MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

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.

With this in mind Mr. Hurtado invited tourist operators from Europe and United States to tour Chilean Patagonia and the Torres del Paine Park, which will also be offered as a pre or post Antarctic cruise option.

"Actually it was a very interesting experience because many of the European and American tour operators believed Torres del Paine had a similar landscape to Antarctica", admitted Mr. Hurtado who emphasized that "our intention is to convert those fifteen days in 18, 20 days, consolidating the spirit of the Antarctic cruises".

"We're not really in the pleasure cruise business since most tourists consider them cultural experiences and those additional days we are promoting are targeted along that line", highlighted Mr. Hurtado.

"Those five days in Antarctica visiting scientific bases, rookeries, historic sites, sighting whales and other marine life really have an impact on visitors".