Cape Horn played host to two cruise ships on February 11, Queen Mary 2 and Stella Australis. The moment was indeed rare as one of the world’s biggest cruise ships, Queen Mary carrying 2600 guests crossed path with one of the smallest, Stella Australia carrying 210 guests.

The 149,999 tonne Queen Mary 2, is on a four month World Voyage, and is at least 50 times bigger than 2716 tonne Australis which is an expedition vessel.  The two ships were photographed during a three-night glacier and fjord sailing from Ushuaia to Punta Arenas. Queen Mary guests did not step ashore in Cape Horn unlike the guests on Australis who explored the cape via the ship’s zodiac boats.

Its Cape Horn’s 400th anniversary this year, as the cape was discovered on 29 January by a Dutch ship, the Eendracht, with William Schouten as its captain, who named the island after his home town of Hoorn. Australis offers expedition cruises to the region, visiting Cape Horn more than any other cruise line.

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