Cruise port Santa Clara Island

Santa Clara Island in the Chilean Juan Fernández Archipelago is not a classic cruise port, but rather an uninhabited, protected natural site visited as part of expedition cruises or special sea voyages. Traveling to the archipelago requires careful planning and usually takes place via the main island, Robinson Crusoe.

Airplane

For travelers from the DACH region, the journey begins with a long-haul flight to Santiago de Chile International Airport (SCL). From Santiago, the journey continues with a charter flight to the airfield on Robinson Crusoe Island (RCS), located about 670 kilometers off the Chilean coast. These flights, operated by small aircraft with 5 to 10 seats, take around 2 to 2.5 hours and depart from the FBO area near Arturo Merino Benítez Airport. They mainly operate during the high season from November to March or October to April. Due to strict baggage restrictions (often only 10 kg) and the weather-dependent nature of the flights, flexibility in travel planning is advisable.

Transfer & Further Travel

After landing at the Robinson Crusoe Island airfield, the journey continues to the main town of San Juan Bautista in Cumberland Bay via a boat transfer, which takes about one hour. From San Juan Bautista, organized boat excursions to Santa Clara Island are offered. As Santa Clara itself is uninhabited and has no infrastructure, Robinson Crusoe Island serves as the starting point for exploring this unique nature reserve.

Pre-Cruise Hotel

Due to the long journey from the DACH region and the weather-dependent charter flights to Robinson Crusoe Island, an overnight stay in a pre-cruise hotel in Santiago de Chile is strongly recommended. This allows for a relaxed start to the adventure, providing the opportunity to overcome jet lag and wait out any flight delays on the mainland before embarking on the final leg to the remote Juan Fernández Archipelago.

Check-in & Embarkation

Please note that you will generally receive a fixed time slot for check-in with your travel documents, which is binding for your embarkation. Accordingly, plan sufficient time for the journey to the port and take into account that the latest embarkation time - depending on the cruise line and destination - is usually scheduled about one hour before the planned departure.

The following also applies during the voyage: for shore excursions, you should be back on board at least one hour before departure. Always pay attention to the current announcements as well as the notices on board, as mooring and departure times may change at short notice.