Here’s how you can see South America by sea

Climbing the 222 steps to reach Rio de Janeiro’s iconic Christ the Redeemer may bring greater physical reward to the able-bodied who bypass the elevator or escalator. But no matter how one gets to the peak of Mount Corcovado, be they Christian or not, a spiritual reward awaits visitors at the pedestal of the religious and cultural symbol of Brazil, if not all of South America.

It isn’t just the towering depiction of Jesus that brings awe to those who reach the world-famous, 98-foot-high statue. The landmark’s width and representation also make it so affecting; Cristo Redentor, using the native Portuguese name, has open arms that span 92 feet. These outstretched appendages, whether interpreted as a welcoming gesture or the redemption of mankind at the crucifixion, add to the statue’s allure and, based on the nonstop crowd of people imitating the Beloved Son’s pose in group shots and selfies, its Instagramability.

When a virus isn’t plaguing tourism, Rio’s most popular and highest attraction draws around 2 million people each year. These days, more of them are coming via cruise ship, and there’s good reason for that; besides being a must-see attraction in a destination as famous for its beauty as it is for its culture, the cruise industry is going Brazil nuts. Ships are dropping anchor in Rio and other Brazilian ports at a record pace. Scheduled out from May through the end of next year are 450 cruise itineraries that include at least one call in this captivating country of Carnaval, capybara and Copacabana Beach.

Expanding the map, South American waters will see more than 30 ships from 20 cruise lines following over 670 itineraries during that 20-month-long period. Three of those routes depart from Los Angeles — all this December at the start of the five-month peak season when temps get toasty south of the equator. Out of San Pedro’s World Cruise Center, Princess and Celebrity have voyages of 18 and 16 nights, respectively, that include visits to Ecuador, Peru and Chile; the Princess sail, aboard the 2,670-guest Sapphire Princess, offers the option of staying on another 16 days to go around Cape Horn for stopovers in Argentina, Uruguay, the Antarctic peninsula and the Falkland Islands.

California gets an occasional nod, but when it comes to hosting South America-bound sailaways from a U.S. port, Florida is called upon most. Four of the 28 domestically launched itineraries scheduled through 2024 are roundtrips from Miami on two upper-premium-class Oceania ships: Nautica and Sirena. Starting and ending from home soil could reduce stress and the cost of getting to and from the port as flights to Miami and Fort Lauderdale tend to be far cheaper and less taxing than the international alternative.

The majority of South American cruises are intracontinental, and that’s a plus for Americans of the Northern kind who wish to bypass Mexico and/or Central America in favor of spending more time way, way south of the border. The foreign ports where most of these journeys begin are Buenos Aires, Argentina; Lima, Peru; Valparaiso, Chile; Montevideo, Uruguay; and Sao Paulo and Rio, Brazil.

Let’s explore these chief departure ports that contribute to the fourth-largest continent being a top cruise destination.

Argentina’s capital is a stylish, sophisticated city graced with neoclassical architecture, wide boulevards, avant-garde museums, great restaurants and a fashionable populace. No wonder Buenos Aires is called “The Paris of South America.” Tango shows, tours of world-famous soccer stadiums and excursions to magnificent Iguazu Falls of one to four days are available from Buenos Aires through most cruise lines.

Lima is a tale of two cities. Within the Peruvian capital’s historic center are colonial charms including Baroque and neoclassical cathedrals, palaces, monasteries and remnants of ancient city walls. Yet, Lima is also a vibrant metropolis of skyscrapers with a tony coastline and chic restaurants to match. Lima, from trendsetting, sun-seeking Miraflores to the bohemian paradise of the Barranco district, has grown to be much more than the first stopover on a land-based excursion to must-see Machu Picchu.

What the port of Civitavecchia is to Rome, Italy’s capital, is what the ports of Valparaiso and San Antonio are to Chile’s capital of Santiago. What we mean by that is there’s a misleading tendency among cruise lines to list these ports as being the same as the sexier (read: more marketable) world capital when the ship actually docks well more than an hour’s drive away. A number of shore excursions include a literal taste of Chile’s famous wine industry as the valleys between the coast and capital are dotted with bucolic spots to savor swigs of signature Carménère and Cabernet.

