Trying to decide between S. America cruise choices

[alrischa]

I would appreciate some input on reasons to choose between these two cruises based on the itinerary differences.  Timing would be December 2025.  Thanks!

[njhorseman]

6 hours ago, alrischa said:

I would appreciate some input on reasons to choose between these two cruises based on the itinerary differences.  Timing would be December 2025.  Thanks!

We did an itinerary almost identical to your Santiago to Buenos Aires option some years ago and were quite pleased with the cruise. The ports in Chile were worth visiting and the Chilean fjords are beautiful. 

[GatorMomInNC]

Some things to think about: The first one is going to cost a little more in airfare as it is 2 one ways (or a flight back to Santiago from BA).  Falkland Islands is the most missed port in the world, with a 50/50 success rate of actually docking.  So I would take that out of the equation - they both include it and the chances you won't actually get to go are the same for both.  For that reason, I would choose the first one; Punta Del Este isn't that much of a benefit since you are already going to Montevideo (no offense to Punta Del Este); it looks like you get a lot more scenic cruising in the first one.  

 

 

[Sea42]

1 hour ago, GatorMomInNC said:

The first one is going to cost a little more in airfare as it is 2 one ways (or a flight back to Santiago from BA).

I think there is a lot of value in being able to enjoy two different areas before and after a cruise, especially if this is a once in a life time experience.

[JoRoy218]

On 2/4/2024 at 3:44 PM, alrischa said:

I would appreciate some input on reasons to choose between these two cruises based on the itinerary differences.  Timing would be December 2025.  Thanks!

The bottom itinerary looks like the one we’re on right now. The Sapphire is a great ship. Weather has been perfect, haven’t missed a post. We love Princess! Go for it! 

[mingo]

We leave tomorrow to do the first tour you show.  Our goal was to see as much as we could.  I will not miss going up the Chile side with beautiful fiords, mountains and glaciers.  

[Kryssa]

On 2/5/2024 at 5:48 AM, GatorMomInNC said:

The first one is going to cost a little more in airfare as it is 2 one ways (or a flight back to Santiago from BA). 

 

 

This is not necessarily true. You would book it as an open jaw and it could be cheaper than a roundtrip from either city, just depends on the pricing at that specific time. Never book two one-ways. 

[GatorMomInNC]

49 minutes ago, Kryssa said:

This is not necessarily true. You would book it as an open jaw and it could be cheaper than a roundtrip from either city, just depends on the pricing at that specific time. Never book two one-ways. 

I have booked several repositioning cruises or transatlantic (TA) cruises where I have priced this type of travel out.  Definitely 10 years or so ago, there was a penalty to booking one way flights (for example to Barcelona for TA cruises the price for a one way on major US airlines was almost as much as the round trip).  I think with increased competition from airlines whose pricing models don't punish you for booking one ways, this has definitely improved.  But I personally have not seen any benefit to booking an "open jaw", which is technically just two one ways with the same airline.  Unless one airline just happens to have the best price on the 2 one-ways  it is better to price out different airlines.   

 

I am doing this trip (to Santiago, return from BA) in 4 weeks and 6 days 🙂.  I priced out multiple (read hundreds) of flights in different configurations over a few weeks and also booked and cancelled about a half dozen options - always booked refundable then cancelled and rebooked when I found something better.    I looked at a RT ticket to either BA or Santiago with a flight between them on a local airline at the beginning or end of the trip.   I compared those rates to pricing one way flights to/from every major airport on in the southern and eastern US (and some in the Midwest), knowing that if I found a good non-stop into/out of the US, I could always find a flight between any US city and my hometown - and probably use points for the shorter leg.  In the end, I booked 2 one ways with different airlines and got what I consider really good bargains; and all seats are either business class/premium economy/first class but for one very short (1.5 hour) flight.       

 

My point to the OP is that if the cruise was leaving and returning to the same port (either BA or Santiago), from the pricing I saw, RT airfare would have been less than most of the 2 one way options I was finding - and certainly easier to price and compare.   YMMV.  

 

[Aggie83]

In Dec 2022 my DH and I did the Santiago to BA route (included Antartica).  We stayed several nights in Santiago before heading to San Antonio to board the ship.  We thoroughly enjoyed Santiago. We did a tour to the Andes which included a stop at a vineyard.  To get to the ship, we took a private shuttle via Viator to SA.  Original plan was to do a wine vineyard tour on the way to the ship.  However, that fell through because no one else signed up.  The tour operator refunded some of the tour price and changed it to a private shuttle to the ship.  The shuttle picked us up at our hotel. 

 

Due to winds, the Punta Arenas port was closed.  We ended up spending more time in Ushuaia due to the missed port.  We missed Port Stanley because of the wind as well.  

 

We fly out of DFW, and almost exclusively on AA.  I found that airfare from DFW to SCL was much less (both $-wise and miles redemption) than it was from BA(EZE) to DFW.  We redeemed miles for Business Class to SCL and paid for Premium Economy from EZE to DFW.  This December we are doing the Antartica cruise as round trip from BA.  Airfare (miles or $) for DFW-EZE-DFW is quite high.  I jumped on my flights at the 300 day mark, when AA releases it schedules. So far that has been the best pricing.  

 

I would agree with the post that thought you would have more scenic cruising from Santiago to BA.  Depending on how long you will be in Montevideo, you may be able to do a shore excursion to Punta del Este if you are interested.