Morning or afternoon in Ushuaia?

We are planning a cruise and will be in Ushuaia either in the morning or afternoon depending on where the cruise starts (Santiago or Buenos Aires). Is there a better time to view penguins?

What are the times for arriving and departing for both options? Do you want a private tour or ship, where do you want to see penguins? What options are the ships offering? Are you going anywhere else to see penguins?

Sandy in Spain

One port time is 7am-2 pm, the other is 12n-8pm. Right now we are trying to decide on traveling east or west around the horn.

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We are planning a cruise and will be in Ushuaia either in the morning or afternoon depending on where the cruise starts (Santiago or Buenos Aires). Is there a better time to view penguins?

What cruiseline are you considering? Both of those times are shorter than our time in Ushuaia on Celebrity Infinity.

Ushuaia is probably the number one port for an Around the Horn cruise. You want to spend the most time there. We had a full day, like 12 hours.

We did the Tierra Del Fuego National Park and the catamaran ride to see the wildlife on the Beagle Channel. I highly recommend that you do that.

I would go with the BA to Valpo over the reverse.

Here is my review of our Around the Horn cruise.

http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=248878

What cruiseline are you considering? Both of those times are shorter than our time in Ushuaia on Celebrity Infinity.

Ushuaia is probably the number one port for an Around the Horn cruise. You want to spend the most time there. We had a full day, like 12 hours.

We did the Tierra Del Fuego National Park and the catamaran ride to see the wildlife on the Beagle Channel. I highly recommend that you do that.

I would go with the BA to Valpo over the reverse.

 

Here is my review of our Around the Horn cruise.

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=248878

Thanks for the info and the link - we will actually be cruising on NCL (we are Platinum) and will have a 14 day cruise - it is a pretty good itinerary. I had originally booked on RCCL, but it was only for a week and did not go around the Horn.

Looking at my schedule for Feb. 2016, the BA to Santiago (westbound) is going to work best, so I guess we will go with that.

We will be with Celebrity for a 17 day Asia cruise next year, which I am also looking forward to. But for this cruise the Sun will suit us fine.

Thanks for the info and the link - we will actually be cruising on NCL (we are Platinum) and will have a 14 day cruise - it is a pretty good itinerary. I had originally booked on RCCL, but it was only for a week and did not go around the Horn.

 

Looking at my schedule for Feb. 2016, the BA to Santiago (westbound) is going to work best, so I guess we will go with that.

 

We will be with Celebrity for a 17 day Asia cruise next year, which I am also looking forward to. But for this cruise the Sun will suit us fine.

We loved South America. The people are friendly, the food is good and the sights are super.

Be sure to eat some empanadas while in SA. We especially like the ones with crab or shrimp inside.

I don't think it makes a difference. The only penguin-viewing trips most cruisers have time for are those that take you on a small boat from Ushuaia to the small island where many penguins roost. You see the penguins from the boat. The only excursions that take one onto the island are longer trips involving a bus to a ranch and then a Zodiac boat to the island, but such trips take too much time for most cruise ship stops. There may be some factors to determine whether cruising west-to-east or vice versa is best (including air fares), but I don't think the timing of a penguin-viewing trip is one of them.

We cruised B.A. to Valparaiso (Santiago is inland) on the Star Princess a few years ago. I think your cruise may be able to go into fjords we couldn't, due to the NCL ship being smaller. I imagine you know that there is no guarantee that you'll go around the Horn (or stop at any listed stop), as it depends on weather. Our ship went part way around the Horn but did not go all the way around, due to heavy seas. It's the captain's call. The roughest seas of the whole trip were actually as we entered the Pacific's waters, due to a storm. Obviously varies by trip.

The full tour out to Harberton Estancia to walk on Martillo island among the Maganellic Penguins is done only by Pira Tours.

They leave twice a day at 8am and 2.30. I did the 2.30 one and got back to my hotel just on 9pm.

