Millennium Cruise Journal - Santiago to Buenos Aires - 2/2-2/25/06 - VERY LONG

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South America Adventure – Feb. 2 – 25, 2006

 

 

Feb. 2 – Thursday, Cleveland to Santiago

 

Today starts our travels to South America! We left home around 11:30am when the car came to pick us up for the Cleveland airport. I was amazed that all of our luggage (total of 4 large and 4 carry-ons) fit in the trunk of the town car. There wasn’t much traffic and we made it to the airport in less than an hour. As soon as we exited the car, a porter was there to help us take our bags inside. We had allowed plenty of time for check-in, as I have experienced long lines in the past, but today we walked right up to the check-in counter – there was no one there! (Since we were on an international flight – American Airlines – we were not allowed to check in on-line or at the self-service kiosks.) Since we were so early, they even offered to put us on the earlier flight, but we declined as there was also a long wait at the next stop in Dallas. We got some soup for lunch and passed the time working Sudoku puzzles and talking. It was nice to just have time to sit and relax.

 

Our next leg was Dallas to Santiago. The D Concourse of the Dallas-Fort Worth airport was very nice. Our gate was near everything – restaurants, rest rooms, informational boards, etc. Our plane was scheduled to leave at 9:10pm and boarded on time. However, when it was time to leave, they reported that they had to remove some cargo (and assured us that they were not referring to our luggage, but commercial cargo – but I guess we wouldn’t know if that was true until we arrived in Santiago!) We finally took off about 10:00pm. The flight was for the most part smooth. We were not familiar with this plane, a 767, as we usually fly 737s on Continental. I was surprised that they did not have the small video screens that drop down from the ceiling every 3-4 rows. Instead, they just had one large one in the center and 2 smaller ones on the sides up front. We were near the front, so we were able to see, but if you were in the back I don’t know that you would have much of a view. The showed a movie and several short programs. Dinner was probably one of the worst I have ever had on a plane, but then it will really make us appreciate the food on the cruise. (You can tell we flew coach class. Since we normally fly Continental, we had no options for upgrades on AA.)

 

Feb. 3 – Friday – Santiago, Chile

 

After a 9 ½ hour flight, we landed in Santiago around 10:00 am. Shortly before we landed, we opened our window shades and looked out. We were in awe at the view of the Andes Mountains poking above the clouds on both sides of the plane. Glad that the captain knew exactly where he was going!

 

I was not prepared for the long time that it would take us to get through the airport. First, we got in line for the “Reciprocity” (entrance) fee. There is a charge of $100/per person for all US citizens entering Chile. You can pay in either cash or credit card, but it is one line for all, and then when you got up to the window to pay, they directed the credit cards to one particular window. We paid in cash. We stood in that line for about 20-30 minutes. The next line was the immigration line. This line was REALLY long, as everyone needed to go through this one. (You only have to pay the entrance fee once for the life of your passport.)

 

 

 

We showed them our passports and the customs forms. This line was probably about 45-60 minutes. After this, we picked up our luggage and tried to make our way out of the airport, but you had to stand in another line – this time to get your bags X-rayed. Once the bags went through the scanner, a gentleman grabbed my bags, put them back on my cart and started pushing it, heading toward the exit. I found out later he was a “porter” of sorts, and of course, was looking for a gratuity – even though I never requested his help, as I had a cart for the bags and could have easily handled it myself. He did not speak English.

 

We met our guide, Domingo, at the exit lobby. We were somewhat dismayed to find out that after specifically ordering a van in order to fit all of our bags (and paying more than if we had just ordered a regular car), he came to pick us up in a regular car. He managed to fit all of the bags in – putting several in the front seat. He drove us to our hotel, the Ritz Carlton and assisted us in checking in. While we were checking in, they offered us champagne. Our room was 305 – a very nice room with a king bed. We had lunch in the wine bar (actually, outside since it was such a beautiful day). Service was very slow and the food wasn’t all that good for the price, but we were so pleased to be starting our South American adventure that we didn’t really mind.

 

Domingo came back and picked us up at 3:30pm for our city tour. He drove us to 4 different sections of the city. The tour was very flexible since it was just the 2 of us. We got out of the car and walked for awhile down the pedestrian street. We ended the tour with a ride up to a high point where we had a panoramic view of the city. We got back to the hotel around 6:30pm and decided to go to dinner and then come back to the room to relax after a long and tiring couple of days. We ate at a restaurant named Akarana that was recommended on Cruise Critic. The owner, Del, is from New Zealand and a very friendly woman. We spoke with her for awhile and told her how we heard about her place. The dinner was delicious. Hint – we were told by our waitress that in Chile you have to ask for your bill or they will think that you just want to stay and enjoy the ambiance (there were some entertainers just starting to perform when we were leaving). Also, they had us add the tip before they put the charge through.

