Cruise Talk: Have you cruised South America?

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»	Cruise Talk » Ports of Call and Destinations » Have you cruised South America?

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Topic: Have you cruised South America?

Malcolm @ cruisepage
Cruise Director
Member # 301

posted 04-24-2002 04:30 AM

Has anyone done a South American cruise - the type that goes coast to coast, around cape horn?

Which ship?

Posts: 19210 | From: Essex (Just Outside London) | Registered: A Long Time Ago! | IP: Logged

gohaze
First Class Passenger
Member # 586

posted 04-24-2002 08:07 AM

We did Fort Lauderdale, Panama, down the West Coast, around the bottom to the Falklands and BA. Royal Princess.
...peter

Posts: 1909 | From: Vancouver.BC | Registered: Sep 99 | IP: Logged

WhiteStar
First Class Passenger
Member # 2740

posted 04-24-2002 08:39 AM

Only got as far as Buenos Aries on a 31 day cruise from San Diego to Argentina on the Crown Odyssey.

Reed

Posts: 668 | From: Minnesota | Registered: Jan 2002 | IP: Logged

Malcolm @ cruisepage
Cruise Director
Member # 301

posted 04-24-2002 09:53 AM

quote:
Originally posted by gohaze:
We did Fort Lauderdale, Panama, down the West Coast, around the bottom to the Falklands and BA. Royal Princess....peter

That's the one! Anygood?

(Looking at the readers reviews, not too many cruisetalkers have ventured that far!)

[ 04-24-2002: Message edited by: Malcolm @ cruisepage ]

Posts: 19210 | From: Essex (Just Outside London) | Registered: A Long Time Ago! | IP: Logged

gohaze
First Class Passenger
Member # 586

posted 04-24-2002 10:37 AM

Malcolm...Yes, we enjoyed it, the only thing we were disappointed in was the ship. After all the ballyhoo about the Royal we found her to be plain grungy, she was dirty. The crew needed a real shake-up right from the Master down, and the food and service certainly weren't up to Princess standards.
The itinerary was excellent and certainly different. We were lucky and saw Cape Horn when it was relatively calm although it was howling again half an hour later when we were on our way to Port Stanley. There too we were lucky and had a beautiful sunny day.
If I was going to do it now it would of course be on the Marco Polo from BA up the coast to Barbados. Particularly as she has an overnight in Balboa.
...peter

Posts: 1909 | From: Vancouver.BC | Registered: Sep 99 | IP: Logged

Malcolm @ cruisepage
Cruise Director
Member # 301

posted 04-28-2002 08:27 AM

quote:
Originally posted by gohaze:
The itinerary was excellent and certainly different.

Peter, what shore tours did you take, if any?

Posts: 19210 | From: Essex (Just Outside London) | Registered: A Long Time Ago! | IP: Logged

gohaze
First Class Passenger
Member # 586

posted 04-28-2002 10:51 AM

Malcom...there are 2 big tours which were and maybe still are available. Machu Pichu and the Galapagos. We didn't do either because of physical limitations - ours. The other places we mostly took the shuttle into town and had a look around or did the local half day tour.
...peter

Posts: 1909 | From: Vancouver.BC | Registered: Sep 99 | IP: Logged

Scottylass
First Class Passenger
Member # 420

posted 04-28-2002 05:03 PM

Hi Malcolm

I remember reading a review of this trip by Ken Stutt, although a few years ago it would be worth while checking it out as he was pretty good and covering every detail of the trip.

http://www.stutt.com/cruising/v1-pri-samer.html

Cheers
Mary

Posts: 648 | From: Stirlingshire, Scotland | Registered: Jul 99 | IP: Logged

James
First Class Passenger
Member # 1351

posted 04-28-2002 06:23 PM

We went from Rio around the Cape and through the canal to Fort Lauderdale. It was a wonderful trip on the Noordam. We took noshore excursions provided by the line. The Tango show and dinner in Buenos Aires was provided by our TA and that was very good. In Ushuia we hired a taxi to take us into the park. In Punta Arenas and Perto Montt we teamed up with another couple from our table and rented a car and went about the same places the bus tour from the ship went but saw more and could stop to look at wildlife ( the others were very serious birders) for much less cost than the ship's tours. In the other ports we took the courtesy bus into town and walked around. Had lunch in local restaurants where no one spoke English and we don't speak Spanish. Great experience!

