I cant believe I didnt think of this before!

[Gixer]

I have just realised that Valpariso in Chile is not just a port stop, but acts as homeport for several ships during the summer (Nov-Mar) I dont know why I didnt think of this before, all the cruises I have been researching involve a 3 day travel nightmare to Miami at unthinkable expense or a 26 hour flight to the UK for a Southampton departure :eek:

 

To think that all this time I could have taken a relativley quick and not so cheap but definatley cheaper flight of 8 hours to Chile and spend 14 nights on the Mariner or Radience has just blown me away!

 

The sailings seem to go from Valpariso to either San Diego or LA or on a few other lines to BA in Argentina - I hope that there is the option of doing a B2B so we get to sail back to Valpariso instead of having to fly from LA to Panama and then Santiago for the flight home (or BA to Santiago). Maybe this means that we now get to cruise once a year instead of once every 2 years!!!! :D

 

Anyone one else sailed the South American itinerary - how did you find it?

[reallyitsmema]

The Mariner is only passing through. One of the legs of the Mariner repositioning is starting there. Once it leaves Port Canaveral, it is going to be in LA.

[julieanne]

I have just realised that Valpariso in Chile is not just a port stop, but acts as homeport for several ships during the summer (Nov-Mar) I dont know why I didnt think of this before, all the cruises I have been researching involve a 3 day travel nightmare to Miami at unthinkable expense or a 26 hour flight to the UK for a Southampton departure :eek:

 

To think that all this time I could have taken a relativley quick and not so cheap but definatley cheaper flight of 8 hours to Chile and spend 14 nights on the Mariner or Radience has just blown me away!

 

The sailings seem to go from Valpariso to either San Diego or LA or on a few other lines to BA in Argentina - I hope that there is the option of doing a B2B so we get to sail back to Valpariso instead of having to fly from LA to Panama and then Santiago for the flight home (or BA to Santiago). Maybe this means that we now get to cruise once a year instead of once every 2 years!!!! :D

 

Anyone one else sailed the South American itinerary - how did you find it?

 

Gixer,

Most lines sail the SA itinerary from November through March. I usually do a search for SA (or, you can do a search by when you would like to sail. I don't have to tell you that these are the summer months!) and the repo is usually in the search. Princess, NCL, RCCL and Celebrity all do the Nov through March. I know that HAL also sails in that area. So, if you plan on staying 4 months in the states, you're good! Hope I was helpful!:)

[Mark_K]

How long's the flight to BA? There are lots of cruises that depart from there. Also, Sao Paolo and Rio, although that's a bit further.

[Gixer]

WOW this is really food for thought, I just worked out I could sail Radience from Valpariso on 4th Jan to Buenos Aires 14 night cruise, then sail another 14 nights back again, its not the itinerary I would prefer, it goes South instead of North so cold not hot, but as long as the pools stay open for the kids it would be fine. And just think, there is a stop each way at the Falklands, so I could nip home, make sure hubby hasnt burnt the house down and all the animals are still alive, re stock the refrigarator and freezer, stick a load of laundry on and be back on the ship and sailing the high seas again before hubby even gets home from work! :D

 

28 nights on a ship though.....I dont know....would you get cabin fever???!!!

[Druke I]

You might want to take into account that ships stopping at the Falklands tender in - they don't tie up at a dock.

 

Many scheduled calls have been cancelled due to winds and sea conditions.

 

Couple years ago, Holland America got passengers ashore, but then could not get them back to the ship that afternoon, and the passengers ended up in the hotel, in schools, and private homes for the night. They were able to tender them back the next morning.

 

We called at Port Stanley, Mar 06, on Regal Princess, and thoroughly enjoyed your island, but I know several other ships could not get in that March due to sea/winds.

[cruisenfever]

We just returned from a b2b on Splendour. The cruise from Valparaiso on March 22 to Santos was amazing and something we would do again in a heartbeat. March was the end of their summer season so weather was typically fall like. I believe that their summer actually starts mid November to first of December. We then stayed on the ship and continued over to Lisbon.

 

We did air deviation through RCI and our airfare allowance was $694.50 pp. Having researched flights on the internet I found the flights that were most agreeable to us and had our TA present them to RCI................though they were much more expensive on the internet over what we were being allowed. RCI approved our flights and we flew Cleveland-Atlanta-Santiago. It is a 10.5 hour overnight flight from Atlanta.............but it was well worth it.

 

Entering Chile we had to pay the $131.00pp Chilean reciprocity fee that was collected at the airport but is good for the life of our passports (just had them renewed in 2007). We also had to apply for and get Visas for Brazil................but with all the added expenses..............the trip was something that has to be seen to be believed.

 

The people of Chile and Argentina are the nicest and friendliest and warmly welcomed us into their ports.

 

I would recommend this trip to anyone...............

[Gixer]

Thanks for your input everyone, I just did a quick check for cruises in 2010 too and Star Princes sails the same route, as do HAL and a few others so it looks as if I have lots of options and choices for future cruises, and now that I dont have to add on the killer airfare to Miami we may be able to cruise a bit more often! :D