MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
“Significant drop” in cruise calls in Uruguay this coming season
A significant drop in the number of calls and visitors is forecasted for this coming 2014/15 cruise season in Uruguay, according to tourism officials. While in the last season Uruguay received 238 cruise calls, beginning November the number is expected to drop to 187, this apparently because of the very high costs in the ports of Buenos Aires and Brazilian terminals. Read full article
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Disclaimer & comment rulesThere are 3.3M men, women and children in Uruguay, so I would image the workforce totals 1M or so: 600,000 “work” for the government and are paid for by those who work in the private sector, income from investors (such as us) and receipts from government departments such as customs and all the licensing nonsense that further loads private business.
Aug 23rd, 2014 - 12:25 pm - Link - Report abuse 0THAT is what feeds the high costs for visitors. The launches the article refers to are also charged landing fees. The dirty streets are in Montevideo, PdelE is very tidy indeed and so it should be with the hundreds of government road cleaners working from early to late ensuring all litter is removed.
PdelE does have nice shopping centres but the prices are high and some of the stuff is overpriced tat just like it is everywhere else i the world.
We don’t go to MVD very much because of all the crime, though during the season the Policia Touristica are out in force looking after the visitors and even the usual Policia are very helpful in my experience, far more so than the UK or American police.
It seems to me that No Money Pepe thought he could milk the tourists and everything would just keep going onward and upward. You can’t fuck with Mr. Market: he can and does go somewhere else.
Would you recommend a holiday to Uruguay? I was thinking about this it for next year. Charlie (missus) wants to go India or Thailand. Iv been to Thailand , enjoyed it but I don't want to go there again. My aim is to visit as many places and cultures before I fall off this mortal coil. I have been to Belize and Mexico and an island called Margareta off the coast of Venezuela and thoroughly enjoyed central america but I have not really visited south america (I know Venezuela is a south american country but I never went to the main land)
Aug 23rd, 2014 - 01:14 pm - Link - Report abuse 0@2 Go to Chile. It has everything you could possibly want from the beautiful desert in the north, through the mystical Elqui Valley, to the rich central region where you can stay on vineyards and historic Valparaiso, to the lakes, to the magical island of Chiloe, and the wilds of Patagonia. An extraordinary mountain range one side and the beautiful coastline on the other. It is safe and the police are reliable. It is about US prices in the cities but much cheaper in rural areas, though with the pound being so strong at the moment, everywhere seems good value.
Aug 23rd, 2014 - 02:06 pm - Link - Report abuse 0In Central America I would thoroughly recommend Guatemala. Visit Antigua and Lake Atitlan.
and who cares about cruise calls?
Aug 23rd, 2014 - 03:22 pm - Link - Report abuse 0only stinky places with no attractions like gibraltar and falklands malvinas can be interested in those 4th class tourists.
punta del este, like punta del diablo, la pedrera, etc do not base their tourism on cruise calls, but on the affluence of argentine tourists.
Do you think that is why the port of Buenos Aires is pricing itself out of the market? They don't want the tourists? Interesting.
Aug 23rd, 2014 - 03:36 pm - Link - Report abuse 0@5
Aug 23rd, 2014 - 03:40 pm - Link - Report abuse 0They don't want foreign tourists with their US$ they prefer Argintinians with pesos.
@6 Gosh, not my experience of Argentina where they are begging for dollars but clearly things have changed. :)
Aug 23rd, 2014 - 03:44 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Someone told me Buenos Aires has the highest port fees. The cruise industry has grown at a huge rate, even through the world recession, and you would think countries would want a piece of the money that generates.
Personally, cruising is not something that appeals to me but from a business point of view, you can't ignore the possibilities.
elaine,
Aug 23rd, 2014 - 03:49 pm - Link - Report abuse 0first, chile is not a good option at all.
if you want deserts, vineyards, mountains, lakes, ski resorts, etc, you have to go to western argentina.
if you want beaches, you have to go to either argentina, uruguay or brazil.
valparaiso is ok for just 1 day.
viña del mar, reñaca, zapallar, etc are not worth it.
golfcronie
you do not travel too much, do you?
in uruguay you pay with pesos uruguayos or credit card, not with pesos argentinos, you nabo
Not to say anything negative about Argentina's beautiful attractions, but Chile is an excellent alternative. The Pacific water is very cold for bathing, but the seafood quality is world class because of it. Certainly, it's far safer to visit and the police in Chile are not corrupt like they are in Argentina. Chile's transport sector, especially by air, is the leader in South America.
