Jump to content

Around the Horn B.A. to Valpo with Port Information


relaxatsea
 Share

Recommended Posts

My husband and I are a retired couple from Miami, Florida. We love to cruise, and are always looking for new experiences. This was a trip we had always wanted to take, so, in March, 2016, we sailed around the Horn from Buenos Aires to Valparaiso on RCCL's Rhapsody of the Seas. It was an amazing experience! We did not use any shore excursions either from the ship or from private tour operators. We did a tremendous amount of walking, and took taxis a few times, and we both speak Spanish, so that was a big help.

 

We arrived in Buenos Aires three days prior to our cruise and stayed at the Icaro Suites Hotel. It is located downtown, close to Corrientes Ave. and the Obelisk and within walking distance of many of the main tourist attractions. We walked to the Obelisk, the Pink Palace, Pizzeria Guerrin (don't miss it!), Café Tortoni, El Gato Negro Café, Avenida 9 de Julio, and just spent time exploring this great city.

 

The Icaro Suites Hotel was very comfortable. We had a large room with a king size bed, great air conditioning, and buffet breakfast included. We were very happy with our stay there.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

After boarding the ship on March 13, we still had another day and night in Buenos Aires. We elected to stay on the ship and explore. The next day we arrived in Montevideo where we took the Bus Turistico (hop-on hop-off bus) right at the port. It was an easy and inexpensive way to see the city. When we came back to the port, we walked over to the famous Mercado del Puerto for a typical Uruguayan lunch (huge amounts of barbecued meat, some of which we didn't recognize, but hey, we're on vacation!). It was a fun day.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Our next port was Punta del Este, Uruguay, which was a tender port. When we arrived at the dock, we were greeted by many sea lions, one of them the biggest one I have ever seen. The fishermen clean their fish there and throw the leftovers to the sea lions, so it was fun to watch the sea lions (especially the giant one) catch the fish. We stayed there for a while enjoying the show.

 

After that, we walked across the peninsula to the famous statue of "La Mano" (the Hand). It is a huge hand in the sand and everybody was taking pictures in front of it. The walk took us about 30 minutes and it was extremely hot. The beaches there are beautiful, and although we did not go swimming, I think it would be a great thing to do. After admiring the Hand and walking on the beach, we opted to take a taxi back to the tender port and watch the sea lions for a while longer. Later, we took the tender boat back to the ship. We really liked Punta del Este, and think it would be fun to go and stay there for a few days. Be sure to bring a hat and sunscreen!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So glad you are sharing this. We are not Spanish speakers so are a bit anxious about this if we go exploring on our own.

 

Sent from my SM-G900W8 using Forums mobile app

 

 

Please feel free to ask any questions. I would imagine that many people do speak English in the larger cities, it's just that we didn't try, so I don't know for sure.

 

Of course, as I usually do, I wore a money belt under my clothes while out walking and carried only some cash and a copy of my passport. I left everything else in the hotel safe and later in the cabin safe. We did not feel unsafe anywhere, although we did not go out much after dark. We got up early every morning (which I never do at home!) to maximize our sightseeing.

 

So,glad you are enjoying this!

 

Barbara

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank you so much for this report. We are doing a similar cruise with Princess in January 2018. We prefer not to take organised tours either ship orgainised or private tours, as we are impatient with crowds and waiting for others...not to mention costs!

 

Looking forward to reading your information on hop on/ off buses, walking tours etc.

 

Did you think you saw enough or do we need to 'bite the bullet' and book some tours ?

 

Thanks again for your review, eagerly awaiting next part.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank you so much for this report. We are doing a similar cruise with Princess in January 2018. We prefer not to take organised tours either ship orgainised or private tours, as we are impatient with crowds and waiting for others...not to mention costs!

 

 

 

Looking forward to reading your information on hop on/ off buses, walking tours etc.

 

 

 

Did you think you saw enough or do we need to 'bite the bullet' and book some tours ?

 

 

 

Thanks again for your review, eagerly awaiting next part.

 

 

Hi Reina,

 

We had a power outage here, so I couldn't use my computer, yikes! I'll be back later today or tomorrow with more info. Like you, we don't like being on tours with crowds, but our main reason for avoiding them is financial. We are usually on a very tight budget when we cruise, especially for long exotic ones with big airfare. Nevertheless, we are not entirely anti-tour. A few years ago we took a cruise to Iceland and Norway and somehow ended up with a lot of onboard credit, so we used it for four ship tours and did indeed see things we could not have seen on our own. We did not feel we missed anything around the Horn, but many people did take tours, especially to see penguins.

