• Kadi Kaljuste
  • Brad Ciccarelli
  • Kadi Kaljuste
  • Brad Ciccarelli

Around the World in 180 Days

January 14 to July 13, 2023 from San Francisco to San Francisco aboard Oceania Insignia Meer informatie
  • “Technical stop” in Callao, Peru

    3 februari 2023, South Pacific Ocean

    While our landings in Peru were cancelled, we did stop in Callao today to pick up supplies as well as to allow crew off and have new crew board. It was incredibly foggy all morning thanks to the Humboldt Current. Fog is apparently a regular occurrence along the coast of Peru and Chile. The fog horn sounded for the better part of the morning.

    Once we arrived in Callao it was clear that the vendors at the pier were unaware that we would be staying on board. They were all set up and excited to see us. We were sad to see them disappointed. Fortunately, we were given clearance to visit them.

    We were keen to leave some dollars here because things must be rough for Peruvians right now. The unrest means tourism has pretty well dried up. We did our part.
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  • At sea day

    4 februari 2023, South Pacific Ocean ⋅ ☁️ 23 °C

    Leisurely day at sea today. Had dinner with our new friends Shirley and Mike who live in Arizona and are on only this segment of the cruise. They’ll be disembarking in Santiago in a few days. But we’re confident we’ll see them again when they visit their son who married a Canadian and now lives in Toronto, a short walk from where we live. (And the son works for an ad agency (Cossette) I worked for in the ‘80s!?!)Meer informatie

  • Arica, Chile

    4 februari 2023, Chili ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C

    Today, we visited our first Chilean port, Arica. We decided to “freestyle” it on our own today without a formal excursion. Our first stop was to El Morro, the massive cliff that guards the southern tip of the city. It’s a hike up and it was hot so I bailed about halfway while Brad climbed to the top. We then walked back to the port to find a taxi to take us to the geoglyphs and the museum with the famous mummies of Chinchorro.

    The challenge was, it’s Carnival weekend in Arica and traffic chaos which meant taxis had zero interest in taking fares. One of the port tourism coordinators, Martin, tried his best to get one for us with no luck. He then came to us and said if we were game, his mother would take us! Brilliant!

    One of the employees from her thrift shop walked over to the port and escorted us to the store where his mother, Delia, met us and we set off together. What an angel. She spoke little English but between Google Translate and occasionally calling her son, we managed just fine. She not only took us to the geoglyphs and mummies, she also took us to a supermarket to buy some Chilean wine. It was a truly magical, special day.

    The kindness of strangers❤️
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  • Iqique, Chile

    6 februari 2023, South Pacific Ocean ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C

    Arrived in Iqique this morning and had no excursion booked so we free-styled. Took the shuttle from the port to the city centre. It’s a city of about 200,000 with a charming historic city centre and a pedestrians-only street with shops, restaurants and bars. It’s a popular vacation spot for beach lovers.

    Because it was Sunday, the city was extremely quiet and few places were open. But when we arrived at the beach area, it was clear where everyone was. It was bustling with families as well as surfers and paddle boarders.
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  • At sea day: cooking demo

    7 februari 2023, South Pacific Ocean

    There are activities scheduled on board every day, whether we’re at sea or in port. But on sea days there are sometimes special activities like today’s cooking demonstration with Executive Chef Farid Oudir and Pastry Chef Sheila Diaz. Chef Farid demonstrated how to make “Veal medallions, mushroom ragout, sautéed apple flambé” while Chef Sheila demonstrated how to make Alfajores. Such fun!Meer informatie

  • Coquimbo and La Serena, Chile

    7 februari 2023, Chili ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    Woke up to a cool, overcast morning. We were in Coquimbo and La Serena in 2020 but took a slightly different excursion this time that gave us more of a panoramic view of the two sister cities. Coquimbo, founded by the British, is more commercial and industrial because it’s a port city. La Serena, founded by the Spanish, is more tourism oriented because of its beaches.Meer informatie

  • Valparaiso and winery

    8 februari 2023, Chili ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    Our actual port today was San Antonio, Chile but there’s not much here. We have been here before in 2020 and at that time took an excursion to Santiago. This time, we chose to take a excursion to Valparaiso, and then visit a winery.

    Valparaiso is an interesting, colourful city built on 42 hills. it was lovely. We then headed to visit a winery which was spectacular.
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  • At sea

    10 februari 2023, South Pacific Ocean ⋅ ☀️ 15 °C

    Yesterday was the start of a new segment where people disembarked and boarded in San Antonio/Santiago There are now 200 new passengers on board for the segment to Rio de Janeiro. That also means some new crew and officers, including a new captain. Whether it’s a new captain or not, each new segment starts with a captain’s cocktail party🥂

    Following the party, we had dinner with our new friends Erin and Mui. They’re from Colorado and on their second world cruise. We met through the Cruise Critic website and they gave us incredibly valuable advice regarding packing when they visited Toronto in the summer.
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  • Porto Montt and Frutillar, Chile

    11 februari 2023, South Pacific Ocean ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    Our port today was Porto Montt. We’ve been here before and already visited the famous Osamo volcano and Porto Varas on Lake Llaquihue so we teamed up with our friends Geraldine and Thomas who’d also been here before. We hired a taxi to take us to the lake area about a half hour away to visit Frutillar, a small town also on Lake Llaquihue.

