The Foreign & Commonwelath Office has voiced concern that two cruise ships had been refused access to an Argentine port after visiting the Falkland Islands.
A spokesperson said there could be no justification for interference in free and legitimate commerce after P&O Cruises’ small ship Adonia and Princess Cruises’ Star Princess (pictured) were denied entry to Ushuaia.
The two vessels are now heading for Punta Arenas in Chile having missed yesterday’s call into the port.
Monday was a public holiday in Argentina and no official comment has been made.
Travel Weekly cruise features writer Jane Archer, who is on board Adonia, told the BBC: “It’s simply the fact that we were in the Falklands.
“They said the fact that we’ve been there means that we can’t come in to Ushuaia.
“I’ve not heard of anything like this before and I don’t think anybody had any inkling at all that this was going to happen.”
She added: “Everything was planned, we were all going to be going on excursions from Ushaia. I don’t think anybody knew anything was going to go wrong, certainly not the captain as far as I’m aware.”
P&O Cruises confirmed that local port authorities refused permission for Adonia to berth at Ushuaia following its call at the Falkland Islands on Saturday.
The ship is on an 87-night South America Adventure itinerary which departed Southampton on January 13 and is due back in the UK on April 9.