AUSTRALIS

If you really want to get away from it all, but don’t have a ton of time, Chilean cruise line Australis offers short expedition cruises of a week or less to the southernmost regions of Chile and Argentina. Plus, they can be combined with land tours in the region. They’re ideal voyages for adventure seekers eager to soak up the beautifully rugged and fantastical landscape of this remote corner of the world.

The expedition cruise line has been sailing through Patagonia’s southernmost channels for more than 25 years, including the Strait of Magellan, Beagle Channel and the many fjords and waterways of the Tierra del Fuego archipelago, going as far south as the remote Cape Horn island, one of many small islands “at the end of the world” where the Atlantic and Pacific oceans meet. Getting all the way down to Tierra del Fuego to start the expedition is a long journey, but for the curious and the intrepid, the trip is more than worthwhile.

Penguins and glaciers beckon, and so does the allure of the legendary explorers who paved the way decades and centuries before us, from Ernest Shackleton to Charles Darwin, Sir Francis Drake and Ferdinand Magellan.

The Australis 2. * Photo: Australis

Fleet

Stella Australis (launched 2010 & 200 passengers)
Ventus Australis (launched 2018 & 200 passengers)

Passenger Profile

Generally, about 45 percent of passengers are European, 45 percent from North America and the rest mostly from South America.

Cruisers are typically in the 60-plus age range. Announcements are made in English and Spanish, and excursion guides speak both languages with excursions divided into groups accordingly.

Depending on the passenger mix, announcements and excursions might also be conducted in a third language, say French, Italian, Portuguese or German. In December, there are often more families with children sailing (look for children-sail-free promotions).

Zipping around on zodiacs is business as usual. * Photo- Australis

Price

$$ and not a lot of extra charges.

Included Features

All meals
Soft drinks
Alcoholic beverages when a bartender is on duty
Shore excursions

There is no Internet access onboard. Suggested tipping is $15 per day per person, and this money goes to staff and crew.

Itineraries

The cruise season runs from September to April and in 2021 and 2022 the itinerary is a five-night round trip from Punta Arenas, Chile and featuring fjords glaciers and virgin forests, and September to April 2022-2023, four-night one-way cruises between Punta Arenas, Chile and Ushuaia, Argentina where the emphasis is Patagonia and the fjords of Tierra del Fuego.

Destinations are Strait of Magellan, Beagle Channel, Magdalena Island for Magellanic penguins, and Eagle, Condor, Pia and Garibaldi glaciers.

Before or after the cruise, many passengers stay a few days in Ushuaia or take a tour to the gorgeous Torres del Paine National Park or the town of Calafate, gateway to Los Glaciares National Park. To or from Patagonia, many add on stopovers in Santiago, Chile, and/or Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Why Go?

The chance to tick Cape Horn off your list and see some fascinating and very desolate territory — fewer people set foot on Cape Horn than in Antarctica.

(For some, it’s also a way to see some of what you would see on an Antarctica cruise — penguins and glaciers! — without spending much more time and money to do a full Antarctica cruise; furthermore, some people want to avoid the often very rough seas on the 500-mile journey across the Drake Passage to Antarctica.)

Note: The landing at Cape Horn is subject to favorable weather conditions. On average, landings occur for 70 percent of the cruises.

Close up views. * Photo: Australis

When to Go?

The summer season in the southern hemisphere is September through April, with the best months weather-wise being January and February.

No matter when you go, though, weather can change quickly and you can feel like you’re getting four seasons in one day, as temperatures typically range from 40 to 60 degrees.

Activities & Entertainment

By day, the show, of course, is the landscape all around you, with a fleet of six inflatable Zodiac boats zipping passengers to national parks for onshore treks, remote beaches for penguin spotting, and the edge of glaciers for close-up looks. Onboard, there’s a GPS chart in all three lounges to track the ship’s course every step of the way.

Come evenings, enjoy conversation over drinks and dinner, with bingo or karaoke offered for those interested. Talks by the onboard experts about the features, flora and wildlife of the region are a daily event, usually in the mornings and before dinner, and at least one relevant documentary is shown.

The nine to 10 expert expedition guides on each cruise lecture in both Spanish and English; some also speak French, German, Italian and/or Portuguese. There are translator audio headsets for anyone who may need one.

For families, there are no special activities for children and none are required, as the daily program is super educational and memorable for adventurers of all ages.

Active excursions on zodiacs on Australis

Active excursions via small landing craft. * Photo: Australis

Dining

Eating isn’t the main point on this cruise, though meals are satisfying enough. The dining room has tables for 4 and 6, with windows along both sides.

Themed lunch buffets get high marks from most cruisers, with a focus on cuisine styles like Japanese, Italian or Patagonian fare (like lamb empanadas and King Crab chowder).

Dinner is a la carte from a menu with choices that often include regional favorites, like grilled conger fillet with pastel de choclo, a typical South American sweet corn dish, or entrees like braised lamb with mashed potatoes. Breakfast is a buffet.

A small station in the Sky Lounge offers a selection of teas, coffees, juices and snacks throughout the day.

Dining with a view. * Photo: Australis

Ships

Australis offers two ships in its fleet, with Stella Australis and Ventus Australis each carrying 200 passengers in 100 staterooms.Stella Australis and Ventus Australis are almost identical in layout.

Public Rooms

The Darwin Lounge serves as the main gathering area with a bar. The ships also feature a Sky Lounge on the fourth deck and small Yamana Lounge at the bow of the third deck.

The dining room is located below on the first deck. The ships also offer a reception area and small boutique selling souvenirs, sportswear and other items. The open top decks offer no amenities and is used as a. viewing platform.

The Darwin Lounge is the ship’s main hub. * Photo: Australis

Cabins

Passengers can choose from three categories: Twin Cabin (177 square feet), Double Bed Cabin (177 square feet) and Superior Cabin (220 square feet).

The staterooms come with premium toiletries (shampoo, conditioner, body wash, lotions) and other items such as a hair dryer. These are all oceanview cabins, with no balconies available, and the bathrooms all feature showers (no bath tubs).