South America & Antarctica - Coral Princess

[Rickster50]

We are thinking about taking a 16 day cruise to South America & Antarctica in January, 2020, leaving Santiago Chile on the Coral Princess.

I'm just wondering whether anybody has done this or a similar cruise with Princess Cruises and what the overall experience was like? Thanks

 

Paul

[azbirdmom]

If you do a search from earlier this year, some folks did weigh in on your question - here's one of the posts

 .  Princess hasn't done this exact itinerary for many years but has been doing the trip minus the Antarctic scenic cruising.  We've gone from Santiago to Rio a few years ago and are booked on the January 5, 2020 sailing.  I'm sure it will be fantastic, even though we won't get to set foot on land in Antarctica.

[terry&mike]

If you can manage it, it is a much better experience to do a cruise to Antarctica where you get a "boots on the ground" experience. You are looking at a drive by cruise, which will feature scenic sailing in the area. If possible, please book an expedition cruise, which will allow you to zodiac from small ships (200 passengers or less) to shores and see wildlife close up. 

We sailed Ponant Le Soleil in January 2018 for 17 days to Antarctica, Falklands and South Georgia, and it was amazing. 

Feel free to email me for pictures or if you have any questions. 

[Reina del Mar]

Did Emerald Princess Santiago to Buenos Aires in January 2018.

 

Booked three days pre and three days post cruise and transfers with Princess. 

 

A wonderful cruise and would repeat in a heartbeat.

 

Any questions don't hesitate to ask.

[skynight]

After many years Princess is returning to Antarctica with the Coral Princes. The Coral is a very nicely designed ship with lots of viewing areas, indoor pool, forward viewing buffet, lots of lounges and only 2,000 passengers. We have done the S.A. itinerary twice on larger ships, once from Rio to Chile and onward to San Francisco, and the other time from Chile to Buenos Aires and onward to Fort Lauderdale. While we didn't sail down to Antarctica, the S.A. ports are very interesting. Expect both warm and cold and possibly windy weather especially around the the southern tip of S.A., and of course when sailing to Antarctica. 

[flamomo]

A few years ago a friend and I did a 16 day itinerary from Santiago to LA with Princess with the intention of trying to get an idea if we'd like to do a longer South America cruise, and enjoyed it so much that while still on board, we booked a 32 day itinerary from FLL about 6 months later. We went all the way south, the Horn, up the other side of SA and disembarked in Santiago to fly home.  Both of those cruises were among the best itineraries I've done with my many Princess cruises.

[Coral]

4 hours ago, Reina del Mar said:

Did Emerald Princess Santiago to Buenos Aires in January 2018.

 

Booked three days pre and three days post cruise and transfers with Princess. 

 

A wonderful cruise and would repeat in a heartbeat.

 

Any questions don't hesitate to ask.

Is there one city you prefer for pre or post cruise experience? I am booked on this next December and am not sure if I can pull off both pre and post cruise extra time.

 

Thank you!

[skynight]

4 minutes ago, Coral said:

Is there one city you prefer for pre or post cruise experience? I am booked on this next December and am not sure if I can pull off both pre and post cruise extra time.

 

Thank you!

I would recommend Buenos Aires for an extended stay. We were there 2 nights, 3 days as part of our voyage and enjoyed it. We used buenostours.com for private tours of the city and were very satisfied.

We also have stayed 4 nights in Chile, but not in Santiago. We took a private transfer/tour from the airport to Vina del Mar and stayed at the Sheraton right on the water. Vina del Mar is a resort beach town and we enjoyed it. No museums or stuff like that, but a safe town to walk around. At that time, 2017, the ship sailed from Valparaiso. Now they sail from San Antonio about 90 minutes south of Valparaiso. Vina del Mar is around 90 minutes from the airport. 

[Coral]

39 minutes ago, skynight said:

I would recommend Buenos Aires for an extended stay. We were there 2 nights, 3 days as part of our voyage and enjoyed it. We used buenostours.com for private tours of the city and were very satisfied.

We also have stayed 4 nights in Chile, but not in Santiago. We took a private transfer/tour from the airport to Vina del Mar and stayed at the Sheraton right on the water. Vina del Mar is a resort beach town and we enjoyed it. No museums or stuff like that, but a safe town to walk around. At that time, 2017, the ship sailed from Valparaiso. Now they sail from San Antonio about 90 minutes south of Valparaiso. Vina del Mar is around 90 minutes from the airport. 

Thank you! I booked this trip before my Norway trip in June and haven't researched it at all. Just got back from a Europe River cruise. So hoping Christmas I will be able to pull this trip together, or at best - figure out where I want to spend time pre or post. I know very little about South America. I would love Vina del Mar! It may have to wait for a later trip. I am going over Christmas for this cruise to maximize vacation time as I have that week off from work.

[Reina del Mar]

1 hour ago, Coral said:

Is there one city you prefer for pre or post cruise experience? I am booked on this next December and am not sure if I can pull off both pre and post cruise extra time.

 

Thank you!

We arrived in Santiago the day before the Pope arrived, so lots of security about. We were able to do the hop on/off bus tour which gave an insight into the city. Was warm and busy due to Papal visit. Took Princess transfer to port which was well organised.

 

Buenos Aires was also very nice. Had heard stories of having to lock all jewellery away (even wedding rings and plain earrings) We did not find this to be the case..but were alert we were in a busy town.  We saw several homeless people sleeping on the streets, but they did not bother us. Lots of Police presence...they moved the homeless on ..quietly and without violence. There are many demonstrations in B A but all appear peaceful.  People were friendly and helpful. We started our visit with a hop on/off bus tour here too..gives you an idea of where you might want to re visit.