Aug 23rd, 2014 - 05:15 pm - Link - Report abuse 0The Atacama desert is unmatched. Plus, there is nothing more romantic than sunset over the ocean in the evening...
@ 2 Bombadier Spoon
Aug 23rd, 2014 - 05:20 pm - Link - Report abuse 0“Would you recommend a holiday to Uruguay?”
We have never been on holiday in Uruguay in the strict meaning of the term; we came first for almost a month in 2010 and checked out the various towns (they call them cities) along the east coast and ended at Punta Del Este and assessed whether the weather really did suit my chronic asthmatic wife (which it does in spades) and to see if we could fit in.
We were so impressed we bought a casa very soon after we arrived back in the UK. We eventually made it back to live permanently in 2011. Never regretted it.
Chile does have very serious earthquakes. When we were here in 2010 I had a frantic text from one of my family asking if we had seen the earthquake in Chile on the TV (we hadn’t) there have been others since with massive damage done to Valparaiso only this year.
But ElaineB knows SA very well and makes Chile sound very attractive: you may be lucky and not experience a ‘quake though I have to tell you of my Chilean friends moved to Uruguay because they were sick and fed up of them.
Whatever you choose have a great time, but I would never pick Argentina and for once Polly is correct we no longer take arsewipes (argie pesos) they are valueless.
Apparently according to the grape vine,
Aug 23rd, 2014 - 06:18 pm - Link - Report abuse 0the main reason fewer are going to Uruguay is the way they are/were treated,
and abused by the port workers, many felt intimidated and fearful,
so lose they will , until they either welcome them properly or the port closes to tourist,
so they say,,,??? .,
Paulcedron- so is Argentian a good place for tourist ships? Funny that some now prefer to get their provisions in Stanley - they say it is cheaper and a LOT more reliable than either Buenos Aires or Ushuaia.
Aug 23rd, 2014 - 06:37 pm - Link - Report abuse 0I was told this by the guy in Stanley who does the supplies, and have seen the trucks and pallets to prove it.
To Chile,s tourist attractions may I add Easter Island, and The high altiplano on the Peru-Bolivian border - fascinating for a 2 day tour from Arica.
I dont dispute Arg has nice places too - but for a Brit - you can go to Chile and not be hassled with a load of political crap, as well as being in a safe stable democracy with a sound currency and honest police and customs.Like every city in the world there are some even in Chile where in some districts you dont go around at night looking like a tourist of course.
@ 11 Briton
Aug 23rd, 2014 - 06:52 pm - Link - Report abuse 0“abused by the port workers, many felt intimidated and fearful”
I don't believe it frankly, do you know and trust the person who claimed this?.
I am in my fourth year here and have never felt intimidated by any Uruguayo even a government employee.
ANCAP, the government monopoly on fuels provider does have a problem in that the majority of their forecourt workers are ignorant uneducated arseholes in my experience but frightened by them, never. I use Petrobras, they are great and understand customer service.
Not many Uruguayo speak English but they will try and help you, especially if you can draw what you want. Those that say they have 'some English' invariably then go on to speak very respectable English, far better than my nascent Spanish.
Were these ‘fearful’ people British? Some Uruguayo get very frightened when Brits speak to them because they don’t understand and panic: it’s as if they cannot digest what is spoken and give up before really trying. Now I can speak general Spanish terms I get them over their sense of no hablar and between us we manage.
I am very sorry if some visitors feel like this and you should encourage them to talk to the tourist rep about it, perhaps they can introduce them to some locals.
If they were in PdelE they should visit McD’s in the main shopping centre. Nobody speaks English there but we have a common language with McNuggets, Angus beef burgers, fries, etc and these young people soon come over as very friendly, because they are.
