Sailing Round The Horn

[j!m]

we are thinking about a cruise around the horn in jan/feb 08 and are interested in the experience of others. we think we remember from our history books (long time ago) that the sailing can be difficult with high seas and poor weather.

 

we would like to hear from folks who have done it an what your experience was.

[traveller123]

My experience last January was great. It was overcast the morning that we sailed past Cape Horn and there was very light rain falling. Then the rain stopped, the clouds lifted and we could see Cape Horn perfectly. The seas were relatively calm. It was only after we sailed south from Cape Horn and entered the Drake Passage that the seas got rough and the wind howled. It was like that for 24 hours until we entered Antarctica waters, and then the seas were very calm again.

 

Just a comment..... if you are going to spend the money on a South America cruise around the Horn, I suggest you spend the extra and include Antarctica. The scenery is incredible and it's a once in a lifetime experience (for most people). I can't imagine travelling all that way and not including Antarctica.

[j!m]

tx traveller123

 

would love to go to antarctica but my darlin isnt so keen on the idea. but i might trick her.

[Keith1010]

We went around Cape Horn on the Seabourn Pride in January of 2005 (the Pride is a small ship carrying only 200 passenger's) and my wife and I will be on the Crystal Serenity early next year and our cruise includes South America including going around the Horn and also sailing around Antartica.

 

The weather around the Horn will likely be poor as it is most of the year. Weather also changes rapidly. On our cruise they were going to take about 20 passenger's over to the Island there. There was a lottery to select the passenger's as many wanted to go. But, the odds of them going were about 1 in 3 cruises. That morning everything looked great but the captain noted that you just never know. Well about an hour before they were supposed to go the weather turned nasty and we had to leave.

 

Overall, expect choppy seas in that area. The rest of the cruise was quite calm except for a few minor times. But, expect about 12 to 24 hours of choppy seas. If it turns out not to be the case, all the good but if it does at least you expected that. If seas bother you, get either a prescription for a patch, or over the counter medication such as Bodine or Dramamine, or use Ginger or Sea Bands. But, I would bring something just in case.

 

South America is a wonderful cruise. While we think that Alaska is beautiful we found South America to be more beautiful, with great Fjords and the fact that there are far fewer tourists in the ports.

 

Keith

[Sandifer]

We're booked on the Celebrity cruise at the end of February and it shows on the itinerary Cape Horn and tendered. What does that mean? Do we sail around the Horn? We really hope we do and would appreciate any information from those who have done this cruise.

[nbevins]

that cruise with sail around the bottem of south america--sailing the horn.

weather can be rough but not always--there is a marker on shore

 

no stops--just cruising

 

you southern most port will be Ushuaia, Argentina

[Keith1010]

We're booked on the Celebrity cruise at the end of February and it shows on the itinerary Cape Horn and tendered. What does that mean? Do we sail around the Horn? We really hope we do and would appreciate any information from those who have done this cruise.

 

How close you get to it really depends on the weather. If the weather is rough (and the chances are good that it will be) you won't be able to see it from a distance. Safety is the number one priority for the captain when guiding the ship in any area and this one takes particular care.

 

Keith

[Splinter]

We went November-December 2001 from Santiago to Rio on the HAL Ryndam. The first day out of Santiago was some of the roughest seas I have ever seen...even I got seasick (and this is VERY rare). We lucked out with spectacular warm and clear weather in Puerto Montt, cool and rainy through the Chilian fjoirds, and sunny but cool through the Straits. Puenta Arena poured rain, Ushauia was clear and cold. The star gazing the night before the Cape (after 1230AM when it finally got dark enough) was spectacular. The next day was misty and cool, but the ocean was smooth with medium sized rollers. We again lucked out with a clear cool sunny day in Port Stanley (Thanksgiving Day). The rest of the trip was hot and sunny.

 

This is not a sunbathing trip for the most part, but the scenery is spectacular. I would recommend reading something about the history of the Cape if you can prior to taking your trip. We enjoyed reading Cape Horn: The Story of the Cape Horn Region before our trip.

[j!m]

thanks for all the useful information

[Bahama Kid]

We rounded the horn on Crystal Symphony this year about the 9th of April just after dawn. There was sleet, wind, and even patches of sunshine in 80 knott winds and 35 foot seas. The ship handled all this well. We thought it was awesome....a few stayed in their cabins.

[Bill S]

We rounded Cape Horn on Dec 26, 2003 and the seas were flat, calm with broken skies- a very quiet and enjoyable morning! We had expected the worst, but DW was extremely grateful that she was spared the rocking and rolling that we had been forewarned to expect.

[BCHappyGal]

We enjoyed that cruise aboard Celebrity's "Infinity".

 

Although I worried about the rough seas forcast for that area - we actually enjoyed 28 days of calm seas. The only rocking we got was between the Horn and the Falklands and that wa only slight. At the horn the weather was so good that the captain actually went around the horn and extra time for us photo buffs to have ample opportunity to get all the shots we wanted. It was cold tho!

 

This is a wonderful itinerary and I woudl recommend it to all!

