Argentina has rubber-stamped the relaunch of expedition voyages to Antarctica for the 2021/22 cruise season, effective 20 October 2021.
The decision will come as a major relief to luxury and expedition cruise lines venturing to the White Continent, including the likes of Ponant, Crystal, Scenic, Silversea, Lindblad Expeditions, Quark Expeditions, Albatross Expeditions and numerous other players, with a planned deployment from the commonly used cruise port of Ushuaia, for the upcoming season.
“We are ready to receive cruise visitors, we will ensure compliance with the strict protocols, both from our officials and from the private sector, extensive to those landing as well as confirming that we can keep our city’s sanitary condition, well protected from the virus,” said Tierra del Fuego Governor Gustavo Melella, as reported by MercoPress.
Subscribe to LATTE Cruise’s free eNewsletter to keep up to date with everything in the luxury cruise space.Cruise lines will be required to guarantee strict health and safety measures are followed for crew and passengers, including signing a Traveller’s Health Statement, PCR testing within 72 hours of cruising, certificate of COVID-19 vaccination completed within 21 days before boarding and all travellers should have COVID-19 insurance and death insurance.
Discounted port fees have been offered to lure cruise operators back.
A year ago, Ushuaia port authorities had requests for close to 70 cruise vessels to sail to Antarctica between October 2021 and May 2022.
Last week Argentina achieve its lowest level of COVID-19 in five months.
Lead image by henrique setim on Unsplash
