South America Info Please

[lmsmink]

We're Taking Oceania Christmas Cruise From Buenos Aires To Valparizo...can Anyone Tell Me Highlights Of Either Of Those Places And Also Sanatiago. We're Going To Go Three Days Before The Cruise And Stay On For Three Afterward And Don't Want To Miss Anything..........thanks

[dileep]

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=5751467#post5751467

[ruthslaughter]

Buenos Aires is a beautiful, cosmopolitan city. The tango show was great and the cemetery where Evita is buried is a must see. We stayed 2 nights at the Sheraton in Buenos Airees and 1 night at the Sheraton in Iguazu Falls. Both very nice.

Iguazu Falls was breathtaking and a highlihht of the trip for us. The intensity, magnitude and sheer beauty of the falls are beyond description.

We cruised on the NCL Crown and it was very exciting to go around Cape Horn.

[Keith1010]

We stayed in Santiago for a pre-cruise and Beunos Aires for a post-cruise. We thought that there was much more to do in Buenos Aires but enjoyed both cities.

 

I would recommend going to the Frommers and Fodors sites to start to read about the highlights of each city

 

We took a highlights tour of Buenos Aires which was very helpful and did visit the cemetery mentioned above (actually Evita is not buried in their) but it is very interesting and having a tour guide was very helpful. I would recommend going to a tango show while you are there. We really enjoyed that from the music, to the singing to the dancing.

 

While we enjoyed our time in both cities, do be careful in terms of valuables. Either leave your jewely at home or in a safe at the hotel and be careful with your money. In Buenos Aires if you take a taxi be sure that it is a radio dispatched taxi. I would recommend having the hotel call you one and if you use one on your return I would walk into a restaurant or hotel to have them call you one. As is the case with many cities, just be street smart (observant) as you are walking around.

 

Keith

[cruisincousin]

Evita is buried in Recoleta. Her body was brought back several years ago and is in the Duarate tomb. (Her maiden name) She is buried 27 feet down and is definitely there.

[Keith1010]

Oops, I stand corrected. When we did the tour the tour guide was not a fan of Evita and thiinking about some of the things he said when we walked the cemetary I was mistaken about her tomb.

 

Keith

[cruzisme]

I heartily recommend that you do your shopping in Buenos Aires. I did not (from lack of time etc.) but you will be pleased with their clothing, leather shoes, etc. To calculate, divide their prices by 3 and you get a pretty good idea of the price in USD.

We stayed in downtown B. Aires and walked all around. A super inexpensive city to dine and shop. Heartily recommend! Much cheaper than Santiago.

[BCHappyGal]

We loved this cruise and the various ports we visited. All were unique. Read my review SA cruise Jan 3 - 31 posted on about page 3 of this review. We took private tours in all the ports and if you continue to scroll down past the review you will find where I have listed all the contact info. As per the rules of htis site I could not post that info until I was asked to do it by other participants on this board. My e-mail address is there too (spelling mistake in the first one given) if you want additional info.

[Bahama Kid]

We will be in Montevideo on Good Friday, April 14th. This is a holiday for many locals. Will stores and restaurants be open? Anyone know what we can expect?

[gerena]

Good point. We were in St Martin on Good Friday and all was shut down except the beach!!!

 

We were in Montivideo on January 27, and got a taxi at the pier for $17 pp for 4 hour tour. There was a lady from Holland just as you leave the fenced area, that apparently has her own agency and she hooked us up. We were a little sceptical at first, but it worked out fine. We even got to go into the President's home!!!! After the tour, we went back to the ship, ate lunch and back out and just walked around town. We really weren't in the mind to shop, so much. There was a place with several restaurants in an enclosed part, near the ship. Parks were nice. Get a good map!!!! Being on a port area, the streets weren't always straight to the pier!!!

 

We were surprised that in South America, there didn't seem to be the emphasis on churches as we have noticed in the Caribbean. Although, highly Catholic, they may close on that day for a few hours. However, the cruise ship business is very important to them, so who knows. There might be a Montivideo Tourist Board website, that you might ask this question.

 

On our cruise, HAL Rotterdam we were always at sea on Sundays, with the exception of our pre-cruise trip we planned and were in Santiago---no problem, except a lot of the recommended restaurants are closed in Sunday---and in Buenos Aires after the cruise, when we went Colonia del Sacramento---a great trip and no problem.

[bionicbeacher]

Good point. We were in St Martin on Good Friday and all was shut down except the beach!!!

 

Buenos Aires after the cruise, when we went Colonia del Sacramento---a great trip and no problem.

 

Hi Gerena ..we are thinking about going to Colonia del Sacramento as well...Did you go on your own...if so were you comfortable on your own... What turn around time does it take...I assume you go by some fort of Ferry or Catarmaran

 

Could you give us some high lights...

 

Thanks

Ken & Jan

Toronto

[gerena]

Ken and Jan,

 

I replied to your post as it came to me on the e-mail. However, I do not see it posted anywhere. So I took what I wrote, cut and pasted it with a new thread. I wish I knew what I did wrong. Perhaps I should have gone directly to web page instead of from my e-mail page notification. Anyone have an answer for me.