January 7th NCL Star cruise to Antarctica , Argentina and Chile with a 10 day stay photo travelogue

[scubacruiserx2]

 Also on our day at sea we had breakfast and an interdenominational Bible study . We stopped by the well stocked library next to the room that NCL had allocated to us for the study and left some reading material there . 

 

 

 

 

 

Our next stop was Le Bistro where the Cruise Critic M&M was held that was organised by @ziggyuk . Tony and Antony are from the UK and had cruised the previous cruise on the Star to Ireland and had organised the previous one for that cruise . 

 

 

 

 They and NCL did a fantastic job . We have done about 45 cruises and this had the most ship's officers and was the best overall M&M that we have attended . Here's the introduction of the ships officers .

 

 

 

 

[scubacruiserx2]

  After the introduction of the officers , Tony or was it Antony spoke , and led a prize raffle . We brought a Florida shaped Christmas ornament and won a very nice bag with a map of California . The lady that gave it came over to our table and we had a great chat with her . We spent our 45th anniversity last March with 2 days in Big Sur and a Napa wine tasting tour  followed by 9 nights in Kauai . We then returned to San Fransisco for a guided 2 day and overnight tour in Yosemite . So we had a lot to talk about .

 We also met @Jaxmax16 who we would do 2 private penguin tours with in Puerto Madryn and the Falkland Islands .

 Lunch was Cagneys .

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 1 by scubacruiserx2

[MicCanberra]

10 hours ago, scubacruiserx2 said:

 credited . The Torres trip 

 We have some friends Mic and Rosie on the HAL Oosterdam doing the trip now and it appears that they may have missed a port today or the Cruisemapper schedule for them is wrong . You can follow their " live " here but the further South they go , the live will slow or stop on the internet .

 

 

 

The itinerary was changed quite a while ago, Punta del este dropped, every port moved forward a day until we get to Castro, Chile after Puerto Montt

[scubacruiserx2]

6 minutes ago, MicCanberra said:

The itinerary was changed quite a while ago, Punta del este dropped, every port moved forward a day until we get to Castro, Chile after Puerto Montt

 

  We didn't pick up on that . So is Puerto Madryn next ? 

We have never done the port that you skipped but have done Castro and Puerto Montt several times and loved them . Especially the food and wine at the grocery store at Puerto Montt . Smooth sailing Mic and we may get to post some of our penquin trip at Punto Tumbo if you are going there .

[scubacruiserx2]

Dinner was at an empty Le Bistro

 

 

The Escargot was lava hot . Again a homage to our grandson . He first tasted it on his 20th birthday cruise with us . He liked it so much that he ordered 2 more servings ! It was his first HAL cruise and he and his tastes have grown up .

 

 

Pat's Duck !

 

 

I hoped that the Sea Bass wasn't from the Rio del la Plata

 

 

A giant Herseys Kiss

 

 

Edited February 1 by scubacruiserx2

[milolii]

11 hours ago, scubacruiserx2 said:

 

 More bad news ( sorry ) . According to Cruisemapper , the NCL Sun missed the Falklands yesterday . And it appears that the NCL Star has passed them and will miss today . Major Bummer for them . Strangely the Sapphire Princess and Azmara Quest are in port there . You can see the map here and zoom in .

 

 https://www.cruisemapper.com/?imo=9195157

Hope you feel better soon.  I’m also following a “live”  from another site that has a large number of posters, mostly US citizens.  These passengers were told this the day before. 

[scubacruiserx2]

2 hours ago, milolii said:

Hope you feel better soon.  I’m also following a “live”  from another site that has a large number of posters, mostly US citizens.  These passengers were told this the day before. 

 

 Thanks . We just found out that our grandson who picked us up at the Brightline Station tested positive , the day before he was to solo for the Big Smile company . He got it quicker and seems to be healing quicker than we are . 

  It's too bad for them as the Falklands is the best place for penquin encounters . We have a lot of photos edited for the penquin and wildlife trip to Puerto Madryn the Lord willing tomorrow .

[scubacruiserx2]

 Well it looks like the NCL is bringing the heat to Puerto Madryn . It is 0700 and already 80 F with a predicted high of 102 F ! This translates to 26 C with a high of 38 F !

 

https://www.accuweather.com/en/ar/puerto-madryn/8247/hourly-weather-forecast/8247

 

 Our friends on the Oosterdam appear as they are going to join them today , so wear your sunscreen and a hat . And please drink lots of water or Gatorade . It looks like a desert as you will see in todays photos coming up next .

[MicCanberra]

11 hours ago, scubacruiserx2 said:

 

  We didn't pick up on that . So is Puerto Madryn next ? 

We have never done the port that you skipped but have done Castro and Puerto Montt several times and loved them . Especially the food and wine at the grocery store at Puerto Montt . Smooth sailing Mic and we may get to post some of our penquin trip at Punto Tumbo if you are going there .

We are going to El Pedral today out of Puerto Madryn.

[scubacruiserx2]

6 minutes ago, MicCanberra said:

We are going to El Pedral today out of Puerto Madryn.

 

 We have never been there Mic . What's on for today ?

[scubacruiserx2]

Here comes the Sun !

