MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

“Mare Australis” in Punta Arenas.

Chilean vessel “Mare Australis” with 180 passengers from 13 different countries called in Punta Arenas last Saturday for the second cruise of the season and late in the evening with a similar number of tourists left for the weekly tour of the region.

The tour includes Puerto Williams in Chilean Tierra del Fuego, Cape Horn, the channels and Ushuaia in Argentina.

Among the Americans, Europeans and Latinamericans who disembarked in Punta Arenas was David Sharrock from The Times who apparently will be reporting on the tour which he described as simply "fantastic".

"A once in a lifetime experience and we were particularly lucky with the weather", said Mr. Sharrock.

"Mare Australis" expects a turnover of 5,000 tourists in the coming six months.

Further north over the weekend the "Skorpios III" another Chilean flagged cruise vessel made a test trip of the five days route it will officially inaugurate this coming Saturday leaving Puerto Natales sailing through channels, fiords and glaciers reaching Puerto Edén, and then back to the original port.

Constantino Kochifas, owner of the vessel said he was "most impressed with the cruise" and confident that "it will have a great impact overseas".

However Mr. Kochifas admitted that there's still some details to sort out, "the extension of the Puerto Natales jetty should be ready this week, and in Puerto Edén facilities to take tourists ashore are not the best".

But "glaciers are majestic and approaching them in dinghies is an unforgettable experience" he added.

"Skorpios III" has 49 fully equipped cabins and a passenger capacity of 130 and is scheduled to make weekly cruises beginning this Saturday until next April.