Buenos Aires, Argentina cruise port
South AmericaArgentina › Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires, Argentina

The Paris of South America — grand boulevards and faded grandeur, the birthplace of tango, Evita's marble tomb, and the best steak on the continent. A city that runs on passion.

⚓ Docked (cruise terminal)🕒 Often overnight call💵 Argentine Peso (ARS) · USD prized🗣️ Spanish · some English
Docking
Quinquela Martín terminal
To center
Shuttle / taxi
Best For
Tango · Food · Culture
Don't Miss
Recoleta & La Boca

Getting Ashore

Ships dock at the Benito Quinquela Martín cruise terminal in the port district north of the center. It's not walkable to the sights, so a shuttle, taxi, or tour gets you into the city's barrios.

Into the Paris of South America

  • 1
    Quinquela Martín cruise terminalThe main terminal, in the port zone. Shuttle buses often run to a central drop-off (near Retiro / Plaza San Martín); taxis and remises queue outside.
  • 2
    Taxis & remisesAgree the fare or use a booked remise/Uber-style ride — central barrios like Recoleta, San Telmo, and La Boca are 10–25 minutes away.
  • 3
    Overnight staysMany cruises overnight in Buenos Aires, so you may get an evening for a tango show or a late parrilla dinner — the city comes alive after dark.

💡 Pro move: Argentina's economy makes cash tricky — USD is highly prized and the 'blue' exchange rate beats official rates. Carry some clean USD bills and a card; ask your ship about current money tips.

Piers & Tendering by Cruise Line

Buenos Aires docks ships at the Benito Quinquela Martín terminal in the northern port zone — not walkable to the sights, so plan a shuttle, taxi, or tour into the city.

Cruise LineTypical Berth / ArrivalDock or Tender
Most cruise linesQuinquela Martín Cruise TerminalDocked
Princess / Holland AmericaBuenos Aires cruise terminalDocked
Celebrity / NorwegianBuenos Aires cruise terminalDocked
MSC / CostaBuenos Aires cruise terminalDocked
Antarctica / expedition shipsBuenos Aires portDocked

Top Excursions

Buenos Aires is a city of distinct, passionate barrios. Pick a couple — tango in San Telmo, marble mausoleums in Recoleta, color in La Boca — and don't miss the steak. These are worth your hours.

Iconic

City Highlights & Recoleta Cemetery

The grand tour: Plaza de Mayo and the pink Casa Rosada, the Obelisco on the world's widest avenue, and Recoleta Cemetery's astonishing mausoleums, including Eva Perón's tomb.

⏱ 3–4 hrs🏛 History🚐 Drive
Find city tours →
Culture

San Telmo & Tango

The cobbled old quarter of antique markets and milongas, where tango was born. Watch street dancers on Plaza Dorrego, or book an evening tango dinner show.

⏱ 2–3 hrs💃 Tango🚶 Easy
Find tango tours →
Iconic

La Boca & Caminito

The brightly painted tin houses of the Caminito, the immigrant-and-football soul of the city, home to Boca Juniors' La Bombonera stadium. Vivid and photogenic (stick to the tourist streets).

⏱ 2 hrs📷 Color🚶 Easy
Find La Boca tours →
Relax

Parrilla & Wine Tasting

Argentina on a plate — a proper parrilla feast of asado and bife de chorizo paired with Mendoza Malbec. The ultimate Buenos Aires indulgence.

⏱ 2–3 hrs🥩 Food🍷 Wine
Find food tours →

Self-Guided Walks & Hikes

Within a barrio, Buenos Aires is wonderfully walkable. These routes (reached by taxi from the port) need no tour — each links to a map.

Recoleta: cemetery & plazas

~2 km · 1.5 hrs · easy

The elegant Recoleta district — the famous cemetery, the Basílica del Pilar, and the leafy plazas and cafés around Avenida Alvear, the city's grandest avenue.

