Pre-Cruise Stay in Buenos Aires: Everything You Need to Know in Advance
- RJ
- 6 hours ago
- 11 min read
Editor's Note: When my dad traveled to the end of the world recently and started his cruise in Argentina, I had to pick his brain. Learn his first-hand tips and insights on how to spend the perfect pre-cruise stay in Buenos Aires below!
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If you are planning on enjoying a pre-cruise stay in Buenos Aires, here are some firsthand observations I recently made and travel tips about understanding the city.
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My wife and I arrived in Buenos Aires to meet our 2-week cruise on the Celebrity Equinox headed to the tip of South America in February. We stayed at the Buenos Aires Marriott Downtown and planned to spend 5 days touring Buenos Aires before meeting the ship.
Buenos Aires Airport Arrival and Immigration
We didn’t expect the pure chaos at the Buenos Aires Airport (EZE) upon arrival. Most planes from the US arrive very early in the morning before 7:30 am. The baggage delivery was very slow, then we also encountered a red/green light system at customs that slowed the process down even more. The system added more time for security for those who got the red light.
Once you finally get to exit, it is recommended to have a personal driver waiting for you. When you book a car service, be sure to plan for at least 1.5 to 2 hours from the time your plane lands to the time when you get out of baggage claim, clear immigration and get to the street. This is the time you will need to tell your car company - not your anticipated plane arrival time.
Pro Tip: You need to book a ride to your hotel before you leave home or have an alternate plan like using a local ride share company. Check out my round up of options for How to Get From the Airport to Your Hotel Overseas. |
Unfortunately, we couldn’t find our driver in the crowd, which created a longer delay, added fees, and some Spanish-language miscommunication.
All in all a very stressful way to start our adventure.
If you are planning to arrive the same day as your cruise (which I do not recommend - it's one of the most common mistakes cruisers make), but if you do - plan for 2 hours at the airport from plane to street side, and add on the time to get to your cruise port or other destination.
Money and Currency in Bueno Aires
Credit Cards
Credit cards, especially Visa is accepted just about everywhere. American Express is accepted at restaurants and hotels. Very little cash is needed except to pay taxis or at street markets. Do not hand your credit card to anybody. They will bring the credit card machine over to you so you could tap your card.
Cash
As experienced travelers, we wanted to have some Argentine money with us on arrival at the airport to pay for a taxi to the hotel. The first surprise is that it’s difficult to exchange US dollars for Argentine Pesos in the US.
We checked at our local bank before our travel plans began and they don’t carry Argentine currency because the price fluctuates too much. So, the only choice was to exchange our dollars after we arrived in Buenos Aires and avoid paying for the curbside taxi.
Using Money Changers
I was planning to exchange some US dollars at the Marriott after we arrived but they said no at the front desk. So, we walked over to the nearest tourist street where there were people every few steps were yelling the word Cambio (which means change in Spanish). These are the money changers. Pick one and they will take you to their nearby exchange office.
The person in the money changer office only wanted $100 bills. They’ll take $50s and $20 but at a reduced exchange rate. Also, all your bills need to relatively new and clean in order to exchange.
It was safe and legitimate and we got very close to the bank rate. We changed $100 that lasted our entire visit and used VISA everywhere it was accepted instead of cash. Our plan was to save enough cash in case we need to take a taxi to the airport after the cruise.
Phone and WIFI in Buenos Aires
Make sure you have WhatsApp and Google Translate loaded on your device. You’ll need the internet to send/receive messages, translate menus, book tours, use your digital wallet, call a ride share and use your Apple or Google Maps app for navigating around the city.
WIFI was readily available at most restaurants if you stop to dine. Ask the server for the password. There was no public WIFI for free on the street. Buenos Aires also had a good 5G cellular signal throughout the city for fast data.
Pro Tip: Solve any service problems by purchasing Airalo, a digital eSIM in advance. Or, consult my tips on the 5 Easy and Cheap Ways to Make International Calls When You Travel.
Getting Around Buenos Aires
Keep in mind that Argentina is a big country. If you want to venture outside the city, for instance on a tour from Buenos Aires to Iguazu Falls, most people have to fly. Over land trains are available but slow with limited destinations.
