Cruise season in Santos to feature two new ships and debut of Spanish company

As in previous seasons, the MSC Seaview will be part of the 2026/2027 cruise season, offering voyages along the Brazilian coast with calls at the Port of Santos (Alexsander Ferraz/AT)

The 2026/2027 cruise season will feature eight ships, one more than in the previous season, with a 24% increase in berth capacity. Of these, six ocean liners will call at the Port of Santos, including the MSC Virtuosa and the Buenavista, both of which will sail along the Brazilian coast for the first time. The information was released by the Brazilian Cruise Association (Clia Brasil).

According to the organization, three cruise operators will run regular cruise services during the upcoming season: the Italian companies MSC Cruzeiros and Costa Cruzeiros, which already operate in the Brazilian market, and the Spanish company Corazul Cruzeiros, founded last year and making its debut in Brazilian waters.

The Brazilian season will begin on October 31, with the first call of Corazul’s Buenavista in Recife (PE), and will end on April 9, 2027. The eight ocean liners scheduled to operate cruises in the country are Costa Diadema, Costa Serena, Buenavista, MSC Virtuosa, MSC Splendida, MSC Divina, MSC Musica, and MSC Seaview. Only Costa Serena and MSC Splendida will not call at Santos.

According to the association, a total of 831,254 berths will be offered, compared to 672,437 during the 2025/2026 season, which featured seven ships. A total of 190 itineraries will be operated, compared to 160 in the previous season, along with 675 port calls, surpassing the previous total of 617.

In addition, another new development will be the inclusion of the Port of Paranaguá among the passenger embarkation and disembarkation ports, alongside Santos, Rio de Janeiro (RJ), Salvador (BA), Maceió (AL), Itajaí (SC), and Balneário Camboriú (SC).

The itineraries include traditional Brazilian cruise tourism destinations such as Angra dos Reis, Búzios, Ilha Grande, Ilhabela, Ilhéus, Porto Belo, and Recife, as well as international connections with Buenos Aires, Argentina, and Montevideo and Punta del Este, both in Uruguay.

Clia Brasil also stated that, in addition to cabotage operations, Brazil will remain integrated into long-haul international cruise routes, receiving ships in different regions of the country, although the organization did not disclose the fleet of transit vessels.

Passengers at Concais: ship calls will continue through the end of June (Vanessa Rodrigues/AT/Arquivo)

Recovery

“The 2026/2027 season represents a recovery movement in supply following a period of decline. The figures may still change over the coming months, but they already indicate a rebound compared to the previous cycle, with increases in the availability of ships, berths, itineraries, and port calls”, said Clia Brasil Executive Chairman Marco Ferraz.

He stated that the increase in supply is taking place within an international context of geopolitical realignments that have favored the presence of ships in South America, but emphasized that Brazil needs to become more competitive in the global market.

“This scenario reinforces the interest of cruise companies and Brazil’s potential, while also highlighting the importance of advancing conditions that make the country more competitive and attractive to the global market.”

Challenges

Among the main challenges, according to the sector representative, are issues related to port infrastructure, operating costs, regulation, and tax burden — factors considered decisive for expanding the presence of ships along the Brazilian coast in the coming years.

“If we want to consistently expand the presence of ships and the growth of the industry in the region, we need to advance in competitiveness and structural improvements”, Ferraz added.

Contacted for comment, Concais, the leaseholder of the Giusfredo Santini Maritime Passenger Terminal in Santos, stated that cruise operators are expected to confirm ship calls at the Santos complex by the end of June.