So. America and Antarctica cruise in Feb.

[San Diego Ellie]

I have read a lot on January vs. March cruises regarding rough seas. However, we are thinking of the Feb. 19 sixteen day cruise on the Star Princess. We have a hold on a cabin and on flights with frequent flier mileage, and have to make a decision within two days. We could not get frequent flier mileage for January, but I do want the best odds on the least chance of very rough seas.Is February likely to be a better or worse bet for good seas than a January cruise?

[greatam]

I have read a lot on January vs. March cruises regarding rough seas. However, we are thinking of the Feb. 19 sixteen day cruise on the Star Princess. We have a hold on a cabin and on flights with frequent flier mileage, and have to make a decision within two days. We could not get frequent flier mileage for January, but I do want the best odds on the least chance of very rough seas.Is February likely to be a better or worse bet for good seas than a January cruise?

 

There really is NO answer to your question. I was on the Mercury in mid Feb. 2002. Seas were VERY rough around the Drake passage and it snowed. Lots of people sick

 

Another X South America cruise in mid January 2006. Seas were almost glassy. But the next cruise (still January) hit 30-40 foot waves.

 

There is no answer to your question. Be prepared for rough seas. The Drake Passage is usually very rough. If you get smooth sailing, be thankful.

[sle]

We are booked on the Feb. 19 cruise, hope you join us. We were on the Royal Princess the end of Jan. 2003 and around the Horn, the seas were glass. However, the cruise 2 weeks later had very rough seas - the gift shop took a big hit as items flew off the shelves. We are planning on high seas but hope to be pleasantly surprised. One just never knows what the seas will be like, but think positive.

[Keith1010]

I have now done this route two times and I agree with the other poster. There is no magic time to go and this will just vary from voyage to voyage. On our first voyage we had very rough seas going around cape horn and just a couple of other areas and the odds say those seas will be rough. On our trip earlier this year going around the cape was relatively smooth and we sailed off Antarctica for almost three days and the seas were very calm and everything was magical.

 

If it was me I would go with the February dates because I think it's a good time to be in these ports of call. If I was concerned about the seas (which I am) bring some things with you to deal with motion sickness. I now take three things with us; Bonine, Sea Bands and the Patch. The patch we brought with us for the very first time as we were on a world cruise earlier this year and didn't use it but it was good to know we had it just in case. I did use the sea bands and as they say it's good for some people and not for others. And once in a while the Bonine.

 

Cruising South America is wonderful. It is very prestine with far fewer cruise ships than one finds in say Alaska.

 

Keith

[sle]

When in Ushuaia, did you do the cruise line excursions, or did you do it on your own. I have read that some hired a taxi. Do you know what their fares were. We are wanting to go to the park.

[Keith1010]

When in Ushuaia, did you do the cruise line excursions, or did you do it on your own. I have read that some hired a taxi. Do you know what their fares were. We are wanting to go to the park.

 

We did this one through the cruise line.

 

Keith

[San Diego Ellie]

Thanks for sharing your experience Keith. We have gone ahead and booked the February cruise.

[Keith1010]

Thanks for sharing your experience Keith. We have gone ahead and booked the February cruise.

 

Thats is wonderful. Congratulations on the booking!! It will be a wonderful cruise. If you have other questions as you do your planning, be sure to post them here.

 

Keith

[sle]

Keith which excursion did you do in Ushuia? When we went in 2003, we did the one that took you to a lake which included finger foods, which was very nice. We are leaning on going on the one that does the end of the road, still trying to find out what a taxi fare would be. In Punta Arenas we will probably do the penguin one. My wife did it before without me, she feels that I should do it this time.

[Keith1010]

sle, in Ushuaia, the first time around we did the Tierra Mayor Natural Reserve Trek. It was wonderful. Beautiful scenery. On our most recent visit we did the Catamaran on the Beagle Channel. It was very nice and we saw lots of wildlife from the Catamaran. After each tour we also walked around the town for a couple of hours. It's an easy town to walk around with a variety of shops.

 

Punta Arenas. I highly recommend seeing the Penguins. It was a wonderful excursion.

