No RCCL Cruise Around Cape Horn?

[idttywlm]

I have always wanted to go around Cape Horn and it now is my next cruise objective. Alas, RCCL doesn't go around the horn it seems. Is this new as Captain Trym on our last cruise talked about going around there in really rough weather? I did see that Celebrity has it listed.

Anyone have any recommendations?

Thank you.

jeff

[celle]

Originally Posted by idttywlm

I have always wanted to go around Cape Horn and it now is my next cruise objective. Alas, RCCL doesn't go around the horn it seems. Is this new as Captain Trym on our last cruise talked about going around there in really rough weather? I did see that Celebrity has it listed.

Anyone have any recommendations?

Thank you.

jeff

RCCL used to cruise around Cape Horn and we had actually booked a cruise on Radiance of the Seas, for December 2009. This cruise would have had us arriving in Buenos Aires on 24 December.

However, the powers-that-be decided to move Radiance to Vancouver, in the expectation of her being used by the mounties as accommodation for the winter olympics, and our cruise was cancelled.

Now the contract with the mounties has fallen through, Radiance seems to be doing shorter cruises, but has not been returned to South America itineraries.

We got a full refund, which we applied to another RCCL cruise, and we have now booked a cruise around Cape Horn on Celebrity Infinity.

[Ocean Boy]

You could wait until they decide to bring Mariner back to the East coast! I think the last cruise around the horn was when they sent her out to California. I remember reading posts about the cruise not having sold very well so I tend to think that the Panama canal will continue to be the preferred route on all repositionings from the two coasts on any ship smaller than the Voyager class ships.

[PrincesScuba]

Originally Posted by Ocean Boy

You could wait until they decide to bring Mariner back to the East coast! I think the last cruise around the horn was when they sent her out to California. I remember reading posts about the cruise not having sold very well so I tend to think that the Panama canal will continue to be the preferred route on all repositionings from the two coasts on any ship smaller than the Voyager class ships.

OB, I think that that was more a matter of the collapsing economy. I heard that the cruise was sold out, or nearly so, until things started to fall apart.

[idttywlm]

Originally Posted by celle

RCCL used to cruise around Cape Horn and we had actually booked a cruise on Radiance of the Seas, for December 2009. This cruise would have had us arriving in Buenos Aires on 24 December.

However, the powers-that-be decided to move Radiance to Vancouver, in the expectation of her being used by the mounties as accommodation for the winter olympics, and our cruise was cancelled.

Now the contract with the mounties has fallen through, Radiance seems to be doing shorter cruises, but has not been returned to South America itineraries.

Thank you for the response. We got off the Radiance last Friday in Alaska and I noticed that it was moving in a couple of weeks to cruise the Mexican riviera. Captain Trym had referred to going around the horn with 40 foot seas and 100 knot winds; that's the way I would like to do it (in a big safe ship of course)

Guess I'll take a look at X.

Is there a preferred way to go around the horn (eg west to east or east to west?)

Thank you!

Jeff

[aloha of the seas]

Originally Posted by idttywlm

Thank you for the response. We got off the Radiance last Friday in Alaska and I noticed that it was moving in a couple of weeks to cruise the Mexican riviera. Captain Trym had referred to going around the horn with 40 foot seas and 100 knot winds; that's the way I would like to do it (in a big safe ship of course)

Guess I'll take a look at X.

Is there a preferred way to go around the horn (eg west to east or east to west?)

Thank you!

Jeff

The preferred way is to travel west to east. Normally Chile to Argentina or Brazil. The reason is that the prevailing winds go in that direction. And no, there is no difference in the level of the water where the Atlantic and Pacific meet.

Outside of the fact that Celebrity will be a little more expensive, it is the same cruise that RCCL was running.

[Ocean Boy]

Originally Posted by PrincesScuba

OB, I think that that was more a matter of the collapsing economy. I heard that the cruise was sold out, or nearly so, until things started to fall apart.

You raise an interesting point. Possibly is was the economy that had a lot to do with it. However, I also think it might have initially sold so well because such cruises are not that common. It would seem like if the demand was there these cruises would be happening on a regular basis. And if they were available I'm not sure how full they would be. It seems like the type of cruise that would be fun to experience but I'm not sure you would find a lot of repeaters. I don't see it as being like the Caribbean where many people do it cruise after cruise.

I'm sure the cruise lines have studied the issue and have there reasons for the limited number of ships that make the trip.

[cruisenfever]

We have sailed around Cape Horn twice, once in 2008 on Splendour from Valparaiso to Sao Paulo and this past April on Radiance from Buenos Aries to Valparaiso, with Captain Trym.

It is a very expensive cruise when you factor in air fare from the states and Visas that are required when sailing into any Brazilian port. There is also the reciprocity fee that is imposed by Chile when arriving by air.

Both times we sailed around the Horn we had calm seas, but this past April we had weather that was perfect. This is not always the case.

Splendour and Vision will still be doing short cruises, but just on the eastern side of South America. They are catering to the South Americans and it seems that these short cruises are more appealing to them.

[gatour]

Princess also offers cruises to and around Cape Horn.

[gkm]

We went around the Horn this past March and our cruise might be the one Captain Trym is talking about. We had really rough seas and it was quite exciting. The ship was rocking and rolling.



Garry

[cruisenfever]

Garry, I remember Captain Trym telling us about the "exciting" weather from Valparaiso to Buenos Aries on the cruise prior to ours. We boarded on April 12th in BA.............were you just getting off?

[gkm]

Patty, our cruise was from March 13 to the 29 from Sao Paulo to Valpariaso, so the return trip must have been exciting too. When we were in the airport waiting for our flight, there were a bunch of Princess cruisers waiting for their flights who were complaining that their ship turned around and went through Magellan Strait because their captain said it was too rough to circle the horn. I had fun bragging on Captain Trym.

Garry

[cruisenfever]

Originally Posted by gkm

Patty, our cruise was from March 13 to the 29 from Sao Paulo to Valpariaso, so the return trip must have been exciting too. When we were in the airport waiting for our flight, there were a bunch of Princess cruisers waiting for their flights who were complaining that their ship turned around and went through Magellan Strait because their captain said it was too rough to circle the horn. I had fun bragging on Captain Trym.

Garry

Goodness, we really lucked out if the two cruises prior to ours had rough seas around the Horn. Yep, both Captain Trym and Captain Anderson like to add excitement to every cruise they are in charge of.........but always in a safe way.