Bit of a blog - HAL Oosterdam - South America & Antarctica - Dec/Jan 2023/24

[OlsSalt]

The Pre-Columbian Museum in Santiago is first rate - if you have any interest in this long and important era of successive advanced civilizations,  along the western South American coast. Plus some Easter Island artifacts.

 

https://precolombino.cl/wp/en/

 

 

 

 

Edited January 6 by OlsSalt

[NorbertsNiece]

Was impossible to get online last night......

 

For those following in my footsteps :

 

1. When visiting National Parks..... wear Deet or equivalent. .... we both succumbed 🤦‍♀️

 

2. Bring insect bite soothing cream, anthisan or equivalent..... we did  

 

3. Rolling Stone Lounge is NOT on any signage. Deck 2. Repeat Deck 2. You will need its location for tender tickets.

 

4. There IS a very good library. It is NOT on any signage. Deck 3.....

 

5. The  crew don't necessarily know where places are if out of their work environment. That's ok. Water is available at any bar. The Lido is deck 9 and there's nearly always food available there. You'll be fine. You need to walk off breakfast anyway.

 

6. Be nice to your room steward. He has access to chocolate.

 

Have a fabulous cruise. I did.

[NorbertsNiece]

Disembarkation day

 

Good morning and thanks for following!!!

 

At breakfast out on deck. Brilliant sunshine. Going to be a lovely day. The steady flow of calls for guests to disembark is being announced by tag colour. We will be bussed to the terminal.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited January 7 by NorbertsNiece

[TravelBluebird]

@NorbertsNiece  Enjoy Santiago, and safe travels home! I can’t thank you enough for this wonderful Cruise Critic blog—WAY more than a BIT of a blog, and one of the best I’ve ever read with detail and information.  I was so lucky to read this before we board the ship today!  

[NorbertsNiece]

Still on board. Luggage tag colours being called consistently.

 

Sneaked a peak at next door's balcony 

 

We've just been called. 15 mins early 😃

 

 

[NorbertsNiece]

Just out of the lift. The line follows in from the left! I have no idea how long that is. And the people on the right are queuing to join the line coming in from the left! Not impressed. At all. Why were we called?

 

Joined line outside 1074. Many many people are lining up behind us. They're still calling tags!!

 

 

Edited January 7 by NorbertsNiece

[NorbertsNiece]

Rounded a couple of corners. Now outside 1075 and counting

[caneable]

Great read and so many questions answered before I could post them!  Safe journey home and more happy journeys in the future!
Steve

[NorbertsNiece]

My brain is fried. And that's from before the cruise! Today is the 7th. We fly out 9th. That makes 2 nights here. We arrive back in the UK 10th.

 

Have some pics of our ride here. Cramped in car. 2 hours port to hotel in Santiago. Luggage had best seat. Thanks Iglu Cruise. Sat in lobby with a coffee waiting for our room to be ready.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Edited January 7 by NorbertsNiece

[NorbertsNiece]

Finally good enough WiFi to access my cloud. My favourite pic from Volunteer Point, Stanley, Feb 2017

 

 

 

[CrosNest]

Drive to Puerto Varas. Pouring with rain. I mean proper bucketing down. There's an artisan tent. I may have bought some earrings.
 

hi NorbertsNiece, a couple of questions, if I may, please. Did you use local currency, US$ or card, for small item spending? Also, which adaptors did you take for hotel rooms and could you use the same ones in BA and in Santiago?

 

Many thanks for your great blog 👍🏻👍🏻

[NorbertsNiece]

46 minutes ago, CrosNest said:

Drive to Puerto Varas. Pouring with rain. I mean proper bucketing down. There's an artisan tent. I may have bought some earrings.
 

hi NorbertsNiece, a couple of questions, if I may, please. Did you use local currency, US$ or card, for small item spending? Also, which adaptors did you take for hotel rooms and could you use the same ones in BA and in Santiago?

 

Many thanks for your great blog 👍🏻👍🏻

Hi.

Small item spending they prefer US$. I was able to use my CC as the jeweller had a friend with a PIN machine. Same adaptor as used in BA now in use Santiago. This hotel room actually has a UK socket as well in the desk!

 

It's a super room. 12th floor. MUCH nicer than BA

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Santiago

Founded in 1541 by the Spanish conquistador Pedro de Valdivia, Santiago has served as the capital city of Chile since colonial times. The city has a downtown core of 19th-century neoclassical architecture and winding side-streets featuring a mix of art deco, neo-gothic, and other styles. Santiago's cityscape is defined by several stand-alone hills and the fast-flowing Mapocho River, which is lined by parks such as Parque Forestal and Balmaceda Park. The Andes Mountains can be seen from most parts of the city and contribute to a smog problem, particularly during winter, due to the lack of rain. The outskirts of the city are surrounded by vineyards, and Santiago is within an hour's drive of both the mountains and the Pacific Ocean. Santiago is the political and financial center of Chile and is home to the regional headquarters of many multinational corporations. The Chilean government's executive and judiciary branches are based in Santiago, while the Congress mostly meets in nearby Valparaíso

 

Have booked a morning tour through Viator for tomorrow. 

