This desert in northern Chile, renowned as the world’s driest non-polar desert, stretches between the Pacific Ocean and the Andes Mountains. As you drive into the desert you are struck by a landscape dotted by what look like volcanos. They are volcanic cinder cones and are created by short-lived, explosive eruptions of basaltic lava fountains. They are common worldwide but one of the largest regions is this area in Northern Chile, part of the Central Volcanic Zone of the Andes. The Atacama Desert features dozens and dozens of these cinder cones with many still active within its 40,500 square mile, high-altitude plateau. Averaging an altitude of 7,900 to over 13,000 feet the cinder cones are mixed into a rocky landscape with small salt lakes, extensive salt flats, geyser fields, and a moon-like valley.
If you overlooked it in one of the desolate scenes above there’s a Llama or perhaps one of its wild relatives, guanacos and vicuñas that are abundant in the high-altitude, arid regions of the Chilean Atacama Desert.
Any plan to visit Chile must include a few days in the Atacama Desert’s main town of San Pedro (Find additional information HERE)
Planning A Cruise? Start With The Intentional Travelers Port Guides
Over the past few weeks we’ve been working at updating our popular CRUISE CONTROL a guide to cruising, but we’ve run out of time as we are soon leaving on an extended trip. We also realized that while our cruise ship listings are a bit out of date*, generally the guide is still a useful publication to help you get the most out of cruising.
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SO FOR A LIMITED TIME CLICK ABOVE AND DOWNLOAD YOUR FREE ePUB PRINTABLE pdf COPY OF THE ORIGINAL
*Cruise Control contained a directory that included hundreds of cruise ships and featured their Cruise Line, ships specifications, general ratings and more but it hasn’t been updated since 2018, but it’s still useful information.
Cruise ships come in all sizes with hundreds of variations in things to do. There are also a number of different cruising groups with varied interests and expectations. Following is a bit of what you’ll find in CRUISE CONTROL…
Family Cruising
Families traveling with younger children and teens – Many cruise lines have special programs tailored specifically to teens, pre-teens and younger children with a number of notable standouts.
Royal Caribbean Flo-Rider
Royal Caribbean’s Adventure Ocean – Royal Caribbean kids clubs are the highest rated in the industry. Oasis-class ships are the stars of the fleet providing almost 30,000 square feet per ship dedicated to kids programs.
Disney Cruise Line’s Oceaneer Club – Disney’s kids clubs are different on each ship, creative themed kids spaces with hangouts for various ages. There’s a nursery with babysitting for children younger than 3. Of course the ships make full use of Disney’s lineup of characters from Micky to the Avengers.
Carnival’s Camp Ocean – Camp Ocean, Carnival’s kids club, is usually jumping, including ocean based activities and marine themes blending education and fun. This cruise line is a particular favorite with families because of its budget friendly fares and dedicated spaces for young kids, through teens.
Norwegian’s Splash Academy – The Splash Academy areas are lively, well designed and adaptable to activities from crafts to dances and pirate nights. Teens love their club Entourage, with a video jukebox, dance floor, foosball, video games and DJ equipment.
Princess’ Camp Discovery – Facilities feature The Treehouse for ages 3 to 7, The Lodge for ages 8 to 12 and The Beach House a hangout for teens. Activities include Skee-Ball, air hockey, video games, dance parties, educational programs like science experiments, scavenger hunts, and cruise destination puppet and maskmaking.
Young Adults, Couples and Singles – This crowd usually brings the fun with them and are looking for lots of dancing, poolside bars, lounges and onboard games. Their energy and excitement are contagious and they love Caribbean cruises. Their favorite cruise lines are Carnival, Royal Caribbean and Norwegian.
Holland America sails two ships with single staterooms and feature a Single Partners Program for like-minded singles to meet. The Single Partners Program is on most sailings and hosts cocktail mixers and group games so you can meet other passengers. Sign up for cooking classes, wine tastings or computer classes. Best cruises for singles over 40 and seniors.
Norwegian offers one-bed studios designed especially for singles on Norwegian Escape and Norwegian Epic. Allows cruising without choosing between paying a supplement and finding a cruising partner. The designated studio lounge provides a space to mingle with other solo travelers. Connect with other singles at nightly happy hours, deck parties and meetups. On ships without single studios, solo cruiser discounts are often available. Best cruise for young singles in 20s and 30s.
Virgin Voyages offers the Scarlet Lady cruise ship with 46 solo cabins so you can have your own space and it’s adults-only. The cruise line is looking for millennials and the top of Gen Z looking to have a good time. Its single staterooms are a bit more expensive but feature beautiful cabins, complete with mood lighting and on-demand streaming services. Best cruise for single cruisers in their 20s and 30s.
