South America - December or March???????

[joybook]

As you can see I am from the other side of the world (from USA). Am considering South American cruise on Golden Princess either commencing in LA early December 2014 or commencing in Buenos Aires late February 2015. Will probably also do a few days pre and post cruise. Which would you say is best weather-wise and for seeing penguins/sight-seeing generally? Thanks.:)

[Duane T]

As you can see I am from the other side of the world (from USA). Am considering South American cruise on Golden Princess either commencing in LA early December 2014 or commencing in Buenos Aires late February 2015. Will probably also do a few days pre and post cruise. Which would you say is best weather-wise and for seeing penguins/sight-seeing generally? Thanks.:)

 

There's a lot of threads on this so you can also do a search and see tons of comments. We were on the Golden this past December/January. The weather was as expected. It was Warm/Hot in the tropics and Cold/Snow the closer you got to the southern tip of Cape Horn.

 

We only had one rough sea day leaving Santiago Chile and the rest of the time had calm seas.

[scubacruiserx2]

As you can see I am from the other side of the world (from USA). Am considering South American cruise on Golden Princess either commencing in LA early December 2014 or commencing in Buenos Aires late February 2015. Will probably also do a few days pre and post cruise. Which would you say is best weather-wise and for seeing penguins/sight-seeing generally? Thanks.:)

 

If you are planning to do a Chile to Argentina cruise after the LA to Chile cruise you should have good weather and a great chance to see penguins. But if you are only going to Santiago , you will not find penguins there. You will have to see them post- cruise with a flight. If you choose the February date, the penguins will be nearing migration cycle in Puerto Madryn. The Falkland Islands is the best place to see penguins. You may want to take a look at our thread.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1958814&page=8 ;)

[joybook]

Thank you to you both. scubacruiserx2 what a fabulous review you have done. Thanks for the effort.

 

The December cruise we are looking at is from LA round the cape and up to Rio (31 days), while the other option is start in BA then around the Cape and finishing in LA (also 31 days) but from late Feb. From your comments it would seem that the December option may be the better timing. My only concern about the December option is that it misses a couple of potentially interesting places Puerto Madryn, Puerto Montt and Amalia Glacier (cruising). What do you think?:)

[scubacruiserx2]

Are your only options LA >Rio in December or Buenos Aires > LA in February - both on Princess ? If so , we would suggest :

 

A. A 5 day pre-cruise stay in El Calafate / El Chalten Argentina . You can connect through BA where your cruise begins. You will see many glaciers and Fitz Roy ( like Torres del Paine ).

 

B. Buenos Aires > LA , you can see adult penguin with new feathers in Puerto Madryn and up to 5 kinds of penguins if you make port in the Falklands. Landing in the Falklands is very dangerous with about a 50-50 chance of landing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you choose a December departure , you may see chicks in Punta Arenas or chicks of up to 5 kinds of penguins in the Falklands . A post cruise stay at El Calafate / El Chalten is recommended . The glaciers there are much nicer than the Amalia (we are beginning our review of our stay in El Calafate ).

 

 

 

There may be a 3rd option if you are not limited to a LA entry or exit. That is:

 

A. Fly to BA and take the January 31 Princess cruise to Chile (it includes Puerto Madryn ,Puerto Montt and Amalia ) .

 

B. After disembarking in Santiago , return to BA and board the Celebrity Infinity on February 15th to Antarctica . There is some port duplication , but you get a second chance to land at the Falklands if first one was missed.

 

C. Pre or post-cruise stay in El Calafate / El Chalten .

 

 

We would love to do that one but we just booked an Alaskan cruise for us and the grandchildren !!!

[J-D]

...My only concern about the December option is that it misses a couple of potentially interesting places Puerto Madryn, Puerto Montt and Amalia Glacier (cruising). What do you think?:)

 

I have not looked into all the options considered by scubacruiserx2, and we have done this itinerary only in Feb.-March (B.A. to Valpo twice; continuing from Valpo to L.A. once). In our opinion, Puerto Madryn, Puerto Montt, and the Chilean Fjords (including Amalia Glacier and, on a clear day, distant views of Torres del Paine) were all highlights -- Puerto Madryn for wildlife (we went to Peninsula Valdes rather than Punta Tombo); and the Chilean Fjords/Amalia Glacier and Puerto Montt for spectacular scenery. By late February and especially March, Magellanic Penguins are becoming less abundant on their colonies, but should still be present in good numbers early in a "B.A. to L.A." cruise during the stop at Puerto Madryn.

 

Scubacruiserx2 is certainly correct that the Falklands are the best place for penguins along the usual "around-the-Horn + Falklands itineraries". If you get ashore at Stanley (East Falkland), you can be more or less assured of seeing at least three penguin species (King, Gentoo, Magellanic) if you select an appropriate ShoreEx. My understanding of the likelihood of getting ashore at Stanley is that it is well above 50%. However, in our very small sample of attempts (twice, both in February), we got ashore once, in 2010, and diverted due to a storm once, in 2013.

 

On the southern S. American itineraries, it is important to adopt a flexible and "enjoy whatever happens" attitude. In particular, everyone should be prepared for the possibility of missing one or more ports -- not just the Falklands. We missed Punta Arenas on our 2010 trip when delayed at Ushuaia by 40-kt winds holding us against the dock. Ships occasionally miss Ushuaia as well, due to weather or Argentine/Falklands politics. We were fortunate to get to Ushuaia, a scenic & interesting port, on both of our trips. (Actually, we got there on a third unplanned visit as well, as a result of the great Chilean earthquake (magnitude 8.8) of 27 Feb. 2010 -- a long story.) Fortunately, those major earthquakes seem to occur in Chile only about once per 50 years!

 

John

[Floridiana]

I would advise against March. The weather becomes more and more unstable in the southern fall. We missed Punta Arenas and Ushuaia due to storms.

[joybook]

Many thanks to you all. Very helpful comments and advice. You have given us plenty to think about. We are a couple who can just enjoy the moment so if we have to miss a port here and there so be it, it has happened before - although it may be disappointing. Whatever we end up doing I am sure it will be great time. Thanks again :)