As summer approaches in the Southern Hemisphere, MSC Cruises marked the beginning of its 2024-25 season in South America on November 8, 2024, as the MSC Seaview docked in Santos, Brazil.
To kick off an exciting season of itineraries across Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay, the cruise line held an official ceremony onboard the 153,516-gross-ton ship, welcoming Brazilian authorities, media, and cruise executives.
During this season, MSC Cruises will operate 126 cruises from six Brazilian ports, including Santos, Rio de Janeiro, Salvador de Bahia, Maceió, Itajaí, and Parangaguá.
Passengers will have access to diverse routes visiting iconic Brazilian locales, as well as renowned cities in Argentina and Uruguay.
In addition to the returning 4,132-passenger MSC Seaview, which embarked on her first roundtrip voyage of the season on November 9, 2024, to Ilha Grande and Buzios, Brazil, the season will also feature MSC Grandiosa, MSC Splendida, MSC Orchestra, and MSC Armonia for departures within Brazil.
The 2,550-guest MSC Poesia will operate from nearby Argentina while MSC Magnifica, which also holds 2,550 passengers at double capacity, will make stops in Brazil and Argentina as part of its world cruise.
That 120-night voyage, which departed from Miami on November 8, 2024, will see the vessel in Salvador de Bahia, Rio de Janeiro, Buenos Aires, and Puerto Madryn, Argentina, as well as the Falkland Islands in January 2025.
Brazilian Cruise Market Expands
MSC Cruises’ South American itineraries feature short cruises, weeklong sailings, and multi-country voyages.
MSC Seaview, for instance, will offer 3- and 4-night cruises from Santos to Brazilian destinations Buzios, Ilha Grande, Balneário Camboriú, and Porto Belo.
Additionally, the vessel will embark on 7-night itineraries that will either visit Salvador, Ilhéus, and Rio de Janeiro, or Balneário Camboriú, Montevideo in Uruguay, and Buenos Aires in Argentina.
Meanwhile, the fleet’s MSC Grandiosa will be the largest ship to ever sail in Brazilian waters. The 181,541-gross-ton ship will also provide roundtrip itineraries from Santos and feature stops in Búzios, Salvador, and Ilha Grande during 6- and 7-night voyages.
Departures will also be available from Itajaí on MSC Splendida and MSC Armonia. These 7-night cruises will sail to Baleário Camboriú and Itajaí, as well as calls in Buenos Aires and Punta del Este, Uruguay, on the 3,274-guest MSC Splendida.
For the 2,579-passenger MSC Armonia, the voyages will travel to Punta del Este, Buenos Aires, and Paranaguá, with an option to board at the latter.
The ship will also offer 3- to 5-night coastal sailings and a 7-night option that reaches Baleário Camboriú, Punta del Este, and Buenos Aires.
Meanwhile, MSC Orchestra, with departures from Rio de Janeiro accommodating up to 2,550 passengers, will provide 3- to 5-night journeys to Ilhabela, Ilha Grande, Búzios, Ilhéus, and Salvador.
Longer 6- and 7-night itineraries will also be available, along with an 8-night sailing to Buenos Aires, Punta del Este, and Montevideo.
The Brazilian calls are part of the country’s growing popularity in cruising, which has experienced tremendous growth in recent years.
During the 2023-2024 season, MSC Cruises alone hosted over 670,000 passengers on cruises embarking from and visiting Brazil – a record-breaking achievement for the cruise line in the region.
The southeastern Port of Santos, Brazil’s busiest cruise port, is expecting 152 calls from 14 ships during the 2024-2025 season and is projected to bring over 1 million passengers to the port.
Overall, the Brazilian cruise market is expected to generate $215 million in revenue in 2024 and is expected to reach $411.5 million by 2030, growing annually by over 11 percent over the next five years.
