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The Tips For Travellers podcast helps you make the most of your precious vacation time and money with first-hand travel inspiration, advice and tips from travel expert, author, blogger and YouTuber Gary Bembridge.

Jun 15, 2026

South America cruises can be spectacular — penguins in the Falklands, Cape Horn, Glacier Alley Chile, fascinating cities in Peru and Chile, end of the world in Ushuaia, Buenos Aires, Lima, Montevideo and more. But after cruising South America several times, including a recent 31-night voyage, I saw experienced cruisers making mistakes that could ruin the trip. In this, I reveal the biggest South America cruise mistakes I saw passengers make, from visa and entry rule surprises to choosing the wrong itinerary, underestimating sea days, misjudging the ports, getting excursions wrong, packing missteps, and getting caught out with money in ports. South America is not like cruising the Caribbean, Alaska or Europe. The distances are vast, the ports can be challenging, the weather can swing wildly, and the rules can change quickly. But get it right, and it can be one of the most memorable cruise regions in the world. This should help ensure any South America cruise does not unravel before it even begins

 

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