There was also a Hop on Hop off bus for tourists that you can buy a day ticket for. It’s a three-hour round-trip bus ride around the city and stops at most of the tourist destinations.
Does Uber Work in Buenos Aires?
I found out from the hotel clerk that Uber is your best bet for getting around Buenos Aires. The locals use Uber all the time. It’s a third of the price of a taxi and readily available.
There were many people waiting for Uber at the EZE airport curb and cruise terminal. We used Uber from the hotel to the cruise port with no problems and only a 10 minute wait.
Pro Tip: If or when you use a city taxi, beware they only take local cash and don’t want US dollars or credit cards.
There is a Subway System in Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires has a good subway system and it is easy to use. It goes to many different neighborhoods in the city. You can use your credit card to tap at the turnstile machine to enter or buy a ticket.
It took us a bit to figure out where to tap and how to position your card correctly but eventually it worked fine. No need to tap on the way out.
Each ride cost about $.75.
Is Buenos Aires Safe for Tourists?
Safety wise, Buenos Aires is no different than any other large city. If you stick to the tourist areas there were plenty of police present. You’ll find Buenos Aires is a very European type city with most of the people and architecture looking straight out of Europe with Spanish, Italian and French style buildings.
Stay away from the main train station. It’s in very bad area of town and was closed for a week when we were there for some unknown reason.
Riding the subway was safe enough but expect people looking for a money by selling trinkets or playing a musical instrument as you ride. We bought some socks off of one of the vendors! Why not?
When walking, watch out at crosswalks and crossing the street. There are the white and orange walking person signs at most intersections. The Locals will walk across the intersection against the light when the traffic is clear. Traffic doesn’t normally stop if you’re in the middle of the street so watch yourself and follow the locals.
Dining in Buenos Aires
There are lots of restaurants all over the city at various price levels and cuisines. I used YELP to search for rated restaurants. We found a great Italian Restaurant called Broccolino near the Marriott. It was a family run trattoria with authentic recipes. We ate there three times!
It was that good. A 3-course meal with a bottle of wine cost about $85 including tip.
Do You Tip in Restaurants in Buenos Aires?
A tip of 10% is customary if you’re eating at a restaurant. Many places will give you the option of adding the tip to your credit card or pay the tip in cash.
You Can't Miss The Empanadas
You need to try the Empanadas. There are empanada stands everywhere. They sell for about $.75 each. For the biggest variety and freshly baked, go to the shop with the longest line. Some were selling three empanadas and a beer for less than $6!
Definitely stop and have an empanada snack. My favorite was Carne Picante or spicy ground beef.
Are There International Restaurants in Buenos Aires?
I didn’t see any Thai or Indian restaurants. There were some Japanese sushi places but very expensive. We did find one Korean barbecue and lots of Italian and Spanish restaurants.
Some restaurants have a person on the sidewalk handing out a paper menu advertising their specials. Take a look at the menu of the day. It’s usually pretty good deal and price.
What's Up With Drinking Mata?
You'll notice people drinking something called Mata from a small decorated cup with a metallic straw. Locals describe it as an herb tea. It’s usually shared among friends by passing the cup around. Everyone drinks from the same straw.
Mata drinkers carry a liter of hot water with them and they keep refilling the cup all day long. Some describe it as a highly caffeinated herb tea that you can drink with or without sugar. It looks to me like a half of cup of oregano in hot water. I passed on the opportunity to try it.
Weather in Buenos Aires (in February)
The weather is opposite that of the United States. We were there in February (Summer in Argentina) where the temperature hit 90° in Buenos Aires during the day.
If you’re headed south toward Antarctica, you'll have to pack for both summer and winter. It gets very cold and windy the further south you go.
Consult my 7 No-Fail Tips on What to Pack for a Cruise as a guide.
Tours in Buenos Aires
As in any big city, there are many ways to book tours. We found in the tourist areas you'll see people on the street offering:
These are legitimate vendors that usually have a shop nearby to finalize your tour details. I’d recommend take some of these tours to fill your day.
