South America Cruises

Posted on Wednesday, August 25, 2010

See South America with the convenience of only unpacking once. From October to May cruise lines call at ports around the continent.

• Historic Cartegena, Colombia is included on many Panama Canal sailings.
• Several small ships are based in Baltra, Galapagos Islands, for explorations of the archipelago. Cruise packages include a stay in Ecuador.
• Cape Horn is a must for mariners and you can see it on cruises between Santiago, Chile (port of Valparaiso) and Buenos Aires. Other exciting places you'll visit on this route are Chile's fjords, glaciers and Lake District, Patagonia, Punta Arenas on the Strait of Magellan, the glaciers of the Beagle Channel, Ushuaia, the Falkland Islands, Uruguay's capital city of Montevideo plus there are opportunities to visit Magellanic Penguin colonies along the way.
• Notorious Devil's Island is found on sailings between Rio and Florida along with ports in Brazil and the Caribbean.
• Cruise the Amazon River on small ships in the region or on longer sailings between Manaus, Brazil and Florida.
• Positioning cruises between Valparaiso and either Florida or California are a good opportunity to visit Peru and Ecuador. Optional overnight land tours from the ship give you a chance to visit Machu Picchu and the Galapagos.
• Cruises between Rio or Sao Paulo and Buenos Aires have increased in recent years giving you a chance to explore this intriguing coast and its magnificent beaches.
• Circumnavigations of the continent take place each year. These long, leisurely cruises take about two months round-trip from Fort Lauderdale.

Enjoy the Diversity of a Fall South America Cruise

Posted on Friday, February 26, 2010

Discover scenic fjords, glacial splendor and Latin rhythms on Holland America Cruises' exceptional South America itineraries. There's time to savor a hassle-free vacation that blends iconic sites with off-the-beaten-path destinations in this continent of infinite wonder.

Nothing tops these 12-Day, 2010 South America Passage cruises for spectacular beauty and dramatic marine history.

From magnificent Puerto Montt and Punta Arenas in Chile to southernmost Ushuaia and the Falkland Islands' Stanley with its fascinating parade of penguins, these voyages encompass intriguing ports of call with unparalleled scenic cruising. Considered by many to be the highlight and most memorable aspect of a South America cruise, larger-than-life landscapes and seascapes present unforgettable grandeur.

Sailing aboard the elegant ms Veendam through the ice-capped fjords of the Chilean Fjords, guests revel in some of the world's most impressive scenery. From lush islands and small harbors to dense forests and thermal springs, diverse wonders of this extraordinary continent unfold. And navigational history comes alive as guests sail the Darwin, Cockburn and Beagle Channels, the Strait of Magellan and round Cape Horn.

Long a major milestone and trade route for clipper ships, Cape Horn is steeped in history. It marks the northern boundary of the Drake Passage, which Magellan's fleet first circled, and is a true rite of passage for many sailors. The trade route changed with the opening of the Panama Canal in 1914, but many sailors continue to sail this route, sometimes as part of a circumnavigation of the globe.

12-Day South America Passage sailings between Valparaíso (Santiago) to Buenos Aires – from $1,199 Sail dates: 11/2, 11/14, 11/26; 12/8/10; 1/23; 2/4/11.

South America Cruise

Posted on Thursday, November 12, 2009

Diverse and dazzling, South America has been inspiring explorers for centuries with her sun-kissed beaches, stunning glacier fjords, lush tropical rainforests and remote indigenous villages.  Travel in the week of Magellan around Cape Horn and through the strait named in his honor, and encounter the breathtaking scenery of Antarctica. From the towering mountains of the Andres to the mighty Amazon river, discover a continent that takes your breathe way and leaves awe in its place.