Cape cruise - possible to shorten?

Questions for those who have sailed around the Cape. What's been your experience in getting to all ports? Which month did you sail? Did you hear or see anyone leave ship early?

 

Traveling the 14-day BA to Santiago in March with parents (retired) and DH (not retired). Will probably shorten husband's journey (possible to process through PCL), and he will disembark at PUQ to return to USA. It's the last non-tender.

 

Will he make it to shore to catch a plane is my question, I suppose [emoji2] I realize none of you can predict the weather, but I'm curious to hear any similar Cape experiences, good bad or otherwise! All replies are welcome. Thanks!

 

 

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Punta Arenas, Chile is a tender port. Only the much smaller ships of luxury and expedition cruise lines can dock there. Did you actually mean to disembark in Ushuaia, Argentina the day before?

 

The Straits of Magellan which you will be in the middle of the possible early embarkation day(s) is where the worst of the weather, and greatest possibility of missed ports, will be. I did this itinerary on another cruise line in March (last voyage of the season) and it was very windy and rainy passing through the Strait. You also have to consider that if there were any delays earlier in the voyage they will cascade down the remainder as port accessibility times are somewhat limited.

 

Possible disembarkation hiccups aside, how practical it is really to take the time and expense to travel to the almost literal bottom of the world but have to leave five (or six) days early?

Questions for those who have sailed around the Cape. What's been your experience in getting to all ports? Which month did you sail? Did you hear or see anyone leave ship early?

Traveling the 14-day BA to Santiago in March with parents (retired) and DH (not retired). Will probably shorten husband's journey (possible to process through PCL), and he will disembark at PUQ to return to USA. It's the last non-tender.

Will he make it to shore to catch a plane is my question, I suppose [emoji2] I realize none of you can predict the weather, but I'm curious to hear any similar Cape experiences, good bad or otherwise! All replies are welcome. Thanks!

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We were just in Punta Areans. It is a tender port. If the weather is good, like it was when we were there, you could be on shore around an hour or so after scheduled arrival. Assuming you can get a taxi it is about a 30 min. trip to the airport.The tender ride is around 15 or 20 mins. Like any port, in case of bad weather or rough seas the Captain could elect to not enter, or delay entering. Weather is very changeable at the southern tip of South America and in the Straights of Magellan.

 

You will have to get permission from Princess in advance to leave the ship mid-cruise. This will be your first port of call in Chile, so you most likely will have to clear immigration and customs. Princess will have to arrange for this assuming you get the approval. When boarding in B.A. Princess will collect your passports. You will have to arrange with passenger services to get yours returned. You will be required to pay for the entire cruise, not just the days you are on board. Make sure there is a backup plan in case the ship does not make the port of call.

Thank you both for these replies, they're insightful.

 

DH is Concierge Key with Amer Air so changes with any ticket are not an issue for him, and I found that PUQ has an inbound itinerary that maximizes our cruise time together. That was why I opted for Chile, not an Argentina disembarkation. But those two ports will probably be the best options, as I had walked through this scenario with PCL and those were the ports we came up with also.

 

We don't really see it as him leaving the trip early - we see it as him taking as much time possible (11 days) to join my parents on a trip they'd like to take with us. We probably aren't very practical, since they didn't offer to pay. ...!! But we did want to cruise with them [emoji307]

 

 

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Questions for those who have sailed around the Cape. What's been your experience in getting to all ports? Which month did you sail? Did you hear or see anyone leave ship early?

 

Traveling the 14-day BA to Santiago in March with parents (retired) and DH (not retired). Will probably shorten husband's journey (possible to process through PCL), and he will disembark at PUQ to return to USA. It's the last non-tender.

 

Will he make it to shore to catch a plane is my question, I suppose [emoji2] I realize none of you can predict the weather, but I'm curious to hear any similar Cape experiences, good bad or otherwise! All replies are welcome. Thanks!

 

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As others have posted, Ushuaia is the last no tender port and your father's cruise would almost be cut in half. After the Chilean earthquake in 2010, the Santiago airport was out of commission for six days. There were people sailing back towards BA looking to get a flight home at another port and Princess did not allow disembarkation at a tender port. Without Puerto Madryn as a stop on that cruise, it was Ushuaia, Montevideo, or Buenos Aires. You could always see if Princess policy has changed.

 

 

 

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Princess did not allow disembarkation at a tender port. Without Puerto Madryn as a stop on that cruise, it was Ushuaia, Montevideo, or Buenos Aires. You could always see if Princess policy has changed.

 

 

 

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Thanks for this helpful information. Good to know.

 

 

 

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