Discover South America with Holland America Line
Get on board for an unforgettable South American adventure
Holland America Line (affectionately known as HAL) started out as a steamship company, plying the Atlantic waters.
Fast forward to 2023 – which is the year the cruise line are celebrating 150 years of seafaring heritage – HAL now sails to seven continents.
Trying to select one continent to sail to on your next cruise is like attempting to single out the spottiest dog in a kennel full of dalmatians: nigh on impossible. But since you ask, we have a soft spot for South America.
This is a continent of dramatic landscapes – Amazonian rainforests, waterfalls, Chilean deserts, Patagonia glaciers, and powder-white sands are all present and correct – hip-shaking beats (Colombian salsa, Brazilian samba, and Argentine tango); cosmopolitan cities of cool (take a bow Buenos Aires and Rio); and loud and proud Latin culture that’s sure to exceed expectations.
The very best way to explore South America is by cruise. You’ll be able to visit multiple destinations in style, without the time-consuming hassle of obtaining visas, all while only having to unpack once.
What’s more, if you set sail to South America with HAL this year, you can also enjoy an electric atmosphere onboard. To mark HAL’s 150-year anniversary, the captain’s dinner – always a highlight on a HAL voyage – will be given a historical twist: expect to dine on classic dishes from previous onboard menus.
Elsewhere the new and exclusive HAL gin, De Linj, features in three special anniversary cocktails while there’s also a limited-edition anniversary Pilsner.
Sounds good? Read on, be inspired by our selection of South American cruises with HAL, and get booking…
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TOP THREE
17-day Panama canal and Inca discovery
Always wanted to raise a (Panama) hat to the Panama canal, that awe-inspiring modern engineering marvel? Then this is the cruise for you. Departing from Fort Lauderdale onboard Oosterdam, you’ll have three days to admire the world's most famous shortcut that links the Atlantic and the Pacific.
Other highlights of this 17-day itinerary include the coastal city of Manta in Ecuador and three stops (Lima, La Serena, and Pisco) in what is arguably South America’s most captivating country, Peru.
Departs November 14, 2024, with prices from £2,979 per person.*
14-day South America passage
(Gloved) hands up, if Chile, Argentina, and Uruguay are on your bucket list? That’s all of us then. The good news is that HAL’s 14-day South America passage encompasses all three. Departing from Santiago, Chile’s leafy capital, you’ll call at Puerto Montt and Punta Arenas, before setting sail for Argentina's southernmost city: Ushuaia. The Falkland Islands and Uruguay's capital, Montevideo, feature on the itinerary but HAL has saved the best – Buenos Aires – to last.
Don’t believe us? As American writer Truman Capote once termed it: “Brazil was beastly but Buenos Aires the best. Not Tiffany's, but almost”. An overnighter in Argentina’s charismatic capital will allow you to enjoy and experience the city’s elegant European facade, sizzling steaks, sultry tango, and infectious football games.
Departs December 2, 2023, from £2,039 per person.*
22-day South America & Antarctica
If, like us, you dread the month of January then why not beat the winter blues by booking a stateroom onboard Oosterdam for HAL’s 22-day South America and Antarctica cruise?
Departing from Santiago, Chile, this unforgettable itinerary takes in South American favourites such as the Uruguayan resort town of Punta del Este – whose most famous attraction is La Mano (or the hand in the sand to give it, its English name) – and the Paris of the South, Buenos Aires.
Stir in four days in Antarctica – the world’s last untouched destination – plus several scenic sailing days affording you plenty of time to enjoy everything Oosterdam has to offer, and this cruise promises to please.
Departs January 7, 2024, with prices starting at £3,739 per person.*
These suggested South American itineraries are just the tip of the iceberg. For more incredible cruises to this epic continent, click here.
*Please note: all prices were correct at the time of going to print but are subject to change
About Kaye Holland
Kaye is a London-based wordsmith who has written for a range of publications including The Times, The Independent, The I, Culture Trip, The Sun, and ABTA among others. In June 2022, Kaye joined the Real Response Media where she looks – together with Lucy Abbott – after the World of Cruising website. Want to get in touch? Kaye can be reached at: [email protected]
