By
Alex Smith |
Silversea Cruises has reached an agreement with the Government of Chile to allow its ships to depart from the country’s ports for its 2021-2022 Antarctica season.
Silver Cloud and Silver Wind will set sail from the city of Punta Arenas, while Silver Explorer will continue with its scheduled plan to homeport in Puerto Williams in November.
"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, president and CEO of Silversea. “I commend the Chilean Government for its unwavering dedication to restarting cruising to the ‘White Continent’ in a safe and enriching manner.”
Guests sailing onboard Silver Cloud and Silver Wind will fly into Santiago, Chile, where they will have an overnight hotel stay before flying to Punta Arenas the next day to embark on the ship. Guests embarking Silver Explorer will do so in Puerto Williams, Chile, although those booked for Silversea's Antarctica Bridge fly-cruise service will fly directly from Punta Arenas to King George Island in Antarctica.
“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,” said Conrad Combrink, senior vice president of expeditions, turnaround operations and destination management at Silversea. “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.”
Silversea's Antarctica cruise programme includes a series of 10-day voyages to the Antarctic Peninsula and the South Shetland Islands, as well as shorter sailings of five, six or nine days as part of the Antarctica Bridge fly-cruise programme. Two ‘Deep Antarctica’ itineraries will see ships spending 20 days attempting to reach a latitude of 69 degrees south, while two more sailings will offer guests the opportunity to see the solar eclipse on 4 December from Antarctica, which will be the only place on Earth where it can be viewed completely.