Cruises

Cruising to the Falkland Islands is truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience. This archipelago of islets is filled with diverse wildlife, plant species, history, and culture. The main islands are East and West Falkland, but the many other small islands hold plenty of treasures as well.

Cruises to this area generally embark from South America, traveling through the Falkland Islands and Antarctica, and then return to South America. Most just stop at Port Stanley, despite the attractions of other, more remote places in the archipelago.

Celebrity Cruises

The 14 night Antarctic cruise on the Celebrity Infinity offers tons of shore excursions in Port Stanley. You can visit the largest colony of King penguins outside of South Georgia. Gentoo and Magellanic penguins can also be viewed during this 7 hour excursion. Another tour takes you to see the Falkland battlefields and memorials of the battle between Britain and Argentina that took place in 1982. Nature treks through the beautiful wilderness are also popular, as is a 4 hour tour to see over 300 Rockhopper penguins.

The Celebrity Infinity begins its journey in Buenos Aires passing through Port Stanley, Elephant Island, the Gerlache Straight, Paradise Bay, Ushuaia, Cape Horn, Puerto Madryn, Montevideo, before returning to Buenos Aires. The ship features a conservatory created by floral designer Emilio Robba, the internet, a library, restaurants, and a spa.

An interior room will cost you about $1,449 USD per person. A room with a view of the ocean costs $1,699. Sadly, the land excursions aren’t included in the price.

Princess Cruises  

The Star Princess will take you away from the ordinary for 17 days and take you on a scenic cruise from Buenos Aires to Santiago, Chile. Along the way you’ll check out the Antarctic Peninsula, Cape Horn, Ushuaia, Punta Arenas, Puerto Montt, and La Serena. An interior room is $2,545 USD per person, a room with an ocean view is $3,045, and a room with a balcony is priced a little more at $3,295.

Shore excursions are available in Port Stanley. Take a walking or driving tour of the city, viewing all the famous landmarks. Visit a working island farm, take a boat ride to Gypsy Cove, or watch the penguins. There’s really plenty to do, but these trips do have an extra fee.

The ship itself has many things to enjoy as well; a jogging track, a putting course, a casino, theaters, restaurants, bars, pools, hot tubs, and golf simulators are just some of the many onboard attractions. 

Falkland Islands offer several opportunities for inland cruise explorations and also comes across as an interesting stopover en route to the Antarctic belt sea voyages. The Falkland Islands Cruise Guide offers visitors information on the best cruise ideas to discover the virgin beauty of  the group of islands.

Local Sightseeing Cruises

Sea excursions are a superb way to explore the pristine beauty of Falkland Islands and its abundant wildlife and other ecological heritage. Visitors keep in mind that not all cruises will be operational all the time since Falkland is a relatively small region and cruises run only on demand, hence it is practical to book well in advance. The Battlefield cruise tours  are a great way to incorporate the sites and monuments that witnessed the turmoil of the Falklands Conflict between Britain and Argentina in 1982. Several monuments and memorials in honor of the martyrs can be found at Mt. Tumbledown, Mt. Harriet and the Wireless Ridge. This cruise tour lasts for four hours and can be booked through your cruise director. View a variety of photogenic vistas including a charming column of gentoo penguins, sea lions, cute dolphins, upland geese and several other sea flora and fauna wonders. The renowned Sea Cabbage Café offers cruise ship guests complimentary beverages and snacks. There is also a Kelp Point Beach Tour that lasts for 6-7 hours and takes visitors through diverse ecology of the attraction. The Sea elephants lounging around the coast are a must see. The Long Island Farm tour is also popular with cruise guests. Watch the amusing Rockhopper penguins on the tour that takes visitors to the Rockhopper colony through Moody Brook heading towards Wireless Ridge to Murrell River. The best time to visit is in late January when the chicks are just beginning their growth cycle. The 7 hour Volunteer Point tour is fantastic for watching a bevy of birds and the penguin colony.

Cruises Around Falkland Islands

The Seattle based Expedition Trips offers cruises around the Antarctic zone, with a 20 day cruise covering Antarctic, Falklands and South Georgia costing $10,400 onwards. The snow kissed region with its serene natural beauty and flourishing aquatic life offers innumerable opportunities for fine photography. Several South American cruises cover the port of Falkland Island for its interesting marine life, geology and ecology. The popular Hanseatic along with a series of other ships embarks from Ushuaia, Argentine to cover the Falklands. A few companies offer visitors the opportunity of cruising along over 400 surrounding smaller islands like Beaver and Staats that comprise the main Falkland. Zodiac cruise boats is a nice way to explore Stanley and the adjoining smaller undiscovered islands that house a rich variety of sea birds and animals.

Falkland Islands drips with picturesque natural charm and a highly photogenic countenance that is best seen by going on a cruise in and around the breathtaking region.

-by Sameera Kumar