Some notes re: our Feb. 5 cruise on Millennium - Valparaiso - Buenos Aires

[jazz's mom]

My intention is not to go into a lengthy, day by day review, but an overview of the trip, with some highlights, recommendations, and tips worth considering if you're planning a similar cruise.

 

Overall, our party of six had a great time. We loved Santiago. Sophisticated, clean, interesting city. We stayed at the Ritz and it was indeed a five star experience. Most accommodating and friendly staff! If you're into wine, consider talking to Carlos, their sommelier. He arranged a wonderful, private tasting for our group with about seven Chilean wines, each one different and superb. He did an informative presentation on each growing region as we were tasting. We had dinner one night at Enoteca/Camino Real which sits atop Cerro San Cristobal. Lively, fun, live guitar music, spectacular views of the city below. Known for the views and ambience more than the food, though the food was good. I think we were the only American turistas in the place. :)

 

Other highlights: penguins at Seno Otway, Punta Arenas. Weather was delightful, were up and close and personal with them without trouncing through their natural habitat.

 

Montevideo - what a surprise! Perhaps not as glamorous as Buenos Aires, but cosmopolitan nonetheless; but the highlight for us was Punta del Este, a couple of hours outside the city. Some of the most beautiful beaches I've ever seen, wide, expansive, clean, well-groomed, and well-attended. In spite of its close proximity to the hole in the ozone layer, sun worshippers abound. Mostly Argentinian and Brazilian tourists we were told. Great accommodations, reasonably priced to luxury, fine restaurants, exciting nightlife. Saint Tropez of South America? Don't know, but definitely worth a return visit. We took the ship's tour with a bright, extremely personable guide, Soledad Ferrer. We shall be contacting her again when we return for a winter getaway.

 

Iguazu Falls - if you've any doubts about visiting this natural wonder, doubt no more. We saw everything we'd wanted to see in a whirlwind 24 hours with a fabulous guide named Sandro. Ask for him if you book through Ricardo with Defrantur. Falls are truly a magical place! We saw toucans, coatis, and monkeys, which, according to Sandro, was unusual. (He may say that to all, but we loved it!) And speaking of Ricardo (Defrantur), don't hesitate to book with him. He handled not only the trip to Iguazu, but Claridge hotel booking in Buenos Aires, city tour, tango show at Piazzolla (highly recommended!!), and all transfers. Not without glitches, but he made everything right in the end. And a truly charming fellow.

 

Birthday dinner for my husband in the Olympic Restaurant onboard Millennium - exceptional! Service, food, wine, ambience - all first rate by any standard. Reserve the "wine room" if you can get it.

 

Some tips: When booking independent tours while in tender ports, do plan for delayed/uncertain arrival time at the designated meeting place with your tour. Disembarkation from the ship was confusing and disorganized. We missed our tour in Puerto Montt and had a problem in Punta Arenas as well, but were able to arrange private tours in each place once we came ashore, and had a fine time, nonetheless.

 

Some observations about Millennium: After reading comments here prior to our trip about the condition of the ship, I tried to approach with an open mind and judge for myself. Our party of six was for the most part, an easygoing, "go with the flow" experienced group of travelers/cruisers. While the trip will remain a pleasantly memorable one for many reasons, I must add that more than once we discussed the fact that for a six-year old ship, Millennium looks tired, quite worn in places, and in need of a facelift. A circulating rumor was that because of ongoing mechanical problems with both Millennium and Infinity (both French-manufactured), and the 2007 introduction of a new Norwegian-manufactured class of ships, Millennium and Infinity are both to be sold, and therefore, no improvements will be made. Makes sense to me. Will see how it plays out. The other thing we all agreed upon, is that the next cruise will be on a smaller ship. This class/size is just too big for our tastes. But of course to each his own.

 

In closing, we have no regrets. We experienced a part of the world that relatively few get to see. Some wonderful people and thrilling sights. And when you're in the mood for a cruise, nothing beats it. But for next time, we think we'll be ready for another land-based trip to Italy. Ciao.

[Jane110]

Jazz's Mom,

 

Thanks for your insights.

