Brazil’s cruise gamble: 30,000 berths to lure global travellers
Brazil is banking on an extra 30,000 berths and a regional partnership push to break out of a stagnant cruise market.
Brazil is turning to regional partnerships and an extended cruise season to reverse its stagnant market, which grew by just 1 percent in 2025. With 783,000 passengers last year, the country’s cruise industry has struggled to keep pace with South America’s overall growth of 4.4 percent, as major operators like MSC Cruises and Costa Cruises scale back deployments.
At the XI Regional Meeting of Cruises and Nautical-River Tourism in Uruguay, Brazilian Minister of Tourism Gustavo Feliciano outlined a strategy to boost the sector. “We need to expand regionalization, strengthening circulation between South American countries, and, at the same time, expand the internationalization of our destination, with a wider distribution of routes to attract visitors from other parts of the world,” he said.
“We need to expand regionalization, strengthening circulation between South American countries, and, at the same time, expand the internationalization of our destination, with a wider distribution of routes to attract visitors from other parts of the world.”
Gustavo Feliciano·Minister of Tourism for Brazil
Why Brazil’s cruise market is under pressure
Despite being the tenth largest cruise source market globally, Brazil’s growth has lagged behind similar-sized markets such as Spain. While South America as a whole saw 1.22 million passengers in 2025, Brazil’s share of that total has been shrinking. The two dominant operators, MSC Cruises and Costa Cruises, remain committed but have reduced their fleets in the region. For the 2025-2027 season, MSC will deploy five ships, Divina, Musica, Seaview, Splendida, and Virtuosa, while Costa will operate two, Diadema and Serena.
Smaller players, once key to expanding the market, have struggled to compete with the majors.
How Brazil plans to turn the tide
Brazil’s strategy to revive its cruise market hinges on two key initiatives: extending the season and opening new ports. A startup Spanish operator, Corazul, is set to enter the market with a chartered vessel, the Piano Land, which it plans to rename Buenavista. The company is considering extending the cruise season by six months, from October 2025 to April 2027, which could add up to 30,000 berths to the market.
In addition to the extended season, Brazil is opening seven ports for cruise embarkation and disembarkation in 2025. Uruguay’s Minister of Tourism, Pablo Menoni, emphasized the potential of a regional approach. “We see the opportunities through a joint strategy among South American countries. We point to the diversity of ports and the opportunities to extend cruises to reach the ports of Chile,” he said.
“We see the opportunities through a joint strategy among South American countries. We point to the diversity of ports and the opportunities to extend cruises to reach the ports of Chile.”
Pablo Menoni·Minister of Tourism for Uruguay
The regional collaboration also includes discussions on public policies to improve the sector’s competitiveness. Joint promotions at international industry events are another key part of the strategy, aimed at raising the profile of South America as a cruise region.
For the 2025-2027 season, Brazil expects to host eight cruise ships, up from seven in 2025.
For travelers, the changes could mean more options and longer cruising windows in one of South America’s most vibrant markets.
As the 2025-2027 season approaches, all eyes will be on whether these measures can reverse the trend and position Brazil as a year-round cruise destination.
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