Aussie Jo

On 12/3/2023 at 6:02 AM, Shwarmski said:

@Aussie Jo @MVPinBoynton

Can't comment on the Punta Tombo option but we enjoyed the Valdes Peninsula tour.  Your question made me go back to my FB post to see the photos and remember exactly what we saw.  We took a tour with local company Sentir Patagonia (who knows if it is still operating!).  We stopped at a Interpretation Centre at the entrance to the reserve which included a complete skeleton of a Southern Right Whale and baleen plates available for us to touch and feel.  Our driver kept an eye out for any wildlife along the way and we saw a Patagonian Mara.  We stopped at a penguin rookery and because we were there in Dec/Jan we saw Magellanic penguins and chicks quite close.  It was also the time of year when the elephant seals were moulting so we saw them lying on the beach.  If I recall correctly, I think this is also the area where killer whales can be seen at times, but we didn't see any.  Our final stop was at Punta Piramides where we saw sea lions with young calves.  So lots of wildlife which might be of interest to a 4 yo.  I think the total drive time is less for Valdes Peninsula, which might be a factor to consider, but it was still a long, boring drive.  Hope this helps.  Loved this cruise.

On 12/31/2018 at 12:06 PM, Petoonya said:

This should take you there Jo. Happy cruising!

https://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=641857&et_cid=3167165&et_rid=240620422&et_referrer=Boards_WAR_CC

Thank you for the link.  I thoroughly enjoyed reading your trip report and it sounded like you had a fantastic cruise.

17 hours ago, Petoonya said:

Josette,

I don't know if you're interested but I wrote an extensive review of our Wind Spirit cruise including shore excursions. We are snorkelers so they all are water based excursions if you are interested.

I am indeed most interested!  How do I find your review?

9 hours ago, Sea42 said:

Fakarava we are using Fakarava Excursions for a snorkeling tour

Bora Bora, the first day we have a private 4X4 island tour with Natura Discovery and the second day a snorkel trip with Maohi Nui (Patrick).

On Raiatea we are renting a car with SARL Rental Car (they take credit cards).

Not sure if your itinerary takes you to Easter Island but there on the first day we are touring with Green Island Tours and on the second day renting a car with Oceanic (they take credit cards).

We're leaving tomorrow and can't wait!

Thanks for such a prompt response!  Have a wonderful cruise!

On 11/23/2018 at 8:58 AM, milepig said:

 

casino absolutely open 

 

We’re on day 1 of Bora Bota. The 4x4 tour was great. We are on the 11 day. Fakarava Blue Lagoon was wonderful. Rangiroa we just did the glass bottom boat and actually had a good time. Tahaa was the vanilla and pearl farm, very nice. Raitea we did squat. Only three days left. Weather is still amazing. 

 

If i were more relaxed I’d be a puddle. 

Hello Milepig

Hope you had a wonderful cruise!  We're travelling to French Polynesia in April on the Maasdam, and I'm trying to research the best things to do in the various ports we're visiting.  Can you provide any more information on the trips you did and whether they were ship's excursions or did you book local operators?

Thanks for any help you can provide 🙂

Josette

On 12/10/2018 at 3:33 AM, Sea42 said:

FWIW, the private tour operators we are using in Fakarava, Raiatea, Bora Bora, Tahiti and Moorea have all requested cash payment in local or USD.

Hello!  We're going to be visiting French Polynesia on Holland America's Maasdam in April and I'm really interested in which local tour operators you are using.  Would you be able to share this information? 

Thanks, Josette

We were also on the Zaandam and disembarked as independent travellers. We came out at I think it was Gate 1, and we needed to get to Gate 13 for our private tour and airport transfer. There was a very large crowd of people milling around the buses and blocking the footpaths which made it difficult for us to pass. Perhaps we should have exited to the street and then made our way outside the port fence to Gate 13. We chose a private tour and transfer as our flight to Iguazu Falls was about 3.30pm from AEP, so much too early for any HAL options. We had a driver and a guide. The vehicle was actually a taxi and the driver stayed with his car (and our luggage!) each time we got our with our guide to see various sights. We paid a premium price for the service (US$240 for the two of us) but it was well worth it for both the tour and the peace of mind. For those interested, we purchased this service through BuenosTours and can definitely recommend them. We also used them for a full day walking tour the previous day, including transfer to a meeting point with our guide, and a return to the ship. Saved the hassle of using local taxis.

We are using Flamenco Tours.