 

We've been to South America twice on cruises and agree with you about Buenos Aires, Montevideo/Punte del Este, etc. Great places!

 

However, we've never been to Santiago and would love some more comments from you about the city in general if you're up for sharing. We also love wines (bought alot of Malbac's in BA) and if you don't mind me asking, can you tell me the approx price (per couple/per person/per group - doesn't matter) for the dinners w/ wine at Enoteca/Camino Real and at the Ritz.

 

One thing we loved about BA is the value we got for our dollar. Is Santiago a good value for the american dollar also?

 

Also, thanks for your comments about the Millenium. Duly noted!

 

 

 

Jane

[dileep]

Iguazu Falls - if you've any doubts about visiting this natural wonder' date=' doubt no more. We saw everything we'd wanted to see in a whirlwind 24 hours with a fabulous guide named Sandro. Ask for him if you book through Ricardo with Defrantur. Falls are truly a magical place! We saw toucans, coatis, and monkeys, which, according to Sandro, was unusual. (He may say that to all, but we loved it!) And speaking of Ricardo (Defrantur), don't hesitate to book with him. He handled not only the trip to Iguazu, but Claridge hotel booking in Buenos Aires, city tour, tango show at Piazzolla (highly recommended!!), and all transfers. Not without glitches, but he made everything right in the end. And a truly charming fellow.

 

[/quote']

 

We only saw coatis, so you were lucky to see toucans and monkeys!

Agree with your comments about Ricardo too.

Glad to hear that you had a good time.

[jazz's mom]

Jane,

 

My sense is that overall, Chile is more expensive than Argentina, due primarily to Chile's economy being stronger. Our meal with wine at Camino Real was about $125 per couple. What we're used to paying here in Central Oregon and our friends in California, for the equivalent. The special wine tasting at the Ritz was arranged and paid for by our California friends, and therefore I cannot tell you exactly how much it was. My best guesstimate based on the seven bottles of premium wine, the cheeses/tasting munchies to go with, the beautiful presentation, and Carlos's time/gratuity - $350-$400.

 

As a group, we were not into doing a lot of touristy sightseeing while in Santiago. To be honest, we were so enjoying our time at the Ritz, we didn't want to leave the hotel too much. And we were only there for 2 nights. Personally, no matter where we travel, we prefer to just spend time at local cafes (outdoor whenever possible), sip a nice wine, do a lot of people-watching, and soak up the local color. Which is exactly what we did one afternoon at Bar Liguria, Ave. Providencia. Fun place which really gets going at night I understand. That's not to say that we don't also enjoy doing city tours, etc. once in a while. So if I were to return to Santiago, I would definitely do that to get a better feel for its history, monuments, museums, churches, etc. This trip we all concluded that we just really liked the "feel" of the city. Almost genteel, rather than the hard edges one feels in a lot of major cities of the world.

 

If you're at the Ritz, there's a great wine shop not far from the hotel. It's called El Mundo del Vino. We all picked up wine there at fair prices for the cruise itself. Also, if you decide to do a winery or two outside Santiago, I'd recommend both Veramonte and Indomita. Beautiful settings both. We preferred Indomita wine however. And I too loved the Malbecs! Hope I've helped.

 

Jan

[tak2]

Jan, thanks for the insightful comments. We pretty much will be doing the same things next Jan-Feb on the Infinity. We did Millie Barcelona-Venice in Oct 05 and loved it, although we also said we should try some smaller line like Oceana next time.

We plan on Ritz and Iguazu as well. One question on Ritz: what are the differences between the different categories of rooms? We will be there 3 nights pre-cruise, and wonder if we should splurge and book a higher category room, but of course I need to research to determine if that higher price will give me more enjoyment. The idea of having the hotel's sommelier give wine presenatation is great, but I'm afarid I don't have enough people to spread the cost. What are some of the offerings of the hotel? As for touring winery, would it be advisable to take a tour before we board the ship on Sunday?( Some transfers include a winery tour on its way, but I imagine there's some time crunch, plus some wineries may not be open on Sundays ) Did Ritz organize your transfer to the ship?

Thanks .

Tak

[Jane110]

Jan,

 

Yes, your comments helped alot. Many thanks.