 

Now, one piece of advice. Bring a heavy jacket, a sweater, a hat, gloves, and waterproff pants. The key is to layer. It was very windy when we did the Penguins in Punta Arenas so we kept everything on. For the trek it became reasonably warm so as we were hiking we eventually took off some of the items. But be prepared.

 

It's an interesting cruise as it is warm in Buenos Aires and Valparaiso (summer time) but cooler as you go south.

 

Keith

[sle]

Thanks Keith for the Information, yes it will be cold, when we went around the cape, it was very smooth, never did have bad weather, I think that we had a little rain in Ushaia, but nothing to keep us in. Port Stanley was a pleasant surprise, it was partly sunny, very colorful little town, very British. On the way to the glaciers, it got very cold, but we were prepared.

Just heard on Good America, that BA had snow, first time in about 40 years.

[sle]

Hi Keith It appears that it will be a tender in Punta Arenas, four years ago we were docked at the pier which was several miles from the town. Did you also do a tender the last time and where to get off in town or at the pier area? We may be booking a private tour to the penguin colony.

 

Bob

[Keith1010]

Bob, this last time we were supposed to tender but the seas were too rough so we could not tender in. The time before that I was on Seabourn which is a small ship (200 passengers) and I just can't remember for that port whether we were docked or tendered. I'm sorry and I just tried to look it up but the daily program that we had does not show that.

 

I know that when we were recently there there was one other cruise ship that we could see and it also was going to tender passengers over to Punta Arenas just like us until it got too windy.

 

Keith

[sle]

Keith thanks for the information. I am assuming if you did not tender because of windy conditions, you docked, is that correct? I hope they did not cancel the port.

[Keith1010]

Bob, I'm afraid they had to cancel the port as there was a lot of concern that if the winds got worse and they had brought people over there that they would not be able to tender them back. There was another ship that was in the area and evidently it got hit very hard by the winds/sea and several passengers had to be taken off the ship and many of the dishes broke. We saw the ship a couple of days later and at other points during the cruise. Thank goodness we had been there before because it's a wonderful place. We just think the Penguin Excursion over the is one not to miss.

 

Keith

[sle]

Keith thanks for the information. Hope it is a nice day. I do not understand why we have to tender, when we were there in 2003, we were docked at a pier several miles away from the middle of town, which Princess provided shuttle service to and from the pier into town. Was the ship anchored all day or did they give you a sight seeing tour to the around the Beagle Channel?

[Keith1010]

We stayed anchored till about noon as a ship came out there to refuel us and another delivered supplies. Then we headed off to the next port of call.

 

Keith

[sle]

Keith I received an email today from a tour operator about the tender in Punta Arenas. "All ships with a length of more than 250 meters can not dock in J Mardones port, and the Star Princess has a length of 289 meters. There is not a big difference so that is why the port agent is analyzing the possibility of changing the actual plan and perhaps we will know that in a couple of months." In 2003 we were docked at the pier,which we was on the Old Royal Princess which was much smaller, I believe it carried 1200 passengers. Hopefully the port authority will change their policy. I think you should join us on this cruise, you sure know a lot about the area. Now the Falkland Islands may be another story too, if the weather is bad we will not be able to get in as it is also a tender. I guess we were lucky in 2003, as we had very good weather.

 

Bob

[Keith1010]

Thanks, Bob. I'm already on another cruise duriing ths time frame. If I can help with anything else, just let me know.

 

Keith

[sle]

We have booked the penguin private tour in Punta Arenas, it appears that it will be a tender. Do you know if Princess gives priority tickets to get off the ship in the first tenders if you are not doing the Princess excursions?

[nho9504]

We have booked the penguin private tour in Punta Arenas, it appears that it will be a tender. Do you know if Princess gives priority tickets to get off the ship in the first tenders if you are not doing the Princess excursions?

 

Most likely not. Why would they give priority when you choose not to go with Princess?

 

However, if you have status with Princess, and have a suite, may be the conciege desk would accommodate. Try that route.

 

We just booked the Feb 19 sailing as well. Now looking into the AA air.

[nancycoop1]

Hi - we have booked the February 16th cruise on HAL. I really appreciate all the information here on Punta Arenas. We have booked a private penguin tour and hope we are able to do it.

[San Diego Ellie]

nho, there is a very active roll call for our 2/19 Star Princess voyage that you might want to check out.