The expedition cruise ship MS Fridtjof Nansen, operated by HX Expeditions, opened the 2026-2027 cruise season in Puerto Natales: it arrived on October 24, 2026 at the Terminal Marítimo Patagonia Sur, owned by Grupo Empresas Skorpios, and sailed on the 26th. From the terminal, tour buses took passengers to Torres del Paine National Park and other sights in the area, PortalCruceros and Paislobo Prensa reported.
"We are pleased to welcome the MS Fridtjof Nansen once again and to begin a new cruise season at our terminal," said Constantino Kochifas Coñuecar, CEO of Grupo Empresas Skorpios. The terminal holds international certification under the ISPS Code for the security of ships and port facilities.
The MS Fridtjof Nansen and the Puerto Natales cruise season
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Ship | MS Fridtjof Nansen, polar expedition cruise ship |
| Cruise line | HX Expeditions |
| Length | 140 meters |
| Capacity | 530 passengers |
| Propulsion | Hybrid |
| Built in | Norway |
| Call in Puerto Natales | October 24 to 26, 2026 |
| Terminal | Terminal Marítimo Patagonia Sur (Grupo Empresas Skorpios) |
Sources: PortalCruceros and Paislobo Prensa (October 26, 2026). The reports do not say how many passengers were on board for this call or give the full season calendar for Puerto Natales.
A ship already sailing Chile from north to south
The same ship had opened the 2026-2027 cruise season in Valparaíso on October 17, at the Terminal Portuario Valparaíso, Emol reported. Its 14-night itinerary, "Chilean Fjords - Discovering the heart of Patagonia," sails from Valparaíso and ends in Buenos Aires, with stops including Niebla, Castro, Tortel, Puerto Williams, Cape Horn and Ushuaia, according to the trip's sales listings.
| Port | Region | What to see nearby |
|---|---|---|
| Valparaíso | Valparaíso | Cerro Alegre and Cerro Concepción, funiculars |
| Niebla | Los Ríos | Niebla Fort, Valdivia |
| Castro | Los Lagos | Stilt houses and churches of Chiloé |
| Tortel | Aysén | Cypress boardwalks over the water |
| Puerto Natales | Magallanes | Torres del Paine, Cueva del Milodón |
| Puerto Williams | Magallanes | Beagle Channel and Dientes de Navarino |
Source: itinerary published by agencies selling the October 2026 trip; the order and stops may change due to weather. On Tortel, see our Caleta Tortel guide; on Chiloé, the Castro cruise season.
Do you have a business in Puerto Natales or Torres del Paine? Reach travelers preparing their trip to Patagonia.
See advertising options
What the cruise season means for Puerto Natales and Torres del Paine
- More day visitors: cruises add passengers who visit Torres del Paine on excursions. In 2025, the park recorded 734 cruise visits out of a total of 337,224, according to Conaf's spreadsheet.
- Tickets: cruise passengers pay the park entrance fee like any other visitor: CLP 32,400 per day for foreign adults in 2026, as we detail in the Torres del Paine entrance fee.
- A season with challenges: Austro Chile business owners warned of a slow start because of airfare prices, as we reported in the Magallanes tourist season.
- Restricted flights: Puerto Natales airport will have runway works between January and March 2027; see the days without flights.
When Torres del Paine gets busy
The cruise season coincides with the park's busiest months. This is how Torres del Paine's 337,224 visits were spread across 2025:
| Month (2025) | Visits to Torres del Paine |
|---|---|
| January | 59,183 |
| February | 54,494 |
| March | 44,680 |
| April | 23,156 |
| May | 7,050 |
| June | 3,215 |
| July | 4,533 |
| August | 5,342 |
| September | 12,868 |
| October | 25,397 |
| November | 46,012 |
| December | 51,294 |
Source: Conaf, Protected Areas Visitation 2025. November to March accounted for 76% of the year's visits. In October, the month the cruise season begins, visits were already double September's.
To plan your visit, see things to do in Puerto Natales. And further south the Magellan Discoverer, the new hybrid cruise ship built in Valdivia, is getting ready: details here.
Frequently asked questions
When does the cruise season start in Puerto Natales?
The 2026-2027 season began with the MS Fridtjof Nansen's call, from October 24 to 26, 2026, at the Terminal Marítimo Patagonia Sur.
Can cruise passengers visit Torres del Paine?
Yes. The terminal coordinates tour buses to the park, and entrance is paid at Conaf's current fees.
Who runs the Puerto Natales cruise terminal?
The Terminal Marítimo Patagonia Sur belongs to Grupo Empresas Skorpios.