[Bill S]

I found a picture of Cape Horn when we passed it in December 2003. The seas were really flat that morning!

 

[j!m]

thnx for all the info

 

bill great photo

 

i was most worried about rough seas as described above by bahama. i dont think my darlin would like 35 foot seas. not sure i would either. but it seems like all other trips, pay your money take your chances, might be great weather (seas), maybe not. i think we'll sign up.

[az.kuehn]

Great picture! We will be on the Infinity Jan. 28th sailing.Hope we have good weather!

[xpcdoojk]

We did this last year about this time on the HAL Rotterdam. The seas were flat and it was very cold and windy. The next morning we emerged from the straits and were nearly thrown out of our beds by the waves in the Pacific. We watched on the TV the waves spray going all the way to the bridge. The aft pool flooded the Lido cafe. We went to eat breakfast in the main dining room and the preset tables were having glasses and silverware falling off of them. After giggling thru our breakfast, I went back to bed (knowing this is the best place to stay) and my wife went to the gym to work out. Fortunately by noon we were back in sheltered waters. The rest of the trip had no significant wave activity.

 

jc

[elmel]

We just returned from "rounding the horn" and were among the lucky ones with a beautiful sunny sky and very calm seas. The captain circled the "Rock" ( which is what it is). However, we were told that the previous cruiise experienced 30 foot waves and all that goes with it. Much to our disappointment we missed the Falkland Islands when the captain decided it was too rough to use the tenders. We encountered a storm with 70 mph winds when we reached the Rio Plata river and as a result arrived in Buenas Aires at 3 PM rather than 8 AM. It is very evident that cruising arounf South America is unpredictable. It was a wonderful cruise with amazing scenery. penguins and interesting cities.

[j!m]

thanks for all the info folks

 

we are booked we are goin just tryin to work out side trip to machu picchu after cruise

[Keith1010]

Jim, I do want to mention that the odds are that you will encounter some choppy seas there. I spoke with our captain on our first sailing around the horn and he did confirm that the likelihood of bad weather in this area is high so the odds are for choppy seas. But, some voyages are not a problem as some posters have said. Just don't want you to think that the odds are for calm seas because I really don't think they are.

 

We will be going around Cape Horn for the second time this Feburary as part of a World Cruise that we are taking. So, we'll have to see what the weather is like then. I am not sure whether or not you have been to South America but if you haven't it is a wonderful place to cruise. Very beautiful scenery including the Fjords and far less cruise ships than you find in places such as Alaska.

 

Keith

[kideri]

Hi Jim,

I just returned from the South America cruise going from Valparaiso to Buenos Aires. We left on Nov 15 for 14 days. As has been mentioned you could have rough waters and you could have calm waters. We had rougher water during the first two days at sea going from Valparaiso to Puerto Montt. I have a web site where you can see some of the rough seas.

http://home.comcast.net/~kideri/nclcrown/day02.01.html

When we went around the horn on day 9 the seas were very calm and I have some pictures of that at:

http://home.comcast.net/~kideri/nclcrown/day09.01.html

We were on the Norwegian Crown. They offered free Meclizine (sp?) during the cruise at the reception desk. Many people were sea sick during the first two days. Once you get to Puerto Montt they are more inland and not on the high seas as they are in some of the channels. Things quieted down after that. Of course someone could take the same cruise and find that the first two days were great but around the horn was tough.

 

It was a great cruise and I would definitely recommend it. I enjoyed it more than Alaska. Good Luck

[kideri]

Hi Jim,

I just returned from the South America cruise going from Valparaiso to Buenos Aires. We left on Nov 15 for 14 days. As has been mentioned you could have rough waters and you could have calm waters. We had rougher water during the first two days at sea going from Valparaiso to Puerto Montt. I have a web site where you can see some of the rough seas.

http://home.comcast.net/~kideri/nclcrown/day02.01.html

When we went around the horn on day 9 the seas were very calm and I have some pictures of that at:

http://home.comcast.net/~kideri/nclcrown/day09.01.html

We were on the Norwegian Crown. They offered free Meclizine (sp?) during the cruise at the reception desk. Many people were sea sick during the first two days. Once you get to Puerto Montt they are more inland and not on the high seas as they are in some of the channels. Things quieted down after that. Of course someone could take the same cruise and find that the first two days were great but around the horn was tough.

 

It was a great cruise and I would definitely recommend it. I enjoyed it more than Alaska. Good Luck

[S&B]

Kideri,

Thanks so very much for posting your pictures. I really enjoyed looking at them. We are on the Dream to SA in February 2008. We chose the Dream because it was a smaller ship and I liked the itinerary. One of the other cruise lines does not go to Puertro Madryn. I shall be relooking at your pictures more as the days go by.

 

Thanks again.

[kideri]

Glad you enjoyed the pictures. I really enjoyed the cruise. I also liked being on a smaller ship just so that we could dock at the various ports. The only port we had to tender into was Port Stanley, Falkland Islands.

 

Hope you enjoy your cruise as much as we did.

 

Kideri