Hotel in Valpariso or Santiago

[highplanesdrifters]

Calling all CC Intelligentsia.

We are booked on the Wind -  Puntaranas to Valpariso, 10-26 to 11-18.  Does anyone know what hotel Silversea is using Post cruise?  They have been less than forthcoming with information. Multiple TA's are trying to gather this intel for our group.   They can't even tell us what city.  We know what hotels they have used in the past. Unfortunately that is the past and doesn't help now.  We are booked at the Mandarin Oriental for 3 nights starting on 11-19 and are trying to figure out where to plan our transfer and tours from on 11- 18.  Or if we even want to stay in the Silversea hotel. We will not use the Silversea transfer.  Busses = Covid, ;-).

Thanks much!

[kimanjo]

3 hours ago, highplanesdrifters said:

Calling all CC Intelligentsia.

We are booked on the Wind -  Puntaranas to Valpariso, 10-26 to 11-18.  Does anyone know what hotel Silversea is using Post cruise?  They have been less than forthcoming with information. Multiple TA's are trying to gather this intel for our group.   They can't even tell us what city.  We know what hotels they have used in the past. Unfortunately that is the past and doesn't help now.  We are booked at the Mandarin Oriental for 3 nights starting on 11-19 and are trying to figure out where to plan our transfer and tours from on 11- 18.  Or if we even want to stay in the Silversea hotel. We will not use the Silversea transfer.  Busses = Covid, ;-).

Thanks much!

 

I have suggested to others.  Book 100% cancellable stays at both the Mandarin and the Ritz Carlton.  I did just that, for our Cloud Antarctica Nov 2021, and as soon as I found out which one it was,  cancelled the other.  The only "wrinkle"  is if they start using the Singular.

[highplanesdrifters]

15 hours ago, kimanjo said:

 

I have suggested to others.  Book 100% cancellable stays at both the Mandarin and the Ritz Carlton.  I did just that, for our Cloud Antarctica Nov 2021, and as soon as I found out which one it was,  cancelled the other.  The only "wrinkle"  is if they start using the Singular.

Good call and thanks for your response@kimanjo Its the tours and transfer we're trying to navigate. The TAs suspect the hotel will be near the airport. So we'll just carry on and slip Valparaiso and the airport hotel. 

[kimanjo]

9 hours ago, highplanesdrifters said:

Good call and thanks for your response@kimanjo Its the tours and transfer we're trying to navigate. The TAs suspect the hotel will be near the airport. So we'll just carry on and slip Valparaiso and the airport hotel. 

 

This is a B2B correct?  Are you trying to figure out which hotel in Valparaiso? Or if you disembark in Valparaiso then go directly to Santiago and hotel there for the night?  Good logistical question.  

[highplanesdrifters]

14 hours ago, kimanjo said:

 

This is a B2B correct?  Are you trying to figure out which hotel in Valparaiso? Or if you disembark in Valparaiso then go directly to Santiago and hotel there for the night?  Good logistical question.  

Exactly! Thanks @kimanjo for putting your thinking cap on.

 

Having given up on Silversea, we've booked a private transfer tour and first night at Hotel Casa Real - Vina Santa Rita. It is an old wine estate south of Santiago.  We will then transfer to the Mandarin Oriental  for some post cruise chill time and perhaps a few touristy things thrown in.  Fortunately we booked MO ages ago for some decent pricing. We really like Santiago.

Anyone traveling these days knows about the challenges out there. Even though we've paid for them, the less we rely on Silversea for transfers and  hotels the better. I'm sure the trip will be just lovely once we are onboard!

[kimanjo]

Oh boy are there challenges!  We are full-time nomads since February.  We have spent from end of February to August in South America.  We have seen Iguazu Falls, northern Argentina ( Salta and Jujuy region)  Montevideo,  Spent months in Buenos Aires.  Arequipa and Colca Canyon Peru.  Cusco,  week in Sacred Valley, 2 days of hiking Machu Pichu.  Three weeks of beach bumming Cartegna Colombia.  Quito, then off  to Silver Origin for a week in the Galapagos!  Whew, thats a lot...   We also did 16 nights Antarctica Nov 2021, starting in Santiago.  We've been to Santiago before and really enjoy the city.

 

We are now back in the States, visiting the kids, re-supplying and heading back out on the road next week.

