The town of Cabo Frio in Brazil is investing in infrastructure to attract cruise ships back, according to the town’s Secretary of Economic Development, Marcelo Dusi.

Speaking at a recent industry gathering, he explained that Cabo Frio once welcomed over 40 cruise calls per season, a number that has fallen by over 90 percent.

Dusi said that while political instability has affected the city in the last decade, infrastructure improvements are currently underway to enhance cruise operations.

“We did some homework because there were some technical issues that we needed to address,” he explained.

The main improvement was the creation of a new anchorage point for ships, which has optimized the disembarkation operation, Dusi noted.

“Before, guests took almost 30 minutes to disembark by tender. We managed to reduce it to around eight minutes,” he explained.

“We also dredged the channel and renovated our cruise terminal,” Dusi continued, noting that the city government is looking for a private partner to operate the facility.

Located in Brazil’s Rio de Janeiro state, Cabo Frio welcomed just two cruise ships during the 2024-25 season, Dusi noted, adding that other towns nearby welcomed over 100 calls.

“Many say that it’s very easy to lose the ships in one or two years, but to recover them takes three to five, maybe almost a generation,” he continued.

In related news, the Brazilian town of Balneário Camboriú is set to become the country’s newest homeport in the 2025-26 season.

Guests will be able to board the MSC Preziosa, which will offer nine cruises to Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil.

The seven-night itineraries feature visits to Buenos Aires, Montevideo and Santos before returning to Balneário Camboriú.

Seven ships are set to offer regular cruises in South America during the 2025-26 season, including five from MSC Cruises and two from Costa Cruises.