    This area was settled by Germans in the 1850s and the towns are slices of Germany in Chile. It’s a lush agricultural area known for dairy farming. With the lake and volcanoes as a setting, it was so picturesque. We loved it.

    We then headed to a quirky gallery/museum in Porto Varas that Thomas and Geraldine had visited in 2020. It’s the passion project of Chilean artist Pablo Fiero. He began converting this old lakeside property into its current eclectic form in 2002. He was there to host us!
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  • Chacabuco, Chile

    11 februari 2023, Chili ⋅ 🌧 13 °C

    Today we reached the Chilean fjords area and Patagonia and had our first truly rainy day since we left San Francisco four weeks ago. The port is Chacabuco. We’ve been here before and had taken an excursion to Patagonia. This time we grabbed our umbrellas, got on the tender boat and just took a walk around, It’s more of a village than a town - about 1,200 people live here. Not much to see as it’s really just a gateway to Patagonia. But we got our Fitbit steps.😁Meer informatie

  • At sea + Super Bowl

    13 februari 2023, South Pacific Ocean ⋅ 🌧 7 °C

    Rough waters overnight and this morning so we laid low until the afternoon and then hit the gym. We’re cruising the Chilean fjords now.

    The Super Bowl is on this evening and while Brad and I are only interested in the halftime show, there are many U.S. passengers on board who care a lot about the game. Oceania went all out with food and decorations and large screens for a viewing party. Nicely done.

    Wondering what they’ll do for Oscar night…😉
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  • At sea - Chilean fjords, Amalia glacier

    14 februari 2023, South Pacific Ocean ⋅ 🌧 7 °C

    Another day cruising the Chilean fjords. Unfortunately, a cold, rainy day so not the greatest. (When we were here in 2020 is was warm and sunny.)

  • Punta Arenas, Chile

    14 februari 2023, Chili

    We’re now in our last Chilean port and in penguin territory. Those who know me well know that spending Valentine’s Day with my hubby and penguins is beyond my wildest dreams. We set off on an excursion to Magdalena Island to visit Magellanic penguins. It was cold, windy and rainy and we loved every minute.

    Back on board, Valentine’s tea time was epic.

    And to top it all off, my hubby brought me Soma chocolates from Toronto 🥰s
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  • Ushuaia, Argentina

    15 februari 2023, Argentinië

    We arrived here late morning and headed out for a walk with our friends Geraldine and Thomas. We’ve all four been here in 2020 and Brad and I were just here in November/December when we went to Antarctica. It was windy and rainy which is typical weather here.

    We walked the main drag together for a while and then split up to do our own thing. Brad and I decided we’d have king crab for lunch and then I’d go for a manicure. We found a restaurant and had king crab with rice. Delicious! We asked the waitress for a recommendation for a salon for me to get my nails done and she suggested one a block away. It was fabulous. And, shockingly, just $4 US! (I paid her $10 and that still felt like it was too little.)

    Our next surprise was walking down the street and spotting our friends Yvonne and John from Ancaster, Ontario who we met in March on a transatlantic cruise. 😲

    They’re on the Oceania Marina; we’re on Insignia on a similar itinerary for the next while. Hoping to meet up in a pub in the Falkland Islands in a few days.
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  • Antarctica

    17 februari 2023, Antarctica

    Woke up to virtually no visibility which was disappointing. We were just in Antarctica in November/December and knew how spectacular the scenery could be. We also know from experience how the weather here changes. Sure enough, by afternoon skies were clear and the sun was shining.

    Unlike the expedition trip we took with Hurtigruten where we did actual landings, this visit will be cruising only. Lovely, but just not the same. The expedition experience can’t be beat.
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  • Antarctica day 2

    18 februari 2023, South Atlantic Ocean

    It’s been a whale of a day! We’ve seen so many whales all morning right from our balcony. Penguins swimming too. Such fun! Watch the two videos I’ve posted.

    The afternoon has turned stormy so having quiet time.Meer informatie

  • Antarctica day 3 and ATW dinner

    19 februari 2023, South Atlantic Ocean

    Final day in Antarctica and the weather wasn’t great again but cleared up in the afternoon. Not a lot of whale or penguin sightings. A quiet day.

