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First Cruise and Clueless, sort-off


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Greetings to all,

 

The Mrs and I are taking a 14 day cruise on HAL's Zaandam November 19. San Antonio Chile to Buenos Aires. Really don't know what to expect. flying into Santiago November 17. Getting to San Antonio from Santiago? Best (and cost sensitive) day trips? Experienced travel (air) but ZERO cruising.

 

Appreciate any advice, etc.

 

Thanks!

Guillermo and Phyllis

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Greetings to all,

 

 

 

The Mrs and I are taking a 14 day cruise on HAL's Zaandam November 19. San Antonio Chile to Buenos Aires. Really don't know what to expect. flying into Santiago November 17. Getting to San Antonio from Santiago? Best (and cost sensitive) day trips? Experienced travel (air) but ZERO cruising.

 

 

 

Appreciate any advice, etc.

 

 

 

Thanks!

 

Guillermo and Phyllis

 

 

 

Do some research and find a private tour provider that will pick you up at the Santiago airport, do a local city tour and then drive you to Valparaiso to stay for one or more nights with optional wine tasting to the nearby wine region (or on your way from Santiago to Valpo. There are a few tour guys who will then also pick you up at your Valpo hotel the next morning and do a local tour.

San Antonio is not far from Valpo. So, you could head there from the Valpo tour or arrange a transfer on another day if you stay for a few pre-cruise days.

The challenge is to find someone (can't remember our outfit off hand - but highly recommended in Trip Advisor and was terrific) who'll give you a whole package of airport/tour/hotel transfer/tour(s)/ port transfer. Not as expensive as you might think.

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Do some research and find a private tour provider that will pick you up at the Santiago airport, do a local city tour and then drive you to Valparaiso to stay for one or more nights with optional wine tasting to the nearby wine region (or on your way from Santiago to Valpo. There are a few tour guys who will then also pick you up at your Valpo hotel the next morning and do a local tour.

San Antonio is not far from Valpo. So, you could head there from the Valpo tour or arrange a transfer on another day if you stay for a few pre-cruise days.

The challenge is to find someone (can't remember our outfit off hand - but highly recommended in Trip Advisor and was terrific) who'll give you a whole package of airport/tour/hotel transfer/tour(s)/ port transfer. Not as expensive as you might think.

 

Thank you! I like your idea of an all-in-one (keep it simple). Probably spending Saturday and Sunday in Santiago then Monday head to San Antonio. No clue yet as to how early to get there.

 

Cheers!

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Chacabuco: En Patagonia Tours

Puntarenas: Ships tour including penguins and sheep ranch

Buenos Aires: Ships tour to estancia and next day the transfer to airport including time at El Camino

 

Thank you!. Will check those tours. When we arrive in Buenos Aires, we are flying to Iguazu for two nights then back to BA for 3 days before flying back to the States.

 

Cheers

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Big trip for a 1st time! You will have an AWESOME time! Research your ports...that's a huge part of making the most of your time ashore. Other than that...relax...the ship is your resort hotel (albeit, with smaller rooms!)....and you can do as much or as little as you like!

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Thank you! I like your idea of an all-in-one (keep it simple). Probably spending Saturday and Sunday in Santiago then Monday head to San Antonio. No clue yet as to how early to get there.

 

 

 

Cheers!

 

 

 

My personal opinion: Santiago is pretty much every non-major world capital. Beautiful in many ways but not that exciting. By contrast, Valpo is unique in its mix of art colony, oceanfront town, world heritage site et al. IMO, it is a much more interesting place. I suggest that you make Valpo the focus of your pre-cruise travels.

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My personal opinion: Santiago is pretty much every non-major world capital. Beautiful in many ways but not that exciting. By contrast, Valpo is unique in its mix of art colony, oceanfront town, world heritage site et al. IMO, it is a much more interesting place. I suggest that you make Valpo the focus of your pre-cruise travels.

 

Excellent idea and already researching where to stay.

 

Thanks again!

Guillermo and Phyllis

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Excellent idea and already researching where to stay.

 

 

 

Thanks again!

 

Guillermo and Phyllis

 

 

In Valpo, do check out

http://www.hotelsomerscales.cl/es/

 

Can't remember guide's name who arranged everything from the airport pickup through our transfer to Valpo (tours in both cities) and transfer to the ship several days later.

I'll try to dig that up if I can remember where I stashed that cruise's paperwork[emoji102].

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Big trip for a 1st time! You will have an AWESOME time! Research your ports...that's a huge part of making the most of your time ashore. Other than that...relax...the ship is your resort hotel (albeit, with smaller rooms!)....and you can do as much or as little as you like!

 

Thanks!

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In Valpo, do check out

http://www.hotelsomerscales.cl/es/

 

Can't remember guide's name who arranged everything from the airport pickup through our transfer to Valpo (tours in both cities) and transfer to the ship several days later.

I'll try to dig that up if I can remember where I stashed that cruise's paperwork[emoji102].

 

 

I found it:

The guide service worth contacting is run by Leo Cuzmar. Email him at guideschile@gmail.com. He does some tours himself or has a trusted associate. In our case, the guy's name was Luis and it worked out perfectly since he has family in both Santiago and Valpo.

Basically, every critical transfer (mixed with tours) was done by one outfit.

If you do decide to stay in Valpo at or near the hotel somerscales, the neighborhood has great restaurants. Check out La Concepcíon and Taulat.

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FWIW Deck 6 and Deck 7, have large aft balconies that are accessed through the doors marked "Emergency Exit" but the doors are normally access to an area with lounge chairs, overhead heating vent, blankets, partially covered, and seldom used by passengers. The balconies span the whole back of the ship and are much valued by photographers.

 

Here is a link to my photo review of the Zaandam from June 2018 to give you an idea of what to expect:

 

http://www.rogerjett-photography.com/photo-reviews/ms-zaandam-on-board

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