling the area with the smell of cooking meat or fish. It was early at that point and we headed toward the center of old town. One the way, my wife picked up a few art items and of course shoes. She told me that the shoes were very inexpensive in Montevideo and of course she was saving me money.

 

We walked through the old town stopping at numerous squares, churches and monuments. We a crossed over into new town which was also nice. We popped into a few stores and got a view of the Congress. On a nice day the walk to see their Congress building up close would been nice walk but with the rain we decided it wasn't worth the effort. By mid afternoon we had made our way back to the port market. We were both hungry but since my wife had been sick a few days earlier we decided not to chance it. It was very tempting and if you are there I suggest eating there. It looked pretty clean. I'd stay away from anything raw ( salad, fruit, etc ). Well cooked meat, potatoes etc looked fine. By 3pm we had walked back on to the ship and had a snack before heading to dinner.

 

Next stop Puerto Madryn, Argentina

[CraigRDR1]

Port Market/BBQ restaurant

 

 

Lock Fountain in new town

 

 

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[ImNotSure]

Love your review and pictures so far. I've been lurking CC for a while and am happy to see some South American reviews!

[CraigRDR1]

Puerto Madryn:

 

We took the ships tour going to Valdes Penisula, Punto Norte and Estancia San Lorenzo. This would be our first encounter with penguins. We had a light breakfast and coffee at the international cafe ( which discovered for the first time). Great place to get a light bite on the go. We found our bus and guide. Our guide for this tour was outstanding. Knowledgable and funny. Weather was very nice. Not to hot but cool enough for a light jacket. First stop was the visitor center at the entrance to Valdes Penisula national park. Bathroom break mostly after a 45 minute ride. Next stop was Punto Norte to see sea lions and elephant seals. A short walk to trails and viewing platforms of the beach allowed us to see a colony of sea lions. The stop here was about 30-45 minutes. Next stop was the estancia San Lorenzo. Here we boarded off road trucks for a 10-15 minute ride to the Magellanic Penguin rookery. As you walk the path to the beach the penguins are all over the place. Some will walk right up to you and pose for a picture. Fantastic is the only word that can describe it. You walk amoung them until you get to the beach, where you can them watch frolic in the surf. Then follow a different path back to the truck pick up area. Again, penguins of all ages walk around with you. A short ride back to the ranch for lunch which consisted of a mixed grill BBQ, salad, bread, wine, and dessert. After eating we returned our buses for the ride back to the ship. Great tour! Penguins were amazing! Bring your camera!

 

Up next The Falkland Islands....

[CraigRDR1]

Sea lion colony

 

 

Penguins

 

 

 

 

 

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[CraigRDR1]

 

 

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[CraigRDR1]

The Falkland Islands:

 

After a day of very rough seas with ship bouncing around we arrived at the Falklands. Lots of passengers were sick, my wife took some meds in AM as she wasn't feeling 100%. I took some just in case ( bonine..which I brought along..and can be found in the ships store ). We had booked a ships tour here. After much discussion we decided on the North Pond Tour. A local named Patrick Watts runs his own tour and ship also runs a tour to Volunteer Point to see King Penguins. We figured that it would be really crowded as the island is small and when the ship docks we more double the population of 3000. The North Pond has mostly Magellanic penguins and some King Penguins. We figured it was a better bet. This was our first tender port. The ride was long ( 30 minutes), rough and bouncy going in but we made it. By the way, when they return your passport at the end it's stamped from the Falklands...way cool!

 

We met our guide and boarded our SUV with another couple from Prince Edward Island, Canada (Michel and Michelle). Our guide was Simon... He reminded me of the English actor Charles Gray ( played Blofeld in the Bond movies and the narrator in Rocky Horror). He was way cool and typically English. The Falklands reminded me of the Scottish highlands or the Shetland Islands. Cold, damp low grasses, rocks, fog, few trees. Bring layers here. Weather changes in an instant. Overall it was a decent day. As traveled farther inland the roads went from paved to gravel to no road at all. We went totally off road, and it was a blast. Simon took it in typical English flair, like it was no big deal. About 2 hours of great scenery, questions and answers with Simon we reached a small farm. Here we stopped for a bathroom break and small bagged lunch. Along with very friendly sheep we ate sandwiches and chips. Picture to follow. Back on the SUV and off the beach to see penguins. These penguins were more skittish and I'm assuming they don't see humans that often. If you moved to fast or got to close they would run (waddle) away. You had move slowly and wait. After a while they would get curious and waddle over you for a good look. We did see a few King Penguins. They are bigger and have more colors. Be careful of the penguin poop. It's all over the place and gets stuck in your shoes. Walk through the heavy brush around the beach that did nice job cleaning our shoes, otherwise you return to the ship stinking of fish. By the way, penguins don't smell nice...but they are cute.

 

After about an hour here it was time for the drive home. We returned with enough time to walk around Stanley and look at the few stores and shops. Some people booked the city tour...why I don't know but you can walk through Stanley in 10 minutes. Not much to see...cute... But super small... After my wife checked out the stores and I bought a souvenir pin, we headed back on the tender. By the way, everything is based on the UK pound in Stanley but they accept US dollars. Don't mention Argentina, they won't be happy with you. Also, Argentines call the Falklands... The Malvinas... The tender ride was calmer and everyone was happy with their penguin experience. We had a great day... Great tour...

[CraigRDR1]

 

 

 

 

 

 

King Penguin

 

 

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[CraigRDR1]

Cape Horn, Ushuaia and Amalia Glacier:

 

After leaving The Falklands seas got rough again but we seemed to have found our sea legs and really weren't bothered but the motion of the ship. Later the next day at around 5 pm we passed Cape Horn. The port lecturer on board got on the intercom to describe the area. Outside it was cold, wet and freezing. I went outside to shoot some pictures on my ipad and big camera. Seas were rough and most people just stayed inside and watched. One man asked me if he could take a picture of my picture ( on my ipad )... Because he didn't want to go outside. Picture came out pretty good.

 

 

 

Cape Horn