Flight Doesn't Leave Until Almost Midnight - What To Do?

[TNCruisers0930]

We are taking a cruise out of Buenos Aires. For the return, the flight back to the US departs at 11:45 PM. What do you do all day? I bought transfers through the cruiseline to get us back to the airport. But I sure don't want to hang out in an airport for 12+ hours. Thanks for any advice!

[terry&mike]

We have a similar situation in December, when we disembark in B.A. in the morning and fly out in the middle of the night to return home. We have been to B.A. twice before, so have done the usual tourist things. If you have not, you may want to consider hiring a guide to tour you around the highlights of B.A., and spend a day that way.

 

Our plan on this trip is this - I booked a hotel room for 1 night at NH Buenos Aires Florida, which isn't too far from the port area, is inexpensive, and well rated. We will go there when we disembark and drop our luggage with them first. We will then visit the Reserva Ecologica Constanera Sur park for long walk, birds, etc. Stroll around a bit. Next, we'll have a nice late lunch at a steakhouse. After lunch, we will return to the hotel and check in to our room, take a nap/relax, then shower and freshen up, and take an Uber to the airport later that night. 

 

[TNCruisers0930]

20 minutes ago, terry&mike said:

We have a similar situation in December, when we disembark in B.A. in the morning and fly out in the middle of the night to return home. We have been to B.A. twice before, so have done the usual tourist things. If you have not, you may want to consider hiring a guide to tour you around the highlights of B.A., and spend a day that way.

 

Our plan on this trip is this - I booked a hotel room for 1 night at NH Buenos Aires Florida, which isn't too far from the port area, is inexpensive, and well rated. We will go there when we disembark and drop our luggage with them first. We will then visit the Reserva Ecologica Constanera Sur park for long walk, birds, etc. Stroll around a bit. Next, we'll have a nice late lunch at a steakhouse. After lunch, we will return to the hotel and check in to our room, take a nap/relax, then shower and freshen up, and take an Uber to the airport later that night. 

 

That is brilliant! We are staying at the Hotel NH City BA prior to sailing. I could easily book a room for the day of departure and cancel the transfer that I booked through Celebrity. Have you taken Uber in BA? That was our plan to get from the airport to the hotel.

[terry&mike]

24 minutes ago, TNCruisers0930 said:

That is brilliant! We are staying at the Hotel NH City BA prior to sailing. I could easily book a room for the day of departure and cancel the transfer that I booked through Celebrity. Have you taken Uber in BA? That was our plan to get from the airport to the hotel.

I have used Uber in the past in B.A., and all was well. It is worth noting that Uber is sometimes legal and sometimes illegal in B.A., as there is always a conflict between Uber and the strong taxi unions there. Because of this, Uber cannot pick up in some areas - for example, Uber will not pick up at the port on disembarkation, only taxis will be there (we plan to walk the 20 minutes to our hotel). Using Uber for pickup at EZE airport can be challenging, as you will need to find your car, there is no designated area for them, and taxi drivers give them a difficult time, so they are scarce; it's easier to be dropped off at the airport by Uber than to be picked up. From the airport, you might want to consider having your hotel arrange your transfer. To the airport, you should have more options, check to see the status of Uber at the time, and check with the front desk of your hotel to see about them calling you a taxi and the rate. 

Taxis can be a bit of the wild in B.A., and best to have them called for you by a business (restaurant, hotel) rather than hailed on the street. 

Some options from the airport are mentioned here https://secretsofbuenosaires.com/how-get-from-or-go-to-the-international-airport-ezeiza-to-buenos-aires/

 

On this particular trip, we don't have a "from EZE airport" leg, as our Azamara cruise starts in Barbados and ends in Buenos Aires 22 days later. 

 

[kathynorth]

If you plan to use Uber be sure to have an account set up before using the app in BA. As soon as you arrive in BA use the app to search for a price for a pickup.  I say this because there is a time lag the first time you use the app in Argentina as they do a security check for your account. This took up to 30 mins when we visited last Feb. Ubers can't go through the port gate for pickup, but you can easily walk out the port gate and arrange to have an Uber pick you up a block or 2 down the road. Ubers were unbelieveably cheap when we last visited. 

 

As for what to do on disembarkation day with a very late flight: on one trip we booked a ship tour that picked us up at the port, took us on a short tour of BA (most of the time was in Recolleta Cemetary), then to an Estancia for lunch + Gaucho entertainment with a drop off at the airport. On a different trip we booked a private tour that provided port pickup, tour of San Antonio de Areco, lunch at an Estancia, Gaucho show, back to BA for a quick Recoletta Cemetary tour and drop off at airport. The first one was large group and 2nd very small group. The cruiselines often have a Tigris excursion that includes port pickup and airport drop off.