Anyone sailed Buenos Aires, Argentina to Los Angeles, California?

[ctemkg]

Hi. Has anyone sailed the route Buenos Aires, Argentina to Los Angeles, California? This is going a little south on the east side of South America and then north along the Atlantic on the west side of South America during March - April.

 

I am am curious if the seas are choppy or if this is an average sea movement sailing.

 

Are the ports and destinations interesting? I am not too familiar with these ports.

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Puerto Madryn, Argentina

Falkland Islands (stanley)

Cape Horn (scenic Cruising)

Ushuaia (tierra Del Fuego), Argentina

Punta Arenas, Chile

Amalia Glacier, Chile (scenic Cruising)

Puerto Montt, Chile

Santiago (valparaiso), Chile

La Serena (coquimbo), Chile

Pisco (san Martin), Peru

Lima (callao), Peru

Puntarenas, Costa Rica

San Juan Del Sur, Nicaragua

 

Thanks.

Edited August 29, 2016 by ctemkg

[IDsailor]

We did this cruise two years ago in the Golden. We had to skip the cape and go into Beagle Channel because of high seas. Other than that it was pretty smooth sailing. It snowed in Ushuaia while we were there during this time frame.

[ctemkg]

It snowed in Ushuaia while we were there during this time frame.

 

IDsailor - You mention snow in Ushuaia. Was this a warm weather cruise, cold weather, or in between?

 

Thanks.

[paul929207]

We have sailed around South America twice and loved it.

 

One time we missed the Falkland Islands.

 

Once we had snow on the southern part of Chile. About 2 inches on the open decks. Someone built a small snowman near the pool

[lrockwitt]

We did 49 day cruise from Ft. Lauderdale to San Fransisco around South America three years ago., January to March. We loved it. We are doing 60 days in January 2018. It was one of the best cruises we ever took. Ushuaia was cold, but no snow. We were not able to stop in the Falkland Island because of politics. We had to skip another port because of weather, a tender port. I don't remember any rough seas, but I don't get seasick. Amazing cruise.

 

 

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[skynight]

Hi. Has anyone sailed the route Buenos Aires, Argentina to Los Angeles, California? This is going a little south on the east side of South America and then north along the Atlantic on the west side of South America during March - April.

 

I am am curious if the seas are choppy or if this is an average sea movement sailing.

 

Are the ports and destinations interesting? I am not too familiar with these ports.

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Puerto Madryn, Argentina

Falkland Islands (stanley)*

Cape Horn (scenic Cruising)

Ushuaia (tierra Del Fuego), Argentina

Punta Arenas, Chile*

Amalia Glacier, Chile (scenic Cruising)

Puerto Montt, Chile

Santiago (valparaiso), Chile

La Serena (coquimbo), Chile*

Pisco (san Martin), Peru

Lima (callao), Peru

Puntarenas, Costa Rica*

San Juan Del Sur, Nicaragua

 

Thanks.

We sailed Rio to S.F. Feb./Mar 2012 on the Star Princess. Really nice cruise. You can never know what seas you will find, but our seas were smooth. The only time it became a little rough was when we entered the Pacific Ocean after the port of Punta Arenas, Chile. We visited all the ports highlighted in red above. All interesting. All require pre-planning. Ports I marked with a * you can if you wish just walk around. You will have to take a shuttle or taxi in La Serena to the market place/town, or just walk along the beach outside of the pier. Best to join the roll call if you book.

 

One other bit of information. Prepare for a slow disembarkation procedure in San Pedro. If I remember correctly we didn't disembark until sometime around 11am, and we were not the last group. Immigration/Customs did a full inspection as we were coming from S.A. and the ship had been out of the U.S. for the entire season. Some missed their flights. Our flight was in the 3 o'clock hour so we made it.

[Working 2 Cruise]

IDsailor - You mention snow in Ushuaia. Was this a warm weather cruise, cold weather, or in between?

 

Thanks.

 

Being my snarky self, I'd say if there's snow, it can't be warm! However, there will be portions of the cruise that will be cold, warm and in between. It just depends. Buenos Aires will be warm, however, the further South you go, the colder it will get.

