Advice on South America cruise please

[bbfgator]

Hello - I have a lucky opportunity that has just come up.  My employer is giving me a South America cruise (14 day) in 2021.  I know that means Jan/Feb/Mar and I think Feb may be the best option.  I can go on Celebrity Silhouette (2/14/21) in Aqua Class or Coral Princess (2/18/21) in a suite.  I have cruised with Celebrity but not Princess. I have to choose by the end of this month so I don't have a lot of time for research.  The itineraries are similar with Princess getting the nudge, I think, because they include Falkland.  I have never done any ports or traveled in SA.  Mostly sail on RCCL (25+cruises) so not a newbie to cruising. I'd love some feedback to help me decide, I have posted this on Celebrity boards as well.  Last bit of info that might be useful we are in our 60's, not drinkers, enjoy sea days and ports with peak interest in nature/scenery.

Thank you for any info or suggestion you can share 😀

[MotownVoice]

I'd pick Princess every time.

End of February is awesome for Winter Travel.  By the time you get home you only have 4 or 5 weeks until the weather starts to break.  If you go in January you'll come home to two more months of this crap.  Go too late in March and you'll get home with stories of the beautiful warm, sunny weather and all your friends will shrug and say, "meh.....it was 70 last Saturday."

 

[bbfgator]

Thank you Motown Voice - since I live in Florida we are happy to see some cooler weather :).  I know SA will be quite hot though.  Assuming you have done both cruise lines, what do you like better about Princess or are you just more comfortable with them? That is how I am about RCCL...

[jackieo]

Hi there. Wow what a treat. You are definitely in for a great cruise whichever cruiseline you go with. 
 

We did this trip with Princess. Simply because it’s our ‘go to’ line.  It was our first time to SA and it blew us away.  I would do this cruise again in a heartbeat. 
 

There is a huge amount of natural beauty and wildlife to see.   The beagle channel  ‘glacier alley’ was particularly spectacular.  
 

We got into the Falklands (the captain said it’s a 50/50 chance as it’s a long tender and weather is very changeable). 

Hope this helps. 

 

Edited January 21, 2020 by jackieo

[scubacruiserx2]

Have you considered Antarctica ? Next year will be the last year to go on the larger cruise ships . If you can take 2 more days the Coral has 4 days at Antarctica while the Eclipse has only 2 .

[dfields1814]

I have taken 2 SA cruises with Princess. The Falklands was a highlight. But remember you have about a 50% chance of going ashore. That port is cancelled often due to weather.  I think the Princess Island is visiting Antartica. I don't know about the Coral. If it does that would be big plus. 

 

I am assuming your cruise begins or ends in Buenos Aires. If so go early or stay on a couple of days. One of the great cities of the world. - but mainly for time to visit Iguazo Falls. 

 

I have been on over 35 cruises and this one is my favorite.

 

[Cruiserkenn]

Just a thought concerning your love of nature/scenery:  The Coral has a nice, all the way around Promenade Deck.   I would choose the Coral for this fab Promenade Deck🙂🙂⛴⚓️🐋🐬🍷😀🌝

[DJ Cruisers]

We did a 49 day cruise around South America last year starting early February.  Loved it.  We were lucky to be able to go to Falkland Islands (arrived there on February 26.  The penguins were amazing to see.  Took an excursion by 4WD to a remote beach, Volunteer Point and saw thousands of penguins including the Royal Penguins and others.  When there we were told the day before another ship couldn't get in and they already knew the day after us another ship wouldn't make it in.  I believe it was due to wind.  There are a few private excursions that can be found on the internet and are excellent and much cheaper than Princess to this beach.  We took the tour with Jimmy Curtiss, there is also one with Patrick's Tours.  They can book up months in advance.

 

We would usually prefer Princess (have cruised with them over 30 times)  but haven't been on the Coral.  We have taken Celebrity 5 times but not the Silhoutte.

 

What a nice opportunity for you!

[5:00_Somewhere]

As the others have said, what a wonderful opportunity. We did the SA itinerary with Princess almost exactly 5 years ago, and it was absolutely spectacular, and I agree that the Falkland Islands was one of the highlights. But, as others have said, unfortunately the weather always makes it a gamble whether or not you'd be able to go ashore. For me, though, even the chance would probably tip the scales in favor of Princess; plus the suite.  And the Coral Princess is a wonderful ship, with a very nice passenger-to-staff and passenger-to-public accommodations ration.

 

That said, I do also have to say that the Silhouette is probably my favorite cruise ship on the ocean (have sailed her 3 times), and the Aqua Class cabins are wonderful (as is dining in Blu). You really can't go wrong with either choice but, based on what you've described, I suspect you'd probably be very happy with the Princess itinerary on the Coral.  I have to admit I'm a little jealous.

