South Pacific Explorer Cruise

Day 1 - Callao, Peru

Arrive: Sun 17 January 2027 / Depart: Sun 17 January 2027

A 45-minute drive from the port city of Callao brings you to exciting Lima, the City of Kings. From its founding in 1535 until today, it remains one of the most important cities in all South America. The handsome old buildings from the earliest colonial days surrounding the Plaza de Armas contrast with the soaring modern towers rising in the newer sections of the city.

Day 2 - San Martin

Arrive: Mon 18 January 2027 / Depart: Mon 18 January 2027

Pisco dates from 1640, and its Plaza de Armas is a Spanish colonial treasure. Another treasure is the Ballestas Islands, an offshore cluster of rocky outcroppings teeming with seabirds, penguins, sea lions, dolphins and other wildlife. Many visitors take the opportunity to take a scenic flight over the huge, mysterious Nazca Lines pictographs etched into the nearby desert surface 2,000 years ago. And still more belly up to a bar to sample a Pisco Sour cocktail made with the Pisco brandy distilled from locally grown grapes.

Day 3 - At Sea

Day 4 - Iquique, Chile

Arrive: Wed 20 January 2027 / Depart: Wed 20 January 2027

Enjoy a performance of Chilean folk dances followed by a cocktail reception at Palacio Astoreca, a belle époque mansion from the ‘nitrate' heyday.

Day 5 - At Sea

Day 6 - At Sea

Day 7 - At Sea

Day 8 - At Sea

Day 9 - At Sea

Day 10 - At Sea

Day 11 - Easter Island

Arrive: Wed 27 January 2027

The southeastern-most point in the Polynesian Triangle, tiny Easter Island in the South Pacific is one of the most remote places on earth. Even more oddly, it belongs to Chile, which lies 3,700 miles away over the eastern horizon. In fact, a large slice of the island is Chile’s Rapa Nui National Park, preserving the sculptural heritage of the indigenous Rapa Nui people, whose ancestors carved the huge human effigies called moai that give the island its renown and earned it UNESCO World Heritage Site status. These stylized sculptures stand on the slopes of the island, gazing implacably out to sea, often on stone platforms called ahu. They were apparently carved between the 13th and 16th centuries, for reasons that are debated. But the enigmatic effigies, the dramatic volcanic landscape, the Rapa Nui people themselves and the sheer isolation of the island combine to draw visitors from every corner of the globe to this speck in the world’s largest ocean.

Day 12 - Easter Island

Depart: Thu 28 January 2027

The southeastern-most point in the Polynesian Triangle, tiny Easter Island in the South Pacific is one of the most remote places on earth. Even more oddly, it belongs to Chile, which lies 3,700 miles away over the eastern horizon. In fact, a large slice of the island is Chile’s Rapa Nui National Park, preserving the sculptural heritage of the indigenous Rapa Nui people, whose ancestors carved the huge human effigies called moai that give the island its renown and earned it UNESCO World Heritage Site status. These stylized sculptures stand on the slopes of the island, gazing implacably out to sea, often on stone platforms called ahu. They were apparently carved between the 13th and 16th centuries, for reasons that are debated. But the enigmatic effigies, the dramatic volcanic landscape, the Rapa Nui people themselves and the sheer isolation of the island combine to draw visitors from every corner of the globe to this speck in the world’s largest ocean.

Day 13 - At Sea

Day 14 - At Sea

Day 15 - At Sea

Day 16 - At Sea

Day 17 - At Sea

Day 18 - Nuku Hiva, French Polynesia

Arrive: Wed 03 February 2027 / Depart: Wed 03 February 2027

The stunningly beautiful island of Nuku Hiva is the largest of the Marquesas Islands of French Polynesia, and an overseas territory of France. The first people to arrive here came from Micronesia over 2000 years ago, and later colonized Tahiti, Hawaii, the Cook Islands and New Zealand. The legend has it that Ono, the god of creation, promised his wife he would build a house in one day, so he gathered together land and created these islands, all named after parts of the house. Nuku Hiva is the roof of Ono's house. Its volcanic origins are responsible for the dramatic scenery and vast natural harbor that exist due to the partial collapse of a volcano's caldera.

Day 19 - Hiva Oa, Marquesas Islands

Arrive: Thu 04 February 2027 / Depart: Thu 04 February 2027

Day 20 - At Sea

Day 21 - Fakarava, Tuamotu Islands

Arrive: Sat 06 February 2027 / Depart: Sat 06 February 2027

The 77 Tuamotus, (the name means “Distant Islands” in Polynesian) comprise the largest chain of coral atolls on earth. They sprawl across the vast blue South Pacific Ocean encompassing an area the size of Western Europe. Atolls are literally the skeletal remains of coral reefs, forming rings of crushed coral sand surrounding a shallow central lagoon. The natural flora and fauna of the Oceanic realm is adapted to this environment, and Fakarava’s large lagoon is designated by UNESCO as a Biosphere Reserve. The people of Fakarava farm coconuts for copra on shore and pearls in the lagoons. They also host the travelers who flock here to bask on the beaches and snorkel or dive in the luxuriant coral gardens along the shore. At the long spit of Les Sables Roses, the pink blush of the sand reveals its coral origin. The sleepy towns of Rotoava and Tetamanu offer scant attractions for visitors, except for their distinctive rock lighthouses shaped like stepped pyramids. Tetamanu does boast a 19th Century church built of coral rock by missionaries, and an adjoining cemetery with coral rock headstones. Aside from snorkeling or beach-basking, some visitors enjoy a visit to a lagoon pearl farm, to see how the large, flat bivalves are coaxed into creating the treasured gems formed by the lustrous nacre inside their shells.

Day 22 - Rangiroa

Arrive: Sun 07 February 2027 / Depart: Sun 07 February 2027

One of the largest coral atolls on earth with a total circumference of 200 km, Rangiroa is a part of the island group called the Tuamotus. Its central lagoon is so large that is actually has its own horizon. Pearl cultivation is practiced here, yielding the prized black pearls, and surprisingly, it also supports a winemaking endeavor for the commercial market in Tahiti. The vines are planted on the small motus right alongside coconut palms.

Day 23 - Papeete

Arrive: Mon 08 February 2027

The islands of French Polynesia are acclaimed as the most beautiful in the South Pacific. Tahiti is the largest of the Polynesian islands and home to the capital city of Papeete, a delightful blend of cultures. Papeete, meaning the "water basket," was once a gathering place where Tahitians came to fill their calabashes with fresh water. Today, it is the gateway to the country, and boasts romantic resorts, fine dining, vibrant markets, pearl shops, and boutiques. Tahiti's mountainous interior is adorned with deep valleys and scenic waterfalls, while the rugged coastal lands are home to fields of tropical flowers, and glorious white and black sand beaches.

Day 24 - Papeete

Depart: Tue 09 February 2027

The islands of French Polynesia are acclaimed as the most beautiful in the South Pacific. Tahiti is the largest of the Polynesian islands and home to the capital city of Papeete, a delightful blend of cultures. Papeete, meaning the "water basket," was once a gathering place where Tahitians came to fill their calabashes with fresh water. Today, it is the gateway to the country, and boasts romantic resorts, fine dining, vibrant markets, pearl shops, and boutiques. Tahiti's mountainous interior is adorned with deep valleys and scenic waterfalls, while the rugged coastal lands are home to fields of tropical flowers, and glorious white and black sand beaches.