January 27-February 16, 2022
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January 27-February 16, 2022 This sailing is an amazing voyage to the South Atlantic region of the world. It will take us around the islands of Antarctica and stop in five different countries. This is an extraordinary trip and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to make unforgettable memories! As we sail the waters of the South Atlantic, we are entering a world of adventure where explorers overcame harsh conditions to reach the almost unreachable South Pole. This epic struggle of man versus elements has inspired many stories of heroism and sacrifice. The saga of Sir Ernest Shackleton trying to reach the South Pole while the shadows of World War I fell over Europe is worth reading. Thankfully, the journey is no longer so perilous. We will sail on the Norwegian Star with all the comforts our cruise liner offers, while enjoying marvelous sights such as majestic glaciers and icebergs, as well as myriads of penguins and other wildlife that make their home on the Antarctic continent. Our adventure starts in Buenos Aires, Argentina where we land to take our cruise to the remote regions of the earth. We have added a shore excursion in Puerto Madryn to see nature in its raw state. We visit Ushuaia, the southernmost city in the world. We visit the Falkland Islands and explore its pristine beauty, surrounded by penguins and seabirds. We enter the iconic Magellan Strait to see Punta Arenas in Chile. We sail to Punta del Este in Uruguay, and end our cruise in Buenos Aires. We also invite the participants to see and feel the awe inspiring Iguazu Falls, one of the UNESCO Wonders of the Natural World. This is a 21 day trip enjoying the best of South America and the Islands of Antarctica at a price never seen before! Space is limited, so sign up now and join me on the voyage of a life time. Carlos L. Fida, CTC Our Host Carlos Fida: I am a native of Argentina where I held teaching positions at the University of Patagonia and at the Military Academy. I have lectured for university groups on the rich history of pre-Colombian and modern Latin American history. I immigrated to the United States, and after working for five years in the travel industry, I earned my Certified Travel Agent degree in 1985. Since then, I have devoted 41 years of my life as a highly qualified specialist in Latin American travel. January 27 - Wednesday: Los Angeles – Buenos Aires Depart Los Angeles on LATAM Airlines. January 28 - Thursday: Buenos Aires. Arrive in Buenos Aires at 2:20 p.m. and take an escorted transfer by a bilingual guide to the Gran Brizo Hotel located across the street from the 9th of July Avenue, one of the widest streets in the world. After checking in, enjoy a city tour. The highlights of this tour includes a visit to La Boca - a rakish district where the tango is danced on the street, the main square where the workers of Argentina claimed their rights for social equality in the early 1940’s, the Metropolitan Cathedral where the Tomb to the Unknown Soldier and the hero of the Independence is buried, La Recoleta Cemetery where Eva Peron, the controversial former leader of Argentina is buried, and the trendy district of Palermo where renowned boutiques are located. Evening steak dinner at La Estancia, within walking distance from the hotel. La Estancia Restaurant has been declared by the city government as a place of interest for the best steaks and exquisite gourmet dishes. (D) January 29 - Friday: Buenos Aires Today we drive to the outskirts of Buenos Aires to spend a day in the country in Argentina’s pampas, home of the gauchos - the cowboys of South America. Folk dances and tango music will entertain us while we enjoy an open pit barbecue lunch with the famous beef of Argentina. (B, L) January 30 – Saturday: Buenos Aires – Embark on the Norwegian Star Morning free to walk and shop along the iconic Florida Street, lined with boutiques offering the best quality articles in leather and suede: shoes, jackets, gloves, and ladies’ suits. This is also the place where you can purchase jewels set with the semi-precious stone, the Inca Rose - the national stone of Argentina. (B, D once on board) January 31 – Sunday: At Sea This will be a day for getting acquainted with our fellow passengers and enjoying the amenities on board. (B, L, D on board) February 01 – Monday: Dock in Puerto Madryn – Sailing towards Punta Arenas, Chile At 8:00 a.m. we dock in Puerto Madryn, the first disembarkation of our adventure in Patagonia. Puerto Madryn was the landing place of the Welsh