Posts: 202 | From: Illinois, Home of Lincoln and great graft | Registered: Jun 2000 | IP: Logged

911BOSS
First Class Passenger
Member # 1853

posted 05-06-2002 03:54 PM

Hi Malcolm. My wife and I took the "Mercury" from Valapraiso to Buenas Aeres back in January. I will recommend both the cruise and the ship. I was very impessed with the way Celebrity handled check in. They took us from the airport to the large (1st class) Horse racing track where we did all the paperwork. It was hot and sunny and at the place they fed us, gave us cold drinks etc. Some of the passengers were mad about doing this, which I didn't understand). They thought we should we should go straight to the ship but when we did get to the dock, we walked right onto the ship and out of the heat. We were lucky when we rounded the Cape in that there were only 1-2 foot seas in what I thought was some of the roughest water in the world. The Falklands were interesting but there were 2 ships in at the same time and to say it was crowded in town is an understatement.All shore excusions were miles away from the ship. Usuia is in one of the most beautiful settings that you will ever see. If you have a chance to take this trip, by all means take it.

Posts: 62 | From: RALEIGH,N.C. | Registered: Mar 2001 | IP: Logged

Malcolm @ cruisepage
Cruise Director
Member # 301

posted 05-06-2002 07:07 PM

Thanks for the information boss! I want to go to South America sooner or later, but three things are holding me back:

1)The cruises can be a little expensive for my pocket.

2) The choice of ships is limited.

3) It's a very long flight from London to Santiago or Buenos Aries. It's not fear but boerdom that bothers me!

Posts: 19210 | From: Essex (Just Outside London) | Registered: A Long Time Ago! | IP: Logged

desirod7
First Class Passenger
Member # 1626

posted 05-19-2002 09:20 AM

Hi Malcolm,

I recall the South American cruise I took.

The ship was the Stella Oceanis, December 1974.
Ports were Bahia, Santos, Rio De Janiero, Buenos Aires and Motevideo Uruguay.

What sticks out in my mind is La Boca nieghborhood of Buenos Aires. It is quite beautiful with multi colored murals and houses. It is not fancy but very clean and well taken care of. Nothing tastes like Argentinian beef.

Montevideo was fascinating with all the 1950's American cars that are still in production there.
Architecture is Baroque.

Santos and Rio had beautiful mountain scapes right in the city, great coffee, and most of the cars were VW Beetles.

I am sure much has changed in 28 years, and the memories are from the perspective of a 14yo.

I do recall a nasty South Atlantic New Years eve storm, which cancelled Mar Del Plata. The Stella would hit wave trough, shudder, glasses would break, little girls would scream. and waves would wash up over the forcastle up to the bridge.

The people on board were mostly middle age professsionals, retirees, and few children, 10 in all-Topgun would be happy. Several people not travelling with their spouses.

One comical passenger: A doctor in his 50's, who drank too much, would go to the microphone and sing along with the band.

[ 05-19-2002: Message edited by: desirod6 ]

Posts: 5727 | From: Philadelphia, Pa [home of the SS United States] | Registered: Oct 2000 | IP: Logged

TravelNinja
Just Boarded
Member # 20841

posted 02-03-2009 07:05 PM

Malcolm, you are right on all three counts: 1) big expense 2) long airplane trip 3) limited choice of ships. But - if you go, it'll be worth the hassle and expense. I went with Quasar Expeditions Luxury Cruises to the Galapagos, and it was a trip of a lifetime!

Posts: 3 | From: Seattle, WA | Registered: Jan 2009 | IP: Logged

Malcolm @ cruisepage
Cruise Director
Member # 301

posted 02-03-2009 07:12 PM

Thanks for the reply. I asked that question in 2002! I've still not been.

Posts: 19210 | From: Essex (Just Outside London) | Registered: A Long Time Ago! | IP: Logged

soundsailor
First Class Passenger
Member # 4164

posted 02-03-2009 09:01 PM

I'm aboard the little Prinsendam right now, cruising, err, I mean working around the continent on a 58 day cruise. We are presently heading for the Falkland Islands. At the end of the cruise when I can find some cheap Internet, a report will be posted. I can tell you that I love everything about this ship.

Posts: 150 | From: Toronto, Ont. Canada | Registered: Sep 2003 | IP: Logged

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