 

Edited January 7 by NorbertsNiece

[CrosNest]

Sorry, me again, which adaptor did you use? I’ve read differing reports for UK appliances 🤔

[NorbertsNiece]

5 minutes ago, CrosNest said:

Sorry, me again, which adaptor did you use? I’ve read differing reports for UK appliances 🤔

Worldwide Travel Plug Adapter, from Amazon. Struggling with linking

 

 

Edited January 7 by NorbertsNiece

[CrosNest]

7 minutes ago, NorbertsNiece said:

Worldwide Travel Plug Adapter, from Amazon. Struggling with linking

 

 

Perfect, thanks so much 👍🏻👍🏻

[NorbertsNiece]

@TravelBluebird boarded today and is blogging; their departure has been delayed due to poor weather in San Antonio and a load of missing passengers stuck in Panama as their aircraft has been grounded. Their first port of call, Puerto Montt, has been cancelled. Do follow her for further updates 

[CNSJ]

When I travel half way around the world, North to South, Cruise 22 days around the Horn and to Antarctica, I really hope to find better (or at least local) beer in the fridge at my five star hotel in Santiago.  Budweiser? Really? 

 

[CNSJ]

1 hour ago, NorbertsNiece said:

@TravelBluebird boarded today and is blogging; their departure has been delayed due to poor weather in San Antonio and a load of missing passengers stuck in Panama as their aircraft has been grounded. Their first port of call, Puerto Montt, has been cancelled. Do follow her for further updates 

This is why I insist (DW and I go back and forth on this) on arriving a few days before the cruise when it's a long haul, and at least the day before for cruises from South Florida.**  The post on Oosterdam's next departure stated teh port was closed until the morning due to winds.  If the port was not closed, would the Captain have departed on schedule even if a plane full of passengers had not yet arrived?  I prefer not to take that chance.

 

** Also, less chance of not getting your luggage for the cruise when you arrive a few hours before you sail. 

 

[NorbertsNiece]

Am also following @Btimmer 

 

I have a cough. Started on board. Waiting for pharmacy  next door to open. Same thing happened on a Canada cruise. Still got the  (very expensive) cough mixture at home!! 🤦‍♀️

[Jcitron2]

On 12/19/2023 at 9:43 PM, NorbertsNiece said:

We arrive in Puerto Madryn tomorrow afternoon. We will probably take a walk around ashore. The day after tomorrow we have a very early excursion start.

 

While Puerto Madryn has roots from the British Isles, the scenery is unmistakably Patagonian, with sweeping vistas and colonies of sea lions and penguins. Somewhat unexpectedly, this Argentinean resort is named after a Welsh baron, one of a number who left their home country during the Industrial Revolution, due to the economic impact it had on rural communities. Somewhat ironically, it was the boom of large-scale manufacturing here, particularly the aluminum factory, that has seen Puerto Madryn flourish, and its current population of around 70,000 is more than ten times the number of residents in the 1970s. Today the legacy of the Welsh settlers who arrived in the 1860s is more or less limited to street names in Puerto Madryn itself.

 

 

Hello, friend! We took a private tour here that went out to a lighthouse point on a marvelous cliff. We were lucky to see elephant seals below us in the surf, and also Rheas and a fox on the drive out. Next we went to a coastal area where we walked amongst the nesting Gentoo penguins! Saw some chicks even. Amazing to see how they nest on the ground under the bushes. Then we went to a ranch house (sheep ranching) where we were treated to a marvelous lunch of lamb cooked splayed near an outdoor fire, salads, etc. and Welsh “black cake” for dessert. So, the Welsh spirit lives on! Marvelous trip and Puerto Madryn seemed lovely.  Jennie 

[Sea42]

2 minutes ago, Jcitron2 said:

Hello, friend! We took a private tour here that went out to a lighthouse point on a marvelous cliff. We were lucky to see elephant seals below us in the surf, and also Rheas and a fox on the drive out. Next we went to a coastal area where we walked amongst the nesting Gentoo penguins! Saw some chicks even. Amazing to see how they nest on the ground under the bushes. Then we went to a ranch house (sheep ranching) where we were treated to a marvelous lunch of lamb cooked splayed near an outdoor fire, salads, etc. and Welsh “black cake” for dessert. So, the Welsh spirit lives on! Marvelous trip and Puerto Madryn seemed lovely.  Jennie 

Could you share what tour company you used, please?

[Jcitron2]

1 minute ago, Sea42 said:

Could you share what tour company you used, 

[Jcitron2]

Just now, Jcitron2 said:

5 minutes ago, Sea42 said:

Could you share what tour company you used, 

El Pedral: Penguins and countryside. $129 USD for 2 people.

[Sea42]

2 minutes ago, Jcitron2 said:

El Pedral: Penguins and countryside. $129 USD for 2 people.

Thanks!

[Islander58]

32 minutes ago, Sea42 said:

Could you share what tour company you used, please?

Silly question. What ship port is this excursion out of? It sounds great?

thanks, Mary Lynne