Port/Starboard on South America/Antarctica

[deadzone1003]

We are leaving for our South America/Antarctica cruise in a few weeks. We got an upsell offer from an oceanview to verandah. We are interested in the Starboard side, but checking if my facts are correct. For those who done this cruise, am I correct that the port side is the best while going through Chile and that starboard side is best for doing the Antarctica sail-by? Thanks for your answers.

[grayjay]

We are leaving for our South America/Antarctica cruise in a few weeks. We got an upsell offer from an oceanview to verandah. We are interested in the Starboard side, but checking if my facts are correct. For those who done this cruise, am I correct that the port side is the best while going through Chile and that starboard side is best for doing the Antarctica sail-by? Thanks for your answers.

This is one of the most wonderful cruises - ever! Enjoy!

About your question: When we went around the Horn from Valparaiso to Buenos Aires, the best views really were either from the open decks or from our balcony port side - great view of the glaciers in Chile.

When we took a cruise to Antarctica out of Buenos Aires we were able to book a stern-facing cabin which was a good choice. It combined the best views with the chance of sitting on the balcony huddled in a blanket but free from the wind chill of the open decks.

[Groningen]

We are leaving for our South America/Antarctica cruise in a few weeks. We got an upsell offer from an oceanview to verandah. We are interested in the Starboard side, but checking if my facts are correct. For those who done this cruise, am I correct that the port side is the best while going through Chile and that starboard side is best for doing the Antarctica sail-by? Thanks for your answers.

 

We are on the same cruise in an OV. I chose the Port side. I have not read that any side would be better in Antarctica, I believe from watching videos of previous trips that it makes no difference. Sometimes they turn around, and they basically go South and then North again! Nothing to go around. I expect to spend a lot of time there outside, so I'll just walk around the ship.

[Bill S]

We had a port-side cabin on our Valpariso - Antarctica - Rio cruise and that worked well; however, we spent more time either up in the Crow's Nest or out on the open aft Lido Deck, especially in Antarctica waters. Antarctica is spectacular-go outside to enjoy it! Be sure to take sunglasses and sunscreen! It is definitely a cruise of a lifetime!

[deadzone1003]

We had a port-side cabin on our Valpariso - Antarctica - Rio cruise and that worked well; however, we spent more time either up in the Crow's Nest or out on the open aft Lido Deck, especially in Antarctica waters. Antarctica is spectacular-go outside to enjoy it! Be sure to take sunglasses and sunscreen! It is definitely a cruise of a lifetime!

 

How crowded does it get on the top deck and the promenade deck during the Antarctica sail-by? The verandah on the port side is past the rear elevator while I can get a verandah near midship on the starboard side. The main reason for getting one on the starboard side is I expect most of the Anarctica sail-by will be on starboard side plus it is easy to dash into your cabin to keep warm. Are my assumptions correct?

[RuthC]

I've done the Rio to Valparaiso, Buenos Aires to Valparaiso, and Valparaiso to Buenos Aires routes, all with Antarctica and rounding the Horn included. The best views are from outdoors, much of the time from someplace sheltered. I was particularly fond of Lower Promenade, where it was possible to change sides often, and shelter behind some of the superstructure. Those winds can be bitter at times! :eek:

 

When it was calmer the best places were on the bow, during scenic cruising, and aft Lido Deck. In other words, more expansive views were better than the limited view from a balcony. Any deck where you can quickly/easily get from one side to the other is good.

[deadzone1003]

RuthC,

 

Thank you for your reply. We are going from Valparaiso to Buenos Aires. Is the Antartica sail-by better on the starboard side? Looking at the itinerary map, it appears that the starboard side will be facing Antarctica during its sail-by or does it turn around so both sides of the ship gets to view the sights?

[SilvertoGold]

I've done the Rio to Valparaiso, Buenos Aires to Valparaiso, and Valparaiso to Buenos Aires routes, all with Antarctica and rounding the Horn included. The best views are from outdoors, much of the time from someplace sheltered. I was particularly fond of Lower Promenade, where it was possible to change sides often, and shelter behind some of the superstructure. Those winds can be bitter at times! :eek:

 

When it was calmer the best places were on the bow, during scenic cruising, and aft Lido Deck. In other words, more expansive views were better than the limited view from a balcony. Any deck where you can quickly/easily get from one side to the other is good.

 

 

Absolutely agree with this post. If it snows, you will want to be in a sheltered area for most of the time, too.

 

We find the aft deck by the pool has a tremendous panoramic view, but it gets cold in the wind and it can be very bright, so the lower prom is a good and you can be walking around. Moving is warming!

 

OP:

 

The more you "dash into your cabin" the colder it will become.

Your days in the Antarctic will be not just be on the starboard side. Lemaire and Newmeyer Channels are all around you. You really do need to be in a place where you see more than just one side.

 

The bow will be open, but it gets fiercely cold there, with no shelter at all.

