Cruising in South America 2022-2023

[marylovestotravel]

Any ideas about how the cruising season will look for South America for 2022-2023? I know there were some cancellations early in 2022 but were there any cruises later on?

 

Mia

[LHT28]

Do you mean like Dec to Apr ?

There are some listed on O website  with availability

[marylovestotravel]

1 hour ago, LHT28 said:

Do you mean like Dec to Apr ?

There are some listed on O website  with availability

We're booked for Jan 2023 and I was wondering (I know it is still early times) how likely it will be that the cruise is going to happen. Does anyone know what happened to the cruises scheduled in early 2022? I know there were hiccups, but did any go?

 

Mia

[shepherd really]

6 hours ago, marylovestotravel said:

We're booked for Jan 2023 and I was wondering (I know it is still early times) how likely it will be that the cruise is going to happen. Does anyone know what happened to the cruises scheduled in early 2022? I know there were hiccups, but did any go?

 

Mia

My Jan 8, '22 cruise was cancelled two days before embarkation. The rest of the SA season was cancelled as well. 

[PhD-iva]

I’m booked on sister-line Regent’s 3 November cruise LA to Lima. I’m thinking its a go, even if only bc FP date was not pushed back…..

[shepherd really]

1 hour ago, PhD-iva said:

I’m booked on sister-line Regent’s 3 November cruise LA to Lima. I’m thinking its a go, even if only bc FP date was not pushed back…..

My cruise was a go, until it wasn't.  All it takes is for one or two countries to refuse entry for ships with unvaccinated passengers.  

 

[MEFIowa]

Parts of S. America have and were opening up. I flew from Chicago to Sao Paulo, Brazil to Asuncion, Paraguay in April 2022 and then back in early May. Brazil didn't worry about testing. And Paraguay eliminated its testing requirement the day I flew down. What was bizarre was that at the time the Mercosur countries--Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay--did NOT require testing or vaccination from their members travelling across these borders. So the German family and I on the GOL plane to Asuncion with all the Paraguayan shoppers were likely the only people on the plane tested! It had seemed like Argentina was the most conservative, for the Paraguayans were miffed they wouldn't open the bridges or border for a long time due to COVID.

[pinotlover]

I’ve spoken with Patrick Watts and he’s pretty confident that the Falklands will reopen this year.

 

Tour operators in Argentina, Uruguay, and Chile are likewise fairly confident. All say you will be vaccinated and probably even tested before entry. One did say, without defining the term significant “ if a significant outbreak occurs aboard ship, expect the ship to be turned away”. Therein lies our greatest risk due to the continuing stream of variants hitting us. 
 

We’re booked for Feb into March. We’ve had cruises there cancelled two years in a row. If this year doesn’t go, we’re walking away. It’ll just be a cruise we never take. I just don’t have the energy or excitement to do all the extensive planning and prep anymore. I’ve worked with some of these tour operators for three years, it’s 2023 or never. We have a couple traveling with us in the same situation with the same frame of mind.

[MEFIowa]

Here is ARGENTINA today, from the US Embassy:

 

"

• For cruise ships:  Only a negative COVID-19 PCR test (not antigen) administered no more than 72 hours prior to the departure of the cruise ship will be accepted.

 

COVID-19 Information - U.S. Embassy in Argentina (usembassy.gov)

[MEFIowa]

And for Chile today:

 

• Is a negative COVID-19 test (PCR and/or serology) required for entry? No.
• Travelers will have to present the following documents when boarding their flight to Chile:
  • A completed “Traveler’s Affidavit” prepared less than 48 hours before arrival in Chile;
• As of April 14, 2022, the Chilean government no longer requires travelers to obtain a Mobility Pass (“Pase de Movibilidad”) in order to enter Chile. However, a valid Mobility Pass will still be required in many situations, including but not limited to the following:
  • Domestic travel (by plane, bus, etc.)
    • For example, if you are arriving in Santiago and have a connecting domestic flight to another city in Chile, a Mobility Pass will not be requested upon arrival in Santiago, but will be required to board your connecting domestic flight
  • Indoor dining at restaurants
  • Access to theaters and cinemas
  • Participation in organized tours
  • Attendance at large public events (sporting events, concerts, etc.)

 

And: "The Chilean government conducts random COVID tests for arriving international passengers."

 

COVID-19 in Chile: Information for American Citizens - U.S. Embassy in Chile (usembassy.gov)

[pinotlover]

1 hour ago, MEFIowa said:

And for Chile today:

 

• Is a negative COVID-19 test (PCR and/or serology) required for entry? No.
• Travelers will have to present the following documents when boarding their flight to Chile:
  • A completed “Traveler’s Affidavit” prepared less than 48 hours before arrival in Chile;
• As of April 14, 2022, the Chilean government no longer requires travelers to obtain a Mobility Pass (“Pase de Movibilidad”) in order to enter Chile. However, a valid Mobility Pass will still be required in many situations, including but not limited to the following:
  • Domestic travel (by plane, bus, etc.)
    • For example, if you are arriving in Santiago and have a connecting domestic flight to another city in Chile, a Mobility Pass will not be requested upon arrival in Santiago, but will be required to board your connecting domestic flight
  • Indoor dining at restaurants
  • Access to theaters and cinemas
  • Participation in organized tours
  • Attendance at large public events (sporting events, concerts, etc.)

 

And: "The Chilean government conducts random COVID tests for arriving international passengers."

 

COVID-19 in Chile: Information for American Citizens - U.S. Embassy in Chile (usembassy.gov)

Therefore, if you are participating in an organized tour, be it ship or private, you need a mobility pass.

 

We got the pass last year. It requires full vaccination.

[MEFIowa]

The key is KNOWING what each country requires at the time you visit. I studied the US State Department and Embassy material daily for months, as well as the Paraguayan Ministry of Health information, in preparation for my trip to Paraguay. Funny how it all started to change when I arrived! But them's the breaks.

[marylovestotravel]

Thanks for your help and information. I, too, know about how something is a go until it isn't. On a recent flight to Toronto, we thought we were safe and good to go after completing online check-in. And then received a text message several hours later that the flight was cancelled!!! We were enroute to Newfoundland to join a circumnavigation on an expedition ship and even with planning to arrive a day early, was looking at very narrow connections to the cruise. In addition we would miss a highly anticipated stay in a singular b&b in St John's.

 

Thankfully Aeroplan was able to slot us into an earlier flight, but I don't like dealing with those types of stresses!!!

 

I guess the take on this information is: Plan to go, but with your ear to the ground and be prepared if something goes sideways! We were originally booked on the March 2020 South America that was cancelled 2 days before embarkation. This might be our last chance to use our "future" cruise credits.

 

Mia