Antarctica & South America - 27 Days Rio De Janeiro to Buenos Aires

This itinerary features a 21-day cruise with 9 ports of call, including visits to Rio de Janeiro, Punta Arenas and Buenos Aires. Meals and entertainment are inclusive. Discover some of the world's most exotic and exciting ports. Visit glittering cities, idyllic islands and ancient ruins. Explore the colorful and legendary places of Rio de Janeiro, Copacabana, Cape Horn, Strait of Magellan and the , as well as the wilds of the Amazon rain forest and the majestic Andes. Plus, enjoy spectacular scenic cruising along the Antarctic Peninsula.For a holiday you really won’t stop talking about, cruise South America and points beyond with Princess Cruises.

Holiday Itinerary

Day 1 : Saturday 18 December 2010 - Johannesburg to Sao Paulo
Depart Johannesburg at 10:25 am on SAA to Sao Paulo.Arrive Sao Paulo at 16:30 and check into the Caesars Airport Hotel for overnight.

Day 2 : Sunday 19 December 2010 - Rio de Janeiro
Breakfast at your hotel. Depart from Sao Paulo for your onward flight to Rio De Janeiro. Transfer on arrival to the Orla Copacabana Hotel. Afternoon sightseeing tour of Sugarloaf Mountain.

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Pulsing to a samba beat and thriving in the hedonism of Carnival, there is literally no place on Earth like Rio, as the city natives — the Cariocas — will tell you. Founded in the early 16th century, Rio was once the capital of Brazil. It remains the nation's cultural and spiritual center, a dazzling amalgam of Latin and African cultures, with more than five-million city inhabitants.

Sugarloaf Mountain
This dramatic peak is one of Rio's two internationally recognized landmarks, offering stunning views of the city and its dazzling white-sand beaches.Christ the RedeemerRio's other symbol is the 125-foot tall statue of Christ on Corcovado Mountain who embraces the city below with his open arms.

Copacabana
The Copacabana, Ipanema and Leblon are Rio's famous beachfront districts that have long been celebrated in song -- and have lured movie stars and jetsetters since the 1930s.

Day 3 : Monday 20 December 2010 - Rio de Janiero Embarkation
Breakfast at your leisure. 13:00 transfer to the Port in Rio de Janiero where you will board the “Star Princess”. On check-in you will be given a key card, which becomes your charge card for all expenses on board. You will have time to unpack and get to know your way around the ship. Tea will be served during the course of the afternoon in the dining room.

Day 4 : Tuesday 21 December 2010 - Rio de Janiero - Departure
17h00 Bid farewell to Rio as you set sail into the sunset on an epic journey. Tonight you will savour your first meal on-board. You are booked on the anytime dining at the Amalfi, Capri or Portafino restaurants. Or at the open air Pizzeria or grill. Anytime dining means you eat anytime from 17h30pm - 22h30. Dining is smart casual; (There will be about five occasions when ties should be worn or dress suits)

Days 5 - 8 : Wednesday 22 to Saturday 25 December 2010 ~ At Sea
Before breakfast commences your daily Princess Patter newspaper will have been delivered to you – this lists all meal times and details of the host of different activities on-board, which change daily. By now you will have settled into the idyllic life of the sea, you will be pampered by your discreet cabin steward, who seems to know just when to clean your cabin.

There are at least 5 activities every hour to choose from – ranging from yoga, Pilates, computer classes, golf putting and chipping competitions, classes on how to mix cocktails, scrabble, tango or ballroom dance. a choice of movie in the theatre, golf, table tennis and daily art auctions to name just a few.

The very inexpensive duty free boutique also opens daily except on shore days. The bargains are so great that even the most spendthrift person will be tempted to spend. They will also gift-wrap anything you buy.

Day 9 : Sunday 26 December 2010 - Port Stanley, Falkland Islands
08h00 Arrive Falkland Islands. Access to the Island is by ship's tender and access is limited for wheelchairs.

Falkland Islands (Stanley)
Stanley, capital of the Falklands, is a tiny British outpost where the absence of traffic lights and abundance of pubs in comparison to its size makes this a unique place. Indeed, armed only with hospitality, this rural community at the end of the world has no shortage of friendly locals. Situated near Cape Horn in South America, the harbor at Stanley is one of the world's largest shipping graveyards of the 19th century. Many of the ships that set out for faraway ports met their destiny here, battered by Cape Horn's treacherous waters.The Falklands is also a bird-watchers haven, with an amazing diversity of seabirds and mammals that breed in the Falklands — black-browed albatross, giant petrels, five types of penguin, elephant seals, sea lions, striated caracara, crested caracara, night heron to name a few.Stanley HarbourAlong the seven-mile harbor, you can see the hulks of some 20 ships that were tossed by Cape Horn, never to leave the Falklands.Britannia House MuseumLearn about the tumultuous past of these islands at this fascinating museum.