 

Glad you are enjoying this!

 

Barbara

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks Barbara, sorry to hear about the outage.

 

We are not totally against doing ship's tours...we did helicopter tour to Mendelhall Glacier, train ride to Yukon when on Alaska cruise, train trip on Panama Canal cruise with Princess . Have also joined minibus tours in many Caribbean ports.

 

Somehow we always seem to end up with passengers who think the tour is all about them and don;t stick to pre arranged times etc etc so doing our own thing leaves us a little less stressed. We ensure we arrive back on ship well before the ;all aboard' time.

 

Thanks again for your review and any suggestions you can offer.

 

RdM

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On March 18, 2018, we arrived at our next port, Puerto Madryn, Argentina. I had done some research ahead of time, and although most people took tours to see penguins, we decided to stay in town and visit the Museo del Desembarco which is about the Welsh immigrants who settled there in the 19th Century. It sounded really interesting. They were called "The Welsh Colony of Chubut". Chubut is the area where the city of Puerto Madryn is located.

 

After the heat of Punta del Este, this was much colder. We were now about halfway down the coast of Argentina on our way to Cape Horn, and the weather reflected this. The topography reminded me of Baja California, arid plateaus coming down to the sea, but cold! We both wore our winter jackets and wool hats. Although we live in Miami, I am originally from Michigan, so I know how to dress for cold weather, and I have taught my Cuban husband, so we came prepared with cold weather clothes.

 

The port was a commercial one, not a tourist port, and there was a shuttle bus provided by the ship to take us all into town which was about a 20 minute ride. Once in town, we visited the tourist office which was where the bus stopped. It was interesting to see a map of the area and the various options of things to do. We then crossed the street to get a taxi to the Museo del Desembarco (the Welsh immigrant museum). Unfortunately, it turned out that the museum was closed at that time, so we had to go to Plan B. We didn't really have a Plan B, so we decided to walk the length of the town, browse the various shops, and walk on the beach. The shops are very interesting as they reflect the Welsh culture and it was very exciting to know that we were finally in Patagonia!

 

For the first time we became aware of the South American dogs. I have always been afraid of large stray dogs, but I was introduced to a different variety which carried over to every port we went to after that. At the taxi stand, we met a very friendly large dog. He was obviously a stray, but was clearly well-fed and well-loved. He followed us during part of our walk and was not the least bit aggressive or threatening. In fact, he was very sweet. We were to encounter these stray, but friendly dogs during all of our port stops after that.

 

About half way to the end of the town, we found a wonderful ice cream store and decided to stop in for a treat. Later, we walked back along the beach promenade. It was a wide sandy beach, but quite deserted due to the cold weather. We came upon a monument to the Welsh settlers on the way back to the shuttle bus, so that was interesting to see too. Later, we took the shuttle bus back to the ship.

 

We enjoyed our time in Puerto Madryn, and learned a lot about its history.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Reina,

 

I just noticed that you are from Wales, so if your cruise goes to Puerto Madryn, you will be especially interested in the history of the Welsh colony there. I understand that some people still speak Welsh, although we did not specifically ask about this while we were there.

 

Barbara

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am having fun using Google to look up some of the sites you've mentioned. It makes visiting a new, faraway place much more real. Thank you so much for posting.

 

 

You are most welcome! I'm having fun remembering our cruise, and I'm happy to be able to help others, especially since the Cruise Critics have been so helpful to me on so many cruises.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Reina,

 

I just noticed that you are from Wales, so if your cruise goes to Puerto Madryn, you will be especially interested in the history of the Welsh colony there. I understand that some people still speak Welsh, although we did not specifically ask about this while we were there.

 

Barbara

 

We are looking forward to Patagonia.

 

Thanks.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

March 20, 2016 was our day to sail around the Horn, weather permitting. We went up to the Viking Crown Lounge on Deck 11 at 7:00 AM to get good seats in front of the panoramic windows to view the approach. In a short while, our wonderful Captain Dimas Manrique announced that we would indeed be able to circumnavigate Horn Island.

 

Our first view of Horn Island was at 1:30 PM and the ship stopped offshore while some crewmembers went ashore in a lifeboat to ask permission of the lighthouse keeper to sail around the island. He and his wife and children are the only residents and he gave us permission. We sailed around Horn Island (entering the Drake Passage to the south which separates South America from Antarctica) and finished our circumnavigation at 5:00 PM. We then headed north to enter the Beagle Channel (named after Charles Darwin's ship) to sail to Ushuaia.

