Puerto William's charter to Santiago and hotel

[highplanesdrifters]

CC Intelligentsia

I was hoping folks could comment on their experience with the charter from Puerto Williams to Santiago.  Have a friend using that route. Any difficulties with the charter?  Did you catch the evening (10:45pm) flight out or stay the night and catch the next day? What hotel or day room did Seabourn provide, airport or in the city?

 

Thanks much.

[labrasett]

1 hour ago, highplanesdrifters said:

CC Intelligentsia

I was hoping folks could comment on their experience with the charter from Puerto Williams to Santiago.  Have a friend using that route. Any difficulties with the charter?  Did you catch the evening (10:45pm) flight out or stay the night and catch the next day? What hotel or day room did Seabourn provide, airport or in the city?

 

Thanks much.

Are you actually talking about Silversea not Seabourn?

 

[highplanesdrifters]

4 minutes ago, labrasett said:

Are you actually talking about Silversea not Seabourn?

 

Yes, on the Cloud next February. I had earlier mad the mistake of posting on Seabourn. 

[alithecat]

The flights leave in the early morning. I can't remember how many charter planes they use. At least 2, possibly 4. They assign you a plane and timeslot and you can't change this. The charters stop in Punta Arenas for fuel. The runway in Puerto Williams is short and they can't take on enough fuel there because it would make the plane too heavy. The flights land in the Santiago charter airport. Silversea takes you from there either to the main airport or one of their hotels. They assigned those with early/same day flights to a hotel near the airport, the Hilton I think. Those staying overnight went back to the Mandarin Oriental. We did not use Silversea Air. We booked a room at the Holiday Inn Airport Terminal and that's where we were dropped off. Our flight was around 11pm that evening.

[highplanesdrifters]

2 hours ago, alithecat said:

The flights leave in the early morning. I can't remember how many charter planes they use. At least 2, possibly 4. They assign you a plane and timeslot and you can't change this. The charters stop in Punta Arenas for fuel. The runway in Puerto Williams is short and they can't take on enough fuel there because it would make the plane too heavy. The flights land in the Santiago charter airport. Silversea takes you from there either to the main airport or one of their hotels. They assigned those with early/same day flights to a hotel near the airport, the Hilton I think. Those staying overnight went back to the Mandarin Oriental. We did not use Silversea Air. We booked a room at the Holiday Inn Airport Terminal and that's where we were dropped off. Our flight was around 11pm that evening.

@alithecat Thank you so very much for a perfect answer!

[maadimom]

We did this cruise last February.  What alithecat said is exactly what we experienced, however, be sure to keep checking your booking.  At one point our post hotel disappeared.  TA said that we didn’t get one even though all our documents said we did.  It was a bit messy and they added it again, but I wouldn’t have know they took it away unless I kept checking.  We were put at the Hilton Garden Inn for a midnight flight.

[highplanesdrifters]

3 hours ago, maadimom said:

We did this cruise last February.  What alithecat said is exactly what we experienced, however, be sure to keep checking your booking.  At one point our post hotel disappeared.  TA said that we didn’t get one even though all our documents said we did.  It was a bit messy and they added it again, but I wouldn’t have know they took it away unless I kept checking.  We were put at the Hilton Garden Inn for a midnight flight.

 @maadimom

Thanks, very helpful.

 

Double/tripple check is my norm now.  Last summer Silversea told us mid cruise we were supposed to book our own flight because we used a TA, even though it clearly stated on cfn that Charter was included . Took 5 days of fighting with them but they finally admitted they were wrong and we got an apology.....and a flight.

[RachelG]

Charter is included.  We arrive in Santiago late afternoon and were supposed to be on an evening flight on AA which would have been super easy.  Flight was cancelled and we were taken to a hotel along with a huge Chinese tour group.  The hotel was fine, but the offered included dinner was awful.  We went to the bar which was much better.  There was lots of coughing and hacking among the Chinese group.  This was February 2020.  Just saying.  Husband got super sick after we got home and thought he was going to die.  I was a little sick with a cough.  

[Stumblefoot]

19 minutes ago, RachelG said:

There was lots of coughing and hacking among the Chinese group.  This was February 2020.  

Reminds me of my pre-cruise time in Buenos Aires before we flew to Santiago.  A fun new year's eve followed by one of the most miserable starts to a new year of my life.  How Silver Queen and Silver Princess didn't catch whatever I had was remarkable.  I was just glad I could stay in bed all day the day before flying to Ushuaia.  The hotel and Cloud staff couldn't have been more accommodating.

