Maceió welcomed nearly 45,000 cruise ship visitors in March, according to a press release from the local government.

The Brazilian port hosted eight calls during the month, including four from the MSC Grandiosa, currently the largest ship cruising in South America.

Local authorities report that the MSC Cruises vessel is projected to bring 8,000 visitors to Maceió on each call, including guests and crew.

Other ships that visited the port in March include the MSC Orchestra and the Costa Pacifica, which arrived as part of their trans-Atlantic crossings to Europe.

Offering Holland America Line’s Pole to Pole World Cruise, the Volendam is another ship that visited Maceió this month.

March also included a visit from Villa Vie Residence’s Odyssey, which arrived at the port as part of its three-and-a-half-year world cruise.

“These numbers are important for gauging this season. In February, for example, we had 32,000 visitors and four ships,” said Bárbara Braga, Alagoas State tourism secretary.

“In March, we expect double the number of calls, with 44,000 visitors arriving in Alagoas. The state is already established on the global tourist route, and these numbers are expected to grow in the future,” she added.

According to Braga, the 2024-25 cruise season is expected to be the largest ever in Maceió and the Alagoas state.

The local government stated that over 150,000 visitors are projected to visit the port by mid-April, bringing over R$ 80 million to the local economy.

Other ships that visited Maceió during the season include Regent’s Seven Seas Splendor and Seven Seas Mariner, Phoenix Reisen’s Artania and the Norwegian Star.

In April, the port is expected to host the MSC Splendida, the MSC Seaview and the MSC Grandiosa, as well as Oceania’s Marina. The Costa Diadema will then wrap up the local season with a call on Apr. 22, 2025.