South America

Destination Deals
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From
AU $3,829SOUTH AMERICA - NORWEGIAN STAR
14 NIGHT SOUTH AMERICA CRUISE ONBOARD NORWEGIAN STAR FROM BUENOS AIRES TO SAN ANTONIO!
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From
AU $11,959DISCOVERY PRINCESS SOUTH AMERICA CONNOISSEUR
BONUS CREDIT^ Cruise 50 nights with Grand Princess ex Ft Lauderdale to Los Angeles
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From
AU $4,059DISCOVERY PRINCESS ANDES & SOUTH AMERICA
BONUS CREDIT^ Cruise 18 nights with Discovery Princess ex San Antonio to Los Angeles
Image Credit Photo by Dirk Sebregts on Unsplash
South America
South America offers travellers a range of cruise destinations. From the glitter of Rio and Buenos Aires to the penguins and whales of the Straits of Magellan, to the Amazon (see South American Rivers), to the intriguing colonial history and South America is a destination of opposites, and one of the most exciting destinations in the world.
Cruise types
There are three main types of South America Cruises. (Note that while most Antarctic cruise depart from South America ports – particularly from Ushuaia – information on Antarctica is listed separately).
1. Amazon River Cruises – see South American Rivers
2 Specialty cruises
From the captivating Chilean Fjords to the impressive Panama Canal, with a chance to visit the enchanting Galápagos Islands mixed in for good measure; South America cruises with Fred. Olsen have everything covered. Take a full cruise departing from the UK, or a fly-cruise sector, so you can experience this stunning destination in full.
South America traditionally consists of Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecudor, Falkland Islands, French Guiana, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, South Georgian and the South Sandwich Islands, Suriname, Uruguay, and Venezuela.
Take an overland tour to the impressive site of Machu Picchu; savour a once in a lifetime opportunity to visit the magnificent Iguazu Falls; or, perhaps tap your feet and sway to the beat of the Brazilian Samba music.
Immerse yourself in the unique cultures of vibrant, world-renowned cities including Rio de Janeiro, where you can relax on Copacabana Beach or head to the peak of the Corcovado Mountain to see the iconic Christ the Redeemer statue up close; Callao - a gateway to the beautiful Peruvian capital, Lima; Uruguay’s eclectic capital, Montevideo; and Buenos Aires, for Belle Époque architecture, the Tango and the Casa Rosada.
Cruise seasons
Cruises that visit South America between September and March.
There are some cruise lines that sail round Cape Horn this is the southern summer and in general cruise ships that do these South American itineraries return to the Northern Hemisphere for the northern summer cruise season.
Specialty cruises operate year round
Main ports
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Lima, Peru
Buenos Aires
Weather
The Equator runs through Ecuador and northern Brazil so much of the continent is tropical. The dry season is from October to June which is when cruises to the Amazon tend to operate. Cruises from Rio on the east coast also run in this period.
Cruises that go round Cape Horn experience a much larger change in weather and temperature. Santiago and Buenos Aires are Mediterranean in climate and enjoy warm summers with mild winters. However cruises that go round the Horn can experience much colder temperatures even in the height of summer. Guests on these cruises should have some winter clothing available for the days when the ship rounds the horn.