 

Like you, I'm not a person who has to run and see every "must see" sight so I can check it off the list. I skipped the Louvre on my first trip to Paris so I could flirt with french guys in cafe's. :) (I did make to a few other museums though!). Fortunately, I now get to Paris once or twice a year so I've made it to the Louvre a few times by now. (and I'm no longer flirting back to the frenchmen. LOL!)

 

My only regret for BA was not going to more tango shows. DH and I love dance and only went to two.

 

Thanks for your info on Santiago and the special dinners. It'll be useful.

I used to have a co-worker from Santiago and she was, as you described, very genteel. Just a lovely, person. She missed Santiago alot and always talked about how wonderful her home city was.

 

Jane

[jazz's mom]

Tak,

 

Thanks for your reply. Happy to help if I can.

 

Re: The Ritz - There are several room levels with varying amenities. My suggestion is to visit their site http://www.ritzcarlton.com/hotels/santiago/ for a full and much better explanation than I can offer. We stayed in what I think they were calling at the time, a deluxe room at $180/night. In checking their site as well as Expedia, it appears that their rates have gone up considerably since we booked, which was last summer. It's no longer the "bargain" as Ritz-Carltons go that it was, (may have something to do with their strengthening economy), but still a wonderful experience and may be worth the splurge for you.

 

Re: transfer to pier - Assuming your sail away time remains late (9:00 pm) as this year, there'll be no time crunch. You'll have plenty of time to do one or two winery tours or at least stops. I believe most are open on Sundays. I had booked the transfer before leaving with a local company, but decided after arrival to book through the Concierge at the Ritz instead. Terracota Excursions was difficult to communicate with and as it turned out, much higher in price. Our transfer on Sunday included stops at two wineries and lunch in Vina del Mar. We were pleased with everything that day with one big exception. Avoid a restaurant in Vina del Mar called "Los Pomairinos". Mediocre food/service, way over-priced. Some in our party were convinced that our driver was in colusion with the manager/owner of this restaurant by bringing in unsuspecting tourists. We'll never know. But I certainly would not go there again. If you book through the Ritz Concierge, just tell him you don't want to go there. Other than that we all felt that for $40/person, the transfer/tour was well worth it.

 

Good luck. Have a great trip.

 

Jan

[tak2]

Jan,

Thanks for your comments. Not a whole lot of info re hotel perks with regard to upgraded rooms. I'm trying to find out how much more the upgrade will cost, through a tour operator. As for your transfer from Ritz to pier, when did you leave and when did you arrive at pier? What places did you visit en route?

[jazz's mom]

Tak,

 

Not sure what kind of "perks" you're looking for, but if you go to the Ritz web site again, click on "Accommodations", you'll see a description of their "basic" room levels, and then a separate page for "Club Level" with a description of those services.

 

We left the hotel about 10:00am Sunday, made a brief stop at Veramonte (no tour, some tasting); another stop at Indomita (no tour, more tasting), then on to Vina del Mar for lunch at Los Pomairinos (NOT recommended). Traffic was awful through Vina del Mar, which by the way we weren't impressed with as resort towns go, then to the ship about 4:00pm. Embarkation begins around 12 noon, so we were onboard in no time. The transfer made for a leisurely drive through some pretty countryside with plenty of time for a few stops on the way. Again, this is all presuming your departure time remains at or around 9:00pm.

 

Jan

[Bahama Kid]

We have not firmed up our transfer from the RC in Santiago to our hotel in Vina del Mar yet. (We're staying two nights in Santiago and two on the coast before boarding.) The RC has quoted a price which seems rather high so I assume they use one of their own cars and drivers and not an outside service. Can you give me some more details about your transfer and if you did any tours in Santiago? Thanks.

[kayak]

Can you give me an e-mail address for Ricardo - or a way I can contact him before our trip next year? Thanks. Kay

 

 

My intention is not to go into a lengthy' date=' day by day review, but an overview of the trip, with some highlights, recommendations, and tips worth considering if you're planning a similar cruise.

