South America Cruises

The seasons are reversed in the Southern Hemisphere, so the warmer months, from November to March or April, are the best time to cruise, which is when our Celebrity Eclipse will be sailing the region in 2024. 

The Galapagos is completely different, as the islands lie across the Equator. The Galapagos is a year-round destination, with far fewer variations in climate, and benefits to sailing in any given month.

For Celebrity Cruises® and parent company, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd, the safety of our guests and crew has always been our highest priority. We encourage you to leave valuables on board when you go ashore, and to use the safe provided in your stateroom for your valuables.   

As with any big city with lots of visitors, you should take precautions in places like Rio de Janeiro and Buenos Aires. Don’t carry your cell phone or wallet in your back pocket, and keep your purse and camera close to you. Do not leave your belongings unattended on a beach.

Celebrity offers a wide variety of South American cruises with many exciting ports of call. You could sail between Buenos Aires and Valparaiso with two ports of call in wild and beautiful Patagonia, as well as two in sophisticated Uruguay, and a day in Puerto Madryn, Argentina. Or you could pick a similar itinerary that included the Chilean Fjords, an area of vast glaciers, narrow channels, and jagged peaks.

If you prefer a warmer climate, pick an itinerary that sails between sophisticated Buenos Aires and exotic Rio de Janeiro. You’ll also visit Buzios and São Paulo in Brazil, and Montevideo and Punta del Este in Uruguay. 

To many, the ultimate adventure is a cruise to Antarctica, a world of icy beauty, towering mountains, and extraordinary wildlife. These itineraries include Ushuaia, the most southerly city in the world, and the fascinating Falkland Islands.

Galapagos cruises visit several islands and landing points over the course of a week, with multiple opportunities for wildlife spotting, hiking, snorkeling, and exploring pristine beaches and mangroves.

There are no compulsory vaccinations for South America, but you should make sure your regular inoculations are up to date, as you may be traveling to remote areas. If you are arriving from a country where yellow fever is prevalent, you may need a yellow fever vaccination certificate, so check with your physician in advance.

Celebrity does not sail to areas where there is a high risk of malaria, so you will not need anti-malarial medication.

Some South America cruises visit as many as four countries, and each will only accept its own currency. You will be able to use credit cards in big cities like Buenos Aires, Montevideo, and Rio de Janeiro, but in more rural areas, you may need cash. 

You will find ATMs on shore, and you can also change money on the ship. Make sure you understand the exchange rate in each port before you go ashore and spend money.

South America is an enormous continent and you will see extremes of climate, geography, and wildlife. You might see whales around Puerto Madryn and Magellanic penguins in Patagonia. If you visit Antarctica, you’ll see gentoo and chinstrap penguins, leopard seals, and most likely, several kinds of whales. On the Drake Passage, you could spot graceful wandering albatross, the bird with the widest wingspan on the planet. Excursions in the Falkland Islands take you to look for five different species of penguin, while in Ecuador and Chile, you could see magnificent condors soaring on the thermals.

In the Galapagos, you’ll see endemic species including marine and land iguanas, Galapagos penguins, Galapagos sea lions, reef sharks, sea turtles, and many more.

A cruise is an exceptionally good way to see South America. Distances are long and it would be very time-consuming to visit the number of destinations you can see on a cruise if you were traveling by land and air. 

A South America cruise offers wonderful contrasts, too. For example, in the space of 12 nights you could be enjoying a sultry tango show in Buenos Aires, exploring the wilds of Patagonia, sailing around Cape Horn, and admiring the famous street art in Valparaiso. You could see the beautiful Chilean Fjords and the Lake District, or experience the ultimate adventure, a voyage to Antarctica.

The majority of our South America cruises range from 12 to 14 nights. Galapagos cruises are seven nights, but if you add on a land extension, the whole experience will be 10, 11, or 16 nights.

South America cruises depart from Buenos Aires, Valparaiso, and Los Angeles. Galapagos cruise and land packages start in Quito. Alternatively, you can join your ship in Baltra, in the Galapagos itself.

A South America cruise could take you through many different climates. If you sail between Buenos Aires and Valparaiso, for example, you should pack for warm summer days and beach weather in the cities, and much cooler, windier weather in Ushuaia and Punta Arenas. If you are headed for Antarctica, you will need layers, fleeces, gloves, a hat, and a good waterproof jacket. If you’re traveling to Brazil, on the other hand, pack breathable fabrics and loose clothing for the tropics.

For the Galapagos, pack clothing in neutral colors that will protect you from the sun, as you could be out walking for hours at a time. You will need a hat, walking shoes, and a lot of space on your camera’s memory card as you will take a lot of photos. Wetsuits and snorkel gear are provided on board the ship.

Throughout the ship, casual resort wear, sundresses, shorts, polos, or button-downs are appropriate, paired with sandals, low heels, and loafers. In main and specialty dining, we ask guests to refrain from wearing swimsuits, see-through cover-ups or robes, bare feet, tank tops, T-shirts, and baseball caps. 

Smart Casual attire is required for entry to main dining, specialty dining, and the Celebrity Theatre. Smart Casual means you look comfortable yet tasteful in a dress, skirt, long pants, or jeans with a stylish top or button-down. Shorts and flip-flops are not considered Smart Casual. 

Each itinerary features one to two “formal” nights that we call Evening Chic. Evening Chic means you dress to impress, glamorous and sophisticated in your own way, with a cocktail dress, skirt, slacks, or designer jeans, an elegant dress top, or blazer—some guests even pack a tuxedo or gown for onboard photos. 

The daily program, delivered to your stateroom and available at the Guest Relations Desk, will be your guide to the correct attire each evening. If you do not wish to participate in Evening Chic, Smart Casual attire is acceptable for dining and attending the theater.

Cruises to the Galapagos are less formal and there are no Evening Chic nights, as these are expedition voyages. In the Galapagos, for women, we recommend resort-casual attire (pants, skirts, or even casual dresses), and for men, a comfortable shirt and pants in the evenings.