Cruising In South America

• South America is the hot new cruise destination of the 21st Century. When you look at what it has to offer, it's not hard to see why.
  
  A journey to the southernmost tip of the world will show you glaciers and icebergs, penguins and sea lions, the legacies of ancient civilisations and the vibrant cities of modern day Latin America.
  
• You can even fly over the vast wilderness of the White Continent, Antarctica - and relax over a decent cup of tea in the Falkland Islands, a little slice of Britain marooned in the South Atlantic.
  
  For sheer variety of landscape, climate and experiences, South America is hard to beat.
  
• A cruise in this region offers enough cultural interest to match the Mediterranean, sunshine to rival the Caribbean, tranquil fjords as picturesque as Norway's and fabulous scenery and wildlife you'd normally associate with Alaska.
  
• Best of all, you get to try one of the great maritime experiences - a sailing around the legendary Cape Horn, in the wake of the intrepid sailors who tackled the stormy route on far less comfortable ships before the opening of the Panama Canal.
  
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  Are you prepared for Buenos Aires?
  
• South American cruises often run between Buenos Aires in Argentina and Valparaiso, near the Chilean capital Santiago.
  
• Buenos Aires is a stylish, sophisticated city whose broad tree-lined boulevards and elegant mansions are reminiscent of Paris at its most romantic.
  
• More than half the Argentinean population live here - and they love to shop, dance and dress up to the nines.
  
• So prepare for browsing the chic boutiques, soaking up the atmosphere in lively pavement cafes and enjoying flower displays on stalls which adorn virtually every street corner.
  
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  Gauchos and traditional barbecues?
  
• Your next port of call will be Uruguay's capital Montevideo, which lies across the River Plate.
  
• From here you can drive into the countryside to watch the gauchos at work on a cattle ranch, or simply stroll the broad streets of the city,
  admire its pretty parks and ornate architecture, and join the locals for a traditional barbecue lunch at a pavement restaurant.
  
  Puerto Madryn in Argentina is a pretty seaside town full of cafes, restaurants and shops. A 20 minute taxi ride will show you a vast colony of sea lions at scenic Punta Loma, or you can drive further afield to Punta Tomba and walk among penguins, spot sea lions and whales.
  
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  A slice of British culture?
  
• This area attracted vast numbers of Welsh settlers in the 1880s, so a traditional Welsh high tea might be one of your experiences ashore.
  
  Port Stanley in the Falkland Islands offers even more familiar country to explore; the first thing you see from its small harbour is a row of Victorian villas.
  
  These villas were built for a visit from Queen Victoria herself – although in the end she didn’t actually arrive.
  
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  Fierce winds & distant memories
  
• A short ride will take you to a colony featuring five different species of penguins. A stroll along the breezy seafront will show you the wrecks of several old ships, which came to grief while attempting to round perilous Cape Horn, and lead you to a small but fascinating museum crammed with 19th and early 20th Century memorabilia.
  
  From the Falklands, you set sail for Cape Horn, a region of small rocky islands famous for its unpredictable weather, which confounded even the famous Captain Bligh.
  Today's big, modern cruise ships guarantee you an easier ride than he had, but it's still thrilling to take the old route from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean
  
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  The foothills of the Andes
  
• After Cape Horn you'll visit the world's southernmost town, Ushuaia, and see Antarctica-bound ships lining its harbour.
  
  Lying in the foothills of the Andes, Ushuaia offers stunning scenery in its Lapataia National Park - or you can jump aboard a small catamaran and set off to see penguins, cormorants, sea lions and other wildlife.
  
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  Follow the path of Charles Darwin
  
• From Ushuaia you travel through the Beagle Channel - named after the ship Charles Darwin used to explore the region in 1831. Now it's time to sit back and take in the fabulous icy scenery as you approach Punta Arenas, a striking blend of mountains and rivers, fjords and islands.
  
  From here you cruise through the Chilean fjords to Puerto Montt in the Chilean Lake District, a region of dramatic waterfalls, volcanic mountains and Bavarian-style villages built by German settlers. Valparaiso, is a hilly town of steep narrow streets offering gorgeous views of the harbour. Santiago, Chile's capital is also built on cliffs, its streets linked by winding footpaths, stone steps and a complex system of funiculars.
  
  Don't miss the city's pre Columbian museum, which charts the regions pre-history, before heading to the airport.
  
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  Or you could take your trip on to Peru & Brazil!
  
• The heart of the lost Inca Empire, Peru has an amazing history and some spectacular sites. One of the places that you must visit is Callao, gateway to 16th Century Lima – ‘the city of the kings’ and to the myths & legends of this great race. If time, travel inland to Cusco from where you can take a train journey through the sacred Urubamba Valley to Machu Picchu.
  