 

Feb. 4 – Saturday – Valparaiso/Vina del Mar

 

This morning, we had a nice breakfast at our hotel which was included in our rate. After breakfast, we checked out of the Ritz and met our guide, Domingo, around 9:30am. He gave us a tour of Valparaiso and Vina del Mar. Valparaiso has weather much like San Diego – rather grey in the morning and then it clears up in the afternoon. There are a lot of dogs running around loose – but they seemed tame. Domingo says it is because everyone feeds them. Strange! We drove along the coast, passed a large copper mine, and drove through beautiful vineyards. When we got to Vina del Mar, we stopped at the Hotel Del Mar and checked in. Our room was not yet available, so we checked our bags (we still had the small car) and continued on with our tour. We ate lunch in a nice little restaurant on the beach. This was the second problem of the tour arrangements. We had paid for a day-long tour with lunch. Domingo did not know that we had paid for lunch. I’m glad that I brought along the confirmation from Ricardo of Defrantur Tours. After I showed him the paperwork, he called his company (he worked for First Premium Travel – which was a subcontractor for Defrantur) and they arranged for our lunch. After several stops and touring both Valparaiso and Vina del Mar, we arrived back at the Hotel Del Mar. We were given a very nice room on the 6th floor. All rooms have ocean views and our view was wonderful. We decided to go across the street to a little restaurant for dinner. They did not have an English menu but the waiter helped us order. We also met a very nice man while we were waiting for a table that also intervened for us, as he could tell we did not speak Spanish.

 

 

Feb. 5 – Sunday – VinaDel Mar and to the Millennium

 

This morning we had breakfast at the hotel – it was a buffet – but they just seated us and did not explain what was included, or that we should even serve ourselves – just showed us to the table and left us there.

 

Yesterday when we were touring with Domingo, we realized that our hotel was only about 10 minutes from the pier. The travel company was charging us $39/each for the ride to the pier. I checked with the hotel and they told me that the cab would be $20 total, so I sent Ricardo an e-mail and also told Domingo that we were canceling the transfer service to the pier. I did receive an e-mail from Ricardo stating that he would credit what I would owe him in Buenos Aires to make up for this cancellation and the charge for the van instead of the car in Santiago.

 

Before we left the hotel, I checked out but couldn’t get a receipt for my charges – which were just for the internet. They said I had no charges. We then took a cab to the pier (after first being told that it was $20 and then $40) ---- we finally agreed that it would be $20. The driver was very helpful in getting us a cart for our bags when we got there, so we tipped him an additional $5.

 

From the time we left the hotel (around 11:15am) to the time we were in our cabin (8170 – aft) it took one hour. After we checked in at the pier, we had to take a shuttle bus to get to the ship. Once we dropped our bags in our room, we had some lunch and then went to check on our table in the dining room. Good thing that we did, as they had us seated with one other couple that they thought we were traveling with. We had requested a table for 2 and they did give us one – it actually was a table for 4 but we were the only ones assigned to it.

 

We went to the welcome show and they gave a life jacket safety talk in 4 languages before the show started. The actual life boat drill will be tomorrow. After the show we watched the Superbowl on ESPN in our cabin – those darned Steelers won! We were supposed to sail at 9pm, but it was closer to 10:30pm before we actually left.

 

 

Feb. 6 – Monday - First Sea Day

 

We woke up to a sunny, but breezy and cool day. Temperatures were in the 60’s. After I got ready, I went upstairs to get coffee and brought it back to the cabin. I sat on the balcony with my book - what a wonderful way to begin this sea day. By the time Bill got up and ready, it was time for the lifeboat drill. All the instructions were given in 4 different languages – English, Spanish, French and German – so it took quite awhile. After the drill, we grabbed some breakfast – along with everyone else! Then we went to a lecture on Puerto Montt given by author/lecturer Colonel James Reid.

 

After the talk, we went back to the cabin so Bill could finish his unpacking. After lunch we went to Michael’s Club for the first “Beginning Spanish” lesson. I was really sleepy, so I went back to the cabin for a nap before getting ready for dinner.

 

Dinner tonight was formal. There was a slight mix-up about our table. Yesterday, when we met with the maitre’d he said that our table was a table for 4 – but it would just be for the 2 of us. Tonight they said the table was for some other people. Then the maitre’d said he gave us the table temporarily. He said that he had a table for 2 on the upper level. We told him that we liked what we had. Finally, he agreed that we would keep the table that we had.

 

Just a comment about dinner and the show – people seemed to keep arriving quite late, as much as 30-45 minutes after dinner had started and anywhere from 10-20 minutes after the show had started. The ship was not full (even though they had the standard sign at Guest Services saying “ don’t ask to change your cabin as the ship is full”) as a good portion of the dining room was not used and the theater was never full.

 

The show tonight was Spectacular Broadway. It was wonderful. Such energy and talent! We went to the casino, but it was rather quiet. Tomorrow we have an early tour in Puerto Montt, so it was not a very late night for us.

 

Feb. 7 – Tuesday - Puerto Montt, Chile

 

This morning our tour took us to Puerto Montt, Frutillar and Puerto Varas. We tendered to the pier and then left with our guide – Jane Taylor, a British woman who has lived in this area for many years. We stopped in Frutillar, which was a German community. There we visited an outdoor museum of buildings of German architecture. On the way back, not too far from the ship, there is a market area with many vendors. They all seemed to have similar items – wool sweaters, scarves, gloves, plus wooden crafts. From this point, it was an easy walk to the pier. Unfortunately, I did not stop and I wish that I had. I found out later that we did not have many chances for shopping. Not that I wanted to buy much, but I was hoping to bring a few things home for friends.

 

The weather was sunny, breezy and cool again with temperatures in the 60s.

 

When we got back to the ship, I tried to use my internet phone. I got an internet connection and I could hear the other party, but they could not hear me. The signal was labeled as “low”. The e-mail, worked fine, although a little slow.

 

Dinner tonight was casual and the show was Antonio Salci, a pianist. Lots of people seemed to like him, but I prefer my piano music a little quieter. This was very amplified.

 

The casino was closed and will remain so for the next few days, as we are not more than 12 miles from the Chilean coast.