🗺️ Open in Maps

San Telmo old quarter

~2 km · 1.5 hrs · easy

Cobbled Defensa street from Plaza de Mayo through the antique shops and cafés to Plaza Dorrego, heart of the Sunday market and street tango.

🗺️ Open in Maps

Puerto Madero waterfront

~2.5 km · 1 hr · easy

The revitalized dockland of converted brick warehouses, the white Puente de la Mujer footbridge, and the Reserva Ecológica nature reserve along the river.

🗺️ Open in Maps

Weather & Best Time to Visit

Climate normals for Buenos Aires, Argentina (2014–2023 averages). Pack for the month you sail — highs, lows, and how many rainy days to expect.

MonthAvg HighAvg LowRainy Days
Jan83°F / 28°C70°F / 21°C9
Feb81°F / 27°C68°F / 20°C8
Mar77°F / 25°C65°F / 18°C8
Apr71°F / 22°C59°F / 15°C8
May63°F / 17°C53°F / 12°C7
Jun58°F / 14°C47°F / 8°C6
Jul57°F / 14°C46°F / 8°C9
Aug61°F / 16°C48°F / 9°C6
Sep64°F / 18°C52°F / 11°C7
Oct69°F / 21°C56°F / 13°C9
Nov76°F / 24°C61°F / 16°C8
Dec81°F / 27°C66°F / 19°C8

Source: Open-Meteo ERA5 (10-yr daily averages)

Insider Tips

  • 💵
    Bring clean USD cash. Argentina's 'blue' dollar rate far beats the official one — crisp US bills stretch remarkably far. Ask your ship about current money guidance.
  • 🥩
    Eat the steak. A parrilla asado with a glass of Malbec is non-negotiable — Buenos Aires has some of the best beef on Earth.
  • 💃
    See tango where it lives. San Telmo's street dancers and milongas are more authentic (and cheaper) than the big dinner shows — though both are memorable.
  • 🚕
    Use radio taxis or apps. The port isn't walkable to the center; booked remises or app rides are safer and clearer on price than flagging cabs.
  • 📷
    La Boca: stick to the tourist streets. The Caminito is vivid and safe by day, but the surrounding neighborhood is rough — don't wander off the marked area.

Cruises Calling Here

Upcoming cruises that call at Buenos Aires, Argentina. Dates, prices, and ports of call change — always confirm with the cruise line before booking.

