Day 2 – December 27, 2025
Buenos Aires, Argentina
After touching down in Buenos Aires around 8:30 am, we made our way through customs, grabbed our luggage, and met up with the driver John had arranged to take us to our hotel—the gorgeous Alvear Palace, where the cruise line put us up for the night before boarding tomorrow. The hotel is stunning, and our room was spacious and incredibly comfortable.
We arrived close to 11 am and were thrilled to learn that our room was already ready. That meant a quick refresh, a change into shorts (we had just left 40-degree weather and landed in a 90-degree heat wave ☀️), and then we were off to meet up with our friends Catherine and Scott, who are joining us on the cruise.
Catherine and Scott were partway through a three-hour hop-on/hop-off city tour with Gray Line, so they hopped off near our hotel and met us at a charming café just around the corner. From there, we wandered through a local market and then rejoined the tour bus for the final hour and a half, soaking in the sights of the city and getting our first real taste of Buenos Aires.
By the time we wrapped up sightseeing, it was after 3 pm—and we realized we hadn’t eaten since breakfast on the plane. Definitely time for food! We headed back to the hotel for a quick bite before getting ready for the highlight of the evening.
Catherine had booked us an unforgettable nine-course dinner with wine pairings at Fogón Fireside Dining, and wow—it was absolutely fabulous. Every course was thoughtfully prepared, beautifully presented, and paired perfectly. I’ve included photos of the menu and each dish because this experience deserves its own spotlight. Truly an amazing night.
After dinner, we grabbed an Uber back to the hotel, set our bags out to be collected by the cruise staff, and officially called it a day.
I was completely exhausted—in the best way—and more than ready for a good night’s sleep. Tomorrow’s pickup isn’t until 11:15 am for the cruise port, which means we can sleep in if we want… and trust me, I want 😂.
We can’t wait to finally be on the ship tomorrow!!! 🚢✨