[Daveywavey70]

3 hours ago, RachelG said:

Charter is included.  We arrive in Santiago late afternoon and were supposed to be on an evening flight on AA which would have been super easy.  Flight was cancelled and we were taken to a hotel along with a huge Chinese tour group.  The hotel was fine, but the offered included dinner was awful.  We went to the bar which was much better.  There was lots of coughing and hacking among the Chinese group.  This was February 2020.  Just saying.  Husband got super sick after we got home and thought he was going to die.  I was a little sick with a cough.  

I Had exactly this on a Nile Cruise in Nov 19. A large group of Chinese tourists came on half way through and it went right through the boat. We hadn’t heard of Covid at that point but I had every symptom. 

[highplanesdrifters]

Thanks all. CC Intelligentsia is invaluable. 

 

Charter and hotel are included. 

Put my sister on the Delta 10:30 pm 'same day as charter' flight. I'll tell her to stay away from the Chinese tour groups.😉  They got me in New Zealand. Barely made it home.

 

We contine on the cape to cape.  Now I just need to book a safari and get ourselves home from South Africa.  😎  Thank Goodness we have a good TA.  Airfare has been all over the place!

[Tex1]

On 8/26/2023 at 5:57 PM, highplanesdrifters said:

Thanks all. CC Intelligentsia is invaluable. 

 

Charter and hotel are included. 

Put my sister on the Delta 10:30 pm 'same day as charter' flight. I'll tell her to stay away from the Chinese tour groups.😉  They got me in New Zealand. Barely made it home.

 

We contine on the cape to cape.  Now I just need to book a safari and get ourselves home from South Africa.  😎  Thank Goodness we have a good TA.  Airfare has been all over the place!

Yikes, arriving same day as charter?  She will arrive at hotel and go straight to line up for bus to charter terminal.  She should try to arrive day early.

[highplanesdrifters]

13 hours ago, Tex1 said:

Yikes, arriving same day as charter?  She will arrive at hotel and go straight to line up for bus to charter terminal.  She should try to arrive day early.

I agre wholeheartedly agree @Tex1

 

But this is what I asked about. 

 

I was hoping folks could comment on their experience with the charter from Puerto Williams to Santiago. 

 

 We arrive 3 days ahead of charter departing Santiago.  The Mandarin has a pool chair with my name on it, and their Asain restaurant is killer. Why take chances and rush things.  😉

[janekirstine]

Hi highplanesdrifter!   Following this thread as I am going solo on same itinerary as you in February 2025.   Doing Port to Port and from what I read on my confirmation, I get a day hotel in Puerto Williams but no flight to Santiago.   Going to call my Silversea rep tomorrow for more clarification.  I think I just need to find my own way home, which is fine as I have no problems doing some extra days in Patagonia.  Just need better clarification. I hope you have a wonderful time!  

[Brownie54]

We are currently in Santiago at the W hotel. Arranged by Silversea, we are meeting in the lobby today at 11:30 to leave the hotel at 11:45 to take a bus to our charter flight. That flight leaves at 1 pm for Puerto Williams.

Hope that helps!

[Port Power]

12 hours ago, janekirstine said:

Hi highplanesdrifter!   Following this thread as I am going solo on same itinerary as you in February 2025.   Doing Port to Port and from what I read on my confirmation, I get a day hotel in Puerto Williams but no flight to Santiago.   Going to call my Silversea rep tomorrow for more clarification.  I think I just need to find my own way home, which is fine as I have no problems doing some extra days in Patagonia.  Just need better clarification. I hope you have a wonderful time!  

 

I would definitely clarify your inclusions.  I had booked port-to-port on the December 18 Antarctica cruise, and the hotel each end and the flights to and from Puerto Williams were all part of the P2P cruise package.  As I had booked my own round-the-world flights, P2P worked for me.  However, a fellow NZ passenger told me his TA had booked P2P for him and it did not include hotels and flights.  He was very much a novice, so whether that was actually the case or just bad communication from the TA, who knows.

[Port Power]

On 8/28/2023 at 10:31 PM, highplanesdrifters said:

I agre wholeheartedly agree @Tex1

 

But this is what I asked about. 

 

I was hoping folks could comment on their experience with the charter from Puerto Williams to Santiago. 

