mattr12

Curious as why they have no FF miles option.

Gaucho100K

Buquebus does have a frequent "sailor" program if you insist on wanting the "miles" for this trip.....

^

Eastbay1K

I'm surprised that there isn't a special express boat to the Buquebank!

mattr12

LOL well if I can book a train or rent a car, why not a boat!

Gaucho100K

LOL

TravelinSperry

I am looking at the Buquebus website now... they ask you to click the country you are from. If I click Argentina, the price for Business is $933. If I click UK it shows as over $2,355 Pesos. And weirdly it shows different boat departure times (choose Argentinian resident and a 16:00 fast boat appears). Choose UK and it doesn't and instead a 13:00 fast boat appears. Are there different rates for nationalities? Or should I just buy the Argentinian one online? Or perhaps go to the terminal to buy my ticket to be sure I get what I want?

Marambio

This got me curious so I entered the Buquebus website. The Union Flag is not the UK site but rather the English-speaking version of their Uruguay website. In that case you might want to check whether the price quoted is in Uruguayan pesos (UYU). Google says 2,355 UYU equals 95 USD, which can be quite similar to 933 ARS depending on the exchange rate Buquebus uses.

Also, I have never heard of Buquebus applying a sort of Argentines-only rate. The resident rate is for domestic transportation only, originally because the Argentine Government subsidised jet and bus fuel (I don't know if they still do).

Since I asume you are not an Argentine taxpayer, if you book through the Argentina website make sure they don't apply the 35% withholding tax in your purchase. That issue shouldn't come up in the Uruguay website.

TravelinSperry

Yes!!! That is exactly what it is... when I click the English version it switches to the Uruguay site and is showing $U dollars not Pesos. That brings the rate to within $7USD of each other. Makes much more sense now. And re the different boat times... when it switched sites it also switched departure ports and I didn't notice (MVD to BUE rather than BUE to MVD) thus the time change in the boats. I was pulling my hair out trying to figure this one out. Thanks!!!

And great tip on the taxes by the way... buying via the Uruguay site eliminates those and saves some money.

supermintyfresh

Does anyone have updated photos of tourist vs business vs first class on the Francisco direct ferry? The ones posted earlier don't seem to be showing up.

Is first worth the premium over business and/or tourist? Thanks in advance!

malagajohn

I travel once a month on the Francisco. Business is great if you want some quiet. I normally work going to Mvd and that is easy to do in Business. I only travel first if i have had no time for food or wont get any when i arrive.
The food is ok . The wine makes it at palatable..

Gaucho100K

The only "relevant" difference to not going Economy on these Ferries is the fact that when the boat is full, you can save time with the crowds... else, the "perks" are nothing to write home about.

supermintyfresh

Thanks guys -- ended up booking in First since it was not much more than economy (the lowest tourist fare wasn't available).

Wondering if I actually need to show up 2 hours prior to departure or if there's priority for First? I do have luggage -- do they need to be checked or can they be carried on (aka. how do boats work )?

This is for Montevideo to Buenos Aires on the Francisco. Thanks in advance!

Eastbay1K

2 hours is unnecessary for First. Luggage is treated like an airline.

Schultzois

For a recent sailing I bought my partner's ticket in "Primera Especial" less than two hours prior to departure, by phone from our house in Palermo (the web site seems like it was able to sell up to two hours prior, but not closer).

Taking into account the time it took him to get ready, and to take a taxi across town, he couldn't have been there more than an hour before departure, and was absolutely fine. Maybe even 30 minutes. Apparently there is certainly separate check-in for First, and generally no waiting.

When I was relating this story to some friends soon afterwards, they told me that was nothing at all. They were taking a car with them (registered in Argentina in their name) but were blocked when it turned out that apparently an Argentine needs to be booked on the passage with the car or else the car won't be allowed on. So they called up their Argentine friend/assistant who had facilitated the car purchase in the first place, told him to get down to the Buquebus terminal, and he went with them simply so that the car could go (and then went back on the return of the same). From the sound of things he was there about ten minutes before departure... still okay, but also still sailing in First.

flyingeph12

Hey, I was wondering if you might share your thoughts. I am visiting Argentina and Uruguay in a month and am debating between booking Business or First on the Francisco. Looking at the virtual tour on the Buquebus website, First looks substantially nicer (nicer seats, tables with linen, etc.), and the difference is less than US$30. What do you think? Worth the extra cost?

I was also thinking of flying, but the only real option (to me) is the AF 77W service; however, it's relatively more expensive (J is almost 3x the price of F on the Francisco) and I am not really loyal to Skyteam (yet).