There are now several cruise lines that have ships sailing from Argentina up the Chilean coast, but none of the others can offer the same type of experience that the Stella Australis and the Ventus Australis offer.
In a meeting with the current U.S. representative for the cruise line, he mentioned a couple of things that I was not aware of, though I have been selling the cruises for many years.
First he mentioned that their original boat was sold to an Ecuadorian company and is now chartered by Hurtigruten Cruises for sailing in the Galapagos. They have custom-built two new ships since then.
Then he pointed out that the newer Stella Australis and the Ventus Australis were specifically built to be able to sail in shallow water so that they can get into the fjords and small inlets that are characteristic of the Patagonian coast. Regular ocean-going ships, such as those of the bigger cruise lines, are not able to get into those areas, so they have to sail farther away. Thus, like the cruise ships that carry more than 500 passengers to Antarctica, the passengers can only do "scenic cruising" from a distance - the passengers can't make any landings, except at main ports.
But if you go one one of the Australis cruises, you will enjoy daily excursions to a land where their guides will teach you about the wildlife of the area, as well as the history of its early inhabitants. Puerto Williams, the farthest southern town of the world, will be your closest contact with the native peoples of this remote region. Definitely, this will be one of your most pleasant and unforgettable experiences, because Patagonia - explored from an Australis ship, leaves no one unimpressed.
First he mentioned that their original boat was sold to an Ecuadorian company and is now chartered by Hurtigruten Cruises for sailing in the Galapagos. They have custom-built two new ships since then.
Then he pointed out that the newer Stella Australis and the Ventus Australis were specifically built to be able to sail in shallow water so that they can get into the fjords and small inlets that are characteristic of the Patagonian coast. Regular ocean-going ships, such as those of the bigger cruise lines, are not able to get into those areas, so they have to sail farther away. Thus, like the cruise ships that carry more than 500 passengers to Antarctica, the passengers can only do "scenic cruising" from a distance - the passengers can't make any landings, except at main ports.
But if you go one one of the Australis cruises, you will enjoy daily excursions to a land where their guides will teach you about the wildlife of the area, as well as the history of its early inhabitants. Puerto Williams, the farthest southern town of the world, will be your closest contact with the native peoples of this remote region. Definitely, this will be one of your most pleasant and unforgettable experiences, because Patagonia - explored from an Australis ship, leaves no one unimpressed.
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