Our South America Cruise - 22 Jan 2006

[dileep]

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/intowines/album?.dir=/1ce1

[2Fltravelers]

Thanks Dileep for the information. Your pictures look great. Another question, who did you use for the tour in Montevideo?

 

Also thank you 2FLTRAVELERS for your wonderful infornation.

 

Jeanb-

 

You're welcome. I accidentally hit the button before I finished my last post. I will continue it tomorrow.

[dileep]

Hi Dileep!

What I would like to request, either a separate post or a post on THIS thread, a summary of all the tour agencies you used for each port.

 

Thanks.

/Sultan

 

 

My understanding of Cruise Critic policy is that such information can be posted in response to a question. So here it is:

 

Buenos Aires & Iguazu Falls, Argentina : http://www.buetours.com/ingles/citytour.asp

we dealt with Ricardo defrantur@fibertel.com.ar

 

Montevideo: Marta *****, msmtaiz@hotmail.com

 

Puerto Madryn: www.whalespatagonia.com.ar

 

Port Stanley, Falkland Islands: book ship's tour to Sparrow or Bluf Cove

 

Ushuaia, Argentina: Beagle Channel excursion leaves the pier at 9:30 am. We went with Caneoro Catamaranes.

 

Punta Arenas: www.vientosur.com

 

Puerto Montt: http://www.gvtours.com/

 

Valparaiso/Santiago: http://www.chilecallcenter.com/cruisepassen.htm

The guides were provided by www.adsmundo.com and transportation by www.turistour.com but we booked everything with Ceci Salas - www.latintrip.com [ceci@latintrip.com]

[sultan_sfo]

Dileep:

Thanks for the list. Good to have that to go along with the terrific reviews and photos that you have posted. Now if we could only persuade you to shift your cruising to Princess! (Just kidding). /Sultan

[dileep]

Dileep:

Thanks for the list. Good to have that to go along with the terrific reviews and photos that you have posted. Now if we could only persuade you to shift your cruising to Princess! (Just kidding). /Sultan

 

I would not try to keep up with the Sultan of Princess :cool: !

Rather be a Celebrity :D

[dileep]

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/intowines/album?.dir=/bb72&.view=t

[dileep]

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/intowines/album?.dir=/6b88

[Hebe]

Hey Carol -- Bahama Mama

How you been -- too bad you are not going with us to South America this year.

 

Deb

[dileep]

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/intowines/album?.dir=/c503

[dileep]

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/intowines/album?.dir=/76e6

[dileep]

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/intowines/album?.dir=/3ffd

[dileep]

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/intowines/album?.dir=/412a

[dileep]

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/intowines/album?.dir=/8816

[dabear]

dileep: we just returned from another wonderful X vacation on the Connie and are giving serious consideration about cruising So. Am next JAnuary. I very much enjoyed your review and pictures. What was the weather and seas like? Also could you please e-mail me the names of your local travel agents or guides (mpinsky@comcast.net) as it would be appreciated. Also, it sounded that you were tendered in alot of ports and the priority given to cc class and above is helpful. CAN YOU COMMENT? Thanking you in advance.

[dileep]

dileep: we just returned from another wonderful X vacation on the Connie and are giving serious consideration about cruising So. Am next JAnuary. I very much enjoyed your review and pictures. What was the weather and seas like? Also could you please e-mail me the names of your local travel agents or guides (mpinsky@comcast.net) as it would be appreciated. Also, it sounded that you were tendered in alot of ports and the priority given to cc class and above is helpful. CAN YOU COMMENT? Thanking you in advance.

 

Travel agent contact info is posted a few replies before this. Names of guides are in my journal entries.

 

Seas were not bad at all. Just a few rough hours when we entered the Pacific from the Straits of Magellan. We took Meclizine with us but never used it. Guest Services has it too if needed. We were tendered Port Stanley, Punta Arenas and Purto Montt. Docked in Montevideo, Puerto Madryn, and Ushuaia.

 

It only rained for half hour or so in Port Stanley.

 

It was a very enjoyable trip.

[mike35]

I think I might have covered this on a previous post, but on our recent (1/20/06) Oceania Insignia So. America cruise, the only port we tendered was Stanley. We docked at Puerto Montt (short walk to downtown) and Punta Arenas (even shorter walk to downtown) where we stayed for 2 days. We had rather rough seas from Stanley to Puerto Madryn; otherwise they were pretty calm.

