The Port of Itajaí will begin its 2026/2027 cruise season on November 25th, with 38 scheduled calls and an expected movement of approximately 180,000 tourists until April 3rd of next year. The first transatlantic liner to arrive will be the Costa Diadema, from Costa Cruzeiros, with docking scheduled for 8 AM at the JBS Terminais terminal, and departure set for 5 PM.
The new season will feature three vessels from two shipping companies: Costa Diadema, MSC Musica, and MSC Splendida. Of the total scheduled calls, 25 will be made by the Costa Diadema, 12 by the MSC Musica, and one by the MSC Splendida.
The Port of Itajaí holds the second position in Brazil and third in South America for cruise passenger movement, according to a ranking released by the Ministry of Ports and Airports, based on sector data. Nationally, Itajaí is behind only Santos and ahead of Rio de Janeiro. In South America, it is behind Santos and Buenos Aires.
This prominent position reinforces the importance of the Santa Catarina terminal in maritime tourism and its capacity to reconcile cargo movement with the reception of thousands of passengers, expanding economic benefits for Itajaí and the region.
In the 2025/2026 season, the Port of Itajaí recorded 37 transatlantic calls, with a movement of 169,511 passengers and an estimated economic impact of R$ 48.7 million.
For the 2026/2027 season, 38 calls are planned, one more than in the previous season, with an expected movement of approximately 180,000 tourists.
This projection reinforces the importance of the activity for the tourism and economic development of Itajaí and the municipalities that are part of the Association of Municipalities of the Itajaí River Mouth Region (AMFRI).
The Superintendent of the Port of Itajaí, Artur Antunes Pereira, emphasizes that maintaining cruise seasons is a commitment to the economic and tourist development of Itajaí and the municipalities that are part of AMFRI.
"As long as the Port of Itajaí remains public and administered by the Federal Government, we will work to ensure the continuity of cruise seasons. We are talking about an activity that moves millions of reais, generates jobs, strengthens commerce, hotels, restaurants, transport, and the entire tourism chain. This economic impact is not restricted to Itajaí; it benefits the entire AMFRI region. The public port must serve regional development and the population," states Artur.
Cruise movement directly benefits different economic sectors, especially hospitality, gastronomy, transport, commerce, and tourist services.
In addition to Itajaí, municipalities such as Balneário Camboriú, Navegantes, Penha, Porto Belo, and Bombinhas are part of the tourist region that can benefit from the circulation of passengers during the season.
The operation also mobilizes port workers, logistics companies, passenger transport, service providers, and professionals linked to tourist reception.
The arrival of the MSC Musica is scheduled for December 27th, while the MSC Splendida will make its call on January 11th, 2027.
The last call of the season is scheduled for April 3rd, 2027, with the arrival of the Costa Diadema.
Dates and times are subject to change according to operational and navigation conditions.
Source: PORTO DE ITAJAI
