The Port of Valparaíso completed the first call of a cruise ship in the new 2025 – 2026 season, after the vessel Silver Endeavour moored at site 5 of the Terminal Pacífico Sur (TPS) around 10:40 in the morning.
The ship arrived from Los Angeles, in the United States, and will remain at the port dock during the day of Sunday, October 12 to, subsequently, set sail to the extreme south and begin a series of trips to Antarctica.
The ship, part of the Silversea Cruises fleet, was built in 2021 by Lloyd Werft at a cost of USD 195 million. It is 165 meters long, 25 meters wide and offers a capacity to transport 252 passengers, along with 207 crew members.
This first cruise ship has a Polar Class PC6 rating, which places it at the forefront of luxury vessels, combined with a state-of-the-art exploration team and technology, allowing it to offer passengers one of the most advanced expedition experiences, classifying it as an ultra-luxury expedition cruise.
The 2025 – 2025 cruise campaign at the Port of Valparaíso contemplates 25 calls, between October 12, 2025 and April 10, 2026.
Among the novelties of this season, two first calls in February stand out. These are the vessels Vista and Borealis, and a double call on March 6, a month that also presents the highest number of passenger vessel arrivals, with eight cruises.
In addition, there is the presence of the Viking Cruises line with seven ships and Silver Cruises with six, together accounting for 53% of all calls and projecting about 58% of all visits. Regarding stays, the cruise ship The World will record the longest stay in the Port of Valparaíso with four days, between March 4 and 7.
Franco Gandolfo, general manager of Puerto Valparaíso, highlighted that “once again this year, Puerto Valparaíso has prepared with all the actors of the port and tourism ecosystem, both public and private, together with our concessionaires and the different actors of the logistics chain, so that this cruise season develops with safety, efficiency and with a port city that receives cruise passengers in the best possible way according to the demands of our visitors.
“Furthermore, we have the great challenge of accompanying the growth of this industry and for that we continue working to soon have a cruise dock, with more infrastructure, with a better coastal edge space. We will continue working to promote the development of the city and its coastal edge, so that Valparaíso is the most attractive port city for the cruise industry and, at the same time, so that our region is also more attractive, thus consolidating our status as a home port and exploration destination,” Gandolfo pointed out.
For her part, the mayor of Valparaíso, Camila Nieto, stated that “we are very happy to start a new cruise season in Valparaíso, an important objective for our municipality and for all those who work for a city open to tourism and the world.
This season finds us better prepared, with strengthened coordination between the Port Company, Carabineros, the regional ministerial secretariats, municipal teams, and various local actors, so that every visitor has a safe, welcoming, and authentic experience.
Likewise, the municipal leader commented that “we are filled with pride that Chile was recently recognized as the Best Cruise Destination at the World Travel Awards South America 2025, consolidating the country as a gateway for those who wish to explore. This recognition reinforces our commitment to continue positioning Valparaíso as an efficient, hospitable, and leading port within the region’s cruise routes.”
Carolina Carrasco, director of Sernatur Valparaíso, said that “the consolidation of Valparaíso as a cruise home port is a key step in strengthening tourism, transforming the city into a starting and ending point for international routes, generating longer stays, more spending, and employment for those linked to tourism and services; a result of coordinated work between the public and private sectors by various organizations.”
“For this season, 25 cruise ship calls are projected, which will allow us to welcome thousands of visitors from different parts of the world, a timely opportunity for each tourist to experience Valparaíso: its port, hills, heritage, and culture, also benefiting other destinations in the region and generating a positive impact on the local economy,” added Carrasco.
Cristian Rodríguez, general manager of Terminal Pacífico Sur (TPS), stated that “the start of a new season of passenger ships is always good news for Valparaíso, especially with the first call at our Terminal of the Silver Endeavour from Silversea Cruises. It symbolizes the collaborative work of many public and private organizations that want each season to be a success for the port of Valparaíso, but also for the city’s tourism. We will continue working with excellence and the experience of our team so that more cruise lines choose this destination.”
Labor Conflict
The arrival of the Silver Endeavour occurred in a week marked by the labor conflict of the workers of Terminal Portuario Valparaíso (TPV). Protests in the city streets and the operational shutdown of Terminal 2 raised fears in the tourism sector regarding the risks posed by the mobilization for the development of the cruise season and the effects on the tourism industry.
In that sense, the Federación de Empresas de Turismo de Chile (Fedetur) made an urgent call for the involved parties to reach common ground, allowing for the normal operation of the port and the reception of passengers.
On Saturday, October 11, Terminal Portuario Valparaíso reported that it had reached an agreement with the representatives of the Sindicato de Empleados de Bahía de Valparaíso. Likewise, the company requested the Sindicato de Estibadores de Valparaíso to reach a prompt closure agreement.
