Live: Emerald Princess - South America including Machu Picchu Explorer Land Tour

[bassmaster150]

probably should have started this thread last week when we landed in Lima, Peru. We are currently on the Emerald Princess sailing out of San Antonio, Chile (Santiago). We spent the first five days of our vacation on the Princess Machu Picchu Explorer Tour, and it was absolutely incredible. Hats off to our tour coordinater who kept all 16 of our group on time in every plane, bus, train, and hotel that we stayed in. We have never been a part of something so well coordinated. I can answer any questions that you have about that Tour, the Emerald Princess, or the South America ininerary as it unfolds for us over the next 12 days. One important note that we were not aware of having not sailed out of Chile before....when you check in, you have to give your passport to the Princess people and they keep it until the end of the cruise. If you have any questions, ask away and I will answer them in between shore excursions. :-)

[Keith1010]

Glad you enjoyed the Machu Picchu tour. Enjoy the cruise and look forward to your posts.

 

Where does your cruise end? Also, what are your port stops?

 

Keith

[paul929207]

Machu Picchu is truly one of the worlds most awesome sights

[Wildblue]

Machu Picchu is pretty much the last thing remaining on my bucket list. Glad you enjoyed.

[calvin31]

Can you tell us about the land tour portion? Did u feel rushed at all? Did u have enough time to see everything you wanted to see? Any hiking on the Inca Trail?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[thinfool]

One important note that we were not aware of having not sailed out of Chile before....when you check in, you have to give your passport to the Princess people and they keep it until the end of the cruise.

 

As you expand your cruising experience beyond the Caribbean and Alaska you will find that this is not unusual.

 

And it applies across all cruise lines, not just Princess. (y)

 

Curious...how much was the Machu Picchu addon to your itinerary?

[AF-1]

who is the current cruise director? I had Cory in July

[bassmaster150]

Glad you enjoyed the Machu Picchu tour. Enjoy the cruise and look forward to your posts.

 

Where does your cruise end? Also, what are your port stops?

 

Keith

 

Cruise ends in Buenos Aires. Itinerary should be as follows:

 

Dec 20 - San Antonio, Chile (embark)

Dec 21 - Sea day

Dec 22 - Puerto Mott

Dec 23 - Sea Day

Dec 24 - Amalia Glacier/Sea Day

Dec 25 - Punta Arenas

Dec 26 - Ushuaia

Dec 27 - Cape Horn/Sea Day

Dec 28 - Falkland Islands

Dec 29 - Sea Day

Dec 30 - Puerto Madryn

Dec 31 - Sea Day

Jan 1 - Montevideo

Jan 2 - Buenos Aires (Day 1)

Jan 3 - Buenos Aires (Day 2) disembark

[bassmaster150]

Machu Picchu is truly one of the worlds most awesome sights

 

Yes, you definitely speak the truth....and it really is a tale of two different cities because it is way more awesome in the early morning than in the afternoon. We were able to view it at both times. In the early morning, you get the clouds ascending from the jungle below up and over the site....simply stunning. Of all the places my wife and I have been too, this is the top of the list!!!

[poppymum]

Really interested to hear about your cruise ... I do the cruise in reverse BA to San Antonio in January. Any tips and views on ports, excursions etc will be eagerly received. Most of all: I hope you really enjoy the cruise!

[bassmaster150]

Machu Picchu is pretty much the last thing remaining on my bucket list. Glad you enjoyed.

 

Make sure you make the time to go early in the morning as well...as I stated in my previous reply, it is way more stunning in the early morning

[bassmaster150]

Can you tell us about the land tour portion? Did u feel rushed at all? Did u have enough time to see everything you wanted to see? Any hiking on the Inca Trail?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Land tour was extremely well coordinated and was absolutely amazing. We had an amazing tour coordinator and a top notch guide for the sacred valley and Machu Picchu who was extremely knowledgeable. They did a great job acclimatizing is to the altitude of Machu Picchu as well. We never felt rushed at Machu Picchu. In a few other sites we did, but not Machu Picchu as we had a day and a half at the site. We had more than enough time to see everything. As a matter of fact, my wife and I actually tried something rather crazy on day one. We hiked to the end of the Inca trail (the Inca bridge), then turned around and attempted to hike all the way up to The Sun Gate along another portion of the trail. We made it about 3/4 of the way to the Sun Gate before a rather loud clap of thunder instructed us to turn around immediately, so we did. You will have a lot of time to explore.

[Gretchendz]

Thanks so much--we are doing this in March (except it is the 2 day version). Did you take any pills or anything for altitude sickness? How strenuous is it?

[bassmaster150]

As you expand your cruising experience beyond the Caribbean and Alaska you will find that this is not unusual.

 

And it applies across all cruise lines, not just Princess. (y)

 

Curious...how much was the Machu Picchu addon to your itinerary?

 

Agreed.....we just never had to do that across all of Europe when we cruised here.

 

Cost - if I remember correctly, I think it was like $3k per person additional....it may have been a little less though. That included the following:

 

Flights: Lima to Cusco, Cusco to Lima, Lima to Santiago

 

Hotels: one night Lima (we extended), two nights in Sacred Valley (amazing hotel), one night in Aguas Calientes (great hotel), one night in Cusco, and one night in Santiago.

