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Princess Cruises has outlined plans for its 2027–28 South America and Antarctica season, unveiling a program built around 19 destinations, visits to 15 UNESCO World Heritage sites and extended scenic cruising in Antarctica.
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Expanded South America Program for 2027–28
Princess Cruises is preparing to extend its presence in South America for the 2027–28 season, building on recent deployment patterns that have combined Cape Horn voyages, Patagonia fjords and Antarctic scenic cruising. Publicly available planning materials and trade coverage indicate that the line is shaping a schedule that concentrates on longer, destination-focused itineraries featuring marquee cities alongside remote wilderness calls.
The upcoming season is expected to run across the Southern Hemisphere summer, aligning with the region’s peak cruising window from roughly November through March. Itineraries are set to connect major embarkation ports such as Buenos Aires, Santiago and Rio de Janeiro with smaller gateway cities along the Chilean fjords and the South Atlantic, creating a network designed to showcase contrasting landscapes and cultures in a single voyage.
According to information shared in recent destination flyers and deployment previews, the program will emphasize sailings of around two to four weeks, allowing sufficient sea days for Antarctica while still incorporating time in key South American ports. The focus on longer voyages reflects growing demand for expedition-style experiences delivered on larger, amenity-rich ships.
19 Destinations Across 10 Countries
The 2027–28 schedule is positioned around 19 destinations across approximately 10 countries, continuing a pattern seen in Princess Cruises’ 2024–25 and 2026–27 South America and Antarctica collections. Recent at-a-glance brochures for those earlier seasons highlight a core geography that spans Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, Brazil and Peru, together with Panama, Costa Rica and Ecuador on longer repositioning routes linking North and South America.
Within this footprint, Buenos Aires, Montevideo and Rio de Janeiro sit alongside Chilean ports such as Puerto Montt and Punta Arenas, as well as Falkland Islands calls at Stanley and gateway stops for Patagonia’s glaciers. Itineraries in current and near-term seasons also include Pacific-side calls such as Lima, Pisco and Manta on extended voyages, a structure that is expected to inform the 2027–28 deployment.
By weaving together large capitals and smaller coastal communities, Princess is positioning the region as a sequence of contrasting experiences, from cosmopolitan waterfronts and historic quarters to fjords, ice fields and remote wildlife habitats. The 19-destination framework allows itineraries to be adjusted and combined, creating options that range from focused Cape Horn and Antarctica journeys to longer “Grand Adventure” style sailings.
15 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in One Season
A central feature of the 2027–28 South America offering is the inclusion of up to 15 UNESCO World Heritage sites spread across the program, building on the brand’s emphasis on heritage attractions in its current South America brochures. Recent promotional material for earlier seasons highlights access to sites such as Iguazú National Park, the historic centers of Buenos Aires and Lima, Rio de Janeiro’s Carioca landscapes, and the rugged beauty of Patagonia’s national parks.
While exact combinations will vary by sailing, the 2027–28 program is expected to link multiple UNESCO locations within single itineraries, pairing urban cultural landmarks with natural sites like sub-Antarctic islands, glacial landscapes and protected marine environments. The broad count of 15 UNESCO sites reflects not just headline attractions, but also historic quarters and cultural ensembles that can be accessed through shore excursions from primary ports.
This approach mirrors a wider industry trend in which cruise lines design itineraries around recognized heritage assets, positioning port calls as gateways to UNESCO-listed districts, archaeological complexes and biosphere reserves. For travelers, the result is a season in which multiple globally recognized sites can be visited on one extended voyage, often with overnight or late-night stays to allow more time ashore.
Antarctica Scenic Cruising and Cape Horn Routes
Antarctica remains the dramatic centerpiece of Princess Cruises’ South America season, and the 2027–28 program is set to continue the line’s pattern of multi-day scenic cruising in the Antarctic Peninsula combined with passages through the Drake Passage and around Cape Horn. Current and near-term itineraries describe scenic navigation along channels such as the Gerlache Strait and Neumayer Channel, as well as sail-by views of locations including Elephant Island and the South Shetland Islands.
The voyages are structured to keep the ship within the guidelines set by the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators, of which Princess is a member, with an emphasis on minimizing environmental impact while still offering close-up views of glaciers, icebergs and wildlife. Scenic days in Antarctica are typically framed on either side by calls in southern Chile and Argentina, including Ushuaia and Punta Arenas, giving guests multiple opportunities to explore sub-Antarctic landscapes before and after the peninsula.
The combination of Antarctic cruising, Cape Horn, the Beagle Channel and Glacier Alley has become a hallmark of the brand’s South America deployment. For the 2027–28 season, this pattern is expected to continue, allowing the line to market its South America product as a hybrid between classic ocean cruising and polar exploration, with comfortable transit days balanced by intensive scenic segments.
Longer Voyages and Evolving Fleet Deployment
The 2027–28 South America and Antarctica season sits within a broader evolution of Princess Cruises’ global deployment, in which ships rotate between regions such as Alaska, Asia, Australia and South America across consecutive northern and southern summers. Recent fleet announcements have pointed to ships like Sapphire Princess operating extended itineraries in Asia and then returning to Southern Hemisphere markets later in the decade, signaling continued interest in long-haul, destination-rich cruises.
In South America specifically, recent seasons have featured itineraries ranging from roughly 15 to more than 30 days, including combinations that link Andes crossings, Cape Horn, Brazil and Antarctica into single “Grand Adventure” programs. Planning for 2027–28 appears to follow this template, offering extended sailings that can appeal to experienced cruisers seeking in-depth regional coverage.
With 19 destinations, 15 UNESCO World Heritage sites and multiple days of Antarctic scenic cruising built into the schedule, the 2027–28 South America program positions Princess Cruises to compete in a segment where travelers increasingly seek immersive itineraries that blend cultural discovery with remote wilderness experiences.