Insignia South America excursions

[lounor]

The website lists the shore excursions for the February South America cruise. They also refer to excursion packages which save you 10% and can be booked online. However, whenever I try to access them, I get a statement saying they're not available. I've called Oceania and they tell me they can be booked online now???? Does any have any thoughts on this.

[ClaudiaF]

The website lists the shore excursions for the February South America cruise. They also refer to excursion packages which save you 10% and can be booked online. However, whenever I try to access them, I get a statement saying they're not available. I've called Oceania and they tell me they can be booked online now???? Does any have any thoughts on this.

It doesn't seem to work... agree.
if you are on Feb 2nd from Buenos Aires join us.. we have found 24 people so far email me
Claudiafr2001@yahoo.com

[digby]

I usually book excursions from the cruise line, but this is the first time I've seen it done as a take it or leave it package. The ones listed for South America in the package are not the ones I would prefer from the list of those that will be available to book on the ship. I wonder why Oceania insists on doing iot this way.

[john2003]

We are booked for March 1 out of Manaus. Can u explain the take it or leave it approach a bit more? Is it that they have assembled a group of excursion so u can't prebook individually or am I on the wrong page?

[digby]

We are booked for March 1 out of Manaus. Can u explain the take it or leave it approach a bit more? Is it that they have assembled a group of excursion so u can't prebook individually or am I on the wrong page?

I'm on the 12/17 cruise. They have grouped together tours for each port into one package for $449., and that is your only choice as far as reserving on line. Otherwise you must book when you board the ship. There are many other choices which are not part of the package.

[donmimi]

Hi -- Don and Mimi from Connecticut will be joining the group on Feb 2nd from Buenos Aires. We are quite excited about the itinerary, but haven't tried to book shore excursions yet. I guess we will wait to hear from you all. I have questions about the Iguassu Falls overnight -- it's really expensive and can find no information on the value of making the trip other than the usual Frommer's "must see" type of recommendation. On the one hand, it seems like we've traveled such a long way and it would be a shame to miss it -- on the other hand, no one seems to know what the side trip is all about and whether it is worth the money. The other question is are there private tour companies that would provide the same tour service?

[Jancruz]

Your travel agent can book the package so if you cant do it on line call her/him
Jan
cruzunlimomited

[ClaudiaF]

Hi -- Don and Mimi from Connecticut will be joining the group on Feb 2nd from Buenos Aires. We are quite excited about the itinerary, but haven't tried to book shore excursions yet. I guess we will wait to hear from you all. I have questions about the Iguassu Falls overnight -- it's really expensive and can find no information on the value of making the trip other than the usual Frommer's "must see" type of recommendation. On the one hand, it seems like we've traveled such a long way and it would be a shame to miss it -- on the other hand, no one seems to know what the side trip is all about and whether it is worth the money. The other question is are there private tour companies that would provide the same tour service?
Hi there! We are on that cruise too. So far we have found 24 folks going from these boards! Have you found the Yahoo Oceania message boards yet?
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/OceanaCruiser/messages
click on and join all of us there too...and sign up for the free cocktail party for our cruise so we can all get to meet!

[Bugeye]

We are booked for March 1 out of Manaus. Can u explain the take it or leave it approach a bit more? Is it that they have assembled a group of excursion so u can't prebook individually or am I on the wrong page?

Glad to see someone else booked on the 3/1 out of Manaus. My husband and I will be on that trip leaving Washington, D.C. Have you heard anything about the air arrangements to Manaus? We had an unfortunate incident flying to Santiago on Delta to meet a Celebrity Ship. They had overbooked the flight and left without 12 passengers, including my husband and I. We missed 4 days of our 17 day trip and received very little coroperation/compensation from Delta. I know we are two days at Manaus, but we are considering departin a day earlier to ensure we make the sailing.

When we took the Regatta to the Carribean, we joined with another couple at the ports and took our own excursions. Much less expensive and we concentrated on the sights we were interested in.