 

 

 We met J and M early for a long walk on a long pier in Puerto Madryn 

 

 

The guide and driver could not meet us on the pier . It only has one way traffic so all of the busses had to back up the length or the pier at least half a mile . There were lots of jellyfish in the water and on the beach . Prime penquin food .

 

 

And a EMS vehicle of course

 

 

Our guide and our ride

 

 

Are you ready for a 3 hour ride to Punta Tombo and the wild life ?

[scubacruiserx2]

 It's a 181 KM ( 112 miles ) trip one way but a lot of it is on gravel roads near the end . We did make a quick bathroom break at the gas station and there's a nice one and a small museum at Punta Tumbo .

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Punta_Tombo

 

We were early , about 1/2 - 1 hour ahead of the busses . So we got to hear the rooster crow .

 

 

 

A lot of walking on a wooden pier this time and gravel and you can hear the wind . It was cool to start , fleece weather but we tied them around our waist before long .

 

 

We never saw these before

 

 

A partridge near a pear tree ?

 

 

Feed me

 

 

A lazy , sunny day

 

 

 

[scubacruiserx2]

 Another day at the beach .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There were a lot more penquins on the beach at our last visit in 2018

 

 

Surfs up !

 

 

Edited February 2 by scubacruiserx2

[stonepebble]

Thank you for sharing! 

Loving following along!

Chris

Were you there the same time of year last time?

[cruiseny4life]

1 hour ago, scubacruiserx2 said:

There were a lot more penquins on the beach at our last visit in 2018

Do you have any idea why the change in number of fluffy waddlers? 

[scubacruiserx2]

21 minutes ago, stonepebble said:

Thank you for sharing! 

Loving following along!

Chris

Were you there the same time of year last time?

 

 We were about 3 weeks earlier in middle December in 2018 . January 10 th this year . We noticed that the chicks were larger and plumper this year .

[scubacruiserx2]

6 minutes ago, cruiseny4life said:

Do you have any idea why the change in number of fluffy waddlers? 

 We think that they migrate so they are probally following the food trail ( Like good cruisers ) . 😊

[cruiseny4life]

2 minutes ago, scubacruiserx2 said:

 We think that they migrate so they are probally following the food trail ( Like good cruisers ) . 😊

Smart birds they are!!! Thanks for such a quick response!!

 

Absolutely love the photos! It's amazing to watch as your cruise unfolded/memories now. And, hoping all three of you have a quick recovery.

[scubacruiserx2]

 Other critters

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[scubacruiserx2]

15 minutes ago, cruiseny4life said:

Smart birds they are!!! Thanks for such a quick response!!

 

Absolutely love the photos! It's amazing to watch as your cruise unfolded/memories now. And, hoping all three of you have a quick recovery.

 

 

Thank you . We also noticed a lot more wind this trip which may have affected the waddlers and it is extremely hot today there also .

 In Torres del Paine , Chile after the cruise the wind gusts exceeded 100 Km / hour , or 62 mph . Almost hurricane force . Pat took a video at a mirador of a bus that looked like it was going to roll in the crosswind . We seem to be on the mend but a little slower for the older ones .

Edited February 2 by scubacruiserx2

[scubacruiserx2]

 The tide was low as these penquins normally swim here

 

 

We requested a photo stop of the ship near this statue of Tehuelche

 

 

 

 

 

The view from the ship of the statue

 

 

Backing away from the Pier

 

 

The sunset

 

 

 

 

[scubacruiserx2]

 Dinner was at Cagneys after Puerto Madryn

 

Beef Tartare with Wasabi

 

 

Frenck Onion Soup

 

 

Broiled seafood Platter

 

 

Filet

 

 

7 layer chocolate cake 

 

[scubacruiserx2]

 Leaving Puerto Madryn and the Freestyle Daily for Montevideo and Puerto Madryn .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[MicCanberra]

14 hours ago, scubacruiserx2 said:

 

 We have never been there Mic . What's on for today ?

It is south East of Puerto Madrn by the mouth of the gulf, approx 90 minute drive. We went to the light house and saw sea lions on the beach and in the water, we then went to a Magellanic penguin colony, lots of them like your pics. We could walk among them and some will get very close. Then to the ranch house for BBQ lamb and other food. We saw rhea, guanacho and many other birds and animals along the way.

[scubacruiserx2]

9 hours ago, MicCanberra said:

It is south East of Puerto Madrn by the mouth of the gulf, approx 90 minute drive. We went to the light house and saw sea lions on the beach and in the water, we then went to a Magellanic penguin colony, lots of them like your pics. We could walk among them and some will get very close. Then to the ranch house for BBQ lamb and other food. We saw rhea, guanacho and many other birds and animals along the way.

 

 Thats a lot closer than our 3 hour trip each way . And the barbie lunch sounds better than a box lunch !  Did you see any dinosaurs like we did ? 🤪

 When are you scheduled to visit Stanley , the superstar of penquin encounters ? There's a big difference in weather in days . Sunday is cool at 54 F with lots of wind , NNW @ 24 mph . Monday is warmer 67 F and SSW wind @ 15 mph . Our costs there was $ 200 P.P. paid at the sight with 4 people per 4 wheel drive vehicle . We were the first people there as we had suite priority tender boarding and they allowed J and M to piggyback with us . Strangely , the weather temps will be the same in Stanley as where we live in Florida except we expect rain for 3 days . 

Edited February 3 by scubacruiserx2