Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (NCLH) is recording commercial growth across all three of its brands in the Brazilian market, according to Estela Farina, the company’s managing director in Brazil.
Speaking with Cruise Industry News earlier this month, she said the growth is supported by targeted trade policies and increasing travel agent interest in the luxury segment.
While Norwegian Cruise Line continues to generate the largest passenger volume in the region, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises are also seeing expansion as the market matures.
“Norwegian accounts for our largest volume, so it naturally receives a stronger focus, and our investments are proportional to distribution,” Farina said.
“What is important, however, is that all three brands are growing. We are seeing more travel agents eager to learn how to sell luxury,” she continued.
According to Farina, Norwegian’s ship-within-a-ship concept, The Haven, often serves as a bridge for the trade to introduce clients to higher-end products.
Group sales remain a primary pillar for Norwegian’s B2B strategy in Brazil, with policies that offer a free berth for every six cabins sold.
“It’s a very attractive policy for groups,” Farina said, pointing to the company’s Free at Sea program and its inclusions as another draw.
“We work alongside these trade partners to customize additional perks such as cocktail events or onboard credits,” she added.
Farina also highlighted the recent shift in Oceania Cruises’ positioning to an adults-only product, a move that has clarified the brand’s demographic profile for travel advisors.
“We identified that there was already a very small percentage of children onboard, and we did not have dedicated youth programming,” she said.
“The change has been very positive,” she added. “It makes the guest profile clear for the trade: couples and groups of friends focused on culinary experiences and destination-intensive, open-jaw itineraries. Repeat passenger rates in Brazil for this model are very high.”
After pausing most of its operations in South America, Norwegian will return to the region in the 2027-28 season with extended 16-night itineraries combining Patagonia and scenic cruising in Antarctica.
Expanding capacity or homeporting in Brazil, Farina noted, remains tied to local operational costs and infrastructure competitiveness.
“It is always considered, but it comes down to the fact that the country needs to be more competitive,” Farina said. “If it depended solely on the appeal of the destination, Brazil would certainly be highly competitive, but there is still progress to be made.”
For outbound Brazilian passengers, the Caribbean and the Mediterranean remain the top-selling regions.