Ports of Interest
- Agostini Sound, Chile
- Ainsworth Bay, Tucker Islet, Chile
- Alberto de Agostini National Park, Chile
- Alejandro Selkirk Island, Chile
- Amalia Glacier, Chile
- Anchieta Island, Brazil
- Ancud, Chile
- Angostura Inglesa, Chile
- Angra Dos Reis, Brazil
- Antofagasta Chile
- Archipelagos, Brazil
- Arica, Chile
- Armacao dos Buzio, Brazil
- Arraial Do Cabo, Brazil
- Bahia Coquimbo, Chile
- Bahia de los Correos on Isla Floreana, Galapagos Islands
- Bahia Gardner, Galapagos Islands
- Bahia Junquillal, Costa Rica
- Bahia Solano, Colombia
- Bahia Sullivan, Santiago
- Baia Garibaldi
- Ballestas Islands, Peru
- Baltra, Galapagos Is
- Baroness Outlook, Floreana
- Bartolome Island, Santiago
- Beagle Channel Chile
- Black Turtle Cove, Galapagos Islands
- Boca dos Botos, Brazil
- Bogota, Colombia
- Bonaire - Dutch Antilles
- Brookes Bay, Chile
- Buenaventura, Colombia
- Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Buzios, Brazil
- Cabedelo, Brazil
- Cabo Frio, Brazil
- Callao (Lima) Peru
- Camarones, Argentina
- Camboriu, Brazil
- Cape Horn (Cruising)
- Capurgana, Colombia
- Caracas, Venezuela
- Carillo Beach
- Cartagena, Colombia
- Castro, Chile
- Cayenne (French Guiana)
- Cerro Brujo, San Cristobal, Galapagos Islands
- Cerro Colorado, Galapagos
- Chiclayo, Peru
- Chilean Fjords
- Chimbote, Peru
- Chinese Hat Islet, Galapagos Islands
- Colonia Del Sacramento, Uruguay
- Comodoro Rivadavia, Argentina
- Constitucion, Chile
- Copacabana
- Coquimbo, Chile
- Cormorant Point, Floreana
- Corral Chile
- Cusco, Peru
- Cuzco, Peru
- Daphne Island, Galapagos
- Darwin Bay, Galapagos Islands
- Devils Island, French Guiana
- Diego Ramirez Islands, Chile
- Dragon Hill, Santa Cruz
- Easter Island (Hanga Roa), Chile
- El Barranco, Genovesa
- El Guamache, Margarita Island, Venezuela
- English Passage, Chile
- Esmeraldas, Ecuador
- Espanola Island (Punta Suarez), Galapagos Islands
- Fernandina Island, Galapagos Islands
- Fernando de Noronha Brazil
- Floreana Island, Ecuador
- Florianopolis, Brazil
- Fort Amador, Panama
- Fortaleza, Brazil
- Galapagos Islands, Ecuador
- Gamboa, Panama
- Garibaldi Glacier, Chile
- Genovesa, Galapagos Islands
- Glacier El Brujo, Chile
- Golfo Elefantes, Chile
- Guamache, Venezuela
- Guayaquil, Equador
- Guyana
- Hormigas De Afuera, Peru
- Huacho, Peru
- Ile du Diable, French Guyana
- Ile du Salut
- Ile Royale, French Guiana
- Ilha de Marajo, Brazil
- Ilha Do Maia, Brazil
- Ilha do Mel, Brazil
- Illhabela, Brazil
- Imbituba, Brazil
- Iquique, Chile
- Isabela Island (Bahia Elizabeth), Ecuador
- Isabela Island (Caleta Tagus), Ecuador
- Isabela Island (Punta Vicente Roca), Galapagos Islands
- Isla Blanquilla, Venezuela
- Isla Carlos III, Chile
- Isla Champion, Floreana
- Isla Chanaral, Chile
- Isla de Chiloe, Chile
- Isla de la Plata Ecuador
- Isla de Los Estados, Argentina
- Isla de Los Pinguinos, Argentina
- Isla de Providencia, Colombia
- Isla Espanola, Galapagos
- Isla Fernandina, Galapagos Island
- Isla Floreana, Galapoagos Is
- Isla Genovesa, Galapagos Islands
- Isla Gorgona, Colombia
- Isla Guanape, Peru
- Isla Isabela, Galapagos Island
- Isla Lobos de Tierra & Islas Lobos de Afuera, Peru
- Isla Lobos, Galapagos Islands
- Isla Magdalena, Chile
- Isla Mocha, Chile
- Isla Pajaros, Costa Rica
- Isla Pan de Azucar Chile
- Isla Rabida, Galapagos Island