 

Park passes: a day and a half in Machu Picchu, and several other sites that are too long for me to type their names

 

Train tickets: from Valley to Aguas Calientes, from Aguas Calientes to Valley

 

Food: more than you could eat in a lifetime

 

Other: bag storage services, all tips (we still tipped our guides and coordinator), busses, porters, etc.

 

It was a well put together itinerary and was executed with almost military precision. We had to worry about nothing other than being on time at the places we were told to be.

[bassmaster150]

who is the current cruise director? I had Cory in July

 

Duke Christopher

[bassmaster150]

Really interested to hear about your cruise ... I do the cruise in reverse BA to San Antonio in January. Any tips and views on ports, excursions etc will be eagerly received. Most of all: I hope you really enjoy the cruise!

 

Will do. We went up the Osorno Volcano today in Puerto Mott....dense fog and heavy snow so you couldn’t see anything. Probably not the best tour based upon weather but will keep you posted. Christmas Day is probably the pinnacle of the cruise portion of the trip as we will be in Torres del Paine...which is a bucket list item

[bassmaster150]

Thanks so much--we are doing this in March (except it is the 2 day version). Did you take any pills or anything for altitude sickness? How strenuous is it?

 

No altitude pills for us as the tour is run in such a way as to acclimatize you along the way. You spend a day and a half at altitude before you descend down into Machu Picchu (Cusco is at 11,500 ft....Machu Picchu is at 8,000 feet). Hopefully you have Rocio as your Coordinator and Juan Oscar as your tour guide...they are priceless...absolutely amazing!!!

[bassmaster150]

Thanks so much--we are doing this in March (except it is the 2 day version). Did you take any pills or anything for altitude sickness? How strenuous is it?

 

It’s as easy or as strenuous as you want it to be. They take you through the side in the late morning and then you go get lunch outside of the park. Then you go back in and up a little higher for the “National Geographic” views. Once you are doing me with that, you get free time to do whatever. My wife and I made it super strenuous as we decided to hike to the Inca bridge (not for the faint of heart as you are way up high on a narrow trail....but the views are spectacular), then we turned around and hiked back to Machu Picchu and then 3/4 of the way up to The Sun Gate on the Inca trail that leads into the park....that was hard....but the view was worth it...and remember, no matter how tired you are, go back up in the early morning...you will be glad you did as you watch the clouds rise up from the valley into the park

[paul929207]

Yes, you definitely speak the truth....and it really is a tale of two different cities because it is way more awesome in the early morning than in the afternoon. We were able to view it at both times. In the early morning, you get the clouds ascending from the jungle below up and over the site....simply stunning. Of all the places my wife and I have been too, this is the top of the list!!!

 

We arrived from Cusco at the bottom of MP for lunch. We then spent the afternoon and early evening at the site. It was pretty empty since most tours arrive mid morning and leave mid afternoon. We got up early the next morning to see sunrise over MP. It was amazing. We came down about noon, had lunch and started the trip back to Cusco.

[Clarea]

Nice start, will be following.

[mkbanny]

We’re doing the trip but in reverse in 11 days so we are excited to follow your journey. We too are concerned about the altitude in cusco but it sounds like they have it well covered. I assume if you need oxygen it’s readily available.?

[Aus Traveller]

I was on a group tour of South America in 2010. When we arrived at Cusco airport we could immediately feel the lack of oxygen and had to walk up stairs much more slowly. At the hotel we were offered cocoa tea that is supposed to alleviate the symptoms of oxygen deprivation. I had several cups. In our group of around 40 people, only two had some problems with the altitude although some of us needed to take it a bit easy on stairs etc. until we acclimatized. When we were at Lake Titicaca (higher again than Cusco) one lady asked for oxygen which was readily available. I should mention that she has only one lung. By the way, she didn't have a problem in Cusco. As has been mentioned, Machu Picchu is at a lower altitude than Cusco and it was a breeze.

 

None of the people on my tour took the tablets to help with the altitude, although some people on the plane did. If this issue really worries you, I suggest you speak to your doctor to see if he/she feels you need and tablets and what any side effects might be.

[riclop]

Thanks for sharing.

[bassmaster150]

We’re doing the trip but in reverse in 11 days so we are excited to follow your journey. We too are concerned about the altitude in cusco but it sounds like they have it well covered. I assume if you need oxygen it’s readily available.?

 

I know at Aguas Calientes they offer it if needed. One thing that worked really well....and was provided on the bus...was hard candy. Don't know why, but it made the altitude change easier to tolerate the first day.

[bassmaster150]

I was on a group tour of South America in 2010. When we arrived at Cusco airport we could immediately feel the lack of oxygen and had to walk up stairs much more slowly. At the hotel we were offered cocoa tea that is supposed to alleviate the symptoms of oxygen deprivation. I had several cups. In our group of around 40 people, only two had some problems with the altitude although some of us needed to take it a bit easy on stairs etc. until we acclimatized. When we were at Lake Titicaca (higher again than Cusco) one lady asked for oxygen which was readily available. I should mention that she has only one lung. By the way, she didn't have a problem in Cusco. As has been mentioned, Machu Picchu is at a lower altitude than Cusco and it was a breeze.

 

None of the people on my tour took the tablets to help with the altitude, although some people on the plane did. If this issue really worries you, I suggest you speak to your doctor to see if he/she feels you need and tablets and what any side effects might be.

 

Agreed