We booked a Gaucho tour at the Marriott, which as it turns out, is the best tour to book in Buenos Aires. The Gaucho tour was an all-day event and full of fun opportunities from horseback riding to folk dancing and horsemanship shows.
We were treated with an Argentine dinner including lots of meat and salad and all the wine and beer you can drink.
Other Things to Do in Buenos Aires for a Pre-Cruise Stay
We took the subway to the Japanese Garden near Palermo. Admission fee at the garden cost $36 to get in for two. Apparently, it's the largest Japanese Garden outside of Japan.
We took the D line subway from downtown, but it’s a bit of a walk from the subway stop.
After the Garden we went to Chinatown is near the end of the D subway line. Although not as great as Chinatown's we'd explored around the world like in Yokohama, Japan, we did find a beautiful restaurant at Restaurant Larreta just outside the neighborhood that made it all worthwhile!
The area around the downtown Obelisk (which looks like the Washington Monument) is good for tourists with lots of restaurants, shops, and pedestrian walking areas. There were plenty of police and other tourists on the street so we felt very safe walking around.
Don't forget to visit the classic sites, like the balcony from Evita at the Casa Rosada or cemetery that now houses Eva Peron's remains at La Recoleta cemetery.
Shopping in Buenos Aires
There are many opportunities to shop. In the tourist areas, you’ll find the typical souvenir shops mixed in with other retail clothes stores. My wife found a store called the Indian Market for great clothes selection at good prices.
There are also some small multi store malls with individual shops giving more of a flea market vibe.
Post Cruise Transport
After the cruise, taxis are readily available at the port. If you don’t want to wait for Uber, there is an obvious person in charge of the taxis that asks where you are going and gives you a fixed price in dollars or pesos.
It cost us $20 to get back to the Marriott downtown that only cost only $5 on Uber two weeks earlier. You’ll have to wait for an Uber but if you are not in a rush, it’s your best bet. It’s also probably the cheapest option to the airport.
Getting to the Airport and Home
Most flights to back to the United States leave Buenos Aires after 10 PM at night. This creates a dilemma when you have to get off of your cruise ship at 8 o’clock in the morning
What do you do all day and what do you do with your luggage?
Bag Storage Options
For savvy travelers, they use the Bounce App. This app lets you drop your bags in one of many convenient storefront options in advance - all through your phone. Check it out and learn more here.
Take a Quick Tour to the Tigre Delta
We found the solution for us was to book a tour from the Marriott before you leave for the cruise ship. On your return, go back to your hotel and check your luggage. You can then spend the day on a tour and come back to the hotel in the afternoon.
We booked the Tigre River tour which left the hotel around 8:30 am and got back to the hotel around 3 pm.
You'll need to hustle off the ship first around 7 am and get a ride to the hotel. After the tour, we went out to a nice dinner then took an Uber to the airport at 6 pm for $36.
Back at the Airport
When arriving at the airport, expect crowds and chaos again. You need to arrive at least 3 to 4 hours before your flight. The baggage check for your airline doesn’t open until 3 hours before boarding time. So, if you get to the airport early expect to hang around with your luggage in the crowded check in area.
Once you check your bags, expect another hour to get through security. First you need to clear the typical security Xray machines then go to another line for immigration passport control.
The airport uses a facial recognition machine for passport checks that at least half of the people can’t get to work properly causing a backup.
If you fail the machine approval, you get shuffled off to manual passport check for another delay. By this time, you had enough of the airport and just want to get on your flight home. The terminal, after you clear security, is comfortable with places to eat and rest.
But there is one more surprise waiting for you at your airline gate! Every passenger has to go through a physical bag check before boarding the plane. The airline sets up some tables at the gate and each passenger is sent one by one to an inspector.
The inspector opens each carry-on bag, searches it for something unknown then closes the bag and gives you the go ahead to proceed to the gate agent. You then get to show the gate agent your boarding pass and you get to proceed onto the plane and on your way home.
I hope you find Buenos Aires an interesting and fun city to visit. Don’t forget to have fun on your cruise.
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