Make sure you are back in time for the last tender. Sail at 6:00 pm.

Day 10 : Monday 27 December 2010 - At Sea
A day at sea to enjoy all the facilities of the "Star Princess".

Day 11 : Tuesday 28 December 2010 - Antarctic Peninsula (Scenic Cruising)
10:00am Arrive at the Antarctic Peninsula and sail for the most exciting part of the journey, Iceberg Alley ……… Here is where the ice pilots take over on a 24 hour ice-berg watch.

Days 12 to 14: Wednesday 29 to Friday 31 December 2010 - Antarctic Peninsula (Scenic Cruising)
Daily there are a series of fascinating lectures by leading academics, naturalists and historians along with a slide show of the next stop you are about to disembark on – some examples of the type of topics covered are Antarctic Explorers, Antarctic Wildlife, People of the South Atlantic Islands, Penguins, Shackleton’s expedition.

Antarctica Peninsula (Scenic Cruising)The most isolated continent on Earth, Antarctica is home to massive icebergs, majestic mountain ranges and diverse wildlife in a wilderness setting that has a purity as inspiring as it is remote. It's an amazing and precious sight, as the Antarctic Peninsula's ice shelf is shrinking at an alarming rate, noted by the many research bases set up here.Antarctic WildlifeSee great colonies of penguins, seals and abundant sea birds as you float nearby a dazzling icescape of remote Channel Islands.The night here is short at this time of the year and the sun rises after seemingly just having got to bed! We continue south even further into the Antarctic Peninsula past Intercurrence Island. The Bransfield Straits separate the South Shetland Islands from the Trinity Peninsula and is about 60 miles wide narrowing down to 24 miles. As we cruise what is known as the Gerlashe Strait we may see Blue, Fin and Rorqual whales. We are now at the point nearest to the pole on the cruise. Besides the 100’s of icebergs, the radar poles round the ship in place, the ice pilots on watch, the excitement today is electric Weather permitting we pass through the Neumayer Channel, We cruise past Sigma Island and the Boyd Straight, this promises to be the highlight of your holiday as the views are breathtaking.

Day 15 : Saturday 1 January 2011 - Cape Horn (Scenic Cruising)
Cape Horn, the southernmost tip of South America, is where sailors on epic journeys are tested. The rough waters and prevailing winds make this region a place of great beauty and danger. Many attempts to "round the Horn" have failed and it has been reported that some 800 ships and 10,000 sailors have gone down trying.The route around Cape Horn, prior to the Panama Canal and the transcontinental railroad, was important for trade and passenger ships taking goods and people from either coasts of the United States. It was also an essential supply route for the Spanish empire. Sailing ships had to battle the elements for extended periods, some never being able to round the Horn and forced to turn back or perish. The waters were so treacherous that ships passed this way for centuries before discovering Antarctica, a mere 90 miles to the south. It's a breathtaking journey to round the Horn.

Albatross Monument
A large sculpture of an albatross has been erected here on the Cape, in honor of the sailors who died while attempting to round the Horn.

Chilean Station
The Cape lies within Chile's territorial waters and they man a station and maintain a lighthouse on this desolate point.

Day 16 : Sunday 2 January 2011 - Ushuaia
07h00 Arrive in Ushuaia (Tierra del Fuego or “Land of Fire” as it was named by Magellan) Argentina. Ushuaia (Tierra del Fuego), ArgentinaUshuaia is the southern most city in the world and one of two main cities on the island territory of Tierra del Fuego. Shared by Argentina and Chile, "The Land of Fire" features unforgettable scenery and trails of discovery framed by the sea, forests, lakes and mountains.

Tierra del Fuego National Park
This protected land includes the beautiful Lakes of Fagnano and Roca, the Beagle Channel, and the southernmost sub-Antarctic forests. Explore the natural beauty -- horseback riding, rock climbing and diving.

Day 17 : Monday 3 January 2011 - Punta Arenas, Chile
07:00 Arrive in Punta Arenas.

Punta Arena, Chile
Punta Arenas lies atop rolling hills, looking out over the Strait of Magellan. In the days before the Panama Canal, this was a major port as ships plied the waters of Cape Horn. Punta Arenas remains a prosperous town, today, thanks to its rich natural resources. The city is also the gateway to Chilean Patagonia, a maze of fjords, rivers, steppes and mountains to the north. To the south lies the great frozen mass of Antarctica. Adventure awaits at this port near the end of the earth.

Patagonia Institute
This outdoor museum features historical exhibits on Patagonian life.