 

Edited October 9, 2022 by kimanjo

[highplanesdrifters]

20 hours ago, kimanjo said:

Oh boy are there challenges!  We are full-time nomads since February.  We have spent from end of February to August in South America.  We have seen Iguazu Falls, northern Argentina ( Salta and Jujuy region)  Montevideo,  Spent months in Buenos Aires.  Arequipa and Colca Canyon Peru.  Cusco,  week in Sacred Valley, 2 days of hiking Machu Pichu.  Three weeks of beach bumming Cartegna Colombia.  Quito, then off  to Silver Origin for a week in the Galapagos!  Whew, thats a lot...   We also did 16 nights Antarctica Nov 2021, starting in Santiago.  We've been to Santiago before and really enjoy the city.

 

We are now back in the States, visiting the kids, re-supplying and heading back out on the road next week.

 

Hot diggity dog @kimango!!! You're leaving it on the field. I love it. This will be out 3rd expedition trip with other domestic trips for filler this year. Now I feel like a slacker. 😃 You're my hero!

Where are you headed next week? And I would love to hear more about your favorite parts of your SA trip if you choose to share. I don't think anyone would object if you posted here.  Especially beach bumming Columbia. Our beloved beach shack in Sanibel was wiped away. We usually spend a month or two there, easy to invite family. Time for a plan B.  I think we're headed back to Antarctica in 2024. Cloud has a nice itinerary that has 5 days in South Georgia and drops you in South Africa. But I do love being a beach bum. 

[kimanjo]

26 minutes ago, highplanesdrifters said:

Hot diggity dog @kimango!!! You're leaving it on the field. I love it. This will be out 3rd expedition trip with other domestic trips for filler this year. Now I feel like a slacker. 😃 You're my hero!

Where are you headed next week? And I would love to hear more about your favorite parts of your SA trip if you choose to share. I don't think anyone would object if you posted here.  Especially beach bumming Columbia. Our beloved beach shack in Sanibel was wiped away. We usually spend a month or two there, easy to invite family. Time for a plan B.  I think we're headed back to Antarctica in 2024. Cloud has a nice itinerary that has 5 days in South Georgia and drops you in South Africa. But I do love being a beach bum. 

 

Not really a social media type, but started an "insta-jam" for our few friends and family who want to see what we are up to.. It's private, but all you have to do is ask for an invite to view.

 

travelingstanleys is what you search for. Lots of pics and videos.

 

We have loved all of it.  Iguazu Falls was up there.  We stayed at the Gran Melia, and being right there in the park was one reason.    DH loved Galapagos.  If 10 being the best, everything has been a 9 or 10. Hard to say what is favorite.  Andean condors, Machu Pichu, Vicunas at 15,000 feet in Peru.

Beaching in Colombia... It's not like a luxurious island on holiday.  It's loud, busy, crazy, cheap.  People are lovely.  

 

We are off to Spain and Portugal, for about 6 weeks.  Then our plan is to catch a transatlantic Lisbon to Rio end of November, to get back to SA for hiking Patagonia starting December.  Trying to stay as active as possible.  Can't slow down. Life too short!

[highplanesdrifters]

15 minutes ago, kimanjo said:

 Can't slow down. Life too short!

I hear ya! Thanks for the quick review. Just sent an instajam request.😉

[kimanjo]

4 hours ago, highplanesdrifters said:

I hear ya! Thanks for the quick review. Just sent an instajam request.😉

 

Ok'd your request.  

 

[highplanesdrifters]

Thanks. Great journeys. Agree on the social media. I've been trying to pay it back on CC, did a few lives. But it sure is getting nasty on these boards.

[caradara]

Just received our hotel for Nov. 12, 2022 and it is the Mandarin Oriental in Santiago.

[safarigal]

1 hour ago, caradara said:

Just received our hotel for Nov. 12, 2022 and it is the Mandarin Oriental in Santiago.

Thanks! Hopefully it will be the same for our November 27th trip 🙂

[highplanesdrifters]

1 hour ago, caradara said:

Just received our hotel for Nov. 12, 2022 and it is the Mandarin Oriental in Santiago.

Thanks so much for the heads up. Which ship are you on? We are on the Wind.

 

Still nothing on our docs. Will check with our TA and see if she can get any info.

To add insult to injury we spent the $200 for Blacklane. Blacklane said they could not provide the service. Silversea said they would only refund $175. Jeez. TA is fighting the $25 battle.  It's a jungle out there.

[caradara]

I'm on the Explorer and it's Mandarin Oriental both pre and post (Nov. 12 and 25).  It just showed up today under My Silversea.