Thanks Mike. Another one - I hadn't come across them so will check them out.

cheers

Josette

We went to Punta Tombo on our first SA cruise. We thoroughly enjoyed Punta Tombo; but since we were there in late February, there weren't as many penguins as we were hoping for. There were still a lot to see and they came up close to us. We are going to the Valdez Peninsula when we are on the Zaandam in early January. We are going to Valdez this time. I agree with Fred regarding the drive to Punta Tombo, it is very long and very boring; but if you hadn't seen penguins in other ports, it is worth it, especially in late December.

 

Thanks Mike for your comments. I'm tending towards the Valdes Peninsula because I'm pretty sure we'll get to see penguins on Magdalena Island. I've booked the ship's speedboat tour because it goes really early, 7am I think, and the local companies trips go later when I understand the wind could be stronger.

May I ask whether you are using a local tour company for the Peninsula, and if so, which one?

Josette

If it helps your decision, Punta Tombo is closer to 2 1/2 hours from the port. The

Valdes Peninsula involves just as much driving/riding, but you're stopping at various wildlife sights along the way, so there's much more to see. It's a barren drive to Punta Tombo other than a giant fake dinosaur on the side of the road. And, don't be swayed by the "thousands of penguins" at Punta Tombo. There were supposedly a million there in 2017, but 999,000 of them were obviously hiding when we visited. Still a lot, but it was not nearly as impressive as one might imagine.

If you've already seen penguins in two ports, I would opt for the Valdes

Peninsula out of Puerto Madryn.

Thanks FredZiffle for your comments.

Josette

We're on the Zaandam Round the Cape and Antarctic cruise leaving in a few weeks from San Antonio on 15 December and disembarking in Buenos Aires on 6 January. We've booked shore excursions in Punta Arenas to see the penguins on Magdalena Island, and in Stanley at North Pond. Trying to decide whether to see thousands of penguins at Punta Tombo, or enjoy the scenery and wildlife on Peninsula Valdes. Both excursions seem to involve a long drive of about 1 1/2 hours each way. Does anyone have experience of either one or both of these places to help me make a decision? Have read good reviews of both Forastero and Sentir Patagonia and they both provide tours to these two places.

Thanks for your help.

Josette

Josette - our roll call was the Crown Princess, December 21, 2016: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2216875 but I can provide the information from my pre-cruise spreadsheet.

 

Our excursions included

 

 

• Valparaiso (if you are in the area a day before boarding): Patatour Chile
  
• Punta Arenas: The Magdalena Islands Penguin Tour with Soloexpediciones
  
• Ushuaia: Patagonia Adventure Explorer (they were great when they had to cancel the boat tour due to high winds; they immediately arranged a van tour with an excellent guide and at a cheaper price).
  
• Falklands: Volunteer Point with Patrick Watts at pwatts@horizon.co.fk. He is probably full by this time; if so, try Estancia since they get equally good reviews.
  
• Buenos Aires: Walking tour with Bueons Tours
  

If you can extend your vacation a few days, I highly recommend going to Iguazu Falls; they are spectacular.

Thanks for all this info. We've booked flights to Puerto Iguazu and now trying to work out accommodation - the Sheraton is getting slated for being run down, and it's just been sold and I can't find how to book anyway! Any recommendations?

We did a 31 day LA to Rio cruise this past winter with 2 ship's excursions and about 11 privately arranged excursions. I looked at TripAdvisor for each first port first, then looked on this forum, and finally checked to see if any of the other members on our roll call had made any arrangements. Given that some of my private excursions were reserved 13 months in advance and all were reserved by 8 months in advance, I was often the person putting the info out on the roll call :D. It worked out very well according to the 3 others in our traveling party and many folks from the roll call who joined us on an excursion (or 2 or 3 or more).

We're going a Santiago to Buenos Aires cruise in December 2017. I'd be interested in knowing what private tours you used - can you tell me what Roll Call you were on last year, and I'm happy to search through that.

Thanks

Josette

Fantastic photos. We also hired a car from Star in Lerwick, but headed straight south. Didn't realise the great coastal scenery up north. Thanks for your review and for sharing your photos.

Great photos of Bergen!

Day 4: Copenhagen, Denmark (embarking the Eurodam) (departure at 16:00)

Weather: Sunny. Max temperature 16C / 60F

 

A first for us on this cruise was that our stateroom attendants did not get to know us very well at all. We did not have a problem with this as they were very friendly when we encountered them in the corridor. But on other cruises, our stateroom attendants would always introduce themselves to us on the first day and they would know our names by the second day of the cruise. This didn't bother us. We don't know if maybe this is only on HAL.

Yes, we noticed this as well. It's not a HAL thing as we've been on 2 other HAL cruises. On the Eurodam our stateroom attendants were friendly but distant and didn't introduce themselves when we arrived.