Edited January 13, 2017 by SilvertoGold

[RuthC]

Is the Antartica sail-by better on the starboard side? Looking at the itinerary map, it appears that the starboard side will be facing Antarctica during its sail-by or does it turn around so both sides of the ship gets to view the sights?

This is not a "sail by" with land on one side and ocean on the other. You will spend several days (and nights) in Antarctica, sailing in bays, through channels, going down a channel as far as the ship can go, then perhaps needing to turn around and come back out---as the channel is blocked with ice dead ahead. You'll want to see that, too. Or maybe you'll get all the way through Lemaire Channel! It was termed "The Holy Grail" of Antarctic cruising.

 

There is a Plan A, Plan B, and possibly all the way up to Plan M for what the ship is going to attempt to do on any given day. There are research stations on one side, while penguins are playing on the other. Sailing by Elephant Island will be on one side (probably port, with your routing), and is worth getting out there to see. Imagine being left there while some of your party sails off looking for help! :eek:

 

You'll see Iceberg Alley as you leave Antarctica, probably best on starboard side, but huge icebergs on both sides. If you're lucky it will be accented by sunset.

The ship will sail back and forth at Cape Horn.

[TiogaCruiser]

As Ruth said, they kind of make it up as they go.....

 

Hour to hour the plan is likely to change depending on weather (fog, etc.) and what the ice is like. After taking a try at Le Maire the bridge received notice there was good weather at Hope Bay... so off we went, and spent a couple hours among hundreds of thousands of penguins. (Our guide described the water as boiling with them.)

From there, a report that the fog had lifted at the edge of the Weddal Sea..... so we headed there next. That was one of my favorite places. And Captain Bos's first time.

 

They had charts posted in the Crows Nest with our PLANNED route. And a Cadet would come up periodically to erase the planned course and put in our DR track, and the new planned route.

 

To Ruth: hoping to see Cape Horn in about 74 or so days..... I missed it on our Antarctica cruise- the passage was so late and foggy I didn't stay up.

Edited January 14, 2017 by TiogaCruiser

[Cinder Again]

RuthC,

 

Thank you for your reply. We are going from Valparaiso to Buenos Aires. Is the Antartica sail-by better on the starboard side? Looking at the itinerary map, it appears that the starboard side will be facing Antarctica during its sail-by or does it turn around so both sides of the ship gets to view the sights?

 

Personally, I don't think it will matter overmuch. You will be so stunned by the scenery you will be traveling all over the ship for "best views". Ruth C is correct, depending on what you are sailing by, you'll chose different spots for optimal viewing. Sometimes the open decks did get crowded (mostly in Antarctica) but when I needed to warm up, .I popped into the crows nest. I had a port cabin, but honestly rarely used my balcony...

[RuthC]

To Ruth: hoping to see Cape Horn in about 74 or so days..... I missed it on our Antarctica cruise- the passage was so late and foggy I didn't stay up.

I hope you make it this time. It really is a kick to add this to your list of things completed. It's not as if it's well marked, and it looks like so many other rocky places, but YOU will know.

 

My first two times were west-bound, so the Cape Horn cruising was at dinner time. It was plenty light out, calm seas, and the first time it was sort of warm! I was out there without a coat.

[deadzone1003]

Thank you for all your responses. We just upgraded to a starboard Verandah in the middle of the ship. A port side verandah is available but it is close to the bow. You don't want to do this cruise at the bow. We did a 32-day repositioning cruise on the Royal Caribbean's Mariner of the Seas from LA to Sao Paolo in 2011 - it was a bouncy and windy cruise, probably our least favorite cruise of our life. Didn't help that the food was not very good. After this cruise, we will be heading up to Rio for Carnaval - so for us the high points of this cruise will be Antarctica and Rio.

[tatabea]

Just wondering if they traditionally do this cruise every year. I'd love to do it, but not until 2019. Thanks for your responses in advance.

[SilvertoGold]

Just wondering if they traditionally do this cruise every year. I'd love to do it, but not until 2019. Thanks for your responses in advance.

 

With HAL you have a choice of three sailing dates a year for the Antarctic cruise, one in December and two in January.

 

The Christmas cruise is fantastic!

Edited January 14, 2017 by SilvertoGold

[RuthC]

Just wondering if they traditionally do this cruise every year.

The South America/Antarctica cruise has been going every year at least as far back as 2002, which is when I first took it. I decided based on a review I read, so it goes back further than that.

 

There have been rumors over the years that "this year" could be the last, due to changes in rules as to the size of ships allowed there. So far, there have been changes in the type of fuel the large ships may use, but the ships can still go.

[Traveler 13]

Just off the Zaandam from Valparaiso to Buenos Aires and the port side is better if you have a verandah.

[JanDom]

We loved this cruise !! It was one of our best cruises ever !!

We had an OV at the aft of Deck 7. The most important thing for us during the whole cruise was to be outside on the outer decks to look around.

In Antarctica we were standing outside the whole day, so during three weeks we only went to the cabin to get a short nap before going outside again :)