 

I had our stateroom attendant, Lydia, empty out our refrigerator, except for some cans of soda that we had her charge to our account.

 

Feb. 8 – Wednesday – Sea Day

 

Today was the second sea day. The ship was rolling quite a bit with 15 foot swells as we entered the fjords. However, once we were in the fjords, it was so smooth you couldn’t even tell we were moving. We had breakfast out on our balcony even though it was a little cool with temperatures still in the 60s.

 

Bill went to a talk on glaciers but I just went to the Platinum Lounge so that Lydia could attend to the room. I worked on my Sudoku puzzles (can you tell I’m addicted?). I sat near the railing overlooking the Rendezvous Lounge where they were giving a cooking demonstration. This was a great view for the demonstration, but you didn’t get to taste any of the samples! Prior to the demo, a woman guest sat down at the piano in the Rendezvous Lounge and began playing beautifully. I enjoyed her more than the performer last night!

 

I still am having no success with the internet phone. I am somewhat surprised as when we were on the transatlantic cruise last May, there was a woman who I saw quite often that was always talking to the folks back home with this same internet phone program. I will have to check into my problems when I return.

 

Dinner tonight was informal. The show was a variety show of the acts that performed on the first night, plus the acapella group, Sustained. Since the scenery going through the fjords was so lovely, we decided to skip the show and stayed in our cabin and took it all in. The weather clouded over in the afternoon – again cool. I needed a light jacket when I was out – I would guess again that the temperatures were in the low 60s.

 

Feb. 9 – Thursday – Skau Glacier

 

This morning, around 8:30am, we approached the Skau Glacier. Now the temperatures were much cooler – around 40-50F. It was also raining quite steadily. Since our aft balcony was mostly covered, we were still able to stay out there and view the scenery, but we needed to stay closer to the door instead of going up to the railing. It rained the entire time we were at the glacier. They said that there is sunshine there only about 25% of the time. The Captain did a complete 360o turn so we never had to leave our balcony to view the glacier. When we wanted to get closer to the railing, the umbrella from the cabin came in handy. While at the glacier, there was commentary by Dirk, the naturalist. The rest of the day was cloudy and cool and will continue to get cooler as we head further south.

 

We entered the Straits of Magellan around 7pm tonight. Dinner was Informal and the show was Nicola Loud, a very talented violinist. Casino remains closed.

 

Feb. 10 – Friday – Punta Arenas – Magdelana Island

 

Our tour to Magdelana Island to see the penguins left at 7am. The weather was rather cool with sun and some clouds, temps around 50F. We took a bus to a ferry and then a 2 hour ferry ride to the island. They handed out bag lunches on the ferry which some people ate early. These were strange looking sandwiches – looked like layers of butter, but our guide said they were chicken, so perhaps it was chicken salad. We choose not to eat these but did take the candy bar and water that was also included in the bag. On the trip over to the island, we met a couple from Oak Ridge, TN that were familiar with Harriman, TN where my father grew up – small world. During the ferry ride, there was some narration regarding the weather, the region and the penguins. There were restrooms on the ferry. After about 2 hours, we reached the island and thousands (they say that there are about 160,000 penguins here) of penguins greeted us. These are Magellanic penguins which are about 18” high. The adults are black and white, while the juveniles are grey and white. They live in nests that they burrow in the ground. There were walkways marked for you to stay on. It was truly amazing. They are so cute. You were able to get many good, close pictures. The long trip is definitely worth it. This is something that we have never seen before. The weather stayed sunny – great for the pictures – but the steady wind made the 50F seem a lot cooler. We had sweatshirts under our jackets and Bill wore a hat and I had my earmuffs which really helped.

 

Dinner tonight was casual and the show was “Classique, A Musical Odyssey” with the Celebrity singers and dancers. It was very good.

 

This evening around 10pm, we went out on our balcony. Although it was rainy, it was still somewhat light and we were able to view snow-covered mountains and ice fields. It was very scenic.

 

We decided to cancel the additional penguin tours that we had scheduled for Port Stanley and Punta Arenas. These tours would be similar to the tour we took today, but involved a greater effort to get there. Also, they are very expensive. We were so satisfied with our tour today and our pictures, we didn’t feel that we needed 2 more trips. Since there was a waiting list for both of these trips, canceling them was not a problem.

 

Feb. 11 – Saturday – Ushuaia, Chile

 

Somewhere during the night, we crossed the border from Chile to Argentina. The scenery from Punta Arenas to Ushuaia and the Beagle Channel was beautiful – very mountainous with ice fields and snow caps. We finally had a port that we didn’t have to tender into. Many small ships in port on their way to Antarctica – National Geographic Endeavor, Quark Expeditions, and the Albatross (this ship was also in Puerto Montt with us). The weather was sunny, but very windy which caused lots of blowing dust. We took a bus trip to Tierro del Fuego National Park. There were 3 stops for photos. First at Ensenada Bay – beautiful lake surrounded by snow-capped mountains; then stops at 2 other lakes. The bus was very warm plus we were very over-dressed as the ship predicted high of 48F but it was actually closer to 70F. I dressed even warmer than yesterday, but the weather was much warmer, so I was very hot by the end of the tour. We changed when we got back to the ship. We had lunch and spent the afternoon on our balcony. It was a wonderful day – one of the waiters at lunch told me that this was the best weather in Ushuaia that he ever saw.

 

The show was a performer from Argentina, Daniel Bouchet. He was similar to Tom Jones, who is not one of my favorites. Also, most of his music was in Spanish so we didn’t appreciate it fully.