 

Oh, and I also agree that if you're embarking or disembarking in Buenos Aires, I would highly recommend adding a few days onto your trip to spend time in that amazing city.

 

Best of luck, and happy cruising! 

Edited January 21, 2020 by 5:00_Somewhere

[socialworker]

Looks as though you're planning to do SA only since you're looking at 14 day cruises. We did the cruise to Antarctica with Princess in 2010 (r/t Buenos Aires) but we have not done it with Celebrity.  We are "Princess" people although we started out as Celebrity folks many years ago.  I suppose the experience will be similar whichever line you choose, so I'd take the itinerary that sparks my interest more so than the other.  If you're looking for cabin advice, I can't help you there nor do I think it's all that important when you're doing this cruise because you'll want to be outside a lot and running from side to side or front to rear.  Well that's how I remember it anyway.  I got a great photo of an avalanche on our trip but to do so I had to race up three flights of outside stairs and then jump up on a bench.  We got into the Falklands so I guess we were very fortunate.  Seriously, you can't go wrong whichever cruise line you choose.

[jagoffee]

2 hours ago, bbfgator said:

Hello - I have a lucky opportunity that has just come up.  My employer is giving me a South America cruise (14 day) in 2021.  I know that means Jan/Feb/Mar and I think Feb may be the best option.  I can go on Celebrity Silhouette (2/14/21) in Aqua Class or Coral Princess (2/18/21) in a suite.  I have cruised with Celebrity but not Princess. I have to choose by the end of this month so I don't have a lot of time for research.  The itineraries are similar with Princess getting the nudge, I think, because they include Falkland.  I have never done any ports or traveled in SA.  Mostly sail on RCCL (25+cruises) so not a newbie to cruising. I'd love some feedback to help me decide, I have posted this on Celebrity boards as well.  Last bit of info that might be useful we are in our 60's, not drinkers, enjoy sea days and ports with peak interest in nature/scenery.

Thank you for any info or suggestion you can share 😀

Is it a full suite on the Coral?  (Not a mini suite?)

The Celebrity Silhouette is my favorite Celebrity ship, so ship wise I would pick the Silhouette.  But if the Princess Coral is regular regular full suite, I would go with Princess.(full suite (Not minisuite) over Aqua Class)

 

Either choice will be good.

[skynight]

If it's a full suite, as opposed to a mini suite, on Princess that is what I would select. Full Suites have Club Class dining, special breakfast each morning, free laundry, priority tender at the Faulklands and more. The Coral is a great ship. Great indoor pool area, lots of lounges with live entertainment, forward viewing buffet area and only around 2,000 passengers.

[dog]

We went on the Star Princess Feb 2019. Got into Falklands. Tour to Volunteer Point with Patrick Watts. Highlight of my travels. Would not go too late in season as penguins may be gone. Lots of info in ports of call forum on this site

[bbfgator]

Wow so many wonderful responses.  I have now added Azamara to the list so it's down to the 3.  I really don't think I can go wrong - thanks for input!

[Ken the cruiser]

3 hours ago, bbfgator said:

Wow so many wonderful responses.  I have now added Azamara to the list so it's down to the 3.  I really don't think I can go wrong - thanks for input!

Congrats on getting your free cruise!!! As others have mentioned if you can do your cruise in January and have never been to Antarctica, my vote goes for the Princess Antarctica cruise on the Coral.
 

We’ve done it once before with HAL a couple of years ago and were totally wowed!! The Coral also does 4 days cruising around Antarctica while X and Azamara only do 2 days I believe. 
 

You will be amazed at all the wildlife you will see in January as well seeing bunches of Penguin chicks along with whales, sea lions and tons of birds! The Coral will also take you to Chile, Falkland Islands as well as Argentina where as X may only take you to 2 of those 3 ports depending on your embarkation port. Just thought I’d throw my 2 cents into the mix. 

[bbfgator]

Thank you all for your input.  It was a very hard decision but we've picked Celebrity Silhouette for 2/14/21.  I'm not going to look back or regret this or that as I know it will be a wonderful cruise as would it be with Princess or Hal or Azamara.  Thanks again for thoughts & suggestions.  Happy cruising!

[hm9912]

3 minutes ago, bbfgator said:

Thank you all for your input.  It was a very hard decision but we've picked Celebrity Silhouette for 2/14/21.  I'm not going to look back or regret this or that as I know it will be a wonderful cruise as would it be with Princess or Hal or Azamara.  Thanks again for thoughts & suggestions.  Happy cruising!

We were on the 49 day cruise around SA on the Royal Princess last year and the Penguins on the Falkland Islands was the best part of the trip for us.

Enjoy your cruise.

 

 

 

 

 

Howard