I know for a fact that one of the supervisors in the McD’ in MVD at the shopping centre close to the Rambla does speak English and she makes both of us welcome each time we see her.
Hope this helps.
@8 I must conclude from your post that you have never been to Chile. I have travelled the length and breadth of both Chile and Argentina and I love both but at the moment I direct anyone that asks me to Chile. It is safer, more stable and the English are particularly welcome.
Aug 23rd, 2014 - 07:54 pm - Link - Report abuse 0The Atacama Desert should be on any bucket list; the sky is the clearest of anywhere in the world. The wineries are numerous and varied. In Chile, the mountains are ever-present and beautiful. The coast line is breathtaking. I have not seen one decent beach in Argentina. I think Argentines with money go to Uruguay for the beaches.
Ski resorts in Chile are the favourites of Brazilian tourists who like to combine the skiing with visits to the wineries. If you want to see glaciers, volcanoes, the wilds of Patagonia, it is all there. And everyone you meet won't be trying to nick a quid off you.
Chris, the earthquakes are present and frequent. I wasn't there for the 2010 but was in Chile about 2 1/2 weeks later and it was business as usual for most. I was there for the big quake in Iquique earlier this year but was in the central region and felt nothing. I have experience many quakes and would never discourage anyone from visiting because of them. Many of the volcanoes are active too - beautiful to see - but they are not a concern for Chile because the ash tends to blow into Argentina.
I don't know Uruguay that well having only visited for a short time so I can't compare. I am sure it is a great place to holiday. I love Argentina too but at the moment I couldn't hand on heart recommend friends to holiday there. It is too unstable, unsafe and xenophobic. Wait until things improve there before visiting.
While of little or no use to the casual tourist just passing through, there's an English-speaking expats' meeting every third Monday at 11 am at the free-standing restuarant next door to McDonald's in the front parking lot of the Punta del Este Shopping Centre.
Aug 23rd, 2014 - 08:29 pm - Link - Report abuse 0There's also a British vice-consul in Punta, Mr. Andrew Beare.
Most restaurants and pubs will have at least one English-speaking employee, as do many shops. The largest supermarket is called Tienda Inglesa and some of the cashiers speak English.
@1. Please don't get into the “private sector pays for everything” rant. If you don't want people working in the public sector, sack them all. Then watch your entire society collapse. Start from the beginning. But where is “the beginning”? Will the wife want to give birth in a hospital? Who staffs the hospitals? Who polices the roads? Where does the money come from to build the roads? Who tries to stop all and sundry trying to break into your home? And when you're injured or your home catches fire? Would you like to negotiate a price with the ambulance crew or the fire brigade before they start “work”? Much is paid for by taxes. Who collects the taxes? Would any taxes be paid if they weren't there? Many things that impinge on your life have to be checked for health and safety. Who does that? Private companies trying to make a profit? If you think it through, almost everything depends on the public sector to make it work fairly and honestly in the interests of people. But probably not in argieland.
Aug 23rd, 2014 - 08:47 pm - Link - Report abuse 0@4. Yes, we've seen it many times. The soviet party members with their dachas, the nazi party members with their Bavarian holiday spots, Roman emperors etc with their villas in places like Capri. The few living on the backs of slaves. Argieland all over.
Ciudad Vieja's parrillas at the central market in Montevideo are outstanding.
Aug 23rd, 2014 - 08:52 pm - Link - Report abuse 0In general, the steak houses in Uruguay are superior as well as being more reasonable in cost. I recommend you try the Uruguayan Tannats.
@ 16 Conqueror
Aug 23rd, 2014 - 09:42 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Oh dear, you have not thought it through have you? This is NOT the UK!
Whether you like it or not the private is the ONLY sector which earns money (other than the taxes imposed at customs and the multifarious licensing departments). I have NO problem with that when it is balanced. The UK has a population of 63.2M (2014) and a government worker total (nat & local) of 8.113M (2013) a percentage of 12.8%. Bit high but no problem.
Uruguay has a government worker ration of SIXTY PERCENT. Have you got it now? There are more sucking the public tit than there are workers actually supporting the tit.
