Chile Cruises

Accommodations Review

Spacious room onboard ship, very clean - room service cleaning did a great job.

Meals Review

I thought the choice of foods was very good. The preparation was excellent.

Itinerary Review

The glacier Pia was my favorite. To see such an awesome mass of ice in real time was fantastic. Not to mention I fulfilled a long time dream of a geologist, and that was to have a scotch drink over glacier ice that was over a thousand years old. Thank you for making that dream come true! I cannot say anything negative about the other places we visited. They were all unique in their own way and I am sure the beauty and unspoiled areas visited stood out in everyone's mind.

Crew & Guides Review

Knowledgeable, friendly and always safety minded.

Fellow Passengers Review

Everyone was friendly and courteous.

AdventureSmith Explorations Review

We were well prepared for the daily expeditions since AS had sent out emails explaining conditions and what clothing would be appropriate.

Traveler Advice

Get ready for a great visual experience. There is none other like this in the world.

Accommodations Review

The Venus Australis is a smaller cruise ship (which is a big advantage in my opinion) and was still very comfortable and modern. 

Meals Review

The food and cooking emphasized local ingredients and flavors. I found the guanaco to be very tasty and unique.

Itinerary Review

Visiting Buenos Aires and Santiago was a very enjoyable way to start and end this adventure. Both cities were lively, steeped in history, and a great way to experience the Spanish culture. Sailing the Straits of Magellan, navigating the Beagle Channel, and getting up close to glaciers and penguins via zodiac boats was unique and thrilling. Terra del Fuego is just enchanting and truly one of the great wonders of the world. Torres del Paine is a geological wonder with its mountains, valleys, wildlife, and glaciers.

Fellow Passengers Review

We were able to make fast friends with several of the couples on the trip and will make every effort to stay in contact with them. The ability to interact and become friends with people from different cultures and countries is always a highlight of these trips

Crew & Guides Review

Both the Ventas Australis and the Explora Lodge had wonderful trip leaders and guides.  Sergio and Guy, both Explora Lodge guides, were just so knowledgeable and passionate.

AdventureSmith Explorations Review

Great communication, tips, and advice were very much appreciated. Thanks for giving us a wonderful vacation and trip of a lifetime.

Traveler Advice

Be prepared to have fun. I recommend the use of trekking poles on hikes which are readily available.

Accommodations Review

Nice clean cabin. Comfy bed. Other facilities in tip top shape. 

Meals Review

Mostly good, some very good. They did a good job feeding 190 people, but some dishes were not the best. Would have been nice to have more fresh veggies. Also, breakfast was the same (runny scrambled eggs) every day. Some more variety, like hard boiled eggs or omelettes would have been nice. Service was terrific.

Crew & Guides Review

All were top notch. Great knowledge, friendly and extremely helpful. We can mention those we met: Juanita, Chris, Monica, and expedition leader Mauricio. All were great. 

Traveler Advice

Be prepared for all kinds of weather and sea conditions. 

Accommodations Review

No complaints.

Meals Review

Not used to three course meals for lunch and dinner. I prefer simpler cuisine but overall, it was very good at both Australis and Explora. I had no food issues concerning my celiac disease.

Itinerary Review

Torres del Paine was the place I enjoyed the most. The Australis cruise was a close second with the trip to Cape Horn and visits to the various glaciers. The visits to Buenos Aires and Santiago and the corresponding tours were very good. I was just more excited about the “nature” part of the trip than the “city” part.

Transportation Review

There were no issues with the arrangements. All connections with drivers and tours went off without a hitch...it all fit perfectly.

Crew & Guides Review

At both Australis and Explora, the guides were excellent in all aspects mentioned above. For the Australis cruise I had Valentina, Sophia, and Gabro as guides for excursions. At Explora I had Papo, Ignacio, and Cata for excursions. The guides for the city tours were excellent as well. Federico Vega in Buenos Aires, Luis in Santiago, and Tomas in Valparaiso. Very professional and eager to provide information and answer questions.

AdventureSmith Explorations Review

We have worked with Andrew Browning before and his advice was essential for designing this trip and his final instructions email had everything we needed. I plan to contact you guys for the next trip.

Traveler Advice

Follow the packing instructions provided - there is a very wide range of weather conditions possible. If you are going to Buenos Aires and Santiago on the same trip, be prepared for much warmer weather than you will experience “down south.”

Accommodations Review

The rooms and service at Explora were excellent!

Itinerary Review

Explora Patagonia was our favorite. Numerous choices for excursions. Groups were kept to a small size. Days were active, whether one all day excursion or two half day excursionsMy husband is an avid hiker.

Crew & Guides Review

All trip leaders at Explora were excellent.

Transportation Review

Wish we had spent Saturday night at Explora and traveled to Punta Arenas Sunday morning, as our flight was late afternoon. Everything is shut down in Punta Arenas on Sunday so it was a very long day of waiting for a 6:00pm embarkment.

Traveler Advice

Prepare clothing/accessories as recommended. We needed all the layers, gloves, etc. and could have been very uncomfortable with them.

AdventureSmith Explorations Review

Appreciate all of Leslie's help! Flawless execution.

Accommodations Review

All onboard accommodations and services were top rate. We had upgraded to a balcony room for this trip, but because of weather conditions we didn’t use it enough to warrant the upgrade although the convenience to amenities on the ship were nice and we were treated to dinner at the Captain’s table on the final night of the cruise. Very cool.

Meals Review

We liked the preparation and especially portion sizes.

Itinerary Review

The sheer beauty and remoteness of the cruise was awesome. Everyday the excursions seemed to get better and better. The observatory off Staten Island was the most spectacular with the greatest viewing of wildlife. Also the sounds and sights of calving glaciers was pretty amazing.

Crew & Guides Review

Our expedition leader Lucio, was very good. He explained the days plan and backup plan for each expedition very well. I felt like we were well informed.

Fellow Passengers Review

We actually became very friendly with most of the other Lindblad travelers. Was surprised to see so many veteran Lindblad travelers. First timers were in the minority.

AdventureSmith Explorations Review

Taylor Cranney was great at seeing us thru the process of working with Lindblad and would like to work with her again on future trips similar to this.

Traveler Advice

This trip may have some physical limitations if you plan on participating in more of the excursions.