 

After the show, we watched the movie, “After the Sunset” with Pierce Bronson on the TV in our cabin.

 

Feb. 12 – Sunday – Cape Horn

 

This morning we rounded the southernmost point of Cape Horn. At 8:45am, because the seas were so unusually calm, the Captain was able to get very close to the Albatross Monument and the ranger station. It was rainy and windy, but I was able to get some pictures from our balcony. Later, we were told that this was very unusual for the Captain to take the ship so close to the Albatross.

 

Today they had a special – one day only sale – of T-shirts that said “Rounding the Horn” and “Ushuaia – the southernmost city”. These did not go on sale until 10:30am. They had the area roped off until it was time. Many people gathered around and when they took the ropes down, it was unbelievable! People were pushing and shoving – I was ready to leave, when a nice, TALL, gentleman, reached over and pulled out a pile of shirts and asked me if I could use any of the ones he had. I took 2 of each but they were in larger sizes than I really wanted. I don’t understand why they just don’t sell these throughout the cruise, but they only offered them on this one day. By noon, they only had a few left.

 

We were invited to the “Elegant Tea” in the Olympic Restaurant (for Elite and Select Captain’s Club members). It was quite nice. We were escorted to a nice table for 2 (which we requested) and they brought us a selection of tea bags, water in individual china tea pots and then they prepared the tea for us. They served beautiful little sandwiches – roast beef and shrimp and others. After that, they cleared those plates and then brought desserts. These were much better than any that they have served in the dining room or the Ocean Café. In addition to the beautiful surroundings and the excellent food, we were entertained by the harpist, Jacqueline Dolan. It was a very nice event.

 

As we had purchased Colonel James Reid’s book, we went to have it signed. Although he is a very knowledgeable man, he sure does like to talk and can be quite repetitive. So, we thought we were just going to have our book signed, but he talked to each person and asked them where they were from and why did they come on the cruise and what was their favorite thing so far. At this rate, it took quite a long while to get the book signed! But, we have a personal dedication and it is a nice remembrance.

 

Dinner tonight was formal. The meals have been very good and this was no exception. After dinner, around 8pm, we were in our cabin when the Captain came over the loud speaker, with an important announcement. As they almost never make announcements in the cabin, this was rather disconcerting. The announcement was that the Captain had been monitoring the weather in the Falklands, and it appears that we would be heading into gale-force winds. So, instead of taking us there with a very rough sailing, then to tell us that it would be too rough to tender in, he decided to skip the port and CHANGE THE ITINERARY. Tomorrow, which was suppose to be our Port Stanley day, would be a sea day. Then, the next day, which was supposed to be a sea day, would be our day in Puerto Madryn. The next day (Wednesday) would be a sea day and Thursday would be mostly a sea day, but we would arrive in Montevideo, Uruguay at 8pm on Thursday and stay until 5pm on Friday. Saturday and Sunday would be in Buenos Aires, as originally planned. This change did not upset us, as we had already seen the penguins in Punta Arenas. It would be difficult for people that had private tours planned for Puerto Madryn. All ships tours were changed to the new day and refunds were given for tours booked in Port Stanley. Also, they are offering a free 1-hour happy hour tomorrow before dinner.

 

This change I am sure was in the planning stages all day, as when you turned on the station on the TV that showed where we were headed, it never said that we were on the way to Port Stanley, it just said we were heading for Cape Horn. Also, shortly after the Captain made the announcement, they gave out the daily programs for tomorrow with all sea day activities and gave everyone the new itinerary. I imagine that it would take some time to make the changes regarding the ports and the tours. As we did not have anything planned for Port Stanley or Puerto Madryn – since we cancelled our Penguin Tours – we were not greatly disappointed.

 

The show tonight was the Celebrity singers and dancers – “I Love the Night Life” – very enjoyable. The casino was finally reopened tonight after being closed for the last 4 nights because we were not 12 miles from the Chilean coast.

 

 

Feb. 13 – Monday – Sea Day – was to be Port Stanley, Falkland Islands

 

Today was a beautiful, sunny day. The Captain did a good job of avoiding the bad weather we originally were headed for.

 

We attended the Naturalist’s talk about dolphins today – it was very interesting and he had a great video that he filmed of the dolphins. Bill also went to hear Colonel Reid’s talk, which he said was informative but much too long.

 

After lunch, Bill went for his last Spanish class and then we both went to the showing of the film, “The March of the Penguins” which they showed in the theater on a very large screen. It was wonderful.

 

I checked my e-mail and again tried to use my internet phone, but again, it did not work correctly.

 

Dinner tonight was casual and the show was “Mark Donoghue” who played various musical instruments, such as guitar, violin/fiddle and mandolin. He was very talented. We visited the casino and actually came out a little ahead for a change.

 

Feb. 14 – Tuesday – Puerto Madryn, Argentina

 

This morning I had an early appointment to get my nails done (acrylic fills). The technician did a nice job but it took a long time – about 1 hr and 40 minutes. Also, the cost was more than twice what I normally pay at home - $44 plus tip.

 

After that, we had a light breakfast and then took the free shuttle into town. The weather was quite warm – around 90 degrees. We just walked around for about an hour and did a little shopping. There were two other ships in port - the Regal Princess and the Insignia. We were fortunate that we did not have to spend too much time waiting for the return bus in the heat. The busses are not air-conditioned as we are used to, so it would not have been comfortable for a long ride. (I wonder how the folks that took the long bus ride out to see the penguins made out.)

