Cruise - Punta Del Este / Montevideo
 

You all have been a great resource these past few weeks. I wish I'd have found this site months ago when the planning was still in its infancy.

Our cruise has 2 Uruguayan stops: Punta Del Este, and Montevideo. We have already spent over $1,000 on shore excursions and in these 2 cities we are going to be on our own. In the first I'd like to take a taxi to the ralli museum and would also like to see the casapueblo and the fingers in the sand. Would also be nice to spend a nice relaxing afternoon on a great beach. We've got from 8am to 8pm there and I'm wondering what would be my best use of that time. I never know how plentiful and available taxis will be. Plus, if we're waling around with passports and wallets it's kind of impossible to jump in the ocean.

And In Montevideo I'm thinking about just walking to the main shopping drag and taking whatever comes at us. Is this a super long walk? Is there something else I should be thinking about this city?

Nobody??

I suggest you ask destination expert Punta Lugano here:

http://tinyurl.com/4e2fyy

Hi Todd I was born in Montevideo, now I live in the US, I would love to help out but I do not exactly where your ship will be in the Port of Montevideo.
Only thing I can think of is for you to hire before hand a Remise, that is a car with a chofer, they are very reasonable in Montevideo and they charge by the hour.
I would call them only one day ahead of time and ask them to be waiting for you at the passangers exit with a sign with your name. When calling you have to give them a local phone number, you can give them any phone number like the one of the Sheraton Hotel in Montevideo you can take it from the internet. It is a little tricky but I do it always when arriving to Montevideo by the ferry from Buenos Aires. They have nice cars, are polite and as I said reasonably priced. Rates have gone up, they should be around $10 dollars an hour and you can have it as long as you wish. Write if you have any questions.
When you call you can ask for rate, tell them to bring a receipt and they will bring one.
The company I always use in Montevideo is one of the largest called LA Española, phone number 011 598 2 622 23 23.From MOntevideo only 622 23 23

Regarding Punta del Este, the Museum I think if far from the port. How to get a taxi I am not sure but any local can tell you. Again you might like to make a reservation ahead of time in case many pax have the same idea.
I do not know of any taxi company but I guess that if you call one of the well know hotels they could tell you, or call the Tourist OFfice.

You itinerary is just like our planned cruise stops in Uruguay--but we only pull in at 9:00 so I don't think we are on the same ship.

Anyway, while I am no expert, my strategy for Punta del Este is to try to get off the ship early--everything I've read says that these resort town stay sleepy in the a.m. I am thinking that taxis may well meet the ships-- if they don't I'll head for the TI. In my travels I've often found that the early bird avoids many of the problems in areas described as crowded or underserved by taxis, tours, whatever.

Good luck.

Hi in reply to a similar question in this forum I suggested to all those going to Uruguay to get in touch with Remises Carrasco
://www.remisescarrasco.com.uy/
this company can solve all your problems. THey have cars with chofers, and they show the charges in their website both in English and Spanish. So you can make a reservation with them. Reading further in their website I found out that they also can arrange for a car + a driver + a guide. I could bet anything that their rates are going to be much less than anything the cruise company is going to offer you. And at least for me, I rather be the master of my itinerary and my time while on land.
If it is nice day they can even take you for a swim or drive you to a nice restaurant and wait for you, ...I hope this works out.
Please ask me any questions. I have nothing to do with them....Good luck.

I might add that it seems they can solve all your needs.
Usually I use another remise company called la Espanola but it seems after doing some research that Remises Carrasco is more used to deal with tourists. A few times I have used them ,since they are located in Carrasco the neighborhood I stay when I go to Montevideo. Good luck again.

vancojo

I was going off the top of my head when I initially typed this last month. We are arriving at 9:00am like yourselves. We are on Radiance of the Seas, December 5 in Punta.

Sinced posting this we have also resolved our "what to do" list, crossing Ralli off that list by popular suggestion.

In Montevideo we plan on Christmas shopping. If my American brain comprehends fully, I am told that there may be good deals there. Maybe even on nice lingerie.