Rio de Janeiro’s cruise terminal, Pier Mauá, is expecting 41 cruise ships for the 2024-25 season, the facility announced in a press release.

According to a statement, the vessels will make 112 visits to the Brazilian port and are projected to bring over 320,000 guests.

Offering cruises that also visit other countries in South America, 30 out of the 41 ships will arrive in Rio as part of longer itineraries.

Another 11 vessels will sail to Pier Mauá as part of the domestic cruise season in Brazil, including the MSC Grandiosa, which became the largest cruise ship in history to visit the country.

The Carnival holiday is expected to be one of the busiest times for the terminal, with nine ships visiting Pier Mauá over a three-day span.

Other highlights of the season include the debut of two ships from Princess Cruises, the Sapphire Princess and the Majestic Princess.

Marking the return of the company to Rio de Janeiro after a five-year gap, the ships will make overnight visits in November and January, respectively.

Cunard returns to Pier Mauá after a five-year hiatus, with the Queen Victoria scheduled for a transit call in February.

Rio is also hosting the new Silver Ray, which entered service in August and is set to make a three-day visit in early March.

“Having an increasing number of calls, with ships staying longer, showcases how Rio de Janeiro is one of the most desired destinations for national and international cruise passengers,” said Marcello Chagas, operations manager at Pier Mauá.

“Our focus and efforts on safety and security provide the ideal conditions for tourists to enjoy our Marvelous City with peace of mind,” he added.

According to Pier Mauá, among the enhancements carried out is the renovation of Warehouse #5, which is used for baggage handling and is now fully air conditioned.