So I dont think either tour would suit the times for your ships arrival or departures.

The other company's can edge their catamarans up to the shore of the small island of Martillo and you can see the penguins from the boat but not go ashore. So you are not among them and are reliant on how many are choosing to stand around the shore area.

This is the schedule for Rumbo Sur's various catamaran trips including the penguin trip

http://www.rumbosur.com.ar/ingles/excursiones/rmarhorario.htm

A better place for seeing the Penguins is Punta Arenas.

Keith

A better place for seeing the Penguins is Punta Arenas.

 

Keith

Hi Keith,

Where did you see the penguins in Punta Arenas? We are debating Otway Sound or Magdelana Island.

The NCL offers a great itinerary for viewing penguins. The best place to view penguins is the Falkland islands withe several species including the King,Gentoo,Rockhopper,Macaroni and Magellanic. At the other ports you will see only the Magellanic. The port with the largest colony of Magellanic penguins is Punta Tomba a couple hours from Puerto Madryn. The best time IMHO to see penguins is in December when you can see adults , chicks and eggs. The following picture shows the reproductive cycle of the Magellan.

To the OP: You may want to take this in consideration when booking. If you go in February , you will see juveniles taking their first swims and adults shedding. For an exhaustive travelogue full of pictures of our South American trip , you may want to go here :

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1958814

We are planning a cruise and will be in Ushuaia either in the morning or afternoon depending on where the cruise starts (Santiago or Buenos Aires). Is there a better time to view penguins?

That is where we did the Pira Tour to the private ranch where the Penguins are. It was our favorite Penguin tour. There were King Penguins from Antartica there, which is very unusual for them to be that far north.

We were supposed to be tendered and at the last minute we were allowed to dock. From the ship to the sidewalk ourtise of the port is a very short distance. There are little shops as you walk to get to the sidewalk and street outside of the gated port, it takes a very short time. When you get to the street turn right and there are several small kiosk type of little buildings for tours, etc. That is where you show up for the Pira Tour, they take only 20 people and it is 4 hr tour, FABULOUS around $99 each. We got there at 8:00 am. the tour was at 9:00 am, everything was great, we did 3 tours on that trip and wanted to see lots of Penguins, this one was the best. Go online to book, if no answer within 2 days email again til you get an answer. Have read many of their reviews and no one had any problems with using their credit card in advance to pay. Mary S

Did anyone go to Beagle Channel?

Did anyone go to Beagle Channel?

Ushuaia is on the Beagle Channel - can you make your question more specific ? Are you referring to doing one of the many catamaran tours ? out to the wrecks, lighthouses, etc ?

Ushuaia is on the Beagle Channel - can you make your question more specific ? Are you referring to doing one of the many catamaran tours ? out to the wrecks, lighthouses, etc ?

Sorry I wasn't more specific. :) Yes I am asking about catamaran tour including the lighthouse.

Sorry I wasn't more specific. :) Yes I am asking about catamaran tour including the lighthouse.

The official tourism website has a list of all the channel tours available. There are literally dozens of different companies and all much the same price.

http://www.turismoushuaia.com/en/in-ushuaia/what-to-do

I have done tours with Pira, Canal Fun, and Rumbo Sur over the years so I can personally recommend them - but really all the companies are much the same in what they offer and charge.

Thanks for all the information. Our cruise leaves Jan 30th from BA and has one day cruising in the beagle channel. And we have 12 hours in Punta Arenas, so I am hoping for several opportunities for penguins. It is a good mix of sea days and stops. I am just starting to look at possible excursions for our short time in Ushuaia - 7am to 2pm.

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The official tourism website has a list of all the channel tours available. There are literally dozens of different companies and all much the same price.

http://www.turismoushuaia.com/en/in-ushuaia/what-to-do

 

I have done tours with Pira, Canal Fun, and Rumbo Sur over the years so I can personally recommend them - but really all the companies are much the same in what they offer and charge.

Thank you for the info. :)