Plaza Muñoz Gamero
Punta Arenas' central plaza boasts the Magellan monument.

Penguin Reserve
Otway Bay is home to a nesting colony of Magellanic penguins.

A continual shuttle bus will run between the ship and the city from 09h15 into town, the last one back from town around 17h30.

Days 18 and 19: Tuesday 4 and Wednesday 5 January 2011 - At Sea
Your cruise is coming to an end and here you have two wonderful days at sea to enjoy all your ship has to offer.

Day 20 : Thursday 6 January 2011 Puerto Madryn, Argentina
07:00 Arrive in Puerto Madryn. Puerto Madryn, Argentina

Puerto Madryn
Once home to Welsh settlers, Puerto Madryn is known today for its animal life, which Argentina protects in its scenic, remote wildlife preserves. Puerto Madryn is the gateway to many natural splendors, such as Punta Tombo National Reserve, as well as Argentine Patagonia - a small city that caters as a base for exploring the region's remote wildlife preserves and paleontological sites. The Punta Tombo Nature Reserve is one of South America's largest breeding grounds for birds and mammals. Hundreds of thousands of Magellan Penguins return to the shores every September. Unfazed by human company, marked trails allow for close viewing. The Paleontology Museum's collection forms a 300 million-year history of Patagonia.

Sail from Puerto Madryn at 18:00 hrs.

Day 21 : Friday 7 January 2011 - At Sea

Day 22 : Saturday 8 January 2011 - Montevideo, Uruguay

08:00 Arrive Montevideo capital of Uruguay.

Montevideo, Uruguay
Uruguay is nestled between the continent's two giants, Brazil and Argentina, and Montevideo, Uruguay's capital city, is located at Uruguay's southernmost point on the Rio de la Plata. A charming city made up of 19th century Beaux Arts buildings, parks, and historic monuments, Montevideo is home to more than half of the nation's three million citizens. Small in size, but large in status, Montevideo is an example of stability and democracy envied by her larger neighbors, and she is one of the most literate nations in the world, with a tradition of humanism and social justice.

Estancia La Rabida
Try your hand at some of the daily ranch chores or take in the scenery of this 2,470-acre ranch.

Establecimiento Juanico
Tour this internationally acclaimed winery, its vineyards and stone buildings that date back to 1849.

Plaza Independencia
Montevideo's oldest city square and site of an enormous monument to Uruguayan hero Jose Artigas.

17:00 Sail for Buenos Aires.

Day 23 : Sunday 9 January 2011 - Buenos Aires
05:00 "Star Princess" will dock early today and breakfast will be from approx. 06h00.

08:00 Disembarkation begins. “Bon Voyage” to the truly “Star” Princess and her crew and the many new friends you have made.

09:00 You will be met at Quayside and transferred to the Abasto Plaza Hotel your overnight stay. This Hotel is ideally situated one road from the Florida walking street and shopping area, where you can spend your money on every imaginable leather coat, bags,or shoes - at a reasonable price.Day 24 : Monday 10 January 2011 - Buenos AiresBreakfast at your hotel. Optional Half Day City Tour of Buenos Aires.

This evening enjoy dinner and tango show at La Esquina De Carlos Gardel.

Day 25 : Tuesday 11 January 2011 - Buenos Aires - Day at Leisure
It's called the "Paris of the South," and Buenos Aires does flaunt its European heritage. One of the pleasures of this cosmopolitan city is simply absorbing its charm and flavor, from Parisian-style confiterias cafés, to the popular tango clubs. Enjoy a romantic walk through one of the city's many pristine parks or along its wide boulevards.

Recoleta Cemetery
The giant walled cemetery with many ornate crypts is also the final resting place of Evita Peron. Her black marble crypt is usually graced daily with fresh flowers from admirers.

Colon Theater
Recognized as one of the world's great opera houses, this impressive theater features six gilded tiers and gallery boxes.

La Boca
This area of Buenos Aires is embellished with colorful houses and is known for being the birthplace of the tango dance.

Day 26 : Wednesday 12 January 2011 -Depart Buenos Aires
Breakfast is at your leisure, and maybe some last minute shopping.

2 pm check out time. Suitcases packed and downstairs ready for your homeward journey. (Allowance 20kg). Time to have lunch or a snack before you are transferred to the airport for your flight.

18:15 pm Depart with South African Airways for Johannesburg.

Day 27 : Thursday 13 January 2011 - Arrive in South Africa
08:40 am Arrival in Johannesburg this morning.

Please Note:
The cabins available on this cruise are on an application basis. Please ask us for details and all pricing is subject to availability of cabins, flights and daily rates of exchange which will determine the final price you are required to settle.