Cruise line Silversea began its 2026-2027 Antarctic season with 40 voyages and its own hotel in Puerto Williams, The Cormorant at 55 South, which it bills as the southernmost in the world and whose official opening is scheduled for November 5, 2026, [Contacto News](https://contactonews.co/noticias/15487-silversea-inicia-temporada-antartica-y-estrena-chile-hotel-mas-austral-del-mundo) reported on October 28. The season's first passengers have already stayed at the hotel during a soft opening.
The hotel has 150 rooms and will operate seasonally, from October to March, according to a Silversea release from March 2026 published by Journal des Palaces. It was developed by Silversea, a Royal Caribbean Group brand, and the Chilean Piuvcevic family, with an investment of about US$50 million, according to Contacto News.
What The Cormorant at 55 South is
| Item | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Puerto Williams, Navarino Island, facing the Beagle Channel | Silversea / Contacto News |
| Rooms | 150, with forest or Beagle Channel views | Silversea (March 2026) |
| Season | October to March | Silversea (March 2026) |
| Official opening | November 5, 2026 (soft opening under way) | Contacto News (Oct. 28) |
| Investment | About US$50 million | Contacto News (Oct. 28) |
| Spaces | Latitude 55 restaurant, Bar Sur, a fireplace lounge and the Uncharted shop | Silversea (March 2026) |
| Experiences | Walks in the sub-Antarctic forest, Beagle Channel cruises and activities on Yagán culture | Contacto News |
The name refers to the latitude, 55 degrees south, and to the cormorant, a bird that symbolizes seafarers, according to Silversea. The label "world's southernmost hotel" comes from the company itself and the media that reproduced the announcement. "The Cormorant at 55 South represents an exciting new chapter for Silversea," said Bert Hernandez, president of the cruise line, in the release.
Silversea's Antarctic season from Puerto Williams
The hotel is the centerpiece of the Antarctica Fly Cruise program, which lets passengers skip the sea crossing of the Drake Passage. According to Silversea, passengers spend a night in Santiago, take a direct charter flight to Puerto Williams, sleep one night at The Cormorant and continue to King George Island, in Antarctica, to board the ship. On the way back, they spend another night at the hotel before returning to Santiago.
| Type of voyage | Number in 2026-2027 | How it works |
|---|---|---|
| Fly Cruise, flying both ways | 14 | Flight to Antarctica and sailing on board the Silver Endeavour |
| Combined Fly Cruise | 15 | One leg by air and the other crossing the Drake Passage by ship |
| Drake crossing both ways | 11 | Round trip by ship from Puerto Williams |
| Total voyages | 40 | From 6 to 21 nights |
Source: Silversea, via Contacto News (October 28, 2026). The 29 Fly Cruise voyages include a stay at the hotel. The ships for the season are the Silver Endeavour, the Silver Wind and the Silver Cloud, and destinations include the Antarctic Peninsula, South Georgia and the Falkland Islands. The longest voyage lasts 21 nights, departs on March 4, 2027 and is the only one ending in Buenos Aires. The company did not publish prices in the announcement.
Do you offer tours, lodging or transport in Magallanes? Reach travelers planning Patagonia and Antarctica, in four languages.
See advertising optionsPuerto Williams, the new gateway to Antarctica
Puerto Williams is the capital of the Antártica Chilena province, on Navarino Island. Its airfield receives scheduled flights from Aerovías DAP from Punta Arenas, and boat trips also leave from there for Cabo de Hornos National Park, created in 1945 and covering 63,093 hectares, which takes about 12 hours to reach by sea, according to El Desconcierto (October 29).
- For independent travelers: Silversea's release presents the hotel only as part of its cruise program; it does not say whether it will take guests who are not traveling with the cruise line.
- To get there on your own: scheduled flights to Puerto Williams leave from Punta Arenas; frequencies and fares change with the season, so check them directly with the airline.
- If you visit Magallanes: add things to do in Punta Arenas and our guide to Chilean Patagonia to your route.
What The Cormorant at 55 South means for tourism in Chile
The hotel joins other news from the expedition season in Chile's far south, which we have followed this week:
| What's new | Where | Key date | Detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Cormorant at 55 South (Silversea) | Puerto Williams | Opening on November 5, 2026 | 150 rooms; 29 Fly Cruise voyages with a hotel stay |
| Magellan Discoverer (Antarctica21) | Built in Valdivia; sails from Punta Arenas | Maiden voyage on December 15, 2026 | Hybrid-electric cruise ship for 96 passengers |
| MS Fridtjof Nansen (HX Expeditions) | Puerto Natales, Terminal Marítimo Patagonia Sur | Called from October 24 to 26, 2026 | Opened the 2026-2027 cruise season in Puerto Natales |
Sources: Silversea via Contacto News, and our stories on the Magellan Discoverer and the Puerto Natales cruise season (October 28, 2026).
The project turns Puerto Williams into a departure point for Antarctica for passengers who until now left mainly from Ushuaia, in Argentina, or Punta Arenas. With 150 rooms, the hotel adds significant capacity to a small, isolated town. Its real impact on jobs, occupancy and local spending has no public figures yet: we will follow it when it opens on November 5.
Frequently asked questions
Where is The Cormorant at 55 South?
In Puerto Williams, on Navarino Island, Magallanes Region, facing the Beagle Channel.
When does the hotel open?
Its official opening is scheduled for November 5, 2026, although it has already welcomed passengers during a soft opening, according to Contacto News.
How many rooms does it have?
150, according to Silversea's March 2026 release.
Can you go to Antarctica from Puerto Williams?
Yes. In the 2026-2027 season, Silversea offers 40 voyages, 29 of them with a flight to King George Island and a prior stay at the hotel.
