January 7th NCL Star cruise to Antarctica , Argentina and Chile with a 10 day stay photo travelogue

[scubacruiserx2]

 A couple more quick photos of what we have seen before and hope to see again in B.A.

 

 The English Tower from our Hotel 

 

Torre Monumental (Spanish for "Monumental Tower"), formerly known as Torre de los Ingleses ("Tower of the English"), is a clock tower located in the barrio (district) of Retiro in Buenos Aires, Argentina. It is situated in the Plaza Fuerza Aérea Argentina (formerly Plaza Británica) by Avenida San Martín and Avenida del Libertador. It was a gift from the local British community to the city in commemoration of the centennial of the May Revolution of 1810.

After the Falklands War/Malvinas War in 1982, the tower's original name was dropped, though some still call it Torre de los Ingleses.

 

 

This view is from space and shows the brown water of the Rio de la Plata and the blue water of the Atlantic Ocean . The red arrow is near the port of Buenos aires and the blue arrow is near the port of Montevideo . It's very shallow and ships move slowly through the river until they reach the deeper ocean .

 

 

A view from our hotel and the ship that took us to Antarctica and the Falkland Islands - the HAL Zanndam . Like the Star , she is an older ship .

 

 

Watch your step in the city

 

 

Eva on the Peso . She is not on all the 100 pesos so we kept this one . It is currently worth 12 cents on XE Currency . The Dollar is worth 792 pesos and our guide says with the new president , Javier Milei , who was sworn in last Sunday , the rate may change with the Dollar being worth more . So bring crisp , new money to exchange .

 

 

 

This is the closest that we have gotten to the Star , in Cozumel .

 

 

Edited December 17, 2023 by scubacruiserx2

[scubacruiserx2]

Error

Edited December 17, 2023 by scubacruiserx2

[ColdCruise]

Thanks for the camera info @scubacruiserx2 and for sharing your memories via your photos.

 

i agree, Antarctica is the show .. I am hooked, now to wait for my 2025 visit!

this was a good “fix” 🤗

 

I knew about the water convergence but that photo from space and of your HAL ship in it… wow!

[scubacruiserx2]

Entering the Port of Buenos Aires

 

 

Edited December 18, 2023 by scubacruiserx2

[scubacruiserx2]

11 hours ago, ColdCruise said:

Thanks for the camera info @scubacruiserx2 and for sharing your memories via your photos.

 

i agree, Antarctica is the show .. I am hooked, now to wait for my 2025 visit!

this was a good “fix” 🤗

 

I knew about the water convergence but that photo from space and of your HAL ship in it… wow!

 

 Before we on the cruise 2 weeks from Thursday we hope to share a couple photos from each port . We usually pick a theme song for each cruise and this one is no exception . From one of our favorite artist - Al Stewart . First the lyrics and then the video .

"Antarctica"
 

Long before I ever saw
The frost upon your face
I was haunted by your beauty
And it drew me to this place
I felt the chill of mystery
With one foot on your shore
And then and there resolved to go
Where no man had before

[Chorus:]
Maybe I was snowblind
But it seemed the wind spoke true
And I believed its stories then
As dreamers sometimes do
In Antarctica
In Antarctica

Who knows what the powers may be
That cause a man to go

Mindless of the dangers
Out across the virgin snow
Seduced by this ambition
I easily forget
The hopeless quest of Shackleton
The dreamlike death of Scott

[Chorus]

Maybe I was snowblind
Perhaps it sapped my will
But something of my innocence
Is wandering there still
In Antarctica
In Antarctica
In Antarctica
In Antarctica

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited December 18, 2023 by scubacruiserx2

[scubacruiserx2]

 

[scubacruiserx2]

 The story behind the song is that Al had met a girl that refused his advances and was as cold as ice . He explains the musical inspiration for the song and performs it live with his band here . Not how the piano /guitar player looks like Tom Hanks in the move Big .

 

 

 

Edited December 18, 2023 by scubacruiserx2

[Sugar Magnolia]

19 minutes ago, scubacruiserx2 said:

 The story behind the song is that Al had met a girl that refused his advances and was as cold as ice . He explains the musical inspiration for the song and performs it live with his band here .

 

 

And he is still touring!

 

[scubacruiserx2]

5 hours ago, Sugar Magnolia said:

 

And he is still touring!

 

 

 The last time that we saw him was 3 years ago about an hour from where we live . He wrote a new song that hasn't been recorded yet but he has given us permission to show it on Facebook . The song is called " Young Again " , and it's about getting old and he forgot the lyrics ! We sent it to him thru Facebook and he linked it on his web sight with a like .

 

 

He also took one of our favorite songs ( Midas Shadow ) and rewrote all of the lyrics for the locals . You may want to use the CC to read the words .

 

 

He's a very funny and friendly person who will allow photos , sign record and chat after concerts sometimes .

