vmcpa Posted August 2, 2015 #1 Share Posted August 2, 2015 We are on this cruise Dec 2014. Has anyone done this cruise before and if so, what shore excursions did you take. With so many sea days, we will be wanting to get off and see things at our port stops. I would appreciate any feedback both pro and con on excursions taken. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Texed Posted August 2, 2015 #2 Share Posted August 2, 2015 We are on this cruise Dec 2014. Has anyone done this cruise before and if so, what shore excursions did you take. With so many sea days, we will be wanting to get off and see things at our port stops. I would appreciate any feedback both pro and con on excursions taken. Thanks Do you mean "December 2015"? If so, you should join the roll call for your sailing. If you will confirm your sailing date, we can help you find your roll call. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcrcruiser Posted August 2, 2015 #3 Share Posted August 2, 2015 We are on this cruise Dec 2014. Has anyone done this cruise before and if so, what shore excursions did you take. With so many sea days, we will be wanting to get off and see things at our port stops. I would appreciate any feedback both pro and con on excursions taken. Thanks Recommend that you look at the "Ports " Section here on Cruise Critic;) There you can read what other members have done ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcrcruiser Posted August 2, 2015 #4 Share Posted August 2, 2015 Recommend that you look at the "Ports " Section here on Cruise Critic;) There you can read what other members have done ;) After you check the south America posts for your ports you can verify how good a tour operator is on tripadvisor.com:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vmcpa Posted August 2, 2015 Author #5 Share Posted August 2, 2015 Yes, I do mean 2015. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vmcpa Posted August 2, 2015 Author #6 Share Posted August 2, 2015 How do I join the roll call? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
travlr21 Posted August 2, 2015 #7 Share Posted August 2, 2015 How do I join the roll call? This is the link for the Dec 5 roll call. Have a look, and you can add your information to the google document shown in user questor's signature . You can also register for the Connections Party if you have not already done so. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2012744&page=23 Linda Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gig103 Posted August 2, 2015 #8 Share Posted August 2, 2015 I was on this cruise in 2013 and loved it very much. We took private tours organized by others on the roll call, so I can't be of much help on the particulars. But here are a few thoughts: Don't miss a Colon to Panama City tour stopping at the Canal visitor platforms. Skip Pachacamac (Lima stop); while "sort of" interesting, the city of Lima itself has a lot more to do than there is time and the ruins killed almost two hours, plus squabbling between those who wanted to climb a hill (one hour) and the rest of us who wanted to actually see Lima. Oh and the museum is crowd controlled (x people per 15 minutes) which meant we had to wait in a line for our turn, and our private tour was ahead of Celebrity. If I was with a ship excursion I'd freak out waiting all that time. Take a tour of Valparaiso when you disembark too, it's a cool city with a lot of street art. Keep in mind that all tours (X and independent) drop you off at the airport more than 3 hours before the flight, which means you can't drop bags off, and the lines get huge. If you have the opportunity to upgrade your economy ticket or do carry-on only, you will save huge lines. Or fly home the next day if your schedule permits. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gacruisergal Posted August 2, 2015 #9 Share Posted August 2, 2015 My DH, self and another couple were on the reverse cruise in March,2010. We had been to Valpariso on a cruise around the Horn a few years earlier so we did not stay in Santiago or Valpariso this time as it was shortly after the big earthquate hit there. Santiago and the area around the city is beautiful and if you like wine......................nothing better than visiting al of the wonderful wineries in the area. We enjoyed all of the stops up the coast of SA and did ship tours. One was a tour and cooking session where we went with the restaurant owner to purchase the food in a lovely local market then had a cooking demo and finally a fantastic meal. We also enjoyed the rock carvings. The most fun to me is being able to wander ashore and meeting people at all of the stops in SA. My husband and I had taken Spanish in High School and it helped to be able to converse with the locals. The Panama Canal is not to be missed since you will go completely thru the canal. Make sure you are up early so that you can see the sunrise with the city in relief.........Magic! Whatever you decide, ship tour or Cruise Critic people, you will never forget this wonderful cruise south of the Equator! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northern Aurora Posted August 3, 2015 #10 Share Posted August 3, 2015 We did the reverse of the OP's itinerary last March. I would also suggest checking the South America Cruise Critic forum (located under "Ports of Call") as it has a wealth of information. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4774Papa Posted August 3, 2015 #11 Share Posted August 3, 2015 Here is my review of the same cruise. http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=94024 Suggest you use Monica tours in Lima travel@monicatoursperu.com Dora in Cartegena dora@cartagenatour.com South Excursions in Chile Dixiana Silva M. Senior Sales Executive South Excursions | Commercial Department South America 5 Norte 209 (Esq. 5 Poniente) Office N° 05 Viña Del Mar, Chile | Chile Mobile Nº: +(56 09) 7 599 2003 Chile Office: (+56 32) 251-7714 | USA Office: (+1 561) 705-0107 http://www.SouthExcursions.cl | http://www.SouthExcursions.com MDT & Co. LTDA | TourGuidesChile.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alcpa1 Posted August 3, 2015 #12 Share Posted August 3, 2015 We also did the cruise in reverse in 2013. Cartagena was the biggest surprise. We are planning a land trip so we can experience the city to its fullest. We did not climb the fort upon Dora's recommendation. She knows her city best and she was right. We needed to acclimate to the heat before we attempted it. Dora is the best. Colon options are limited. I took the ship's tour to Panama City which is something I rarely do but it wasn't too bad. It actually would be more appreciated taking it before you go through the Canal. We did travel to the ruins and climb the excavations and appreciated it so much after our 30-45 minutes in the museum. We had plenty of time to make stops in Lima, fight the traffic and return to the ship with our private guide. If you stop in Manta, Ecuador do travel into the mountains to see the petroglyphs. Once on your way out of the city you will appreciate what a few minutes of rain a year can do to the topography. I don't know where else you are stopping but the Roll Call is the best place to arrange your tours. If you have the time spend a couple of days in Santiago. It's a beautiful city close to great wineries and natural landscapes. I highly recommend Santa Rita Winery. In addition to the immaculate facility they have a great restaurant and an amazing museum. It's small but one of the best we visited on our trip. It's a great cruise and your day sailing through the locks and Gatun Lake will have you fore and aft in awe all day. Enjoy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vmcpa Posted August 3, 2015 Author #13 Share Posted August 3, 2015 do I have to post a thread to get on roll call? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4774Papa Posted August 3, 2015 #14 Share Posted August 3, 2015 do I have to post a thread to get on roll call? You don't have to post a thread to get on a roll call for your cruise, unless no roll call has been established. Go to the Infinity roll calls and then find the right date. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skitara Posted August 7, 2015 #15 Share Posted August 7, 2015 do I have to post a thread to get on roll call? Hello Cool Cruiser! This year will be our fifth season in South America and I would be glad to help with all ports of call. Just send me the e mail to jelena@skitara.com:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Essiesmom Posted August 7, 2015 #16 Share Posted August 7, 2015 do I have to post a thread to get on roll call? You already posted once on your roll call, Aug 2. EM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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