 

While we circled Horn Island, we alternated between going out on deck, where it was very cold and windy, and going back to the Viking Crown to get coffee and get warm. I did not know that "the Horn" is actually an island. I though it was only the farthest southern point of South America, which it is, but it is also an island.

 

We were very close to the island and could clearly see the lighthouse and a statue erected there. The landscape, topography, and weather reminded me very much of Iceland. We were lucky that the day, although cold and windy, was sunny. Captain Dimas told us that out of four cruises he had sailed this season around the Horn, ours was the only one where we could actually also go around Horn Island, so he was as happy and excited as all of us were. For us, it was thrilling to be there, and to be able to see such a magnificent view and be so close to Antarctica too. The crew brought back stones from the Horn Island beach and gave each of us one as a souvenir. Captain Dimas also gave each of us a certificate in the form of a map of the area which he signed. Written on the certificate was "Sailing Cape Horn, the End of the World". I have them proudly displayed here at home.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

As we were leaving Cape Horn, Captain Dimas told us that since he had gone really fast to try to get to Cape Horn before bad weather set in, we would now be arriving early in our next port, Ushuaia. We were due to arrive at 1:PM the next day, but we would arrive at 6:00 A.M., and he said we could get off the ship at that time if we wanted to.

 

Since Ushuaia was the one place we were most excited to see, we decided to get off the ship as early as possible and have breakfast at a café in town. So on March 21, 2016 at 6:30 A.M. we were the first two passengers to disembark. It was dark and freezing cold. We saw lots of snow on the surrounding mountains. It was the coldest port we visited, and very magical. The first thing we did was walk to a small park area in front of the cruise dock to find the famous sign that says "Ushuaia Fin del Mundo" (Ushuaia, the End of the World), and take our pictures there.

 

Then we ventured into town. We walked uphill about two blocks to come to Avenida San Martin, the main street. By this time, it was about 7:15 A.M. so we looked for a restaurant. We saw the Andino Café, and it looked nice. It was not open yet, but we saw a man inside who indicated they would open at 7:30 A.M., so we walked around a bit more and then went back there. Our breakfast was excellent, and we especially appreciated the café con leche because we were so cold!

 

Later, we walked up and down San Martin and some of the side streets looking at various shops and buying some souvenirs. We had considered taking a ski lift that we read about to get some views of the Beagle Channel, but it was closed for the season. We had also considered going to the Prison Museum, but in the end, we decided to just walk around the town, admire the beautiful views, and enjoy being at the End of the World! We both fell in love with Ushuaia and would love to go back someday to spend a week or so there.

 

Later, we walked along the seaport and saw our ship in the harbor. This is not a tender port, so our ship was able to dock there and we simply walked up the dock to get to town. As we were walking, we saw other local cruise ships who were headed to Antarctica. Cool!

 

We saw various signs announcing that Ushuaia was the gateway to Antarctica which was 1000 kilometers away. We again realized how very close we were to Antarctica, and it felt like it too!

 

Once again, we met a very friendly dog who kept us company as we walked back to the dock.

 

Cold and tired, but very happy, we returned to the ship to have lunch and enjoy the spectacular views of the snow-covered mountains. Ushuaia was our favorite port, a dream of a lifetime.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On March 22, 2016, we arrived in Punta Arenas, Chile. It is on the Strait of Magellan, and is the official capital city of the southernmost region of Chile known as "Magallanes y Antartida Chilena". This is a tender port, and as we tendered in, we were accompanied by many dolphins alongside our little boat.

 

Across the street from the tender dock, we stopped to admire a large statue of Bernardo O'Higgins, the founder of Chile. Then we walked to the Plaza de Armas (400 meters, about six blocks) which is the center of town. In the center of the plaza there is a statue of Hernando de Magallanes (Ferdinand Magellan) looking out towards the Strait of Magellan, named after him. He was the first European to navigate the Strait from Oct. 21st to Nov. 28th of 1520. Next to him is a statue of a native Indian. It is a tradition to kiss the foot of the Indian in order to return to Punta Arenas some day. We only pretended to kiss it, so hope it works! Due to all of this kissing and rubbing, the Indian's toe is very shiny! As in most ports, there were a large number of stray, but very friendly dogs in the plaza.

