Published on : Tuesday, August 16, 2016
Ventus Australis has been announced as the name of the new ship being built for Patagonian cruise line, Australis, which offers ‘bottom of the world’ expedition voyages to Cape Horn and the glaciers and fjords of Tierra del Fuego.
Latin for southern wind , the new, 210-passenger Ventus Australis is being constructed at a shipyard in Valdivia in southern Chile ahead of her launch in late 2017 for Australis’ 2017/18 summer season of cruising in Patagonia.
Tailor-made for cruising on the southern tip of South America, Ventus Australis will replace the smaller, 136-passenger Via Australis, which was built in 2005 and sold recently to Lindblad Expeditions.
Ventus Australis will be a twin sister to the 210-passenger Stella Australis, launched in 2010, which will continue to offer expedition voyages through the channels and fjords of southern Chile during the next 2016/17 summer season until her new fleet-mate joins her for Australis’ 2017/18 program.
When she commences service, Ventus Australis will offer four-night cruises from Ushuaia in Argentina to Punta Arenas in Chile or return – the two southern-most towns in the world.
Australis is the only operator to offer regular cruises through the region, with the family-owned Chilean cruise line also offering more opportunities for travellers to step ashore on fabled Cape Horn than any other line.
From September to April each year, Australis operates regular three to seven-night expedition cruises from Ushuaia and Punta Arenas through the mountain and glacier-lined fjords of Tierra del Fuego, the Magellan Strait and Beagle Channel. Included in fares are zodiac excursions ashore to places like Cape Horn, Wulaia Bay and Pia Glacier. An average of seven massive tidewater glaciers can be seen on most Australis sailings while wildlife along the way includes elephant seals and Magellanic penguins.
Like Stella Australis , Ventus Australis will offer cabins with extra-large panoramic windows (almost floor to ceiling) so guests can enjoy vistas of spectacular scenery bathed in extended summer daylight. All guests will be offered complimentary, guided excursions and nature lectures as well as a free open-bar. Cuisine aboard includes local dishes as well as Chilean and Argentine wines. English and Spanish are spoken onboard.
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