Retirees and Seniors – This group leans toward longer cruises and off-season itineraries. Trans-Atlantic and repositioning cruises are very popular providing a casual atmosphere and lots of time for relaxing and reading. To cater to these passengers cruise lines are often providing informative lectures and classes like painting, jewelry making along with more mature offerings in music and onboard entertainment. Three lines stand out for their appeal to seniors.
Celebrity’s upscale ships are noted for their cuisine and feature formal foyers, libraries, lawn games, lounges and upscale bars. These ships are favorites with seniors for their reputation of excellent music and entertainment, lectures and onboard classes.
Holland America with its mid-sized ships that offer the charm of a classic cruise experience, appeals to seniors with world class-performers at night and lectures by topical and cultural experts during the day.
Princess Cruises is a favorite with senior cruisers worldwide with a number of activities geared towards an older crowd, Princess offers exclusive discovery at sea activities, art history lectures and a golf driving range.
Mixed Age Groups – Best cruise lines for mixed age groups include Royal Caribbean, Disney and Holland America for overall appeal to all ages. The thing that most people find particularly appealing about cruising is, most groups will find things that appeal to them regardless of age. The perfect family vacation.
What To Expect On Your Cruise
Food
A typical cruise ship offers a number of eating options that change throughout the day. Breakfast can by a sit-down affair, a plentiful buffet or a coffee cafe with a Continental breakfast. Many ships also provide a spa scene for those looking for healthier fare. As the day progresses there are a number of venues for full meals, buffets, cafes for tea, coffee and pastries. Dinner used to be a formal affair but that is becoming less common with the trend toward more casual atmospheres and options in the main dining room, buffets and now a growing number of themed restaurants (usually at additional expense).
Today ships are also outfitted with casual dining venues with recognized names and cuisines like Johnny Rockets, Guy Fieri, Mexican Cantina, Hibachi & Sushi. There are usually also outdoor grills for burgers along with pizza cafes that are open till late at night.
Entertainment
If food is a major attraction it shares that billing with a collection of entertainment offerings. Afternoons will usually find a number of musicians and singers performing around the ship at varied times and locations. Evenings feature theatre showtimes with Broadway musical reviews, magicians, comedians and singers. Most cruises fill evenings with club acts in any number of lounges around the ship with dancing. Afternoons and evenings usually include games like bingo and trivia with participation games common favorites along with scavenger hunts and game shows.
You’ll often also find any number of lectures and tours onboard. Popular lectures often involve the Captain and crew along with port visit programs and shopping lectures. Some cruises also bring on lecturers on numerous topics with many often focused on the cruises destinations. You will also find art demonstrations and lessons for adults popular along with instruction on using todays devices like tablets and cellphones.
Getting Bigger and Better
Each year ever bigger ships get launched and enter service, each with more incredible features and attractions. Newer offerings include amusement park rides, ice skating, surfing, go-kart racing, even sky diving simulators. Most ships include kids water fun areas that feature slides and flume rides with bigger versions on many for older passengers. Theatrical production areas keep getting bigger and more elaborate and newer ships can feature lawns, gardens, outdoor promenades and dozens of restaurants, lounges and clubs.
Regardless of who you are, your age or interests, there’s a cruise out there just waiting for you…
Planning A Cruise? Start With The Intentional Travelers Port Guides
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In a large cave in Southern Chile is a prehistoric site famous for the discovery of a 10,000-year-old giant ground sloth. The park site features a massive 90 foot high, 600 foot deep main cave, alongside the “Devil’s Chair” rock formation and numerous hiking trails.
The sloth called a Milodón at this site, scientifically known as Mylodon darwini, is an extinct species of ground sloth that belonged to the family Mylodontidae and roamed Chile and southern South America during the Pleistocene epoch. This remarkable creature is closely related to modern sloths and could grow to a length of 9 to 12 feet.
This park is one of the most significant sites in the world associated with the Milodón and is called the Milodón Cave (Cueva del Milodón) in Patagonia, Chile. Discovered in 1895, this cave yielded not only the remains of the Milodón, including skin and bones, but also various other prehistoric human artifacts and fossils, making it an important site for understanding the region’s ancient wildlife. Today, the cave serves as a popular destination, attracting visitors interested in its geological and paleontological significance.
The Milodón Cave park is located about 21 miles outside of Puerto Natales on the route going to the Chilean National Park of Torres del Paineo. It requires an admission ticket of about US$25 and most regional tours include a stop at the cave. A link to the cave’s web page HERE.