 

Upon returning, we had lunch and then spend a nice afternoon out on our balcony. This is the first day that it has been warm enough to enjoy it like this. I also checked e-mail but still no luck using the internet phone.

 

Dinner was informal again tonight – it seems that the majority of the dinners are informal. Most people adhere to the dress codes, but there are a few men that don’t bother to wear a jacket. The menu was special for Valentine’s Day and they gave each woman a red rose. Also, when we returned to our cabin, they had given us a plate of 4 chocolate-covered strawberries – a nice touch.

 

The show tonight was a singer from London, Petrina Johnson. She was a wonderful vocalist and we really enjoyed her show. We had seen her before – I think it was on the Century last year.

 

Sail-away was at 10pm and we watched it from our balcony. It was a wonderful warm night – temperatures still around 70 or so – a lovely ending to a very nice day. They were having a Chocolate Lover’s Buffet at 11:30pm, but we did not attend. The desserts have all looked beautiful, but they really haven’t tasted that great. The only ones that I really loved are the ones that they served at the Elegant Tea in the Olympic Dining Room.

 

Feb. 15 – Wednesday – Sea Day

 

Today was a lovely, leisurely day at sea. We attended the talk by Dirk, the Naturalist and then spent the afternoon on our balcony.

 

This evening we had dinner in the specialty restaurant, The Olympic. It was very elegant and delicious. I had the goat cheese soufflé and the Steak Diane, which was prepared tableside. Both of these dishes were outstanding! Bill had the chef’s recommended specials which were a salmon soufflé and a filet mignon. He said his was also wonderful. They then come with a cheese cart. Bill enjoyed that very much. When I mentioned that I didn’t care for cheese, they brought me a beautiful, large fruit plate. By this time we were quite full, but ordered dessert anyway. I had the chocolate soufflé which was wonderful, but I could only eat a small part of it. Bill had a dessert that had coconut ice cream and mousse which was also wonderful and not as large as the soufflé. The breads they serve here are also wonderful – warm and fresh. The service was, of course, outstanding.

 

The show tonight was a variety show of The Pampas Devils, Daniel Bouchet and Sustained, the acapella group. The dress for the evening was informal.

 

 

Feb. 16 – Thursday – Sea Day and Montevideo, Uruguay (arrive at 8pm)

 

Most of today was spent at sea as we made our way to Montevideo, Uruguay. After breakfast, we attended the Disembarkation talk. Most of the instructions were the usual – put tags on bags, put bags out by midnight, etc. No immigration or customs in Buenos Aires. (Immigration takes place at Buenos Aires airport and customs when we enter the US.) When we disembark the ship, we need to take a shuttle bus to the pier.

 

Today was a beautiful day with warm sunny skies, calm seas and temps around 80F. We went to Dirk’s talk on Antarctica (the ship does not go there - although the gift shop was full of T-shirts that say Antarctica – what’s with that??) We would like to go there some day, so we found it very informative. We also stayed for the port talk by the Colonel on Montevideo.

 

We docked in Montevideo, Uruguay around 8pm. The ships tour excursion desk arranged for a Folkloric Show as an option for tonight. This was never announced, but there was information at the excursion desk. Also, there was a free shuttle to the only recommended shop on the cruise – Casa Mario – where they specialize in leather goods and other souvenirs. There is no obligation to buy if you take the shuttle to their store.

 

The weather was warm – around 80 to 85F. We also noticed a lot of moth-like bugs ever since we left Punta Arena and they are still with us here in Uruguay.

 

Dinner tonight was Casual and the show was a combo of Mark Donoghue, the instrumentalist and Petrina Johnson, the wonderful vocalist. We enjoyed it very much. The casino was closed as we were in port.

 

Feb. 17 – Friday – Montevideo, Uruguay

 

We are docked in a very industrial dock. Unfortunately, our aft cabin faces the working dock, so it is quite noisy and smells of diesel fuel. It also is in the bright sun so this is the first morning that I did not sit out and enjoy my morning coffee on the balcony. We were glad that we did not order room service for breakfast today.

 

We took the free shuttle to Casa Mario. The leather items seemed nice but the prices didn’t seem much different than at home. We bought some souvenirs and postcards. After we returned, we stopped at the internet café that was right near the ship. The charge was only $1.00 for 15 minutes and the speed was so much faster than on the ship.

 

We grabbed a quick lunch before going out on our Montevideo Highlights tour. It was a very informative tour. The city, for the most part seemed run-down and very poor. There were some lovely homes where the Embassies were located and also along the coast. We visited the government house which we were told was open for special government occasions and when the cruise ships are in. Today the Marco Polo and the Albatross were in port with us.

 

We left Montevideo shortly after 5pm as scheduled. It was very tight in the harbor and it took awhile for the captain to wiggle the ship out.

 

Dinner tonight was formal and the show was “Fantasea”, which was fantastic! In between dinner and the show, we stopped in Michael’s Club to listen to the piano player, Julio. It was a nice place to relax and in very nice surroundings.

 

Before we went to bed, we packed up our garment bag, trying to get a jump on the packing. They had the Gala Midnight Buffet tonight but we did not attend. We have an early day tomorrow in Buenos Aires.

 

Feb. 18 – Saturday – Buenos Aires, Argentina

 

We arrived in Buenos Aires early this morning – around 6am. We had a tour that left at 8am, so we grabbed a quick breakfast and headed out for our tour of the Tigre River. Our tickets – and the ship’s paper – said to take a shuttle bus to the terminal and meet the tour bus there. When we got to the terminal, along with quite a few others, we were told that the busses were at the ship, so we had to get back on the shuttle and go back to the ship to get our bus. They said there was some slight confusion.