[rkacruiser]

7 hours ago, caradara said:

Just received our hotel for Nov. 12, 2022 and it is the Mandarin Oriental in Santiago.

 

The hotel looks very, very nice.  

[alithecat]

@caradaraWhere does this show up in My Silversea? Is it under Details? I still see a Simply Hotel, but our cruise is in December.

[highplanesdrifters]

13 hours ago, alithecat said:

@caradaraWhere does this show up in My Silversea? Is it under Details? I still see a Simply Hotel, but our cruise is in December.

I believe you are looking in the right place. We're also staying at a Simply Hotel.😃

[highplanesdrifters]

17 hours ago, caradara said:

I'm on the Explorer and it's Mandarin Oriental both pre and post (Nov. 12 and 25).  It just showed up today under My Silversea.

Thanks! We're on the Explorer in April. Let us know how the old girl is doing.

[caradara]

Yes it showed up yesterday under details.  Before that it said Simply Hotel.  So not until 29 days out.

[kimanjo]

15 hours ago, rkacruiser said:

 

The hotel looks very, very nice.  

 

It is lovely.  You can walk to the outdoor "mall" right up the street. Or you can walk a longer distance if you are up to it, and walk to Costanera Tower/Mall ( which has a ton of outdoor outfitters for anyone who might need something if their cruise is starting)  Just ask for directions.  The pool area is especially lovely in November.

Edited October 16, 2022 by kimanjo

[highplanesdrifters]

On 10/16/2022 at 6:55 AM, kimanjo said:

 

It is lovely.  You can walk to the outdoor "mall" right up the street. Or you can walk a longer distance if you are up to it, and walk to Costanera Tower/Mall ( which has a ton of outdoor outfitters for anyone who might need something if their cruise is starting)  Just ask for directions.  The pool area is especially lovely in November.

@kimanjolooks perfect for our post cruse chill. Did you eat at any of their restaurants? Still no word from SS on the post cruise hotel.  We leave in a week.  🤣

[cruiseej]

On 10/15/2022 at 2:30 PM, caradara said:

I'm on the Explorer and it's Mandarin Oriental both pre and post (Nov. 12 and 25).  It just showed up today under My Silversea.

 

Well, it's good to know SS actually has a hotel for Santiago travelers; I've been wondering if "Simply" might be a tent in a city park. 😉 Our trip is mid-December, like @alithecat, and we're still showing "Simply" on MySS.

 

For anyone traveling in the next month or so, and who has air booked through Silversea, can you share if/when your air booking was actually ticketed? Although we've had our flights booked for many months, as @FlyerTalker reminds us, things aren't certain until the cruise line actually tickets the flights. We're now at 60 days out, and we're not yet ticketed. I'm just wondering how far out SS is ticketing flights these days. Although American recently changed all the flight times with their updated schedule for December and January, our flights till mercifully exist, but I won't feel relaxed until I see they flights have been ticketed.

[FlyerTalker]

1 hour ago, cruiseej said:

 Although we've had our flights booked for many months, as @FlyerTalker reminds us, things aren't certain until the cruise line actually tickets the flights. We're now at 60 days out, and we're not yet ticketed. I'm just wondering how far out SS is ticketing flights these days. Although American recently changed all the flight times with their updated schedule for December and January, our flights till mercifully exist, but I won't feel relaxed until I see they flights have been ticketed.

 

Please remember that even after you are ticketed, you may still have schedule changes.  The difference is that these would be carrier initiated changes, not ones done by the cruiseline.  So please don't go into "everything is locked in stone" mode - things can, and do, change after ticketing.

 

For example - have a January trip where I deliberately booked a 5 hour connection in DFW - to cater to some lounge hopping and with two other later flights into DFW as backups if my flight goes mechanical (MX).  AA changed the flight time of my initial departure by 2 minutes (keeping the flight number) and moved me to the most immediate flight before my international long-haul.  Took a 25 minute phone call to get back to the original flight, including the time to convince the agent I actually wanted the longer connection.

 

So keep an eye on your flights.  As the Boy Scouts say - Be Prepared!

[highplanesdrifters]

Finally got the confirmation today that it's the Mandarin Oriental on our trip. One week before we leave. Pleased after reading about the No Tell Motel SS put some folks up at. 

 

@cruiseejhope you don't get the tent city!🤣  I hear SS is calling it 5* glamping.

 

@FlyerTalker I hear ya on the double check and connection time.  We're flying in to DFW the night before our flight to SJO just to be safe. Plus we don't have to get up at 3am to catch a flight. 😉