Now, as to your other statements:
There is no public health service. Well not one I would take my dog to never mind the wife. We PAY for private health care and it’s good, far better in Uruguay than in the UK and the cost is moderate, not 40% of my earnings by a long way as it used to be in the UK. We would be covered for emergency ambulance by our medical insurance.
Policing the roads is along US lines as are most things. Local roads are policed by the local intendencia (council) but we never see them other than when they drive by in the UTE. National roads are policed by the Policia Caminara (highway police) and we see them very often using the speed gun to trap speeders on the main roads, especially the tourist ones in the summer. The national speed limit is 90 kph (56 mph including the countries only “motorway” which allows cyclists on it. Town limits are 45 kph (28 mph). ALL the officers carry 9mm or .38/.357 sidearms. I have never seen an altercation with the police but I don’t live in MVD. Presumably the Policia National and all the derivatives are paid by the treasury.
Health and safety! Ha, ha, ha. There is NO H&S, none that I can see anyway.
To paint your house or have other improvements you have to pay a licence fee (to the council), even if you do it yourself!
BTW, I live in Uruguay, not argieland.
#18 Chris
Aug 23rd, 2014 - 10:20 pm - Link - Report abuse 060%! Wow. I don't know what Chile's is, but nowhere in that league...
Similar health care in Chile. Public is improving, but private care is superb. Sincerely a better quality care than you'd receive in the UK or USA...
(Second highest ranked medical clinic in Chile...)
Chilean police are the most professional in Latin America, conversely, our firemen are all volunteers...
.
13 ChrisR
Aug 23rd, 2014 - 10:52 pm - Link - Report abuse 0you ay well be correct,
it was merely what was seen on line, some felt fearful,
but did not state if it was tourist or locals that complained.
having never been their, or on a cruise ship, I cannot say..
As Elaine mentioned the “the quakes are frequent” is very appropriate as today Chile had a 6.6 in the central area, and a 4.3 and a 5.7 in the north as well.
Aug 23rd, 2014 - 11:52 pm - Link - Report abuse 0I was in Chile during the 8.8 and I was unable to remain standing. My home sets on a clay based soil that liquefies in an earthquake and the intensity is dramatic. (One third of my swimming pool water was sloshed away...)
With the exception one high-rise apartment building, all of Santiago's skyscrapers had no (or very minor) damage. The resulting tsunamis however, devastated several coastal areas, including the village at Robinson C. Island.
That is interesting about the different soils and the effect. Back in March I was in the central region in a casita on pretty solid rock when a fairly significant quake occurred. Everything shook as expected but the noise was most remarkable. I never heard such a roar before.
Aug 24th, 2014 - 06:23 am - Link - Report abuse 0I wasn't playing down being caught in a major quake. I have Chilean friends that, whilst used to it, were completely unnerved by the 2010 quake. But, as you say, it is the tsunamis that most people fear.
I would not discourage anyone from visiting a quake-prone country. The chances of being caught in a major one is slim.
@8
Aug 24th, 2014 - 09:53 am - Link - Report abuse 0You are not very good at understanding ENGLISH are you, I was replying to @5 Elaine B, who mentioned Buenos Aires in her post. I reitterate, you are not good at this. Incidently I have travelled extensively when I was working but you can think what you like. I actually met and married an Argentinian girl when I worked in Argentina.
@18. I'm going to stick with it. Have YOU thought it through? If 60% of the workforce are employed by the government, how is the other 40% paying for it? But my remarks were not aimed at Uruguay in particular. It's the incredible hubris that suggests that only the private sector worker is “worth” anything.
Aug 24th, 2014 - 11:19 am - Link - Report abuse 0Nor did I suggest that you lived in argieland.
I'm not interested in an in-depth investigation of Uruguay's economy, but consider this. If Uruguay takes in x billions in taxes and invests a proportion overseas, a common governmental practice, who is doing the “earning”? The original taxpayer or the treasury official that directs where the money is invested? And let's take the example of Jorge Boggiani. He works in a factory producing plastic thingamajigs. He has no control over who buys them. Every one represents a profit. A government worker buys a dozen. Who “made” the money? An economic system is far too complex to attribute “making” money to one group or sector. It's a co-operative effort.
