Balneário Camboriú to Become MSC Cruises Homeport

Starting in the 2025-26 season, Balneário Camboriú will officially serve as a homeport for MSC Cruises.

From January through March, guests will be able to embark on the MSC Preziosa at the Atracadouro Barra Sul terminal for nine weeklong sailings.

Gustavo Bauer, Operations Manager at the terminal, explained that this development is part of a long-term strategy that has been in progress for seven years.

Work is currently underway to expand the Atracadouro’s facilities to accommodate check-in and boarding. “We are making a large investment; we are going to double the size of our structure because we have this challenge ahead for the next season,” Bauer said during a recent industry event.

He added that Balneário Camboriú is well-positioned for homeport operations, making it easier for Santa Catarina residents to access cruises. “We want to capture a market that we believe is dormant in our region,” he noted. “This is a job we have been doing for seven years; it has been our goal since the very beginning.”

Situated on Brazil’s southern coast, the city welcomed its first cruise ships in 2017 and quickly became a regular stop for domestic itineraries. Bauer emphasized that homeport operations will initially be modest, with about 100 cabins available per voyage, while the terminal’s main focus will remain on transit calls.

Although the terminal has a dedicated cruise facility, ships continue to anchor offshore near a marina due to the absence of a pier.

In addition to Balneário Camboriú, passengers can also board the MSC Preziosa in Santos and Buenos Aires. The ship’s seven-night voyages to Argentina and Uruguay include stops in Punta del Este along with three days at sea.

With this addition, Balneário Camboriú joins Santos, Rio de Janeiro, Itajaí, Salvador and Maceió as MSC homeports in Brazil for the 2025-26 season. MSC will also continue offering cruises from Buenos Aires, Argentina, and Montevideo, Uruguay.