Travelling to South America can sometimes be a daunting experience even for the most experienced of travellers, let alone first-time cruisers, where language barriers, cultural differences, and safety issues can all sometimes make it feel like you’re visiting a completely different world! However, the reality is usually a very pleasant surprise, and most visitors have an amazingly positive experience on this most welcoming continent.
Taking a cruise to visit South America is a highly recommended option, as it usually enables you to see a variety of different countries in one trip, but without the hassle of having to arrange transportation between each one. You are also usually taken to the ‘highlights’ of each country, meaning that you can often tick off several places on your ‘wish list’ in just one voyage. So, with that in mind, here are our 5 top tips for first-time cruisers to South America that we think would be useful for any visitor to the region:
1. Learn some of the languages. Nobody is expecting you to speak fluent Spanish (or Portuguese if you’re visiting Brazil also), but knowing some of the basics will make your trip even more enjoyable, and is very much appreciated by the locals. Learning greetings, how to order the things you like, and asking for prices, are all great ways to begin, and you will certainly raise a few eyebrows if you are able to communicate to some degree in the local language! Apps such as Duolingo are excellent resources in order to master some of the languages before your cruise.
2. Plan your shore activities in advance. With so many ports on each itinerary, it can seem an intimidating task at the beginning, but you will get much more out of your trip if you have already booked the best tours and activities, rather than making last-minute bookings and relying on the ship’s sketchy internet. Companies such as ours, Chile Shore Excursions, offer options to cover your entire itinerary in one country, which can remove many of the headaches of dealing with multiple providers for each different port. There is usually the safety net of the ship’s tours if you get stuck, but you will pay a much higher price for those, and in our opinion, receive a much less personalised experience.
3. Think about safety. The enormous advantage of going by cruise ship is that your security is basically looked after on board, and so the only time you have to be aware of anything safety-related is when you step ashore. The reputation of South America as a dangerous destination is greatly exaggerated, but you do need to be aware of the risks, especially pickpockets in the port cities. This is not an issue if you decide to take an organised shore excursion and are being met at the wharf, but something to keep in mind if you plan to explore independently, or anytime that you’re walking in a busy area. Be aware of local taxi drivers at both the airport and the ports, and consider using cash-free apps such as Uber, which are popular all over Latin America. Keep a close eye on your suitcases on arrival and departure days. We always recommend bringing the minimum number of personal possessions with you on any land-based activity or tour.
4. Bring US Dollars in small denominations. If you are only visiting one country on your itinerary, you could perhaps change money into the local currency on arrival, but generally, we don’t think that it’s really worth the effort. If you are taking a traditional cruise around the southern tip of South America for example, you could well be visiting Chile, Argentina, the Falkland Islands, and Uruguay on the same trip, and nobody could be expected to have local currency for all of those four countries. Instead, bring some US Dollars in cash with you, making sure that you have plenty of 1s, 5s, and 10s for any taxi fares, shopping, and tips, and be aware of the approximate exchange rate, so that you know roughly what you ought to be paying. International credit cards are now generally accepted all across the region, but often at a surcharge, which can make having cash very useful for small purchases.
5. Be aware of timings. First-time cruisers pay special attention, please. Time can be a slightly abstract notion in South America, whereas cruise ships obviously all operate on very strict timings. If you are making your own arrangements at each port of call, be sure that the local tour operator understands the importance of this, and that they have experience in organising cruise ship tours. In any case, a good company will factor in additional time in case of any unforeseen event such as bad weather, issues with traffic, or port delays.
6. Take full advantage of your time down here. For most first-time cruisers (or anyone for that matter!) South America is a long way from home so why not extend your time while you are here? there is so much to see and do on this amazing continent, and apart from exploring more of Chile, you could easily add Peru (for Machu Picchu), Ecuador (for the Galapagos) and much more! Just let us know what is on your bucket list.