 

Next to the plaza, there was an outdoor market with lots of interesting souvenirs. We bought a toy stuffed penguin (since we didn't see any real penguins) and he now sits happily in our living room. Perhaps he misses the cold weather, since we live in Miami! The weather in Punta Arenas was cold, but not nearly as cold as Ushuaia. After leaving the plaza, we walked into town and towards the sea. We found a currency exchange and changed our leftover Argentinian pesos into Chilean pesos. We saw a restaurant called "The Beagle", named after Charles Darwin's ship. We walked down to the waterfront to see our ship offshore. Later, we returned to the tender port and went back to the Rhapsody of the Seas.

 

It was a good day with lots of walking and interesting things to see. It was just amazing for us to realize where we were and how far we had sailed to get there. It was another great day!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank you so much for posting the many wonderful details of your trip. I will be doing this cruise in February 2018. Thank you for reminding me how cold it gets at the bottom of the earth! You had to pack for very hot and very cold! Layers and scarves always help. We have been to Buenos Aires on a land vacation. We took several walking tours and learned so much.

Right now I am debating whether to book a tour to Volunteer Point to see the penguins. The ride is 2 1/2 hours each way in a jeep and very expensive. All. the ports sound so awesome!

Thanks again for sharing!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank you so much for posting the many wonderful details of your trip. I will be doing this cruise in February 2018. Thank you for reminding me how cold it gets at the bottom of the earth! You had to pack for very hot and very cold! Layers and scarves always help. We have been to Buenos Aires on a land vacation. We took several walking tours and learned so much.

Right now I am debating whether to book a tour to Volunteer Point to see the penguins. The ride is 2 1/2 hours each way in a jeep and very expensive. All. the ports sound so awesome!

Thanks again for sharing!

 

You're welcome, I'm glad our experience can help other adventurous cruisers, and I'm sure you will have a wonderful time!

 

Yes, we had to pack for very hot and very cold weather, plus when we travel, we only take two carryon suitcases and my very large purse! We never check bags. It was my biggest packing challenge ever!

 

Of course, we wore our jeans and sneakers on the plane and carried our heavy jackets with us, so that helped a lot. We each took one pair of shorts, a couple of T-shirts, wore jeans most places, and packed long underwear (tops and bottoms) along with heavy socks, wool hats, and I also took my wool scarf. We each had one turtleneck, and most helpful of all, we each wore a travel vest with lots of zippered pockets inside and out, which also helped with security while walking around at the various ports.

 

Since you are cruising in February, it may not be as cold as it was in March, but definitely, layers are the way to go!

 

We opted not to take any penguin tours due to the price, but I know many others did and really enjoyed their day.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On March 25, 2016, after two days sailing through the Strait of Magellan and then turning north into the Pacific Ocean, we arrived at Puerto Montt, Chile. This was a tender port, and once we got outside of the tender terminal we looked for a taxi to take us to Puerto Varas. This is a beautiful little town colonized by the Germans and therefore looking very Bavarian. We wanted to see Lake Llanquihue with the Osorno volcano in the distance. Our negotiated price with the taxi driver was around USD 30.00 round trip.

 

He dropped us off next to the casino (and a very big and beautiful casino it was!). Our idea was to walk around for about an hour, so he said he would meet us then at the same point. We walked about a block to Lake Llanquihue and saw the beautiful snow-covered Osorno volcano across the lake.. The architecture in the town was indeed very German looking, and the whole scene was charming and picturesque. The lake itself was beautiful and everything was very peaceful and tranquil. After walking around the whole town, out onto the pier, and buying a few souvenirs at one of the many little shops, we met our taxi driver again as pre-arranged and went back to Puerto Montt.

 

Once there, we walked over to the Angelmo Market, about six or seven blocks north of the tender terminal. This is a very large fishermen's market with lots of fresh fish and restaurants where they will cook it for you. It is also an outdoor vegetable market. We walked along the wooden pier and saw a friendly sea lion. It was a very colorful market and we enjoyed our stay there. Later, we walked back to the tender terminal passing many souvenir stands on the way, and tendered back to the ship.

 

I was so happy we got to see Puerto Montt and Puerto Varas since I had heard about them years ago and had always wanted to go. It was another great day!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
 Share

  • Forum Jump
    • Categories
      • Welcome to Cruise Critic
      • New Cruisers
      • Cruise Lines “A – O”
      • Cruise Lines “P – Z”
      • River Cruising
      • ROLL CALLS
      • Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
      • Special Interest Cruising
      • Cruise Discussion Topics
      • UK Cruising
      • Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
      • Canadian Cruisers
      • North American Homeports
      • Ports of Call
      • Cruise Conversations
×
×
  • Create New...