    Yesterday and today there were special dinners scheduled for the Around The World passengers. Our invitation was for this evening at the Polo Grill. We had assigned seating which was great for meeting some new people. As usual, the food was delicious.Meer informatie

  • Falkland Islands

    21 februari 2023, Falkland Eilanden ⋅ 🌬 15 °C

    We visited the Falkland Islands in 2020 and though it was rainy, windy and cold, we enjoyed it very much. Our visit today was even more enjoyable. While it was still windy, it wasn’t rainy or too cold. And it’s penguin territory!

    Last time we went to Bluff Cove; this time we went to Newans Station where there are about 200 pairs of breeding gentoo penguins. And there was one random king penguin!?! The penguins were as entertaining as ever.

    After our penguin outing, we headed to the Victory Bar in downtown Stanley to meet our friends Yvonne and John for lunch. They’re on a sister ship and in port as well. It was a lovely catch up over fish and chips.

    After lunch, we took a walk around town and then headed back to the ship.
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  • At sea

    22 februari 2023, South Atlantic Ocean ⋅ ☀️ 14 °C

    When we have a sea day, we have a routine. I usually have a morning pilates class so Brad works out while I’m in class. We have a leisurely breakfast after and then do some reading or Brad works on building the model car kit he brought along.

    We go to lunch around 1 PM. We then spend the afternoon socializing or reading or watching a movie in our room. Sometimes we go to afternoon tea at 4. Then, it’s time to get ready for dinner.

    We typically go to dinner around 6:30 or 7. And on some evenings, we have made dinner arrangements to dine with other people. After dinner, there’s a string quartet that performs and Brad often goes and listens to them while I go to the casino and play slots. There’s a show every evening at 9:30 and if the entertainer appeals to us, we often go to that, too.
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  • At sea, Oceania Club cocktail party

    23 februari 2023, South Atlantic Ocean ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C

    Another at sea day and we’re now in warmer temperatures and once again able to have breakfast and lunch on the terrace, our favourite spot.

    Oceania’s loyalty program is called the Oceania Club and there’s a cocktail party held each segment for members. During the party, guests are recognized for the number of sailing days they’ve had with Oceania and the numbers are astonishing. There are some passengers on board who’ve spent almost 1,500 days sailing with Oceania over the years! And some are on their FIFTH around the world trip. And there’s one “resident” passenger 😲

    We learned there are 610 guests on this segment from 19 countries with the most passengers from the U.S., second from Canada, third from the UK, fourth from New Zealand and fifth from Australia. Of these 610 passengers, 520 are repeat customers. A loyal bunch!
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  • Punta del Este, Uruguay

    24 februari 2023, Uruguay ⋅ 🌬 23 °C

    Arrived in Punta del Este this morning and it was overcast but the sun came out by mid morning just as we got on a tender boat to take us ashore.

    We were here in 2020. It’s a scenic beach resort town. The one landmark of note is called La Mano - The Hand. It’s a large public art installation on the beach and a tourist must see.

    After walking the beach, we strolled the shopping area and went for lunch. We were looking to have a chivito which is an Uruguayan sandwich reminiscent of a Portuguese Francesinha. It’s made with sliced beefsteak (churrasco), mozzarella, ham, tomatoes, mayonnaise and black or green olives. A chivito commonly also includes bacon and fried or hard-boiled eggs and is served in a bun, Ours was a classic with all of the above.

    We meandered back to the pier to catch the tender boat and spend a quiet afternoon in our cabin before dinner at one of the specialty restaurants, Polo Grill.
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  • Buenos Aires, Argentina-Day 1 of 2

    25 februari 2023, Argentinië ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    Ahhhhh. Buenos Aires! Third time in this wonderful city, most recently this past November. No need for a formal excursion here. We decided to get a two-day ticket for the “yellow bus.” Yellow buses are hop on hop off tour buses run by the City of Buenos Aires that are inexpensive. A two-day pass was $29 US each. A bargain!

    We set off around the city to Caminito in the Boca neighborhood that was established by immigrants and became known for the arts. It’s where tango was invented. From there, we hopped the bus to the Puente de la Mujer (Spanish for "Woman's Bridge"), a rotating footbridge. Wikipedia: “It is of the cantilever spar cable-stayed bridge type and is also a swing bridge, but somewhat unusual in its asymmetrical arrangement. It has a single mast with cables suspending a portion of the bridge which rotates 90 degrees in order to allow water traffic to pass. When it swings to allow watercraft passage, the far end comes to a resting point on a stabilizing pylon.” From there, we walked to the pedestrian mall area, heading back to the ship by mid afternoon to get ready for our first Oceania special event for Around the World passengers - an evening of tango.

    The venue was the agricultural association’s La Rural property where they hold the annual agricultural fair. (Similar site to Toronto’s Exhibition Place.) It was truly lovely. We were treated to cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, three course dinner with wine and an outstanding folklore and tango show. Fabulous!
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