[lrockwitt]

I agree. The further south you go the colder it gets. We went from very hot to very cold. We did not have a long time with disembarkation. We were at the airport at noon and our flight left at 2pm. We had a 3 hour wait getting on the ship in Ft. Lauderdale as 3/4 if the ship was elite.

 

 

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[shredie]

We began in Rio: hot. By the time we reached the Falklands, I was freezing. You will get a little bit of everything. Plan accordingly.

[IDsailor]

This cruise was the hardest for us to pack for. Temp extremes were from the cold weather in Ushuaia to the tropical heat in Costa Rica and everything in between. It was a great cruise though.

[fishywood]

Was this a warm weather cruise, cold weather, or in between?

 

All of the above. You will need to pack for multiple climates and temperatures.

 

You are embarking at the tail end of the Southern Hemisphere summer. But it still might be around 90F in Buenos Aires. As you head south it could turn noticeably cool and damp in Puerto Madryn and Stanley.

 

As you reach the tip of Patagonia in mid to late March their brief non-winter will have well passed (as will have the wildlife season; sightings will be minimal and most penguin rookeries shut down). On my cruise in late Feb/early Mar we lucked into clear skies and smooth as glass seas the day we rounded the Cape. But the next day on the Beagle Channel the temp was barely above freezing.

 

As you turn back north up the Pacific coast of South America temperatures will moderate. But early mornings and late afternoons in Chile and Peru can be overcast and misty year-round due to their altitude; despite being so close to the equator Lima still has four distinct seasons.

 

Costa Rica and Nicaragua in April are downright hot and very humid. And they will be burning the fields at the end of their harvest season so the smell and haze of smoke could be very noticeable.

 

Finally, as you turn into the open waters of the Pacific to go around the Baja Peninsula the last couple days before Los Angeles could be 20-25 degrees cooler than Central America, and the seas just might be the choppiest of the entire month's sailing.

 

(Please view the above as merely advice/personal experience and in no way a warning not to book; if you have the time and means do not hesitate)

Edited August 29, 2016 by fishywood

[BigTimeCruiser]

We have made the trip many times. Have never missed going ashore in the Falklands and it is usually OK around Cape Horn. However one trip on the Star Princess we encountered 60 knot winds at Ushuaia, Argentina which caused a 3 hour delay leaving. When we did leave and headed out we ran into a very large storm and had near 40 foot waves for an extended period of time. The Captain did an excellent job keeping us safe, but we were almost 24 hours late arriving into Valparaiso, Chile. You can never predict the weather in this region, but for the most part it has been good.

 

Curt :):)

[ctemkg]

Thanks fishywood A lot of good info in your post.

[Brisbane41]

I was on the Golden Princess for the same cruise in 2014. It was smooth sailing almost all the cruise with Cape Horn cancelled due to severe weather. The temperature ranged from hot to snow in Ushuaia. I would highly recommend the cruise as a trip of a lifetime and think you should go for it.

[PescadoAmarillo]

We had disappointingly flat seas around Cape Horn but it did snow on us going through the fiords which I loved. That itinerary poses a bit of a packing quandary because it can be VERY cold around Ushuaia and Punts Arenas but is equatorially warm in the north.

[cdngrl]

i was a bit disappointed with smooth seas around the horn as well! the port lecturer told of high seas and shipwrecks and pirates. i had flat waters and a bit of drizzle.

 

i did this cruise the other way--los angeles to rio. i went later in the year (november-december) so was lucky as it was only sweater weather in ushuaia, HOT around the equator and warm in los angeles. i needed my jacket in the falklands at volunteer point. i managed to pack only one suitcase though i'm not sure how!

 

the ports are all very interesting and very different from anything back home.

 

i'll do this trip again once i've finished going to places i haven't been yet!

[wishfulone]

We sailed LA to Rio Dec/Jan smooth seas around the Cape and out to Stanley. The ports are all fabulous, a mix of hot and cold weather. We even visited the most southerly surf club at Ushuaia in perfect sunshine, no swell :D The scenic cruising is wonderful, king penguin colony at Stanley not to be missed, the Atacama and Andes foothills, different cultures, all amazing. Dressing in layers has never been more appropriate. You'll love every minute of your journey.