Silversea Cruises has reached an agreement with the Chilean authorities to depart from Punta Arenas for its 2021-2022 Antarctica season, leading the return of Antarctica travel, according to a press release.
The Silver Cloud and Silver Wind will set sail from Punta Arenas (instead of Argentina), while the line’s third Antarctica-bound ship, Silver Explorer, will continue with its scheduled plan to depart from Chile’s Puerto Williams from November 2021.
“Leading the return of cruising in Antarctica, as facilitated by our agreement with the Chilean government, represents our commitment to delivering unforgettable travel experiences for our guests,” said Roberto Martinoli, Silversea’s President and CEO. “I commend the Chilean government for its unwavering dedication to restarting cruising to the White Continent in a safe and enriching manner.”
“Thanks to our unique destination expertise, we are able to lead the return to cruising in Antarctica with the precious addition of Punta Arenas as a departure port,” added Conrad Combrink, Silversea’s Senior Vice President of Expeditions, Turnaround Operations and Destination Management. “We commend the Chilean authorities for their collaborative approach and we look forward to building a long-term partnership for an enhanced guest experience. Chile is a fantastic gateway with a stable infrastructure and excellent services. From here, our guests can discover the unique allure of the Final Continent in luxurious comfort. With four ships already sailing in other regions of the world, we have demonstrated our commitment to delivering unforgettable travel experiences for our guests in the safest possible manner.”
Guests of the Silver Cloud and Silver Wind will now fly into Santiago, Chile, where they will enjoy an overnight hotel stay before flying into Punta Arenas the next day to embark the ship.
Guests embarking the Silver Explorer will do so in Puerto Williams, Chile – except those benefitting from Silversea’s Antarctica Bridge, the first ultra-luxury fly-cruise service to Antarctica, which will see travelers fly directly from Punta Arenas to King George Island in Antarctica.