National Geographic Endurance
Lindblad Expeditions Cruises
Round-trip from Buenos Aires
⚓ Calls 02 Dec11 nights8 portsDeparts 2026 Dec 02
View itinerary · 8 ports
11 days, round-trip 11 Night Voyage to Antarctica Cruise and Land Tour
  1. 02 DecDeparting from Buenos Aires, Argentina
  2. 03 Decflight
  3. 03 DecUshuaia, Argentina
  4. 04 Dec - 05 DecDrake Passage, Antarctica
  5. 06 Dec - 10 DecAntarctic Peninsula
  6. 13 DecUshuaia, Argentina
  7. 13 Decflight
  8. 13 DecArriving in Buenos Aires, Argentina
Find this cruise to book →
$19968from / pp
MSC Splendida
MSC Cruises
Round-trip from Buenos Aires
⚓ Calls 03 Dec 18:008 nights6 portsDeparts 2026 Dec 03
View itinerary · 6 ports
8 days, round-trip South America
  1. 03 Dec 18:00Departing from Buenos Aires, Argentina
  2. 06 Dec 10:00 - 20:00Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
  3. 07 Dec 08:00 - 18:00Ilhabela, Brazil
  4. 08 Dec 09:00 - 18:00Balneario Camboriu, Brazil
  5. 10 Dec 08:00 - 16:00Punta del Este, Uruguay
  6. 11 Dec 08:00Arriving in Buenos Aires, Argentina
Find this cruise to book →
$1055from / pp
Viking Jupiter
Viking Cruises
Buenos Aires → Valparaiso-Santiago
⚓ Calls 03 Dec15 nights10 portsDeparts 2026 Dec 03
View itinerary · 10 ports
15 days, one-way from Buenos Aires to Valparaiso-Santiago
  1. 03 DecDeparting from Buenos Aires, Argentina
  2. 04 DecMontevideo, Uruguay
  3. 07 DecPuerto Madryn, Argentina
  4. 09 DecPort Stanley, East Falkland Island UK
  5. 11 DecCape Horn, Chile Antarctica
  6. 12 DecUshuaia, Argentina
  7. 13 DecPunta Arenas, Chile Antarctica
  8. 14 Dec - 15 DecChilean Fjords, Patagonia
  9. 16 DecPuerto Montt, Chile
  10. 18 DecArriving in Valparaiso-Santiago, Chile
Find this cruise to book →
$9299from / pp
ms Oosterdam
Holland America Cruises
San Antonio → Buenos Aires
⚓ Calls 18 Dec 08:0015 nights11 portsDeparts 2026 Dec 04
View itinerary · 11 ports
15 days, one-way from San Antonio to Buenos Aires
  1. 04 Dec 17:00Departing from San Antonio, Chile
  2. 06 Dec 08:00 - 17:00Puerto Montt, Chile
  3. 07 Dec 11:00 - 20:00Puerto Chacabuco, Coyhaique, Chile
  4. 09 Dec 08:00 - 10:00Chilean Fjords, Patagonia
  5. 11 Dec 06:00 - 18:00Punta Arenas, Chile Antarctica
  6. 12 Dec 12:00 - 20:00Ushuaia, Argentina
  7. 13 DecCape Horn, Chile Antarctica
  8. 14 Dec 08:00 - 18:00Port Stanley, East Falkland Island UK
  9. 17 Dec 08:00 - 18:00Montevideo, Uruguay
  10. 18 Dec 08:00Buenos Aires, Argentina
  11. 19 DecArriving in Buenos Aires, Argentina
Find this cruise to book →
$2554from / pp
Viking Octantis
Viking Cruises
Buenos Aires → Ushuaia
⚓ Calls 05 Dec11 nights8 portsDeparts 2026 Dec 05
View itinerary · 8 ports
11 days, one-way from Buenos Aires to Ushuaia
  1. 05 DecDeparting from Buenos Aires, Argentina
  2. 05 Decflight
  3. 05 DecUshuaia, Argentina
  4. 06 DecDrake Passage, Antarctica
  5. 07 Dec - 13 DecAntarctic Peninsula
  6. 14 DecDrake Passage, Antarctica
  7. 15 DecCape Horn, Chile Antarctica
  8. 16 DecArriving in Ushuaia, Argentina
Find this cruise to book →
$18695from / pp
Celebrity Equinox
Celebrity Cruises
Round-trip from Buenos Aires
⚓ Calls 05 Dec 17:0014 nights9 portsDeparts 2026 Dec 05
View itinerary · 9 ports
14 days, round-trip Patagonia Argentina
  1. 05 Dec 17:00Departing from Buenos Aires, Argentina
  2. 06 Dec 08:00 - 17:00Montevideo, Uruguay
  3. 09 Dec 08:00 - 18:00Port Stanley, East Falkland Island UK
  4. 11 DecCape Horn, Chile Antarctica
  5. 12 Dec 08:00 - 18:00Ushuaia, Argentina
  6. 14 Dec 07:00 - 15:00Punta Arenas, Chile Antarctica
  7. 16 Dec 09:00 - 17:30Puerto Madryn, Argentina
  8. 18 Dec 08:00 - 16:00Punta del Este, Uruguay
  9. 19 Dec 05:00Arriving in Buenos Aires, Argentina
Find this cruise to book →
$3022from / pp
See all 105 cruises calling at Buenos Aires →

Itineraries and prices change — always confirm with the cruise line before booking. Some links are affiliate links that may earn us a commission at no extra cost to you.