Few places on Earth carry the mystery of Easter Island. Known to its people as Rapa Nui, this remote volcanic island sits alone in the South Pacific, over 2,000 miles from the nearest continental coastline — home to nearly 900 monumental stone moai whose origins and meaning still spark debate among archaeologists today. In 2027, Azamara Cruises® is offering guests a new way to reach it: Uncover the Mysteries of Easter Island, a brand-new 4-night pre/post cruise land program.
This is the first time Azamara has offered a dedicated Pre & Post Easter Island land experience, and it's available for a limited booking window, due to limited hotel accommodation and flights to/from the island, on a select number of South America sailings in 2027.
What Makes Easter Island So Mysterious
Easter Island's moai — the giant carved stone figures that line its coastline — were raised by the Rapa Nui people between roughly 1250 and 1500 CE, without wheels, draft animals, or metal tools. How they were moved from the Rano Raraku quarry to ceremonial platforms across the island remains one of archaeology's enduring puzzles. Add to that the island's isolation, its near-total deforestation before European contact, and the still-debated collapse of its original civilization, and it's easy to see why Rapa Nui has fascinated travelers and researchers alike for centuries.
Inside the Program: Uncover the Mysteries of Easter Island
Azamara's new 4-night program is built around the island's most iconic and sacred sites, paired with free time to explore Santiago at the start or end of the journey. Highlights include:
- Sunrise at Tongariki — the island's largest ceremonial platform, home to 15 restored moai standing in a row against the Pacific horizon
- Sunset at Tahai — one of the most photographed moai sites, especially in the island's golden evening light
- Rano Raraku — the volcanic quarry where most of the island's moai were carved, many still left standing or half-buried exactly where they were abandoned
- Orongo — the clifftop ceremonial village tied to the island's later “birdman cult” traditions
- Anakena Beach — a white-sand cove backed by palm trees and moai, offering a rare moment of pure relaxation on the island
- A traditional Polynesian welcome, reflecting Rapa Nui's deep cultural ties to the wider Pacific
The program is available as a 4-night post-cruise extension from Azamara's February 17, 2027 South America sailing, and as a 4-night pre-cruise extension ahead of the March 10, 2027 sailing — both built around Santiago, Chile, the gateway to the island. Pricing starts from $4,599 per person, double occupancy, for the pre-cruise program, and $4,699 per person, double occupancy, for the post-cruise version.
Why This Trip Requires Early Planning
Easter Island isn't a destination guests can add on a whim. Flights are limited — often a single flight route serving the island — and March is high season, with seats known to sell out three to four months in advance. Combined with a genuinely limited number of spaces on this new Azamara program, guests who want to experience Rapa Nui in 2027 should plan well ahead rather than waiting to decide closer to their sailing date.
Why Experience Easter Island with Azamara
Getting to Rapa Nui independently means navigating logistics, guides, and site access on your own. Azamara's new program removes that friction, pairing our guest with a fully guided, expertly sequenced introduction to one of the world's most remote and storied islands — timed around sunrise and sunset at its most iconic sites, and grounded in Azamara's Destination Immersion® approach to travel.
For guests who've always wanted to stand in front of the moai and understand the mystery for themselves, 2027 is the year that journey can become part of the cruise experience for our guests.