 

Overall, our party of six had a great time. We loved Santiago. Sophisticated, clean, interesting city. We stayed at the Ritz and it was indeed a five star experience. Most accommodating and friendly staff! If you're into wine, consider talking to Carlos, their sommelier. He arranged a wonderful, private tasting for our group with about seven Chilean wines, each one different and superb. He did an informative presentation on each growing region as we were tasting. We had dinner one night at Enoteca/Camino Real which sits atop Cerro San Cristobal. Lively, fun, live guitar music, spectacular views of the city below. Known for the views and ambience more than the food, though the food was good. I think we were the only American turistas in the place. :)

 

Other highlights: penguins at Seno Otway, Punta Arenas. Weather was delightful, were up and close and personal with them without trouncing through their natural habitat.

 

Montevideo - what a surprise! Perhaps not as glamorous as Buenos Aires, but cosmopolitan nonetheless; but the highlight for us was Punta del Este, a couple of hours outside the city. Some of the most beautiful beaches I've ever seen, wide, expansive, clean, well-groomed, and well-attended. In spite of its close proximity to the hole in the ozone layer, sun worshippers abound. Mostly Argentinian and Brazilian tourists we were told. Great accommodations, reasonably priced to luxury, fine restaurants, exciting nightlife. Saint Tropez of South America? Don't know, but definitely worth a return visit. We took the ship's tour with a bright, extremely personable guide, Soledad Ferrer. We shall be contacting her again when we return for a winter getaway.

 

Iguazu Falls - if you've any doubts about visiting this natural wonder, doubt no more. We saw everything we'd wanted to see in a whirlwind 24 hours with a fabulous guide named Sandro. Ask for him if you book through Ricardo with Defrantur. Falls are truly a magical place! We saw toucans, coatis, and monkeys, which, according to Sandro, was unusual. (He may say that to all, but we loved it!) And speaking of Ricardo (Defrantur), don't hesitate to book with him. He handled not only the trip to Iguazu, but Claridge hotel booking in Buenos Aires, city tour, tango show at Piazzolla (highly recommended!!), and all transfers. Not without glitches, but he made everything right in the end. And a truly charming fellow.

 

Birthday dinner for my husband in the Olympic Restaurant onboard Millennium - exceptional! Service, food, wine, ambience - all first rate by any standard. Reserve the "wine room" if you can get it.

 

Some tips: When booking independent tours while in tender ports, do plan for delayed/uncertain arrival time at the designated meeting place with your tour. Disembarkation from the ship was confusing and disorganized. We missed our tour in Puerto Montt and had a problem in Punta Arenas as well, but were able to arrange private tours in each place once we came ashore, and had a fine time, nonetheless.

 

Some observations about Millennium: After reading comments here prior to our trip about the condition of the ship, I tried to approach with an open mind and judge for myself. Our party of six was for the most part, an easygoing, "go with the flow" experienced group of travelers/cruisers. While the trip will remain a pleasantly memorable one for many reasons, I must add that more than once we discussed the fact that for a six-year old ship, Millennium looks tired, quite worn in places, and in need of a facelift. A circulating rumor was that because of ongoing mechanical problems with both Millennium and Infinity (both French-manufactured), and the 2007 introduction of a new Norwegian-manufactured class of ships, Millennium and Infinity are both to be sold, and therefore, no improvements will be made. Makes sense to me. Will see how it plays out. The other thing we all agreed upon, is that the next cruise will be on a smaller ship. This class/size is just too big for our tastes. But of course to each his own.

 

In closing, we have no regrets. We experienced a part of the world that relatively few get to see. Some wonderful people and thrilling sights. And when you're in the mood for a cruise, nothing beats it. But for next time, we think we'll be ready for another land-based trip to Italy. Ciao.[/quote']

[dileep]

Can you give me an e-mail address for Ricardo - or a way I can contact him before our trip next year? Thanks. Kay

 

defrantur@fibertel.com.ar

[jazz's mom]

Bahama Kid,

 

The R-C transfer was with an outside service. No tours in Santiago. Please see my replies to Jane and to Tak for about as much information as I can offer.

 

Jan

[tak2]

Thanks, Jan. Very helpful, I would rather get onboard ship around noon to 1pm. Probably will take winery tours the day before, since we will not have the luxury of a private wine tasting event at the hotel.