 

 We arrive 3 days ahead of charter departing Santiago.  The Mandarin has a pool chair with my name on it, and their Asain restaurant is killer. Why take chances and rush things.  😉

 

The last night on the ship was at anchor in Puerto Williams.  We left the ship at 8:20am for our flight from Puerto Williams to Santiago via Punta Arenas.  It was all very well organised.  Bus to the airport and straight onto the aeroplane.  Departure was done in four colour groups between 8:10am and 9:00am.  A very nice lunch was served during the flight.  On arrival at Santiago, we had to identify our luggage in the hangar before boarding buses to take us to the Mandarin Oriental for an included overnight stay. We arrived at the MO around 1:00pm and most rooms were ready, but not all. Remind your friend to have a change of clothes and swim wear in her carry on, as the luggage van didn't arrive at the hotel until around 4:00pm.

[highplanesdrifters]

12 hours ago, janekirstine said:

Hi highplanesdrifter!   Following this thread as I am going solo on same itinerary as you in February 2025.   Doing Port to Port and from what I read on my confirmation, I get a day hotel in Puerto Williams but no flight to Santiago.   Going to call my Silversea rep tomorrow for more clarification.  I think I just need to find my own way home, which is fine as I have no problems doing some extra days in Patagonia.  Just need better clarification. I hope you have a wonderful time!  

Thanks for the heads up. We are staying on to Walvis Bay, but my sister is headed back after Antarctica.  She has a charter flight to Santiago and room there.  

Rather shocked you're not on the charter to Santiago. 

[highplanesdrifters]

Just now, Port Power said:

 

The last night on the ship was at anchor in Puerto Williams.  We left the ship at 8:20am for our flight from Puerto Williams to Santiago via Punta Arenas.  It was all very well organised.  Bus to the airport and straight onto the aeroplane.  Departure was done in four colour groups between 8:10am and 9:00am.  A very nice lunch was served during the flight.  On arrival at Santiago, we had to identify our luggage in the hangar before boarding buses to take us to the Mandarin Oriental for an included overnight stay. We arrived at the MO around 1:00pm and most rooms were ready, but not all. Remind your friend to have a change of clothes and swim wear in her carry on, as the luggage van didn't arrive at the hotel until around 4:00pm.

Thanks for that heads up . We had the same problems at the MO last fall. Love that place.  I'll tell her to have the swim and sundress in the carry on. SS switched us to The W going down, but we'll suffer through, ha ha. I do like the neighborhood better but will miss that pool. 

 

 Glad to see you're trip worked out, especially South Georgia. And keep roaming the world, hopefully our paths will cross again.

[highplanesdrifters]

3 hours ago, Brownie54 said:

We are currently in Santiago at the W hotel. Arranged by Silversea, we are meeting in the lobby today at 11:30 to leave the hotel at 11:45 to take a bus to our charter flight. That flight leaves at 1 pm for Puerto Williams.

Hope that helps!

 

The thought of leaving at 11:30 instead of 5 a.m. make my heart sing.  How is The W?  It was fab the last time we were there, but have heard it's a bit on its heels these days.

[janekirstine]

Thank you all for the input on Puerto Williams logistics.   Talked to Silversea TA today and the Port to Port itinerary is definitely starting and ending in Santiago with hotels (day use at the end).   I will not be left in Puerto Williams at the end of the cruise.  Will now concentrate on pre and post travel plans beginning and terminating in Santiago.   Have a wonderful day everyone!   

[Brownie54]

We thought the W was fine! Breakfast(included) was plentiful; we got into our room right away. The neighborhood is nice and there are a large number of restaurants near by. We ate 2 dinners in the hotel, and both were terrific.

 

We will return to the W on the 30th and have a day room that day. We fly later that night to Miami, arriving the morning of the 31st.

[highplanesdrifters]

5 hours ago, Brownie54 said:

We thought the W was fine! Breakfast(included) was plentiful; we got into our room right away. The neighborhood is nice and there are a large number of restaurants near by. We ate 2 dinners in the hotel, and both were terrific.

 

We will return to the W on the 30th and have a day room that day. We fly later that night to Miami, arriving the morning of the 31st.

 

Good to know The W still preforms.! One of my favorite Pizza places is across the street, Tiramisu.  I love how that neighborhood has changed post pandemic with all the outdoor restaurant options.

 

Have a fantastic trip.