The Brazilian Port of Itajaí kicked off its 2025-26 cruise season on Sunday with the arrival of the Costa Diadema.

The Costa Cruises vessel is now offering a series of cruises that sail from both Itajaí and Santos, after serving as a floating hotel during an UN Event in Belém.

According to the local port authority, the Diadema brought over 4,200 guests and more than 1,200 crew members to Itajaí.

As part of its interporting operations at the port, the 2014-built ship also saw 977 guests embarking and 970 disembarking.

João Paulo Tavares Bastos, superintendent of the Port of Itajaí, highlighted the economic importance of the cruise business for the town, which is located in Brazil’s Santa Catarina state.

“The arrival of the first cruise ship already shows the size of the opportunity that this season represents for Itajaí,” he said.

“There are thousands of people circulating, consuming, getting to know our region and generating income,” Tavares Bastos continued.

“Each ship call strengthens the local economy and reaffirms the role of the Port of Itajaí as a connection point between maritime tourism and the economic development of the region and the state,” he added.

The Costa Diadema is now set to make regular visits to Itajaí as part of its 2025-26 deployment in South America.

Sailing in the region along with the Costa Favolosa, the vessel is set to offer a series of three- to seven-night cruises to destinations in Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay.

In addition to Itajaí and Santos, some of the itineraries also offer guests the opportunity to embark in Buenos Aires and Montevideo.

A second ship, the MSC Sinfonia, will also sail from Itajaí this season, offering a series of seven-night cruises to destinations in Brazil.

The port is also scheduled to welcome transit calls from other cruise lines, including Oceania Cruises, which will make three visits to Itajaí in 2025-26.