Cruise season in Santos begins in october with over 300,000 expected boardings

Preziosa opens the 2025/2026 season (Vanessa Rodrigues/AT)

The 2025/2026 cruise season at the Port of Santos will begin on Sunday, October 26, with the arrival of the MSC Preziosa at the Giusfredo Santini Passenger Maritime Terminal, managed by Concais. By April 19, 2026, approximately 320,000 boardings are expected to take place in Santos.

According to Concais, 14 different vessels will operate during the season, including five on regular itineraries and nine on transit calls. In total, the season will include 133 port calls over 95 operational days. Despite the high volume, the number of boardings is expected to be 30% lower than in the previous season (2024/2025), due to the deployment of smaller ships and fewer fixed itineraries.

Javier Carnevale, the terminal's operations manager, stated that this decline is temporary and should be reversed in the following season. He emphasized that the Port of Santos has the capacity to handle a much larger volume of passengers, as seen in previous years.

Itineraries Scheduled routes include mini-cruises lasting three to four nights, as well as longer voyages of up to six nights, with destinations such as Buenos Aires, Montevideo, Salvador, and Maceió.

Carnevale also stressed that passengers should follow basic guidelines, such as arriving at the terminal at the designated time, carrying all required documents, and complying with procedures for boarding minors (under 18) on trips within the Mercosur region.

“It is important for everyone to seek information from their travel agents to avoid unforeseen issues”, the manager emphasized.

Driving to the Terminal? Those arriving at the terminal by car may leave their vehicles at the Concais parking lot, the only one recognized by the Santos Port Authority (APS). Passengers enter the cabin luggage check-in hall and proceed to the check-in area. Upon return, the vehicle will be brought near the disembarkation area. More information is available at website .