  As your ship enters the port of Rio de Janeiro it’s stunning natural setting is the first thing that strikes you about about this non-stop city. You can’t take a trip ashore without seeing the unmistakable contours of Sugar Loaf Mountain. Or you could take a funicular trip through the Tijuca Forest to the 2,400 ft summit of Corcovado Mountain crowned by the great statue of Christ the Redeemer. Rio itself has an unmistakable buzz about it, filled with pulsing samba and bossa nova.
  
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  Before you book, bear in mind
  · That South America is a long way away; you'll have a 13 hour flight to Buenos Aires, so this is one cruise where it really IS worth paying extra for flight upgrade options, where available
  · That the sea can be choppy around Cape Horn and the Falklands. That said, the rest of the sailing is very smooth - and Cape Horn in fine weather would be a disappointment!
  
  · The weather varies from very hot and sunny to chilly and crisp, with rain possible in the Lake District.
  
  · Wear layers of clothing and take a waterproof jacket or small umbrella
  
  · That you need to walk about to see the very best of this region - pack comfortable shoes
  
  · That you should take plenty of film for your camera - there's so much to see
  
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  Who goes there?
  
  COSTA CRUISES operates three ships in South America - Costa Allegra, Costa Classica and Costa Tropicale. Four fascinating itineraries range from 11-16 nights including the stunning Paths of Magellan cruise which takes in Uruguay, Argentina, Chile, the Falkland Islands, the southernmost town in the world - Ushuaia - and the breathtaking wilderness of the Terra del Fuego.
  
  CRYSTAL CRUISES
  offers three magical South American itineraries in January, February and March 2002 on Crystal Harmony - 'South American Sojourn' includes a two-night call at Rio de Janeiro at the height of the Carnival; and the 'Patagonian Passage' voyage around Cape Horn features the remote Falkland Islands in its ports of call.
  
  FRED. OLSEN CRUISE LINES
  Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines offers cruises to South America on Black Watch, Braemar and Black Prince cruise ships. Itineraries include Around South America from the UK; and cruises from the UK to Rio de Janeiro, the Brazilian coast and Caribbean. Length of holiday varies from 15 nights (fly/cruise) to 35 nights (ex UK round trip). Further information telephone: 01473-742424; www.fredolsencruises.co.uk
  
  HOLLAND AMERICA LINE’S South American itineraries include Buenos Aires, Montevideo, Puerto Montt, Punta Arenas, Rio de Janeiro, Stanley, Ushuaia and Valparaiso.
  
  MEDITERRANEAN SHIPPING CRUISES is the only cruise line offering a series of exclusive seven night cruises from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Fly out to fashionable Rio to join MSC's friendly liner – the Rhapsody. Cruise along the lush South American coastline with unique ports of call, including Porto Seguro, Salvador, Arraial Beach and Buzios. Extra nights in Rio are also available.
  
  NORWEGIAN COASTAL VOYAGE
  Norwegian Coastal Voyage now offers its coastal hugging philosophy further afield in the Chilean Fjords and Antarctica, on board MS Nordnorge (part of the Norwegian Coastal Voyage fleet) which is built to negotiate shallow and narrow waters and can take passengers to places other ships just can’t reach!
  
  The Chilean Fjords and Antarctica Voyage is available either Westbound or Eastbound from Ushuaia to Puerto Montt and vice versa.
  The ship travels along the Chilean coastal region of Patagonia known as ‘The Silent South’ and then on to the vast uninhabited region of Antarctica. Highlights include Cape Horn, Half Moon Island and Drake’s Passage.
  
  These voyages are available on selected dates from November to February.
  
  PRINCESS CRUISES offers four cruises aboard the Royal Princess sailing between Buenos Aires and Santiago. Ports of call include Montevideo in Uruguay and Port Stanley, before sailing past Cape Horn to Ushuaia in Argentina, through the Beagle Channel to Punta Arenas and Puerto Montt in Chile.
  
  RADISSON SEVEN SEAS CRUISES
  South America is a continent of incredible contrasts. Cosmopolitan cities are dwarfed by cloud topped mountains and great plateaus; evidence of ancient civilisations mingle with vibrant contemporary culture in a land so special, so alien, that a visit is never forgotten. Both Seven Seas Voyager and Mariner, two of the six star luxury ships in Radisson Seven Seas’ fleet, have exciting itineraries to South America in 2004/5. These range from seven to 19 nights, including the Grand Circle South America, Mexico and the Panama Canal.
  
  ROYAL OLYMPIA CRUISES’S sleek Olympia Voyager and Olympia Explorer sail to some of South America’s most exotic and dramatic regions during the winter months. The Amazon, Orinoco and South America circumnavigation (this can be segmented) cruises include more ports of call than similar cruises operated by other cruise lines, thanks to the unique high-speed design of the ships.
  
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