 

The tour was quite enjoyable. We drove outside the city to a resort area that consists of a lot of little islands all off of the Tigre River. We cruised the river for about an hour. There were a lot or vacation homes there. A few people live there all year long, but it is hard, as you have to go off the islands for everything. They do have a grocery boat that comes along so the residents can get a few things, but it does seem like a very difficult way to live.

 

After the boat tour, we stopped in the town of San Isidro. There was a cathedral there that had just been redone. Also, there is a nice square where vendors were selling some nice looking crafts – jewelry, leather goods, etc. I purchased two nice pendants – one of the Chilean stone lapis and the other with the Argentinean stone – Rhodochrosite.

 

When we got back to the ship, we grabbed a salad for lunch and then went to pack our bags. We only had a short time to get this done, as we booked a Tango/Dinner Show that was leaving at 5pm. We had the same problem with this tour as we had in the morning. The ticket and the paper said to meet the tour at the terminal. We again took the shuttle to the terminal and again – no tour bus. This time there were no Celebrity shore excursion people anywhere. They were not at the ship when we were getting off and boarding the shuttle and they were not at the terminal. It was only when we were at the terminal for awhile and we saw no busses that we decided to go back. I asked a couple of other people how they knew to get the bus at the pier and they told me that they were running a bit late, so when they got off the ship, the tour bus was already there. There certainly a lack of communication on these tours.

 

The Tango/Dinner show was held at a nightclub called “Ventana” It was a very good show and we had great seats near the front, over to the right. They offer this tour without the dinner and actually, the dinner wasn’t very good. They offered one appetizer, one entrée and a dessert. The salads looked good – but I choose the cream soup and it was served rather cool and not very creamy. I passed on it. Most of us choose the beef for our main course, since the waiters told us it was very good (and Argentina is known for its beef), but it was very chewy and not very good. The ice cream they served for dessert was good and the little rolls were excellent. The show however, was great. Lots of energy and excellent dancing! They also had some Indian music from Peru and Gaucho (cowboy) dancing. They only reason that I might recommend the dinner/show combo is that we had great seats. Those that came for just the show arrived about the time when we were being served dessert, and they were seated behind us. The stage is in the front of the same room where the dining takes place.

 

We got back to the ship about 9pm and finished our packing and put our bags out. Tomorrow we disembark – around 7:30am.

 

Feb. 19 – Sunday – Buenos Aires, Argentine – Cruise ends

 

We were scheduled to leave the ship at 7:35am, but they did not call our color until around 8am. We were able to find a porter who took our bags outside. We were to be met by Defrantur at 8:30am but they did not arrive until 8:50am. It was rather hectic outside the pier with many taxi’s, buses, guides and passengers. Our guide was Ana (who we specifically requested based on a recommendation by a fellow CC’er) and our driver was Jose. They took us on a city tour and it was a wonderful day (Sunday) to tour as the traffic was very light. We toured several of the squares; saw the government office building where the President comes to work everyday via helicopter, and a beautiful cathedral with a very unusual name – the Metropolitan Cathedral.

 

After we toured the city, we drove out to the Santa Susana ranch. We were greeted with drinks and empanadas, which were delicious! We toured the ranch – there is a small museum in the original owner’s home – and then were served a barbeque lunch. First they served several types of salads along with 2 types of sausages. Then they came around with 2 types of beef and then chicken. Afterwards they served dessert which was like a fruit-filled empanada topped with honey. There certainly was a lot of food – so much so that we didn’t need to eat any dinner later.

 

After the barbeque, they had a tango and folklore show in the restaurant and then we went outside where the gauchos gave demonstrations with their horses.

 

After we arrived back in the city, we checked into the Marriott but at 5:30pm our room was still not ready. The clerk at the desk said that she would get us in about 15 minutes. After waiting 30 minutes, I went back to the desk to inquire and she said that it was ready. They gave us room 230. Since it was for only one night and we were really tired, I didn’t complain, but if we were staying longer I would have asked for a different room. First of all, it was on a low floor and close to the elevator which has the potential of being very noisy. Secondly, they are renovating the building and our balcony was filled with construction debris and also it was covered with mesh, so you really couldn’t see out very well.

 

We skipped dinner since we had so much to eat at the barbeque. Also, Bill wasn’t feeling very well due to the cold he picked up during our travels, so he just wanted to rest. We watched a little TV and called it a night. We were both really exhausted.

 

Feb. 20 – Monday – Iguazu Falls

 

This morning was a little rough. Both Bill and I weren’t feeling very well. Bill due to his cold and I had some dizziness due to sinus problems. We got a quick breakfast and met our driver Jose at 7:30am for our trip to the domestic airport. We checked our large bags at the hotel and just took a couple of small ones with us for the overnight trip. We checked in and went upstairs to the gate area. When our fight was called, we proceeded to the gate and were surprised that we didn’t walk down the jet way that we saw, but instead were guided down some stairs and on to a shuttle bus and were driven out to the plane which was parked out on the tarmac.

 

The flight was uneventful, about 2 hours long and they gave out snacks (sandwich and a bag of chips), which we passed on as we still were not feeling great. They also had soft drinks, water and wine. Most of the announcements on the plane were both in Spanish and English.

 

We were met at the Iguazu Airport by Otto who picked us up in a 16 passenger bus for the short trip to the National Park. We checked our bags in the storage area at the park ($2.00 US) and then toured the park and the falls. We walked the trails which were either paved trails or walkways over the water. We also took a train that took us near the largest falls – Devil’s Throat. The temperature was between 90-100F, but we managed to keep up with our guide and saw spectacular waterfalls. It was worth the effort to get here and see this magnificent wonder.