I'll even put forward another example. There's a company that makes petrol pumps. It has a number of executives. Each of the executives has a secretary and an administrative team. They are all in the private sector. How do they make money? And if you say that they all “contribute” toward the company's objectives, I'll tell you that the majority, if not all, the government's workers contribute toward the country's objectives. Governments can be good or bad, depending on your perspective, but don't knock the workers.
@ 22 ElaineB
Aug 24th, 2014 - 11:24 am - Link - Report abuse 0“I would not discourage anyone from visiting a quake-prone country. The chances of being caught in a major one is slim.” “Back in March I was in the central region in a casita on pretty solid rock when a fairly significant quake occurred.”
So much for slim chances. You were very fortunate that the substrate was rock, it could so easily have been different in outcome. Our Chilean friends vsited us just after the 'quake, they were really upset that they could not get through on their mobile to see if their family were OK. Using our landline they managed to get through to a friend and thankfully everyone was OK.
I am sure that you have not overlooked we were trying to find somewhere to live the rest of our lives, 'quakes were not permissible.
@25 Honestly, it wouldn't put me off. The chances of being injured in a serious quake are slim. I have been in numerous quakes in Chile, the strongest I felt was over 7, but they build modern buildings to withstand them. The quake in Valparaiso yesterday yielded very little damage but the phone lines went down, usually because everyone wants to call everyone to check they are OK. Would you write off California or New Zealand for the same reasons? I understand what your friends are saying. I tried calling friends in Chile after the quake in 2010 - I was in Argentina at the time - and couldn't get through for days but they were all fine when I did speak with them.
Aug 24th, 2014 - 12:10 pm - Link - Report abuse 0I don't discard quakes as not being serious but, for instance, at the moment I feel a lot safer in Chile than Argentina. Do you see my point?
As I said before, I am not saying don't visit Uruguay, just suggesting another country in South America worth considering.
@ 24 Conqueror
Aug 24th, 2014 - 01:47 pm - Link - Report abuse 0“@ 16 Conqueror - Argieland all over.” Unusual way to spell Uruguay! :o)
Now I know you were employed by the government for all your working life it seems, albeit in different sectors, but I cannot help it if you don’t understand the finances of a country and where the wealth actually comes from.
What are the sources of money for a government? Taxes and all the other scams they dream up for services which ‘enhance’ our lives. That’s IT.
Who pays the taxes? All the people who work, government and private plus company tax and all the other leach payments that are paid to the government.
NOW! Where does the money come from for the public workers to pay their taxes? The private sector ONLY. They are the only ones who pay the customs fees (yes I know the public employees pay these as well but think about it) and are the only ones who earn their money outside of the maw of the government’s thieving hands.
I went all through this with a Brazilian who worked for the government but he did eventually grasp it, I am confident you will also.
The UK percentage of public employees used to be around 7% from memory but really rocketed under The Cunt Brown © Jeremy Clarkson 2010 who packed them in from Labour areas to ensure their votes, a trick well learnt by ‘No Money Pepe’. On top of that Pepe also 'pays' the lazy, uneducated “poor” to stop at home and enjoy their bottled beer and watch their new LED TV’s (just like the Chavs in the UK) and guess who pays for that? YES, the private sector.
@ 26 ElaineB
Our next door neighbours in the UK went to NZ because he was made MD of the South Asia, NZ and Australia part of the company he worked for. The wife and his two teenage girls went with him to check they could live in the place before he accepted the promotion.
Got themselves a great house but before they could move in... I would imagine you saw what remained of a large part of the commercial and residential areas after the 'quake? They are back.
I have travelled in Chile and would highly recommend a visit to anyone who is able to go.
Aug 24th, 2014 - 01:57 pm - Link - Report abuse 0@27. Sorry, you still don't get it. But that's the “private” sector for you.
Aug 24th, 2014 - 03:40 pm - Link - Report abuse 0@ 26 ElaineB
Aug 24th, 2014 - 04:32 pm - Link - Report abuse 0“Would you write off California or New Zealand for the same reasons?”
