The mighty Amazon, dramatic Cape Horn, the alluring Machu Picchu, the untouched Galapagos Islands and the remote continent of Antarctica are all highlights of Princess Cruises 2008-09 South America adventures. For the first time the line will feature three ships sailing to the continent and will introduce a new itinerary and cruisetour that includes the opportunity to follow in Darwin’s footsteps to the Galapagos Islands.
The diverse cruise lineup features a record 21 departures on six different itineraries. Star Princess will return with the popular Cape Horn & Strait of Magellan, Antarctica and Andes cruises plus a new 14-day Cape Horn itinerary between the vibrant cities of Rio and Santiago. The intimate Pacific Princess explores the Amazon rainforest offering more voyages than ever. Her sister ship Royal Princess will sail on two new 12-day voyages between Ft. Lauderdale and Guayaquil, Ecuador that will provide optional cruisetours to the untouched Galapagos Islands and the mysterious Machu Picchu.
“South America is one of those destinations that experienced travelers have on their ‘wish list’ of travel experiences, and we’re excited to be growing our presence there, “said Jan Swartz, Princess Cruises senior vice president of customer service. “We were an early pioneer of this cruise destination and now we’re offering an even broader range of ways to explore these fascinating parts of the continent, including the Galapagos, which is a truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience.”
From the Andes to Antarctica – The amenity-filled Star Princess will return to South America offering four itinerary options, including the popular Cape Horn and Strait of Magellan sailings and the line’s famed Antarctica cruises. Options include:
Andes & South America – This Pacific Ocean sailing between San Francisco and Santiago features the best of the Pacific coasts of two continents with calls at Cabo San Lucas, Acapulco, Nicaragua (Puerto Corinto), Costa Rica (Puntarenas), Panama Canal (Puerto Amador), Quito (Manta), Lima (Callao – overnight), and La Serena (Coquimbo). Star Princess will offer two departures, on November 20, 2008 and March 30, 2009.
Cape Horn Route to Rio – Star Princess will offer four sailings on this itinerary between Rio de Janeiro and Santiago, featuring scenic glacier cruising along the Chilean fjords, Punta Arenas, Beagle Channel Scenic Cruising, Ushuaia (Tierra del Fuego), Cape Horn Scenic Cruising, Falkland Islands (Stanley), Montevideo and Buenos Aires. Departures are available on December 8, December 22, 2008, March 2 and March 16, 2009.
Cape Horn & Straits of Magellan – This classic route between Santiago and Buenos Aires follows the path of early explorers around the infamous Cape Horn, and includes destinations such as Puerto Montt, Glacier Scenic Cruising, Punta Arenas, Beagle Channel Scenic Cruising, Ushuaia (Tierra del Fuego), Cape Horn Scenic Cruising, Falkland Islands (Stanley) and Montevideo. Sailings depart on January 5 and February 2, 2009.
Antarctica & South America Adventure – This dramatic sailing travels between Buenos Aires and Santiago and features four days of scenic cruising along the Antarctic Peninsula (including: Elephant Island, Antarctic Sound, Deception Island, Gerlache Strait, Neumayer Channel, South Shetland Island and Admiralty Bay), as well as Montevideo, Falkland Islands (Stanley), Cape Horn Scenic Cruising, Ushuaia (Tierra del Fuego), Beagle Channel Scenic Cruising, and Punta Arenas. Two sailings depart on January 17 and February 14, 2009.
The Mighty Amazon – Pacific Princess will sail on an unprecedented nine sailings of a 14-day Amazon River adventure between Ft. Lauderdale and Manaus, Brazil. The 670-passenger ship will visit St. Barthelemy, Dominica, St. Lucia, Tobago, Devil’s Island, and the Amazon ports of Santarem, Boca da Valeria and an overnight visit to Manaus. Pacific Princess sails between December 19, 2008 and April 10, 2009.
For Explorers – Royal Princess debuts two sailings of a new 12-day South America and Panama Explorer itinerary that travels between Ft. Lauderdale and Guayaquil, Equador. The ship will carry her 710 passengers to Aruba, Cartagena, San Blas (Panama), through the Panama Canal to Puerto Amador, Costa Rica (Puntarenas), and Esmeraldas (Equador). The sailings depart on November 15 and 27, 2008.
Galapagos and Machu Picchu Cruisetours – Princess introduces two new cruisetour options featuring travel to the Galapagos Islands and Machu Picchu. The Galapagos Discovery tour option provides a full day of touring in Quito, plus travel to the Galapagos where the M/V Galapagos Legend will be their home for three days of exploring around the islands to see the astounding indigenous wildlife, including sea lions, iguanas, the world’s largest colony of waved albatross, and the famous giant tortoises. The Machu Picchu Adventure itinerary includes travel from Lima to Cusco with the opportunity to tour the city and get acclimated to the city’s 11,500-foot elevation. The next day passengers will take the train to Machu Picchu, the “Lost City of the Incas,” known as one of the most extraordinary examples of landscape architecture in the world. Both tours are designed to combine seamlessly with Royal Princess South America and Panama Explorer itinerary, offering both pre-cruise and post-cruise travel options.