 

Around 3:30pm we left the park and checked in to our hotel, Hotel Cataratas. We originally had hoped to get a falls view room at the Sheraton, but they were booked. However, our guide told us they were doing a lot of renovations at the Sheraton and we would probably be better off where we were. Whether this is true or he just wanted us to feel better about not staying at the Sheraton, I don’t know.

 

The Hotel Cataratas is a very beautiful, older resort hotel. The grounds are quite extensive and include a convention center, spa, a lovely waterfall pool, tennis and volleyball courts, miniature golf, a soccer field and a playground. The lobby is also very nice with a bar and two restaurants.

 

We had a little trouble with our room, though. First of all, they gave me the first room off the lobby (which was always full of people around that open lounge area) and I refused it because it would be too noisy. Next they gave me a very nice looking room on the 3rd floor but that room had some maintenance problems as some of the lights didn’t work and the toilet didn’t flush. So – after much discussion – they gave me the third room which was probably an upgrade as it had a nice little balcony which the other two did not. Everything seemed to work well in this room and we were satisfied. However, around 2:30 in the morning we heard this loud noise only to discover that a 2-ft. long piece of the plaster crown molding in the bathroom fell and crashed into many pieces on the ceramic tile floor. Glad we weren’t standing there when it happened! When we reported this in the morning, they did not seem very concerned and didn’t even apologize for the inconvenience. It was an interesting experience.

 

Feb. 21/22 – Tuesday/Wednesday – Iguazu Falls/Buenos Aires – Flight to Florida

 

We had breakfast at the hotel. The breakfast buffet was quite extensive and was included in the price of our room. As I mentioned, the hotel has beautiful grounds, so we sat outside near the pool enjoying the warm sunshine and waited for our ride to the airport. The checkout time was 10am, earlier than we were accustomed to.

 

Around 12:30 we were picked up and driven to the airport. It is a small airport, with only 2 gates. We were told that our flight would leave at 2:20pm and board 30 minutes prior. 20 minutes before the scheduled flight, we still were not allowed into the security line or the boarding area. We happened to run into our guide who was at the airport to meet someone later and he helped us read the sign. What happened was that the flight was delayed for 30 minutes. When we finally left, there was a rain storm, but we flew right through it. It was the most terrifying flight I have ever experienced. In addition to the bumping that you would expect to experience in bad weather, there was a feeling of dropping – time after time after time. It probably didn’t last more than 10 minutes until they were able to get above it, but while it was happening it was horrible. There was no announcement from the cockpit regarding this making it very frightening! They did announce that there might be some turbulence on the way down, but it was only a few bumps – nothing like the ascent!

 

We were met at the domestic airport by Ana and Jose who took us to the Marriott to pick up the rest of our bags and then we were off to the international airport. We were suppose to have one hour for shopping, but due to the late flight from Iguazu, we did not have time – so don’t wait till the end to pick up those souvenirs!

 

Allow plenty of time at the International Airport. We arrived around 6:30pm for our 9:30pm flight. First we got in line to check our bags. The first stop was for security questions and check of Passport. Also, at this stop, they already have papers for each passenger which they give you to take to your next stop. Then, you proceed to where you actually check the bags and get your boarding passes. This went rather quickly, I’d say we waited no more than 10-15 minutes here.

 

Next, you get in yet another line to pay the departure tax which is $18/person - cash or credit card. They have 2 stations downstairs and one upstairs where you can pay this. The line we waited in seemed long and slow, but it actually only took about 20 minutes. You then proceed upstairs - follow signs for your gate and get in line for immigration. This was a longer line but still only took about 15-20 minutes. After that, proceed to your gate. Although we moved right through these lines and were at our gate about 1 hour ahead of our departure time, you never know how long these lines are going to be. At the gate area, there is a large duty-free shopping area and a bar where they served drinks and snacks.

 

We boarded on time, however, when we first started to taxi, there was a strange odor – smelled like sewage. We stayed on the ground until they were sure it was NOT coming from the plane. After about 10 minutes, it was no longer noticeable. We had a much smoother take-off than earlier. The dinner served was much better than the one we had on our incoming flight. The flight was smooth but long – 8 ½ hours and I wasn’t able to get much sleep. We landed in Miami around 4:30am. They served a continental breakfast prior to landing. We had to claim our bags in Miami, go through Customs and then reclaim them and get them reloaded for our next leg to Orlando. We spent a couple of days in Florida before we headed back to Ohio. Have to get back to reality gradually! It was a wonderful trip – something that we will always remember.

[RDMOREU]

Although we will be on another line - NCL - let us thank you for your very informative cruise review. The information on Santiago, BA and departure from BA are valuable for anyone. Glad you enjoyed your trip. We go in Jan. 2007.

[Brahmama]

Mary Lou,

Thanks for the very detailed and helpful report. We are scheduled for Feb 25 07 and I imagine the weather should be about the same, although we are going in the opposite directions.

 

So much valuable information and things to be aware of - I do appreciate the time it took you to compile it in this report.

 

Questions! Coming back from Bs As to Miami - was the plane a 767 or 737? Did you have individual TV screens at your seat on this flight?

 

Also in Bs As - At the Marriott, was the late check-in normal? It seemed so late not to have your room ready by 5:00 PM! We are deciding about hotels to stay in and it didn't sound ideal.