colonists who arrived on July 28, 1865. They named the settlement after the Madryn Estate in Wales owned by Love Jones Parry who financed the first expedition to northern Patagonia. The first shore excursion visits Peninsula de Valdes, the home of sea elephants, seals, and marine birds. Return to the Norwegian Star. (B, D, on board) February 02 – Tuesday: At sea, sailing south to Punta Arenas (B, L, D on board) February 03 – Wednesday: Punta Arenas, Chile Arrival in Punta Arenas is scheduled at 8:00 a.m. Punta Arenas is the only city on the iconic Magellan Strait, and was used by Ferdinand de Magellan to enter the Pacific Ocean. We can stretch our legs and walk around this quaint city, the southernmost on the South America mainland. At 4:00 p.m. we sail to Ushuaia. (B, L, D, on board) February 04 – Thursday: Ushuaia, Argentina The Norwegian Star docks in Ushuaia, allowing us sufficient time to take a ride on the Train to the End of the World. Ushuaia and Punta Arenas were the sites of federal prisons where political prisoners were sent at the turn of the century. Today, Ushuaia is a thriving city and the sailing point for all cruises to Antarctica. We may decide to have a lunch on our own. The best fresh seafood can be had in one of the many restaurants in this city. Evening sailing toward Antarctica. (B, D, on board) February 05 – Friday: At sea, sailing the Drake Passage Sailing across the Drake Passage may stir up emotions like no other navigation in the South Atlantic waters. The Drake Passage connects the Atlantic, Pacific, and Southern Oceans and is the shortest crossing to Antarctica. Back in the age of the discoverers, such as Magellan, Sir Francis Drake, and Sebastian El Cano, the crossing in the small sailing ships required skills unknown to modern ships like our Norwegian Star. There is amazing wildlife to be found as we sail the Drake Passage; albatross, dolphins, and whales are some of the most interesting ones. (B, L, D, on board) February 06 – Saturday: Deception Island Deception Island is made of a volcano’s caldera at the tip of the Antarctic Peninsula. The island is the home of penguins, petrels, Antarctic terns, as well as seals and other endemic species that you can observe with your binoculars from the bridge of the ship. Thousands of years ago the top of the volcano collapsed and practically made a lake inside of the caldera. (B, L, D, on board) February 07 – Sunday: Elephant Island – Cape Island We arrive to this small corner of the South Shetland Islands at 9:00 a.m. and leave at 3:00 p.m. This is a true immersion into a magical world, more like the images of the movie The Lost World than anything you’d see at home. Myriads of birds, penguins, and ice- and snow-covered peaks jutting from the bottom of the sea will surround us adding to the incomparable landscape. (B, L, D, on board) February 08 – Monday: At Sea sailing toward the Islands Malvinas – or Falklands Islands This will be a perfect time to enjoy all the amenities offered on board. (B, L, D on board) February 09 – Tuesday: Islas Malvinas or Falkland Islands This morning we land in the Falkland Islands. Taken from Argentina by force by the British in 1833, these islands are part of the U.K. The Argentine government decided to take over the islands in 1982. The ensuing undeclared war lasted only 10 weeks, but during that time hundreds of Argentines and Britons died trying to take or defend the islands. In the end, the British won the battle and took back the capital, named Port Stanley. The Argentines called it Puerto Argentino. The flora of the archipelago contains more than 350 different species and are endemic to the archipelago. Five species of penguins can be found in the islands; Magellanic, Gentoos, King (the larger ones), Macaroni, and Rock Hopper. The cruise will offer this optional excursion for those who desire to go inland. (B, L, D, on board) February 10, 11 – Wednesday and Thursday at Sea We leave Port Stanley and sail north to Punta del Este, Uruguay. (B, L, D, on board) February 12 – Friday: Punta del Este, Uruguay We disembark at 8:00 a.m. This is the trendy summer resort of South America where the rich and famous enjoy their summer vacation. Here we have plenty of time to enjoy the beach in this beautiful city-resort until we sail again to Buenos Aires, the famous cradle of the Argentine Tango nicknamed the “Paris of South America.” (B, L, D, on board) February 13 – Saturday: Buenos Aires – Iguazu. We dock early this morning in Buenos Aires. Our bilingual guide will meet us and escort us to the domestic airport for a short flight to Iguazu.