Now you come to ask me!
California earthquake: San Francisco Bay rocked by biggest quake since 1989
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/california-earthquake-san-francisco-bay-4099444
“Eileen (the 74 year old) then joked: “It was the first time our bed had moved in a very long time.””
Got to admire the girl. Let's hope another one doesn't come back and get her.
@ 29 Conqueror
Just ask yourself one question:
If all the private sector (that is the people who do NOT work for the government) stopped paying taxes, fines, customs charges (you get the drift - the government would have no income) where would the money come from to pay your wages without borrowing by the government?
@30 Yeah, I saw that before I posted my comment. I have been to Northern California and it would be a lovely place to live. Likewise my New Zealand rellie love it there, though they live on the north island.
Aug 24th, 2014 - 04:48 pm - Link - Report abuse 0I would never be put off by the possibilities of natural disasters. Think of all the flooded out people in the U.K. earlier this year, it doesn't make me want to abandon the place. When I spent a few months in Guatemala I used to watch a fire display from a volcano in close proximity to my hotel every night. I loved it there but the gun and gang crime is far more of a worry than anything else.
We all look at life differently and I would never write off Chile just because it vibrates at regular intervals. :) From personal experience I can highly recommend it as a destination.
#39 ChrisR
Aug 25th, 2014 - 04:04 am - Link - Report abuse 0You ask ”If all the private sector (that is the people who do NOT work for the government) stopped paying taxes, fines, customs charges (you get the drift - the government would have no income) where would the money come from to pay your wages without borrowing by the government?”
Easy, your country issues international bonds for billions of dollars and privatize the state owner oil company ...
chris(tina)
Aug 25th, 2014 - 02:42 pm - Link - Report abuse 0“Whatever you choose have a great time, but I would never pick Argentina”
and we thank god, christ and all the saints for that.
every day.
@29. I've asked. And here's an answer. If ALL the private sector stopped paying taxes, fines, customs charges, where would you get your alcohol, tobacco goods etc? Think they are going to be allowed? Do you think that required items the government supplies are based on cost? They aren't. They are based on the money the government wants. Do you really think a British passport costs £72.50? About £5.00 actually.
Aug 25th, 2014 - 05:28 pm - Link - Report abuse 0@ 34 Conqueror
Aug 25th, 2014 - 05:44 pm - Link - Report abuse 0You are ducking the issue and failing to use your analytical skills, which I know you have.
Alcohol and tobacco come under ‘customs charges’ and it doesn’t matter about passports the government “workers” can’t be arsed to provide what the public want anyway.
Just answer the question: where do wages come from when the government has no income from the private sector?
It’s very, very simple but I know you don’t want to face it. @ 32 gets it.
Elaine. Thanks. Food for thought. Charlie still has her heart set on India. I have come to a compromise and we are now looking at Vietnam. Though I still plan to visit south america at some point. Charlie has been drinking a lot of Malbec and Merlot so she is open to the idea of doing some kind of vineyard tour in a couple years. We tend to go on a big holiday every two years and Cornwall in the years between. I can see it just being a holiday of driving Charlie around as she gets sozzled on wine. I will have to research vineyard tour groups.
Aug 25th, 2014 - 06:53 pm - Link - Report abuse 0@36 I almost included Vietnam. Wonderful people, beautiful scenery, and great value for money. A family member spend a few months there and said it was fantastic and rather like Thailand used to be before it became so commercial.
Aug 25th, 2014 - 07:00 pm - Link - Report abuse 0I found nothing wrong with Thailand. Yes there are places are “commerical” but you do not have to go far to enjoy its rich heritage. Then again I am biased. I adhore Thai food. It is hard to come by a good Thai restraunt/takeaway in my neck of the woods. I was speaking to a friend that went to the world cup in Brazil and loved it there. He enjoyed the comparrison of big cities in the UK and those in Brazil. I dont understand really. Big modern cities are all very similar to me.
Aug 26th, 2014 - 01:19 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Santiago, are going to pay Jose?
Aug 26th, 2014 - 07:04 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Commenting for this story is now closed.
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