P&O Cruises is to avoid calls in Argentinian ports next year while continuing visits to the Falklands Islands.
The ships Arcadia and Adonia will no longer call at Puerto Madryn, Ushuaia and Buenos Aires and will be replaced by Montevideo in Uruguay.
This comes as Argentine president Cristina Kirchner launched a diplomatic offensive to try to assert her country’s claim to the Falklands.
A company statement said: “On numerous occasions over the last year ships associated with Britain and flying the red ensign have not been permitted to call into Argentina or have been severely delayed.
“Over the past few months we have been working with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and our local agents to gain assurances from the Argentine government that our ships will be allowed to call into their ports.
“We have been unable to gain these assurances and the risk of being refused entry or being delayed is too high.
“As a British cruise company we cannot allow ourselves to be the subject of any political dispute or put our customers and crew into any situation where their enjoyment may be compromised.”
Agitators in Ushuaia and other Argentine ports have succeeded in delaying ships suspected of heading to, or returning from, the Falkland Islands, the Daily Telegraph reported.