lynnlott

Just got off the Insignia San Francisco to Cape Town. Here are the shuttles at the ports we hit. 1. Ensenada, Mexico: 20 min walk to town pushing a wheelchair but there wasn't much in town. Shuttle cost $4. 2. Manzanillo, Mexico: Long walk to shuttle bus which cost $3. Before you arrive, guy offers 3-hour tour ($25). Goes to iguana sanctuary which also has boars, badgers & racoons. Iguanas are free range. Others are caged. Drive to hotel area (photo stop). Stop at small market (clothes, pottery, etc.) for an hour which is at a beach that has restaurants with food & drink. Photo stop of Manzanillo from the heights. 3. Zihuatanejo, Mexico: Easy walk off pier & you’re in town. 4. Acapulco, Mexico: 20 min walk to Artesian Market. Lots of people offering tours & taxis right outside exit. 5. Puerto Chiapas, Mexico: $10 pp RT shuttle bus or $60 taxi (RT??) for the 45 min drive to town. Not much to see. A church that wasn’t ornate at all & no stained glass. There was a small museum that was free the day we went. I wouldn’t pay to go in. There’s a market but we skipped it. We were able to catch the next shuttle back. 6. Quetzal, Guatemala: No shuttle but there were many tour operators offering their services. Also many small shops selling nice souvenirs. 7. Acajutla, El Salvador: Free shuttle to Botanical Gardens every half hour. 8. Manta, Ecuador{ Free shuttle to beach or town 9. Guayaquil, Ecuador: Free shuttle out of port to take taxi. Another free shuttle to Iguana Park. At Iguana Park, there’s a hop on hop off bus. Also it’s very walkable to the Malecon & arial tram (cost $1.05 to go to island & a nice park on other end). 10. Arica, Chile: There's a shuttle out of the port area.The town is right across the street from the port entrance. 11. Iquique, Chile: There’s supposedly (I didn’t take it) a shuttle out of the port area that goes to City Center “Prat Main Square”. 12. Coquimbo, Chile: There’s supposedly (I didn’t take it) a shuttle out of the port that goes to a hotel in town. 13. San Antonio, Chile: There’s a shuttle out of the port. Then it’s a 10 min walk to a part of town that has a huge market with some souvenirs, toys, food, clothes & a fish market. Interesting way to spend an hour or so. 14. Puerto Montt, Chile: Tender operation. Walk off & there are tours & taxis waiting as you exit. Try to get off on the early tender so you have plenty of time to take a tour. We didn’t. So walked the Malecon & went to the grocery store. Got lots of local color. 15. Puerto Chacabuco, Chile: Tender operation. Shuttle to get out of port. Several tour services at terminal. Not much to see in the area but prices are much better than the ship. 16. Puerto Arenas, Chile" Shuttle takes you to Handicraft Market. Several blocks from there is the main square. 17. Ushuaia, Argentina: Shuttle out of port to right downtown. But can also walk. Right across from drop point is a 1 hour city tour on double decker bus for $20. There's another 1 next door at Albatross Hotel for only $10 but it's not as often. 18. Port Stanley, Falkland Islands: The ship docks right at the visitors’ center which has a nice gift shop. It’s about a 10 min walk to the far end of town & the Shipyard Museum & there are lots of gifts shops in between. 19. Punte del Este, Uruguay{ Tender lands right in the middle of town. It’s 8 blocks to the Car Museum & a 15 min drive to Casa Pueblo. 20. Montevideo, Uruguay" Walk off ship & you’re in town. 21. Buenos Aires, Argentina: Port shuttle takes you to a center that has shops & lots of excursion sellers. Ship shuttle takes you downtown - right in the middle of a retail, restaurant area. 22. Santos, Brazil: Shuttle to mall but it was just like American malls. Plenty of taxis outside terminal to take to the old town (about $6). 23. Rio, Brazil" Ship terminal has excursion sellers inside & lots of taxis outside. 24. Cabo Frio, Brazil: Tender to shore & can walk to town. 25. Salvador de Bahia, Brazil: Walk off ship. Many tours & taxis available in terminal. 26. Maceio, Brazil: Shuttle bus takes you downtown where there’s some shopping. Have to Uber or taxi to anything interesting. 27. Recife, Brazil{ Shuttle to terminal. Many tours & taxis available in terminal. 28. Natal, Brazil{ Shuttle takes you to a bldg that housed some shops. There were plenty of taxis there but both cruise rep & cop said it was too dangerous to walk around. 29. Fortaleza, Brazil: Shuttle takes you to a downtown hotel right across from a beautifully long beach. 30. Mindelo, Cape Verde: Shuttle to Marina Mindelo which is right downtown. Plenty to see & do. 31. Dakar, Senegal: Shuttle to Independence Square. I didn’t go so not sure what’s available there. 32. Banjul, The Gambia: Shuttle to Royal Albert Market. It’s a real dump of a place. Recommend a tour at this port. 33. Abidjan, Ivory Coast: Shuttle to City Center but it’s a business city. No tourist stuff to see. But you could catch a cab & go somewhere. Recommend a tour here. 34. Takaradi, Ghana: Shuttle to market area. No tourist stuff but you can hire a taxi for $15 per hour & they’ll take you where ever you want to go. 35. Tome, Togo: Shuttle to market area. Lots of handicrafts & tourist stuff a few blocks in. 36. Cottonou, Benin: There was a shuttle but didn’t take it because I was on a tour 37. Sao Tome & Principe: Tender port. Taxis available. Shuttle to main square just blocks from the church & palace. 38. Walvis Bay, Namibia: Shuttle to Dune Mall. Nothing there except the mall but it’s huge with a grocery & liquor store. 39. Luderitz, Namibia: No shuttle needed. Town is an easy walk