 

 

 

 I was a fan of his just after leaving the Navy in 1974 , 2 years and 2 albums before I met my future wife in 1976 . When The Year of the Cat came out that year they did a tour to promote the album in Miami . I had some good tickets but Pat didn't want to go to the concert . So I took my old roomate instead of her .

 Fast foward to 2015 and we were in London and he played 2 complete albums including Y.O.T. C . at the Royal Albert Hall , with many of his original band members . So here's it is @ The Royal Albert Hall .

 

 

 

Edited December 18, 2023 by scubacruiserx2

[scubacruiserx2]

20 hours ago, ColdCruise said:

Thanks for the camera info @scubacruiserx2 and for sharing your memories via your photos.

 

i agree, Antarctica is the show .. I am hooked, now to wait for my 2025 visit!

this was a good “fix” 🤗

 

I knew about the water convergence but that photo from space and of your HAL ship in it… wow!

 

 We will show a few newer photos for all of the ports that we hope to be visiting before we go in 2 weeks . We will also do a proper review when we get back on this thread . We can't do a live with our cameras and the internet is very slow , but we will keep in touch while on our cruise .

[scubacruiserx2]

  Following the Sun into Montevideo

 

 

The Navy base

 

 

The Palacio Salvo

 

 

Follow the green brick road 

 

 

Welcome to Montevideo NCL 

 

[ColdCruise]

Thanks for shari nag, again.  Look forward to your photos and commentary in January.

[dhanakorn]

I’m on Star right now. While I like most of the ports, the onboard experience has not been great. The food on this cruise was noticeably worse than all other NCL cruises I’ve taken. I was in club balcony room on 11th floor. Almost every morning I was waken by the loud noise and vibration when they unloaded the tenders (sometimes at 5:30am!). We have rough sea when sailing further-down south to Uruguay and my room makes a lot of loud squeaky noise all night long. 

[scubacruiserx2]

54 minutes ago, dhanakorn said:

I’m on Star right now. While I like most of the ports, the onboard experience has not been great. The food on this cruise was noticeably worse than all other NCL cruises I’ve taken. I was in club balcony room on 11th floor. Almost every morning I was waken by the loud noise and vibration when they unloaded the tenders (sometimes at 5:30am!). We have rough sea when sailing further-down south to Uruguay and my room makes a lot of loud squeaky noise all night long. 

 

 Thank you for sharing and we're happy that you liked the ports . I'm prone to insomnia , so I can relate to your plight . Can you share what area ( cabin ) you are in so we can avoid it ? We're on deck 9 foward and concerned if they anchor as we had a cabin like that on a Celebrity cruise and it was very noisy . 

 As for the food , that one of the things that most people cruise for  Are there any good dining experiences ?

 As for me , my wife's cooking is too good and with unlimited access I've gained more weight than normal . I guess I'm one of those strange bird that lose weight on a cruise by exercising more walking and with limited access to good food  ( I hope ) . Enjoy your day in Punta del Este .

Edited December 19, 2023 by scubacruiserx2

[scubacruiserx2]

Buenos Aires cruise terminal collapes . Story here

 

https://www.seatrade-cruise.com/ports-destinations/new-buenos-aires-check-process-after-storm-damages-cruise-terminal

[dhanakorn]

23 minutes ago, scubacruiserx2 said:

Buenos Aires cruise terminal collapes . Story here

 

https://www.seatrade-cruise.com/ports-destinations/new-buenos-aires-check-process-after-storm-damages-cruise-terminal

I am not sure what is going to happen when we disembark in Buenos Aires in a couple days. 

[dhanakorn]

2 hours ago, scubacruiserx2 said:

 

 Thank you for sharing and we're happy that you liked the ports . I'm prone to insomnia , so I can relate to your plight . Can you share what area ( cabin ) you are in so we can avoid it ? We're on deck 9 foward and concerned if they anchor as we had a cabin like that on a Celebrity cruise and it was very noisy . 

 As for the food , that one of the things that most people cruise for  Are there any good dining experiences ?

 As for me , my wife's cooking is too good and with unlimited access I've gained more weight than normal . I guess I'm one of those strange bird that lose weight on a cruise by exercising more walking and with limited access to good food  ( I hope ) . Enjoy your day in Punta del Este .

Punta del este port is skipped today due to high wind. It’s a tender port so the captain decided that it’s unsafe for tendering to pier. 
 

I am staying in club balcony room on 11th floor mid-ship, right below the pool area. I can hear the noise and vibration loud and clear when they start using the crane to lower the tender boats. Generally I would mind the noise and vibration but it’s such an early morning. 7am arrival means they have to start the tender operation around 5:30am! We have a lot of early tender ports on this cruise, so this becomes a little bit of problem if you aren’t morning riser. 
 

Food in MDR and buffet are generally bad. I was on Star this summer for Northern European cruise and food was much better. Some wines were not loaded in Rio so we don’t have the same wine list as European cruises. Food in specialty dining restaurants are the same quality as what I had on previous cruise. So the cut back is mainly in MDR and buffet. 