 

BTW - if you're a king crab fan, we had an incredible lunch in Punta Arenas at Sotitos! Probably 1 1/2 pounds of tender, succulent king crab with garnish and a couple of local beers for $39 including tip!

 

Mike

[dileep]

I think I might have covered this on a previous post, but on our recent (1/20/06) Oceania Insignia So. America cruise, the only port we tendered was Stanley. We docked at Puerto Montt (short walk to downtown) and Punta Arenas (even shorter walk to downtown) where we stayed for 2 days. We had rather rough seas from Stanley to Puerto Madryn; otherwise they were pretty calm.

 

BTW - if you're a king crab fan, we had an incredible lunch in Punta Arenas at Sotitos! Probably 1 1/2 pounds of tender, succulent king crab with garnish and a couple of local beers for $39 including tip!

 

Mike

 

The Millennium is a pretty big ship and it cannot dock in some of the smaller ports like Puerto Montt and Punta Arenas. We did see a Seabourne ship docked in Punta Arenas. The Oceania ship is probably smaller than the Millie and hence able to dock in more ports.

 

I second the suggestion about Sotito's. We ordered appetizer sized portions that are plenty for lunch. With a bottle of wine it came to about $40 for the two of us. We were served by Senor Sotito himself and he refused to accept a tip! Instead he gave us cigarette lighters with the restaurant name on them.

 

However, we liked the crab dishes at Tante Nina's in Ushuaia better. Cost was similar.

[AgSg]

Dileep,

 

Did you get much local currency or did you just use US$? I usually pickup the local currency at an ATM once on site.

 

Again thanks for all the pictures and suggestions. It helps to validate what we have already selected. I am only sorry that we did not set aside an extra day to got to the falls...next trip.

 

Albert

[dileep]

Dileep,

 

Did you get much local currency or did you just use US$? I usually pickup the local currency at an ATM once on site.

 

Again thanks for all the pictures and suggestions. It helps to validate what we have already selected. I am only sorry that we did not set aside an extra day to got to the falls...next trip.

 

Albert

 

I did change some money ($100) in Buenos Aires, but US$ were accepted almost everywhere.

 

I also changed money ($100) in Punta Arenas, Chile and used it in some places. You get a slightly better rate. Most will accept US$ at 500 pesos per dollar and I changed at 520 per $. Not a big deal, but I wanted to make sure that I hade some. I used the last of my Chilean money for tips in Santiago and used US$ when I finally ran out.

 

We actually spent only a day and a half in BA and used the extra day to go to Iguazu for 24 hours!

[dileep]

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=5819180&postcount=5

[RDMOREU]

Thank you so much for such a wonderfully detailed journal. We will be sailing Santiago/BA next year on another line, but can certainly apply alot of your information to our trip. Thanks again!

[dileep]

Thank you so much for such a wonderfully detailed journal. We will be sailing Santiago/BA next year on another line, but can certainly apply alot of your information to our trip. Thanks again!

 

Enjoy your cruise!

 

BA to Valparaiso worked out great for us especially with a starboard state room.

 

for whatever reason the 2 Celebrity cruises from Valparaiso to BA missed 1 or 2 ports!

 

What cruise line are you on?

[RDMOREU]

We'll be on NCL's Crown. She's a smaller ship and apparently can sometimes get into places that bigger shipes can't. We're really looking forward to the cruise. We're using Delta ff miles from Fl and so far have the tickets to Santiago, but must wait another couple of weeks to try and get the tickets from BA to back home!

[dileep]

We'll be on NCL's Crown. She's a smaller ship and apparently can sometimes get into places that bigger shipes can't. We're really looking forward to the cruise. We're using Delta ff miles from Fl and so far have the tickets to Santiago, but must wait another couple of weeks to try and get the tickets from BA to back home!

 

We used United miles and had to fly a long way both ways, but it was business class.

 

Let me know if you need any more information.

 

Make sure to take time to visit Iguazu Falls before you come home.

[RDMOREU]

We used United miles and had to fly a long way both ways, but it was business class.

 

Let me know if you need any more information.

 

Make sure to take time to visit Iguazu Falls before you come home.

 

 

Thank Heavens we're doing bs class, too.

Really appreciate your offer to answer more questions; I'm sure that I'll think of some ... lol!

Yes, we're planning on going to Iguazu Falls for 2 nights. Just have to get tickets that will allow us to stay in BA/I Falls for about 5-6 days after we get off the ship. Delta makes you wait until 330 (or, 331 - can't remember) days prior to the date you want the tickets for. I think we have about 2 wks to wait to enquire about return flights.