Past So. America Cruisers

[Mari129]

Hi fellow Oceania cruisers. We are scheduled to be on the Feb. 5, 2009 sailing from Buenos Aires to Rio. It's time to research our options for each port. Could you please write in with your suggestions, likes or dislikes.

Thank you for the information!

Mari

[whyme]

Hi fellow Oceania cruisers. We are scheduled to be on the Feb. 5, 2009 sailing from Buenos Aires to Rio. It's time to research our options for each port. Could you please write in with your suggestions, likes or dislikes.

Thank you for the information!

Mari

 

If you go to Yahoo groups.Oceania ,under File there is a complete review and list of guides our group used ...whyme71842@aol.com

[jrkfrk]

Mari

I just started a thread on the Insignia roll call board for this cruise. Please come over and post your question there - we need lots of suggestions, especially for some of the "smaller" less traveled ports!

Fran (and Jeff)

[serendipity1499]

Suggest you all go to the Ports of Call Board on Cruise Critic..

 

This is the URL for South America..

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=76

 

 

We've been to South America around the horn & to the Amazon twice, (on HAL & Oceania) & have always gleaned a great deal of info from the above mentioned board...Read the rules of posting first & then find all of your ports..There will be a great deal of info about them..:) :)

 

We took some of the private tours which were less expensive, right on the docks..You have to be sure to get back to the ship in time..If a car breaks down the ship will not wait for you..Our DH's carefully inspected the Taxi's & Cars before agreeing to take a private tour..We always took our tours in the morning & went back to the ship in time for lunch..

 

One thing we've never done is go to Iguacu Falls & regret it..Understand that the BA side is best...Maybe someday we will do it..The ship had a Tigre Delta Cruise in BA & it was very enjoyable..A lovely sunny afternoon...On our way there we stopped in a park where there was an arts & crafts show & had a wonderful hour for shopping there.. We had US. $$ & the vendors took them..Uruguay is known for it's leather & I purchased some lovely gifts there....We took the shuttle into Montevideo & shopped in the shops on the main street..

 

In most cities both Amsterdam Sauer & Stearns have shuttles that will take you to their shops..All you have to do is look & you don't have to buy unless you want to..After you spend a an hour or so looking at their jewelry & gifts, you can go off to other shops in town..When you are ready to go back to the ship, just return to their shop for a ride back...No charge but we always gave the driver a tip..I found that at Amsterdam Sauer, they would bargain with me more than Stearns..In Manaus we took the Stearns shuttle to the Hotel..After purchasing a lovely parrot from Amsterdam Sauer they took us back to the ship..

 

A word of caution: Have been to RIO twice before...Be very careful of your wallets & purses especially in RIO..Don't go out alone at night & stay on main streets & don't wander off by yourselves....Even with a group you must watch very carefully.. In the eighties, our group went out to Ipanema Beach..Our Hotel sent an armed guard with us while we were on the beach in RIO..Be very careful as the beaches of RIO have very heavy undertows & the tides are very dangerous..Even Strong swimmers have had bad accidents..

 

We were a group of eight walking back to our hotel after dinner..The ladies were about ten feet behind the Men & talking..Two lovely young women surrounded the men & began flirting with them..One of them went to lift DH's wallet..He was aware of it, grabbed her hand, twisted it at the same time I screamed..They fortunately were scared off, didn't get it..

 

I always take off ALL my Jewelry when out in the South American Cities..I wear only costume Jewelry & even leave my wedding & engagement ring in the ship safe...They constantly warn you of this while there..We've heard about gold chains being ripped off peoples necks..

 

Try to find a wallet that can be hidden under your clothing at places such as travel-smith.com. LL Bean or Orbis..Don't carry too much $$$ or more than one Credit card with you at a time while in the big cities..

 

DH & I each carry two different Credit Cards with different account numbers..And another joint credit card which we keep in the ships/hotel safe in case of theft..Be sure to notify all your credit card companies of your day by day itinerary & when you will be back home...Take their International phone numbers with you in case of loss or theft of credit cards.. We leave our passports in the safe & carry a photocopy when we are on shore excursions..All the shops will accept a photocopy for ID..