[dhanakorn]

Pork chop in MDR is so tough and dry, barely edible. They shouldn’t even serve this to customer. 

 

Basque cake also lacks of flavor. I think they should add more butter. 

 

I have cruised with NCL for almost 10 years and generally don’t have any complaints about the food. But this particular cruise has the worst food in MDR/buffet compared to all other cruises I’ve taken. 

[scubacruiserx2]

2 hours ago, dhanakorn said:

I am not sure what is going to happen when we disembark in Buenos Aires in a couple days. 

 

 From what I read it will not affect your cruise - only the Embarkation of future cruises . Sorry that you had to miss your port . On our last cruise to Ushuaia we got within 1 mile of the pier on Christmas Day before the Captain cancelled the port .

 

 

 

[scubacruiserx2]

 We will share our DIY tour of Montevideo . At the port we were with some CC friends and we offered a free "tour " of a leather shop with discount prices . They bought some but we didn't . Following the map that they gave us we passed this statute of Artigas , considered to be the father of independence of Uruguay .

 

 

 

The Palaico Salvo at present, on that same historic site, inside Palacio Salvo, the Tango Museum of Montevideo is open to the public, and exhibits the history of La Cumparsita and of Uruguayan Tango.^[2]

^Wikipedia

The Constitution Plaza was a cool rest from the heat and many people were selling many antiques including nautical pieces . We didn't have room in our suitcases but they had some good prices .

 

 

 We saw a wedding couple being showered with rice

 

 

 And lots of graffiti

 

 

 

 

We were not thirsty - even if it was the Beatles Bar

 

 

But being good cruise ship passengers , we were getting hungry !

Edited December 19, 2023 by scubacruiserx2

[KforKitty]

6 hours ago, dhanakorn said:

I’m on Star right now. While I like most of the ports, the onboard experience has not been great. The food on this cruise was noticeably worse than all other NCL cruises I’ve taken. I was in club balcony room on 11th floor. Almost every morning I was waken by the loud noise and vibration when they unloaded the tenders (sometimes at 5:30am!). We have rough sea when sailing further-down south to Uruguay and my room makes a lot of loud squeaky noise all night long. 

We had this issue on the Star in an ordinary balcony room on deck 8 in May this year.  One of the tenders was directly below us.

Looking at your signature, I think we were on the same cruise to Trømso, so you will know we did a fair few tender ports on this itinerary.

 

Catherine 

 

[scubacruiserx2]

  So what to eat ?

The vegetables and fruit looked good but they are more a snack or a side than a meal . And wife likes to rinse uncooked food before we eat it . 

 

 

Daniel and Sarah were our tour mates and are from Australia . But Daniel was born and raised in South America and he had wanted some Asada . Which was a great call and we found it here .

 

 

There was some serious grilling going on here .

 

 

We had stopped at a store earlier for a cool drink and I wanted a little Patricia but they were out .

 

 

This is where we ate lunch

 

 

My Lunch

 

 

And Patty had a little lamb

 

 

Patricia was on the drink menu , but they were out so we settled for a local brew

 

 

We were close to the ship now so we practiced our waddle back and took an air conditioned Siesta .

Edited December 19, 2023 by scubacruiserx2

[scubacruiserx2]

Tomorrow we will be back early with our 3rd scheduled port , Puerto Madryn .

[scubacruiserx2]

  The wind didn't just cancel embarkations in B.A. with a partial collapse of the cruise terminal .

 

https://www.seatrade-cruise.com/ports-destinations/new-buenos-aires-check-process-after-storm-damages-cruise-terminal

 

 It also caused 2 HAL cruise ships the Zaadam and the Oosterdam to miss the port in Punta del Este .

 

The winds in South America are part of the Clipper Route 

 

The Clipper Route, was followed by ships sailing between England and Australia or New Zealand . 

Wikipedia

 

 While clippers no longer use these winds , they still persist . And they aren't caused the Roaring Forties or Furious Fities for nothing .

 And speaking of Latitude , Ushuaia is at the same Latitude line as Copenhagen only one in the North and one in the South . And with the Winter Solstice on the horizon , Copenhagen can expect 7 hours of daylight with sunrise at 8:37 and sunset at 15:38 . Conversely , Ushuaia will get17 hours and 27 minutes of daylight . The sun rises at 04:51 and sets at 22:11 . So bring your sunglasses , sunscreen and sleeping masks ! 😎

[scubacruiserx2]

 Punta Arenas has a very long pier where you will have to walk if you have a private tour as we do . And if you are going to Punto Tombo it's a long walk .

 

 

 It's almost a 3 hour ride so look for critters .

 

 

We saw some rodents under a bush walking to see the penguins

 

 

 A three legged Guanaco

 

Edited December 20, 2023 by scubacruiserx2