While Chile has been geologically isolated from the rest of South America there were a number of other megafauna found there in addition to the giant ground sloth. Those megafauna specimens included a large American llama called Palaeolama major and a giant camel-like animal, and they all survived up to about 3,500 years ago…
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As cruise ships continue to look for itineraries and more ports of call to attract passengers, South America is becoming an increasingly popular destination. From itineraries around southern South America and into Antarctica, Valparaíso is a natural addition.
Situated on the Pacific Ocean, Valparaíso is considered a beach resort area but if you’re considering going to the beach for a swim you need to know that water temperatures in Valparaíso, are generally cool year-round because of the Humboldt current from Antarcticas. Water temperatures generally range from roughly 55 degrees F in Winter to only 60 degrees in Summer (January thru March). But even with the cooler water temperatures the Valparaíso beaches are a popular and lively destination.
In addition to the beaches this city is famous for its many hills and neighborhoods with narrow streets and a bohemian vibe.
Where Your Ship Docks
The cruise terminal and cruise ship piers are located in the Valparaíso industrial harbor area at the southern end of the Valparaísobeach strip. There are public facilities in the terminal and walking out of the port is an option.
Wheelchair Accessibility Disembarking – This port has a developed cruise terminal and a ship pier but the ease of disembarking varies by the individual ships gangway designs. The cruise port disembarks right near downtown. For passengers using wheelchairs there can be a moderate ramp incline to deal with in both locations.
City infrastructure is well developed but you may encounter some intersection curbs and the hilly neighborhoods may be difficult to deal with.
Getting Around
Public transportation in Valparaíso consists of a diverse network including colorful, steep-climbing buses (micros), historic funiculars (called ascensores), a metro line along the coast, and shared taxi-cabs (called colectivos). The systems are efficient to navigate the city’s torturous hilly, narrow streets, with fares generally paid in cash directly to drivers on buses or via pre-paid cards for the metro. Metro Valparaíso (MERVAL) is a commuter rail line connecting Valparaíso up the coast and to nearby neighboring inland cities. It is efficient for traveling between Valparaíso and Viña del Mar.
Another option for getting around is in a rental car. Rental car options in Valparaíso, Chile, are available, with prices starting around $36 per day. Major international and local companies include Rosselot car rental which is the nearest to the port along with Sixt and Hertz. It is recommended to search and book online in advance and pick-up from the cruise terminal can usually be arranged.
Currency
1 Chilean Peso averages $0.0012 of a United States Dollar, so denominations tend to be large. Do not expect US Dollars, Pounds or Euros to be welcome but of the three,Dollars are at times accepted. Credit cards are widely welcome and ATMs are plentiful.
Tipping
Tipping in Chile is generally not expected, but it is still customary to show appreciation for good service. A typical guideline suggests tipping around 10% of the total bill in restaurants, though if the service is exceptional, many people choose to tip between 15% and 20%. It’s important to note that some restaurants may already include a suggested tip of at least 10% in the bill, making it a voluntary payment rather than a requirement.
Things to see and Do in Valparaíso and the beach resort town of Viña del Mar
Viña del Mar is celebrated for its beautiful gardens, manicured lawns, and iconic attractions such as the Flower Clock, which exemplifies its lush parks and vibrant cultural scene. Viña del Mar offers a diverse array of seaside activities and hosts numerous festivals throughout the year, enhancing its appeal as a resort and entertainmentdestination
While the main attraction is of course the beach resort area of Viña del Marwith numerous parks, a real Easter Island statue (there has been talk of returning it) a historical museum and a casino, Valparaíso is perhaps most famous as a living canvas with street art concentrated primarily on its historic hills (cerros). The premier neighborhoods for viewing murals and graffiti are Cerro Alegre and Cerro Concepción, known for their high concentration of artistic alleys, colorful homes, and iconic spots like the Piano Stairway. Other key artistic areas include Cerro Bellavista (home of the Open-Air Museum) and Cerro Cárcel.
A number of tour companies are available in Valparaíso with a listing of GetYourGuide tours HERE.
Visiting Santiago
Another option for visitors is to travel from Valparaíso and explore Santiago, the nations Capital. Santiago is a vibrant city full of history, culture and numerous popular attractions. The three best options to get there are to book a tour, rent a car or venture out on your own by bus. There are numerous buses that will cover the approximately 70 miles in 1 hour 40 minutes.
Bus services, such as FlixBus, operate frequently on this route, making it accessible and economical, with ticket prices averaging around $12 for a one-way trip.
Day tours from the Port of Valparaíso to Santiago often include the 90-minute scenic drive before exploring the capital’s historic, cultural, and modern highlights and the return. Key sights include visits to Plaza de Armas, La Moneda Palace, San Cristobal Hill for panoramic views of the city, and the modern “Sanhattan” district.
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