Another destination with an impressive wine region is South America’s southernmost capital city, Montevideo, Uruguay’s political, economic and cultural center. Like many stops on a South American voyage, this one boasts several UNESCO World Heritage sites, a vibrant marketplace and culturally rich museums and cathedrals. Passengers may notice a slower pace here than in other ports on the cruise as there’s a laid-back, earthy aura to this metropolis of nearly 2 million people.

That’s a ghost town compared to Sao Paulo, South America’s largest city with a metro population of over 22 million. Cruise ships dock about 50 miles away in Port Santos, Latin America’s busiest, and while there’s plenty to see and do near the terminal (three-mile-long beach garden and swimmable shore, Pelé Museum, historic churches), Sao Paulo is where the action is. Not all cruise lines go there, favoring shore excursions that don’t require three to four hours of total drive time, but Celebrity (celebritycruises.com) offers a comprehensive, eight-hour tour that gives guests their fill of culture, history and Brazilian barbeque.

Industrial Port Santos and sprawling Sao Paulo are a lot of things, but beautiful isn’t one of them. OK, picturesque can be the drive from sea level to the 2,500-foot-high plateau upon which Sao Paulo sits in the Brazilian Highlands. Filling the void of a gorgeous landscape is the port that’s usually visited right before or after Santos. A mere 249 nautical miles to the northeast is Rio de Janeiro, home of the aforementioned Christ the Redeemer and other heavenly bodies of a different type. Rio’s world-renowned beaches are strewn with them, and do they ever love having fun in the sun wearing provocative swimwear, or less. Copacabana and Ipanema beaches offer the most eye candy with the ultimate sugar rush happening in February during Carnaval, Brazil’s biggest party of the year.

A South American cruise doesn’t have to last only from embarkation to debarkation. With extra time and money, land packages enable guests to make the most of already being down there. Popular add-ons include Machu Picchu and its culture-rich gateway Cusco, the Galapagos Islands, the Amazon rainforest, Patagonia and Antarctica.

Pre- and post-cruise land packages can be both convenient and a money saver. For select voyages in 2024, Oceania (oceaniacruises.com) is throwing in a multi-day immersive land program at no additional cost, a savings of up to $5,000 per person. Next year’s specials, all on the 1,250-passenger Marina, include three additional nights in Rio, Buenos Aires, Santiago or Lima.

Holland America’s “Legendary Voyages,” longer sails in commemoration of the cruise line’s 150th anniversary this year, include a 28-day “Amazon Explorer” roundtrip from Fort Lauderdale in February aboard the 1,432-passenger Zaandam. Holland America (hollandamerica.com) also has so-called “Signature Experiences,” exclusive pre- or post-cruise events designed to immerse guests in local culture. These are complimentary for passengers booking a suite, and available for purchase to those in other stateroom categories.

Princess (princess.com) is offering 10 departures from 14 to 34 days on the 2,670-guest Sapphire Princess in early 2024. Guests with an itch to see Iguazu Falls and Machu Picchu have the option of upgrading to a Princess-curated Cruisetour of five to six days.

Itineraries from Viking (vikingcruises.com) include four 18-day “South America & the Chilean Fjords” sails in January and February, and another four the following November and December. Four more are offered in winter 2025, each paying a visit to Port Stanley, home to more than a million penguins, and Ushuaia, the Argentine city at the “End of the World.”

MSC (msccruisesusa.com) has eight ships sailing more than 250 itineraries through next year in South America, none of which embark from the U.S. The Geneva-based cruise line does have six sails ending in New York or Miami next year after 80-plus days that include a South American swing.

Looking beyond next year, Silversea (silversea.com) is currently booking a 72-day “South American Grand Voyage” that circumnavigates the continent from January to April 2025. Aboard the cruise line’s future flagship, the 728-capacity Silver Ray that debuts next year, passengers making the full roundtrip from Fort Lauderdale will visit 38 ports in 17 countries. The exotic itinerary even includes a few days sailing down the Amazon River.