 

Even though these cities can be dangerous, I would go back in a minute, so don't worry just take precautions..

 

Some credit cards charge conversion fees when you purchase something outside of the U.S. from 1% up to 5%...Research your banks & find out if they charge a conversion fee as they can add up when purchasing expensive things..Many large companies will charge in U.S. $$ so you won't have to worry about conversion fees...CapitolONe Credit Cards don't charge conversion fees..DH & I each have our own individual CapitalOne cards with different Account Numbers which we use for shopping..In addition we carry our Chase Master Card with us for the Cruise & leave it in the safe..Make photocopies of all Credit Cards, Passports & Drivers Licenses & take it with you..

 

Sorry this is such a long post..Have fun in planning for your cruise..Wish I were coming along...;) ;) Betty

[lardor]

Suggest you all go to the Ports of Call Board on Cruise Critic..

 

This is the URL for South America..

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=76

 

 

We've been to South America around the horn & to the Amazon twice, (on HAL & Oceania) & have always gleaned a great deal of info from the above mentioned board...Read the rules of posting first & then find all of your ports..There will be a great deal of info about them..:) :)

 

We took some of the private tours which were less expensive, right on the docks..You have to be sure to get back to the ship in time..If a car breaks down the ship will not wait for you..Our DH's carefully inspected the Taxi's & Cars before agreeing to take a private tour..We always took our tours in the morning & went back to the ship in time for lunch..

 

One thing we've never done is go to Iguacu Falls & regret it..Understand that the BA side is best...Maybe someday we will do it..The ship had a Tigre Delta Cruise in BA & it was very enjoyable..A lovely sunny afternoon...On our way there we stopped in a park where there was an arts & crafts show & had a wonderful hour for shopping there.. We had US. $$ & the vendors took them..Uruguay is known for it's leather & I purchased some lovely gifts there....We took the shuttle into Montevideo & shopped in the shops on the main street..

 

In most cities both Amsterdam Sauer & Stearns have shuttles that will take you to their shops..All you have to do is look & you don't have to buy unless you want to..After you spend a an hour or so looking at their jewelry & gifts, you can go off to other shops in town..When you are ready to go back to the ship, just return to their shop for a ride back...No charge but we always gave the driver a tip..I found that at Amsterdam Sauer, they would bargain with me more than Stearns..In Manaus we took the Stearns shuttle to the Hotel..After purchasing a lovely parrot from Amsterdam Sauer they took us back to the ship..

 

A word of caution: Have been to RIO twice before...Be very careful of your wallets & purses especially in RIO..Don't go out alone at night & stay on main streets & don't wander off by yourselves....Even with a group you must watch very carefully.. In the eighties, our group went out to Ipanema Beach..Our Hotel sent an armed guard with us while we were on the beach in RIO..Be very careful as the beaches of RIO have very heavy undertows & the tides are very dangerous..Even Strong swimmers have had bad accidents..

 

We were a group of eight walking back to our hotel after dinner..The ladies were about ten feet behind the Men & talking..Two lovely young women surrounded the men & began flirting with them..One of them went to lift DH's wallet..He was aware of it, grabbed her hand, twisted it at the same time I screamed..They fortunately were scared off, didn't get it..

 

I always take off ALL my Jewelry when out in the South American Cities..I wear only costume Jewelry & even leave my wedding & engagement ring in the ship safe...They constantly warn you of this while there..We've heard about gold chains being ripped off peoples necks..

 

Try to find a wallet that can be hidden under your clothing at places such as travel-smith.com. LL Bean or Orbis..Don't carry too much $$$ or more than one Credit card with you at a time while in the big cities..