 

Think I would try to do both places if at all possible..even if only two nights in each city. If pushed to choose one,  think I would go with Buenos Aires.

[Aus Traveller]

I have been to Buenos Aires and Santiago several times. If I had to choose between them for a pre or post cruise stay, I would go with BA - no doubt.

[frugaltravel]

I did a South America/Antarctica cruise with HAL a couple of years ago.  It was amazing.  No we didn't get off the ship in Antarctica and that was my biggest fear of booking the cruise that I did.  But the price I paid was about 1/5 or less of what the smaller expedition cruises charge (and our cruise was 21 days including Cape Horn, Cile, Argentina, Montevideo and Buenos Aires vs. the shorter cruises from Ushuaia).  HAL did a great job.  They had 3 expedition leaders - Americans who had each spent 10-20 years working at the US research stations in Antarctica.  They gave presentations in the theater, held multiple sessions in one of the lounges and gave commentary from the bridge during our cruising in Antarctica.  Through their contacts, they also had a group of about 15-20 from one of the US stations board our ship to give a presentation.  Very well done. 

 

I would inquire to see if Princess will have anything like this on their cruise ships.  It will make a world of difference.

 

I spent HOURS outside up front for scenic and widlife viewing.  I was dressed with multiple layers, hat, gloves, etc.  Fortunately I am used to colder climates.  I was outside so much that a fellow passenger asked if I had a cabin to go back to 🙂

 

Edited December 10, 2018 by frugaltravel

[joybook]

The only suggestion I would make is don't continue to think about it, just book it. We are going on the Coral Princess 5th Jan 2020 (San Antonio to BA - 16 days) and booked months ago and we have seen it fill up very quickly.

[pompeii]

2 hours ago, joybook said:

The only suggestion I would make is don't continue to think about it, just book it. We are going on the Coral Princess 5th Jan 2020 (San Antonio to BA - 16 days) and booked months ago and we have seen it fill up very quickly.

The price has also shot up dramatically from earlier this year when we booked. 

[Coral]

9 minutes ago, pompeii said:

The price has also shot up dramatically from earlier this year when we booked. 

There are still travel agents with group space. I was speaking with mine the other day and she was able to get group space on all 3 sailings and it is locked in on Day 1 pricing. So check around if you are still interested.

[Rickster50]

I would like to thank everybody who replied to my post. The replies had lots of very worthwhile information.

What I have to do now is work out whether I do the cruise with Princess or Holland America.😏

Thanks again.

 

Cheers

Paul

[Coral]

On 12/9/2018 at 8:55 PM, frugaltravel said:

 

I would inquire to see if Princess will have anything like this on their cruise ships.  It will make a world of difference.

🙂

 

Princess reports to/belongs to "Holland America Group" - so they have the same boss and often share the same resources. I assume they will do the same on this trip next year.

[Coral]

On 12/9/2018 at 8:55 PM, frugaltravel said:

HAL did a great job.  They had 3 expedition leaders - Americans who had each spent 10-20 years working at the US research stations in Antarctica.  They gave presentations in the theater, held multiple sessions in one of the lounges and gave commentary from the bridge during our cruising in Antarctica.  Through their contacts, they also had a group of about 15-20 from one of the US stations board our ship to give a presentation.  Very well done. 

🙂

 

I emailed a friend who is also on this board. He did Princess about 10 years ago (with Antarctica viewing) when they did it and he said the description of onboard presentations/speakers sounds very similar to what he experienced with Princess.

[indyrocks]

As part of our annual escape from winter weather in Indiana we're booked from Santiago to Buenos Aires on the Star Princess for 14 days in February, 2018. We never had much desire to see South America until we talked to some people on our last cruise who had been there and highly recommended it. We took one of the last 2 mini-suites when we booked 6 months ago and then yesterday we were offered an upgrade/upsell to a full suite. Of course we grabbed it. Surprisingly 3 of the 23 suites are still available. We'd always heard that the cheapest and the most expensive cabins sell out first, but this is the 4th consecutive time we've been able to upgrade to a suite.

 

No stop in Antarctica on the itinerary unfortunately, but a fascinating group of ports nonetheless. And after seeing movies like Mutiny on the Bounty and Master and Commander I've always wanted to sail around Cape Horn. I know the Cape is just a bunch of small rocky islands but there's something romantic, and slightly dangerous, in the whole idea. By tradition anyone who has been round the Horn is permitted to put a leg up on the table at meals (both legs if they've been round the Cape of Good Hope as well), although I don't know if that would go over so well in the dining rooms. We haven't selected our shore excursions yet so we're as interested as everyone else in hearing about folks' experiences on South America cruises. We usually add a pre- and/or post-cruise stay at either end of the cruise but the restrictions on frequent flyer miles prevented that this time. Just counting the days now!

[DougH]

Hi  I'm Corals friend and did a similar cruise in 2009 on the Star Princess, I'm booked on this one also. I felt that even just the drive by was spectacular Our lecturer was a gentleman named Bernard Stonehouse who has since passed. His lectures were very popular.

 

Book as many penguin excursions as you can, Volunteer Point in the Falklands is my all time favorite excursion after 75+ cruises.  I spent several days in Buenos Aires prior to the cruise and can recommend this city as well worth your time. I loved this trip so much the next year I booked a cruise from Santiago around the horn up to Ft Lauderdale, this ended up being the infamous "Earthquake cruise" where nobody could get to the ship. I missed the first 8-9 days but caught up with the Star Princess in BA for the last 22 days of the cruise