Karen & Jim

[john2003]

First, a comment about Iguazu for Don and Mimi. I would ceratinly recommend you go if at all possible. It truly is a natural wonder. We were there in 2002 on our way to Antarctica and it was well worth the trip. My wife has been to Victoria Falls and she was impressed by Iguazu.

My understanding is that Oceania will use a charter to Manaus. I believe I picked that up on this board. We are taking their "free" air, so going earlier won't be an option. I am sure a deviation would be very expensive. We are hoping to deviate on the return to have a few days in Barbados as we enjoyed it last time we were there.

[ClaudiaF]

[QUOTE=john2003.
Wrote in part:
. We are taking their "free" air, so going earlier won't be an option. I am sure a deviation would be very expensive. .[/QUOTE]

have you asked? the fee to deviate is only $50 per person.. and if the flight costs more you have to pay the difference.. but you could at least check to see and nothing would change..

[john2003]

No we haven't asked re outbound. We do have the request in out of Barbados. As we have the extra time in Manaus with the cruise I don't think we want to go earlier. But your point is valid, it often pays to ask.

[phlewt]

I'm on the 12/17 cruise. They have grouped together tours for each port into one package for $449., and that is your only choice as far as reserving on line. Otherwise you must book when you board the ship. There are many other choices which are not part of the package.There is now a second option called the "Ultimate Explorer Collection". The price is $699. With this option you pick an excursion of your choice at each port. I like the idea, but unless you include the $400 flightseeing excursion out of Puerto Montt, it would appear to be less expensive to buy all your excursions separately. But if you were planning on taking the flightseeing excursion, this is definitely a good deal for you.

[rdowney]

unless you include the $400 flightseeing excursion out of Puerto Montt, it would appear to be less expensive to buy all your excursions separately. But if you were planning on taking the flightseeing excursion, this is definitely a good deal for you.

Note that you cannot include the flightseeing in the package. From Oceania's website: Note:* This Signature Series excursion is not elegible for inclusion in the Ultimate Explorer Collection.

[phlewt]

Note that you cannot include the flightseeing in the package. From Oceania's website: Note:* This Signature Series excursion is not elegible for inclusion in the Ultimate Explorer Collection.You are correct, although I sure think it didn't have the "signature series" designation yesterday. Here is an attempt to identify the most expensive (and eligible) excursion for each port:
Puerto Montt, PTM-D, $140
Puerto Arenas, PTA-C, $180
Ushuaia, USH-E, $130
Puerto Madryn, PMD-B, $180
Montevideo, MNV-C, $100

If my arithmetic is correct, the total for these excursions is $730. If one were to purchase the package, they could have all of these for $700. Therefore I do not understand the claim that one "is guaranteed up to 10% in overall savings".

[ClaudiaF]

well read it again.. savings "up to" 10 %

[Liat]

We did a Santaigo to Buenos Aires Cruise i 2002. Our self booked excursions were a
LOT LESS than what is quoted. I have a detailed review on www.cruisereviews.com.
Look under Celebrity, and then under Mercury and my name; Philip M. Haggerty,
for what we did and what we paid. We did not do anything at Puerto Madryn, however.
You can find a lot of tours on the web at considerable savings.

[ClaudiaF]

Thanks Liat for the link to your review. It's alwasy good to pick up tibits here and there. Our cruise will be from BA to Rio, so I guess the tibit that I got from your post had to do with Las Lilas ;-)
Have read alot about it and hope to try it!
Did you take any tours in BA? Any tour operators you could recommmend?
For our friends entering SA in Chile the entry fee ( now $100) that is required ..interesting you wrote that they only accepted new currency (so that is good for those who are going to have available- just in case)..
Thanx!

[Liat]

We did do a bus tour there, and thought we got a fairly good deal. As I mentioned in my review, we did it on a Sunday so Evita's cemetery site closed at 4:00 and we missed it. I cannot remember the tour operator, but any major hotel will have a list. Just watch your belongings and avoid the "cleaners". It is possible to walk through downtown central Buenos Aires given a full day. The same is true of Montevideo. Check out both in their respective Lonely Planet guides.