 

DH & I each carry two different Credit Cards with different account numbers..And another joint credit card which we keep in the ships/hotel safe in case of theft..Be sure to notify all your credit card companies of your day by day itinerary & when you will be back home...Take their International phone numbers with you in case of loss or theft of credit cards.. We leave our passports in the safe & carry a photocopy when we are on shore excursions..All the shops will accept a photocopy for ID..

 

Even though these cities can be dangerous, I would go back in a minute, so don't worry just take precautions..

 

Some credit cards charge conversion fees when you purchase something outside of the U.S. from 1% up to 5%...Research your banks & find out if they charge a conversion fee as they can add up when purchasing expensive things..Many large companies will charge in U.S. $$ so you won't have to worry about conversion fees...CapitolONe Credit Cards don't charge conversion fees..DH & I each have our own individual CapitalOne cards with different Account Numbers which we use for shopping..In addition we carry our Chase Master Card with us for the Cruise & leave it in the safe..Make photocopies of all Credit Cards, Passports & Drivers Licenses & take it with you..

 

Sorry this is such a long post..Have fun in planning for your cruise..Wish I were coming along...;) ;) Betty

 

Hi Betty, I have been "looking" for you....Doris and I are going back to the Amazon on HAL...would you Email me your Email address ?

Thanks, Larry at lardor@yahoo.com

[serendipity1499]

Hi Betty, I have been "looking" for you....Doris and I are going back to the Amazon on HAL...would you Email me your Email address ?

Thanks, Larry at lardor@yahoo.com

 

Hi Larry ..Sent you an e-mail tonight..Waiting to hear about your trip & when will it be?

 

Betty.

[Carolina Cruiserr]

Betty: We are trying to decide whether to take the 2009 Amazon cruise on the Prisendam or the Regatta. Since the Oceania itinerary has not been released yet, we have made a booking on HAL. Since you have cruised on both lines, could you give us some insights? We have cruised previously on both lines, and have enjoyed both of them. Thanks for you help.

[serendipity1499]

Betty: We are trying to decide whether to take the 2009 Amazon cruise on the Prinsendam or the Regatta. Since the Oceania itinerary has not been released yet, we have made a booking on HAL. Since you have cruised on both lines, could you give us some insights? We have cruised previously on both lines, and have enjoyed both of them. Thanks for you help.

 

Carolina...I just sent Larry, who was on our Regatta Cruise to the Amazon in Dec. with us , an e-mail with my opinion on the differences between the Prinsendam cruise & the Regatta cruise...We loved both ships & each one is better in some ways & was different than the other one..I would be hard pressed to choose..If you e-mail me at serendipity1499@yahoo.com I'll be glad to answer you from my normal e-mail address & send you the info..Again it's only my opinion..Cheers

 

:) Betty

[scdreamer]

"Be sure to notify all your credit card companies of your day by day itinerary & when you will be back home...Take their International phone numbers with you in case of loss or theft of credit cards.. We leave our passports in the safe & carry a photocopy when we are on shore excursions..All the shops will accept a photocopy for ID.."

 

Even better than carrying along all the credit card information & phone numbers is to put it all in an email and send it to yourself. Don't open it unless you need it ... that way it's always available, but still password-secure. You can do the same with your passports ... just scan the photo page and email it to yourself. If you lose your passport and/or photocopies, it's all there for you.

[serendipity1499]

"Be sure to notify all your credit card companies of your day by day itinerary & when you will be back home...Take their International phone numbers with you in case of loss or theft of credit cards.. We leave our passports in the safe & carry a photocopy when we are on shore excursions..All the shops will accept a photocopy for ID.."

 

Even better than carrying along all the credit card information & phone numbers is to put it all in an email and send it to yourself. Don't open it unless you need it ... that way it's always available, but still password-secure. You can do the same with your passports ... just scan the photo page and email it to yourself. If you lose your passport and/or photocopies, it's all there for you.

 

Agree that's another way, however we are ones who don't use use e-mail when we travel & don't have a lap-top...And we never use or cell phone either..You probably think this is weird, but we like it that way..LOL..Betty