Cruise Ships Ring In New Year in Funchal, Portugal

Ten cruise ships were scheduled to arrive in Ilha da Madeira for Funchal’s well known New Year’s Eve fireworks celebration. Together, the vessels were expected to bring more than 20,000 passengers to the Portuguese island to welcome 2026, along with nearly 10,000 crew members.

Most of the ships serve the German and British cruise markets. Among them are three vessels from TUI Cruises: Mein Schiff Relax,Mein Schiff 3, and Mein Schiff 7.

The largest ship taking part was Mein Schiff Relax, which is also the newest addition to TUI Cruises’ fleet, having entered service earlier this year. Funchal also hosted AIDAbella, Phoenix Reisen’s Artania, Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines’ Bolette, and P&O Cruises’ Arcadia.

Two ships from Saga Cruises, Spirit of Discovery and Spirit of Adventure, were also scheduled to attend the event while Marella Cruises was represented by the Marella Voyager.

Joining the celebration for the first time was the Silver Muse. Recently returned from a drydock in Italy, the vessel called at Madeira as part of a cruise itinerary that includes the Canary Islands and Portugal.

While several ships stayed alongside during the fireworks, others anchored offshore to enjoy a clearer view of the display. Some vessels also planned to remain in port on January 1, 2026, giving passengers the opportunity to go ashore and explore Funchal.

A comparable New Year’s Eve cruise gathering also took place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where seven ships welcomed 2026 while anchored off Copacabana Beach.

The Rio lineup included ships from MSC Cruises, Costa Cruises, and Plantours, such as MSC Seaview, Costa Favolosa, and Hamburg. These vessels were expected to carry close to 18,000 passengers and around 7,000 crew members to the Brazilian city for the fireworks display.