Selling Cruises: Selling South America
by John Hawks

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Basically, South American cruises break down into two different itineraries. The Cape Horn sailings usually begin in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and wind up in Valparaiso, Chile, with lots of fjords, the Patagonian countryside, and Cape Horn (the southernmost tip of South America) along the way. On the other hand, smaller cruise vessels usually ply the Amazon River, going in as deeply as the river's depth will allow between the Amazon port of Manaus and either Buenos Aires or Rio de Janeiro.

Think comfortable clothes and rugged walking shoes, not black-tie dinners, for these sailings. One big advantage of cruising South America instead of buying a land tour is that the entire continent is simply too vast to explore using the current network of completed roads. While the professionally guided shore excursions to penguin habitats and riverside villages will be your clients' best memories of the trip, they'll probably be grateful most of all for the chance to return each evening to the creature comforts of a modern-day cruise ship (to recharge their energies for tomorrow's adventures!).

Almost every South American cruise will run longer than a week, so you should help your clients plan ahead as soon as they've made the decision to go. The weather can change quickly on these voyages, so urge your travelers to always pack for cool and warm climates. Remember that the seasons in the Southern Hemisphere run the opposite of our calendars here, so the cruising season runs usually from November (which is late spring in South America) to May (the middle of autumn).

Another big advantage of cruising South America is that you can add on many unique destinations to the beginning or end of these trips. Popular add-ons include Antarctica, Iguazu Falls, Patagonia, and Indian ruins in many parts of the continent. Coordinating airline tickets, cruise fares, shore excursions, and add-ons in South America can take time, so urge your clients to get started now!

(For more information on South America cruises -- including a list of cruise lines serving this region -- check these articles by CLIA and by CruiseCritic.com.)