MIAMI – November 06, 2026 -- Silversea has opened The Cormorant at 55 South, a 150-room hotel in Puerto Williams, Chile, and will route all 29 of its Antarctica Fly Cruise voyages through March 2027 via the property.
The ribbon-cutting took place on November 5 with Silversea executives, Chilean national and regional authorities and local community members. Silversea describes Puerto Williams as the southernmost city on Earth. The hotel is a first-of-its-kind venture for Silversea and its parent, Royal Caribbean Group, and was developed with a consortium of Chilean investors. The source does not disclose the investment amount.
Every Antarctica Fly Cruise guest now stays at the hotel
Guests fly non-stop from Silversea's private terminal in Santiago to Puerto Williams on Silversea-branded charter flights. They stay at The Cormorant before and after their voyage.
Silver Endeavour, Silver Wind and Silver Cloud will operate 40 voyages through March 2027, 29 of them Antarctica Fly Cruise sailings. Itineraries run from six to 21 nights and extend beyond the Antarctic Peninsula to South Georgia and the Falkland Islands.
Silversea President Bert Hernandez said the aim is to make the journey to Antarctica "easier and more comfortable" and that the expedition now begins at the hotel.
Modular rooms built in Mendoza travelled across the Andes to 55 degrees south
Each of the 150 rooms was built in Mendoza, Argentina, using modular construction. The units were then transported across the Andes and Patagonia to the site.
The hotel is staffed by a team trained in The Silversea Way, the brand's service culture. Silversea says it has led luxury expedition cruising since pioneering the segment in 2008.
Three Chilean artworks and a local-ingredient menu anchor the guest experience
The restaurant, Latitude 55, serves family-style dinners built around regional ingredients and Chilean culinary traditions such as the asado. Bar Sur offers Chilean wines and spirits, cocktails based on calafate berry and Chilean Pisco, guided Pisco sessions and sommelier-led tastings.
Three works by Chilean artists anchor the interiors:
- Navarino, a steel sculpture by Paola Vezzani suspended in the lobby
- Dientes de Navarino, a bar mural by Cata Flaño
- La Memoria de las Piedras, an installation of seventy handcrafted ceramic stones by Javier Canales
Outdoor options include kayaking the Beagle Channel, hiking the Seno Lauta shoreline trails and horseback riding.
Opening ceremony drew on local musicians, schoolchildren and artisans
Los Chamames de la Patagonia, a folk ensemble founded in Punta Arenas in 2015, performed a Patagonian chamamé with children from the local Grupo Folklórico. Local schoolchildren sang the Chilean national anthem. The ceremonial ribbon was handwoven from natural junco fibers by local artisans. Its interconnected circles stayed intact because specially designed links let leaders cut it.