- Isla Remolino, Venezuela
- Isla Salas y Gomez, Chile
- Isla Santa Clara, Ecuador
- Isla Santa Fe, Galapagos Islands
- Isla Santa Maria, Galapagos Islands
- Isla Santiago, Galapagos Islands
- Islas Ballestas Peru
- Islas Guanape, Peru
- Islas los Roques, Venezuela
- Jorge Montt Glacier, Chile
- Juan Fernandez Islands. Chile
- Kicker Rock, San Cristobal
- La Gomera, Canary Islands
- La Guaira, Venezuela
- La Vela De Coro, Venezuela
- Laguna San Rafael, Chile
- Las Bachas, Santa Cruz
- Las Piedras, Uruguay
- Leon Dormido, San Cristobal island, Galapagos
- Lopes Mendes
- Los Roques, Venezuela
- Los Testigos, Venzuela
- Maceio, Brazil
- Machala, Ecuador
- Machalilla National Park Ecuador
- Machu Picchu, Peru
- Manta, Equador
- Mar del Plata, Argentina
- Matarani, Peru
- Mayaguez, Puerto Rico
- Mocha Island, Chile
- Montevideo, Uruguay
- Mosquera Islet, Galapagos Islands
- Natal, Brazil
- Niebla
- North Seymour, Galapagos
- Pain de Sucre, Chile
- Paita Peru
- Pantoja, Chile
- Paracas Peru (For Nazca Lines)
- Paraiso, Amazon
- Paranagua, Brazil
- Paraty Brazil
- Patagonian Channel (cruising)
- Peru
- Pio XI Glacier, Chile
- Pisco, Peru
- Playa Espumilla, Santiago, Galapagos Is
- Playa Medina, Venezuela
- Porlamar, Margarita Isl, Venezuela
- Port of Ilo, Peru
- Porto Belo, Brazil
- Porto Seguro, Brazil
- Post Office Bay, Floreana
- Providencia Island, Colombia
- Puerto Ayora, Galapagos Is
- Puerto Baquerizo (San Cristobal)
- Puerto Caldera, Puntarenas Costa Rica
- Puerto Castila
- Puerto Chacabuco, Chile
- Puerto del Buceo, Uruguay
- Puerto Deseado, Argentina
- Puerto Eden, Chile
- Puerto Egas (Santiago), Galapagos Islands
- Puerto Lopez, Ecuador
- Puerto Madryn, Argentina
- Puerto Mollendo, Peru
- Puerto Montt, Chile
- Puerto Natales, Chile
- Puerto Supe, Peru
- Puerto Varas, Chile
- Puerto Villamil, Isabella, Galapagos Islands
- Puerto Williams, Chile
- Punta Arenas, Chile
- Punta del Este, Uruguay
- Punta Espinoza, Fernandina
- Punta Moreno (Isabela), Galapagos
- Punta Pitt, San Cristobal, Galapagos Islands
- Punta San Juan, Peru
- Punta Santa Ana, Chile
- Punta Suarez, Galapagos Islands
- Puyuhuapi Chile
- Quito, Ecuador
- Rabida, Galapagos Islands
- Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Rio Gallegos, Argentina
- Rio Grande, Brazil
- Robinson Crusoe Island, Chile
- Sacred Valley, Peru
- Salaverry Trujillo, Peru
- Salinas, Ecuador
- Salvador de Bahia, Brazil
- San Antonio (Santiago), Chile
- San Carlos de Bariloche, Argentina
- San Cristobal Is, Galapagos Is
- San Juan Marcona, Peru
- San Lorenzo, Ecuador
- San Nicholas, Peru
- San Salvador, Galapagos Is
- San Vicente, Chile
- Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos
- Santana, Brazil
- Santiago Island (Puerto Egas), Galapagos Islands
- Santiago, Chile
- Santos (Sao Paulo),Brazil
- Sao Francisco do Sul, Brazil
- Sao Luis, Brazil
- Seno Eyre Fjord, Chile
- Seymour Norte, Ecuador
- South Plaza island, Galapagos Islands
- Straits Of Magellan, Chile
- Supe Puerto, Peru
- Talcahuano, Chile
- Tierra del Fuego, Chile & Argentina
- Torres del Paine National Park, Chile
- Tortel, Chile
- Tower Island, Galapagos
- Tumaco, Colombia
- Ubatuba
- Uramba National Park, Colombia
- Urvina Bay (Isabela), Galapagos
- Ushuaia, Argentina
- Utria National Park, Colombia
- Valdivia, Chile
- Valparaiso (Santiago), Chile
- Vitoria, Brazil
- Yucay, Peru