QV Rio to Santiago embarkation/disembarkation advice?

[sfred]

Hi fellow Cunarders.  In around two weeks time, the wife and I board QV in Rio de Janiero Brazil.  Very excited, and counting the days.

 

Does anyone have any tips/suggestions for embarkation in Rio and disembarkation in San Antonio (for Santiago)?  Our current plan in Rio is Uber from the hotel to the pier.  For San Antonio, our current thinking is Pullman bus from the Terminal Barrancas de San Antonio to Terminal de Buses Alameda in Santiago.  This bus is bookable online for US$6 per person and departs every 20 minutes or so.  I will guess that the usually extortionate Cunard transfer prices will be far greater than US$6. 

 

We will have a moderate amount of luggage (we try to pack very light, but still need the usual formal kit and colder weather items for the voyage around Cape Horn).  We're both fit and used to carrying our bags reasonable distances.  Our Spanish is passable, but no Portugese at all. 

 

Advice welcome!  Thanks much.

 

Edited January 22, 2020 by sfred

[Host Hattie]

It might be worth asking on the Port of Call board if you don't get answers here.

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.co.uk/forum/47-south-america/

[sfred]

Thanks Hattie.  There was some very good information already posted over on the South America board.  Apologies, I should have looked there first.

[Host Hattie]

I'm glad it was useful, have a great time.

[canoncruiser]

Hattie, This may not be quite the proper place to make this enquiry- but does anyone know why Buenos Aires is not a port call next year??? When I cruised there I found a beautiful, dynamic and exciting city.Does anyone know what’s up????🤨

[Host Hattie]

Neither of next year's World Cruises are going to South America so it would be a bit of a diversion.

QM2 will be there in 2022.

[canoncruiser]

Hi Hattie, 

 

I’m looking at the QM2 South America cruise in the brochure we got in January (thru June 2022) and there isn’t a Buenos Aires call. Anyone know why not since she does call at other Argentine ports. 

[sfred]

We've just disembarked QV today, having had a wonderful time from Rio de Janeiro to Santiago.  A quick report on my earlier local transfer questions:

 

1)  Uber in Rio worked fine.  Plentiful cars and drivers, most of whom spoke English.  We're okay in Spanish, but not Portugese.

2)  The Pullman bus from San Antonio to Santiago was very easy.  There was a bus waiting just outside the cruise terminal, and cost 4500 Chile pesos (US$5.50).  The bus made one stop at the San Antonio main bus station, then went nonstop to Santiago.  In Santiago, the Universidad de Santiago metro stop on Line 1 is adjacent to the bus terminal.