 

Did you use Ricardo of Defrantur for all of your travel arrangements? I was wondering specifically about Iguazu. Were your transfers taken care of through him? And what about Brazil - since you were at the Cataratas Hotel, did you have to have a Brazilian visa? Did you tour both sides of the falls?

 

Ok, I guess that's enough questions (grin) and I hope you get a chance to answer them.

 

Thanks again,

 

Carol

[MLinFL]

Mary Lou,

Questions! Coming back from Bs As to Miami - was the plane a 767 or 737? Did you have individual TV screens at your seat on this flight?

 

Also in Bs As - At the Marriott, was the late check-in normal? It seemed so late not to have your room ready by 5:00 PM! We are deciding about hotels to stay in and it didn't sound ideal.

 

Did you use Ricardo of Defrantur for all of your travel arrangements? I was wondering specifically about Iguazu. Were your transfers taken care of through him? And what about Brazil - since you were at the Cataratas Hotel, did you have to have a Brazilian visa? Did you tour both sides of the falls?

 

Ok, I guess that's enough questions (grin) and I hope you get a chance to answer them.

 

Carol -

 

We had the same type of plane in both directions. No individual TV screens - I think those are on the 777's, but I'm not very savy about plane types.

 

I don't know if the late check in is normal, but I did see quite a few people waiting in the lobby as we were. I really don't know how long we would have waited if I hadn't gone to inquire after waiting for about 30 minutes.

 

We did make all of our plans with Ricardo. He did a very nice job,but I think in the future, I would book the Chilean portion with a local company. It seemed that some of our requests got lost in the transfer to the other company. We did not visit the Brazilian side of the Falls, as I didn't want to bother with a VISA for one day. The Hotel Cataratas was in Argentina. I think there may be another one in Brazil.

 

We had a wonderful time on this trip. Just yesterday my husband mentioned that he would like to go back again. You'll have a great time!

 

Mary Lou

[SunshineCity]

What a nice review! We were on the Millennium through Christmas and New Years having an aft cabin 8176 and Lydia was terrific along with German her assistant. We also had a wonderful cruise and really spent a lot of time relaxing, reading and snoozing out on the veranda. Our airplane was quite different. I forget the type it was but everyone had their own TV sets and could pick and choose what they wanted.

 

Again, it was nice to read your review and happing cruising!

[tak2]

Thanks for your detailed review. I shall download it and read over and over again, in preparation for Jan 07 on Infinity. We signed up for this cruise while on Millie to Med in Oct 05, where we met the nice people from CC Roll Call, who we will be going with to south America.

Appreciate your effort and observations.

[MLinFL]

I appreciate all the kind words. I'll be glad to answer any questions that I can.

I only hope that everyone that takes this cruise will enjoy it as much as we did. Just yesterday my husband commented that he would like to take that cruise again. Since we rarely repeat itineraries (except for the Caribbean and WDW) that was high praise!

Mary Lou

[ajpack]

Thanks for your wonderful review. We'll be with Tak in '07 on this cruise. Can you give us some info about Jane Taylor...how you found her....how can she be contacted...would you recommend her?

[MLinFL]

Thanks for your wonderful review. We'll be with Tak in '07 on this cruise. Can you give us some info about Jane Taylor...how you found her....how can she be contacted...would you recommend her?

 

We booked this tour through Celebrity. She was the guide that was assigned to our bus. Sorry that I don't have any more information.

 

Mary Lou

[Marie-Claude]

Mary-Lou!!

Thank you for such a great review - I'm so glad you had a great time.

My Mom and I are doing this cruise on the Infinity in January 2007! Reading your review made me even more anxious to get going...

 

Did you do most of the tours with Celebrity or had you booked on your own?

Also, who did you book your Iguazu Falls tour with?

 

I hope the return to reality isn't to harsh, and that you and Bob feel better now!

 

MC:D

[MLinFL]

Mary-Lou!!

Did you do most of the tours with Celebrity or had you booked on your own?

Also, who did you book your Iguazu Falls tour with?

 

I hope the return to reality isn't to harsh, and that you and Bob feel better now!

 

MC:D

 

We did all of our pre and post tours, including Iguazu Falls with Ricardo of Defrantur Tours. All of the tours while we were aboard ship, we booked directly with Celebrity. We booked them before we left home. The most popular ones book up fast.

 

Mary Lou

[Wormy53]

Just another quick thanks for a wonderful review. I enjoyed reading it. We are considering this cruise next, so I have been especially interested. I love all the "more exotic" cruises. Go somewhere new all the time, and they will always have me hooked! I love not having to pack and unpack. What's not to love!

[Seatravelers]

Enjoyed reading your review and now have some thoughts on doing the same. One quick question though, how rough were the seas and did you ever feel seasick??

[tak2]

Whereabouts did the seas get rough? Just so I can time the dosing of seasickness pills. Thanks.

[MLinFL]

Whereabouts did the seas get rough? Just so I can time the dosing of seasickness pills. Thanks.

 

There were only a couple of times that we experienced rough seas which I mentioned in my report - but around Cape Horn wasn't one of them, although this can be quite rough, I have heard.

 

My husband and I always take a bonine (actually, we use the generic -meclyzine) tablet in the evening. We do this as a preventative because once you start to feel seasick, it is TOO LATE to take this type of medication. I also brought my Relief Band with me. This is not one of those elastic bands but one that looks like a sports watch and actually emits electronic charges. It WILL work after you are already sick. However, I didn't need to use this even once. But, the seas are ever changing, so just be prepared.

 

Mary Lou