Chilean Antarctic cruise company adds second vessel

A Chilean based cruise company is incorporating a second vessel for this coming season´s tours of Antarctica, beginning in Puerto Montt and concluding in Ushuaia, Argentina, with a call in Punta Arenas.

Diego Hurtado, C & O Tours CEO who visited Punta Arenas over the weekend with foreign tourist operators said the company for the last three years has been successfully operating Antarctic cruises with the Norwegian flagged “Nordnorge” which has a 350 passenger capacity and a crew of 70.

But for this coming season “we´ve chartered the twin vessel Nordkapp, since we anticipate a very promising summer”. The vessels have an 11.500 tons displacement and are 123 metres long. The normal fifteen days cruise leaves from Puerto Montt, sails along the Chilean channels, calls in Punta Arenas before heading to Antarctica and back to Ushuaia.

“Europeans, Americans, Japanese and Australians are our main clients for these cruises, but this year we are promoting additional, before or after, two to four days packages in the region”, revealed Mr. Hurtado.

The additional packages include Patagonia, Chile´s lakes area, the central valley where most of Chilean wineries are located and even more distant destinations such as Macchu Picchu in Peru, Easter Island and Iguazu falls in Argentina.