Fedechat, you are right, my Antarctic trip includes an overnight in BA and a charter to USH.
But I've booked LH to EZE through FRA to arrive two full days before, and to leave 3 full days after the cruise.
So I'm safe if there are delays, and I should have five full days to relax and visit the city.
I know there are variations in what is on offer in all the classes, but it all came down to connecting to my home city and cost.
The best I could find for a full business flex was around 3.5k€ with LH, whereas AF through CDG cost around 900€ more.
Through AMS with KLM cost the same as for AF.
And it all went on my Miles & More.
A direct flight from MAD with IB cost over 5k€.
A direct flight from LDN would have cost (maybe) around 2.9k€, but I would have needed a connecting flight from home and an overnight stay at the airport.
I know flying on a A350 would have been a bit more comfortable than on an older 747.
But the stopover in CDG and AMS were 2 hours or less, whereas in FRA it's 2:35.
I'm going to wait before booking hotels.
I lived for many years in Italy, and have spent winters in Spain since 2007, so I'm really interested to see the difference in lifestyles, etc.
Really looking forward to my first cruise and first time on South America.
I'm wondering it it will be a once-in-a-lifetime for both.
People keep telling that when you hit 70 you should take every day as a gift.
No really change, every day is a gift, but now I'm looking to do new things (no bucket list, just where next?).
Cheers