MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Ushuaia expects some 68 vessels and 488 calls during the 2021/22 cruise season

“Since Antarctic cruises receive 100% of logistics support here and the two oceans cruises also significant support,” Murcia said.

As long as the Covid-19 pandemic continues to recede and there are no further new strain surprises, this coming 2021/22 season, the port of Ushuaia in Tierra del Fuego province is scheduled to receive some 68 tourism vessels and 488 calls.

The first cruise vessel is expected next 25 October and the closing season visit should be on May 22, according to the info published this week in the Provincial Ports site.

Sylvia Earle will open the season on 25 October and Navigator of the Sea will end it on May 22. Among large vessels mentioned calling in Ushuaia are Celebrity Silhouette next March with some 2,886 passengers and a crew of 1,500, and the Navigator of the Sea, in May, with a 4,000 passenger capacity and 1,200 crew.

Other significant calls include Costa Luminosa, MSC Poesía, Coral Princess, Oosterdam, Norewgian Star, Diamond Princess, Celebrity Infinity, Bolette, Marina and Volendam.

Another 49 Antarctica cruise vessels are also scheduled.

Roberto Murcia head of Provincial Ports underlined that the fact the government in Buenos Aires approved the Ushuaia port sanitary protocol is most significant since it gives operators predictability, and although “we already had requests for docking and calls, many companies had suspended cruises, but now with the protocol info, we have started to receive more requests”.

Murcia also underlined the importance of the calls for Ushuaia economic activities “since Antarctic cruises receive 100% of logistics support here and the two oceans cruises also significant support”.

The head of Tierra del Fuego's Tourism Office, Daniel Querciali pointed out to the recovery of cruise activities, which was so hard hit and totally paralyzed since last year.
“It's great news for Tierra del Fuego and for Argentina because as a tourism and strategic destination we are the port of access to Antarctica, a privileged position when it come to promoting the province”, he said.