 The ship began another major overseas cruise on 16 August, rather than participate in the annual fleet exercises.This trip went to South America, and included stops in Rio de Janeiro and São Francisco do Sul in Brazil, and Havana, where she rendezvoused with the training cruiser .On 1 March 1898, "Gneisenau" left Havana to return to Germany, stopping in Key West and Horta on the way back.