Seven Cruise Ships Welcomed 2026 Off Copacabana Beach

Seven cruise ships gathered off Rio de Janeiro’s Copacabana Beach to take part in the city’s famed New Year’s Eve celebrations.

Ships operated by Costa Cruises, MSC Cruises, and Plantours anchored offshore to watch a fireworks show that was scheduled to begin at midnight on January 1, 2026.

The group included several of the largest cruise ships sailing in South America this season and was expected to bring more than 18,000 passengers along with nearly 7,500 crew members to the area.

The largest vessel attending was the MSC Seaview, which can accommodate 4,140 guests. The ship is sailing a seven-night cruise that departed from Santos.

MSC Cruises had four additional ships present for the fireworks: MSCSinfonia, MSC Fantasia, MSC Armonia, and MSC Preziosa. While MSC Fantasia is sailing on a cruise that originated in Argentina, the other three vessels are operating itineraries within Brazil.

The MSC Preziosa is chartered by PromoAção Eventos and arrived in Copacabana as part of a four-night themed cruise. The sailing includes live performances by Brazilian artists and bands.

Costa Cruises also took part, with Costa Favolosa joining the celebration during an eight-night cruise that departed from Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Plantours was represented by its only ship, the Hamburg, which carries up to 420 passengers. The vessel welcomed in 2026 off Copacabana as part of a 23-night cruise that began in the Canary Islands.

After the fireworks display, the Hamburg was scheduled to remain docked in Rio de Janeiro for two days. The 14,000-ton ship will then continue to ports in Argentina and Uruguay, following additional calls in Brazil including Maceió, Ilhéus, and Salvador.

Elsewhere, Madeira Island in Portugal also had a busy New Year’s Eve. Funchal, a well-known gathering point for cruise ships during the holiday, hosted 12 vessels carrying more than 22,000 passengers for its annual fireworks display.