Nieuw Amsterdam — 36-Night South America Cruise from San Diego, California

Cruise itinerary

36-Night South America Cruise from San Diego, California

36 nights · South America · 21 ports of call

36-night South America cruise aboard Nieuw Amsterdam, departing San Diego, California and calling at Cabo San Lucas, Huatulco (Santa María Huatulco), Puerto Quetzal, Puntarenas, Manta and Salaverry and 14 more.

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At a glance

Ship: Nieuw Amsterdam
Cruise line: Holland America Line
Duration: 36 nights
Region: South America
Departs: San Diego, California
Returns: Buenos Aires

How NestCruise works:we're advisor-led, not a booking engine. No fares are listed and there are no booking fees — tell an advisor your dates and party and they price your exact Nieuw Amsterdam sailing, typically within 24 hours.

Where this voyage takes you

Voyage route — calls shown in order; map is schematic.

Day-by-day itinerary

Day
1
- San Diego, California
  Depart 17:00
  A relaxed harbour city in southern California, known for its mild climate and broad natural bay. The waterfront holds the historic Gaslamp Quarter and maritime museums, with the green expanse of Balboa Park and its zoo just inland.
  - Balboa Park
  - Gaslamp Quarter
  - San Diego Zoo
Day
2
At sea
Day
3
- Cabo San Lucas
  Arrive 11:00 · Depart 18:00
  A resort town at the southern tip of Mexico's Baja California peninsula, where the desert meets the Pacific and Sea of Cortez. Cabo San Lucas is known for its rock arch at Land's End, sport fishing, and the marina lined with restaurants and boats.
  - El Arco
  - Lover's Beach
  - Cabo marina
Day
4
At sea
Day
5
At sea
Day
6
- Huatulco (Santa María Huatulco)
  Arrive 07:00 · Depart 14:00
Day
7
- Puerto Quetzal
  Arrive 10:00 · Depart 20:00
  Guatemala's main Pacific port, a working harbour backed by volcanic highlands. It opens the way to colonial Antigua with its cobbled streets and ruined convents, the coffee farms on the slopes and Lake Atitlán's volcano-ringed shore.
  - Antigua Guatemala
  - Lake Atitlán
  - Coffee plantations
Day
8
At sea
Day
9
- Puntarenas
  Arrive 08:00 · Depart 17:00
  A Pacific port city on a narrow sandy spit on Costa Rica's central coast. It serves chiefly as a gateway inland to rainforests and volcanoes, with a long beachfront promenade and boats out to the Gulf of Nicoya's islands.
  - Gulf of Nicoya
  - Beachfront paseo
  - Rainforest gateway
Day
10
At sea
Day
11
- Manta
  Arrive 12:00 · Depart 18:00
Day
12
At sea
Day
13
At sea
Day
14
- Salaverry
  Arrive 07:00 · Depart 16:00
Day
15
- Callao
  Arrive 10:00 · Depart 20:00
  Peru's chief seaport, on the Pacific beside Lima. Ships dock here for the colonial centre and museums of the capital, the cliff-top Miraflores district above the ocean, and onward journeys toward Machu Picchu and the Andean highlands.
  - Gateway to Lima
  - Miraflores
  - Historic centre
Day
16
At sea
Day
17
- Pisco
  Arrive 07:00 · Depart 18:00
Day
18
At sea
Day
19
- Arica
  Arrive 08:00 · Depart 17:00
Day
20
At sea
Day
21
- Coquimbo
  Arrive 08:00 · Depart 16:00
Day
22
- San Antonio
  Arrive 07:00 · Depart 05:00
Day
23
At sea
Day
24
- Puerto Montt
  Arrive 08:00 · Depart 17:00
  A port city in Chile's Lake District, set on the Reloncaví Sound where the central valley meets the fjords of Patagonia. Snow-capped volcanoes ring the bay, and the town is a launch point for trips to lakes, the German-influenced settlement of Puerto Varas and Chiloé island.
  - Osorno Volcano
  - Puerto Varas
  - Angelmó market
Day
25
- Puerto Chacabuco
  Arrive 11:00 · Depart 20:00
Day
26
At sea
Day
27
- Chilean Fjords
  Arrive 08:00 · Depart 10:00
Day
28
At sea
Day
29
- Punta Arenas
  Arrive 06:00 · Depart 18:00
  A windswept city on the Strait of Magellan in Chilean Patagonia, one of the southernmost ports on earth. It serves as a gateway to Tierra del Fuego, Antarctic crossings and nearby penguin colonies, with a grand central plaza recalling the wool and shipping boom.
  - Strait of Magellan
  - Plaza de Armas
  - Penguin colonies
Day
30
- Ushuaia
  Arrive 12:00 · Depart 20:00
  The world's southernmost city, on Argentina's Tierra del Fuego at the tip of South America. Backed by snowy peaks on the Beagle Channel, it is the chief departure port for Antarctica and a base for the Patagonian wilderness.
  - Beagle Channel
  - Tierra del Fuego park
  - End of the world
Day
31
- Cape Horn
Day
32
- Port Stanley
  Arrive 08:00 · Depart 17:00
  The small capital of the Falkland Islands in the South Atlantic, a row of brightly painted houses and tin roofs along a sheltered harbour. Penguin colonies and windswept moorland surround the settlement, with Christ Church Cathedral and its whalebone arch at the waterfront.
  - Penguin colonies
  - Whalebone Arch
  - Christ Church Cathedral
Day
33
At sea
Day
34
At sea
Day
35
- Montevideo
  Arrive 08:00 · Depart 18:00
  The capital of Uruguay, set on the north bank of the broad Río de la Plata. Its old town keeps colonial plazas and a long riverside promenade, the Rambla, in a relaxed South American port city known for grilled meat and mate.
  - Ciudad Vieja
  - The Rambla
  - Plaza Independencia
Day
36
- Buenos Aires
  Arrive 08:00 · Depart 08:00
  Argentina's grand capital on the Río de la Plata, a city of wide boulevards and European-style architecture. The tango was born in its streets, with the colourful houses of La Boca and the cafés of San Telmo close to the waterfront.
  - La Boca
  - San Telmo
  - Tango culture
Day
37
- Buenos Aires
  Argentina's grand capital on the Río de la Plata, a city of wide boulevards and European-style architecture. The tango was born in its streets, with the colourful houses of La Boca and the cafés of San Telmo close to the waterfront.
  - La Boca
  - San Telmo
  - Tango culture

Upcoming departures

12 Oct 2027

Upcoming sailings of this itinerary — a NestCruise advisor confirms current availability and your fare.

36-Night South America Cruise from San Diego, California FAQ

Which ports does this cruise visit?

This 36-night South America cruise calls at San Diego, California, Cabo San Lucas, Huatulco (Santa María Huatulco), Puerto Quetzal, Puntarenas, Manta, Salaverry, Callao, Pisco, Arica, Coquimbo, San Antonio, Puerto Montt, Puerto Chacabuco, Chilean Fjords, Punta Arenas, Ushuaia, Cape Horn, Port Stanley, Montevideo and Buenos Aires.

How many days are spent at sea?

15 days are spent at sea; the rest are in port.

Where does this cruise depart from?

It departs from San Diego, California and ends in Buenos Aires.

How long is this cruise?

36 nights aboard Nieuw Amsterdam.

When does this itinerary sail?

Upcoming departures include 12 Oct 2027. A NestCruise advisor can confirm current availability.

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