Brazil 2021/22 cruise season clear to kick off in November

Update 5 October 2021: The travel ban on the UK, India and South Africa has been lifted through Ordinance 658 of 5 October 2021. Ordinance 657/2021 is now revoked.

Brazil’s Ministry of Tourism expects the 2021/22 season that starts in November to surpass pre-pandemic figures with an impact of BRL 2.5 billion on the economy, in addition to creating more than 35 thousand direct and indirect jobs

2020/21 cruise season called off

Because of the growing number of shipborne COVID-19 cases on cruise ships – and the escalating travel restrictions imposed by port cities, Brazil’s 2020/21 season ended in early March 2020, a month ahead of schedule. Planned departures were cancelled at once, and vessels in ports and anchorages had to undergo quarantines before foreign and Brazilian passengers could disembark for repatriation. Some ships already underway turned back to Brazil to land passengers after completing health screenings and quarantine measures under the supervision of the port health authority, ANVISA.

With few exceptions, entry of foreign nationals by sea has remained forbidden since March 2020, except for seafarers seeking medical assistance ashore or disembarking to fly home following completion of employment. 

Approval for the 2021/22 season

Until September 2021, ANVISA adamantly recommended keeping cruise travel in Brazil suspended for the current season. Nevertheless, following discussions between the various authorities and stakeholders in the cruise industry, Brazil’s Ministry of Tourism announced an agreement with the Ministry of Health and other ministries to start the 2021/22 season safely.

Interministerial Ordinance 657, published on 2 October 2021, authorises the cruise season, exclusively in Brazilian waters, to commence from 1 November 2021. Landing of non-resident foreign nationals from cruise ships arriving from overseas remains forbidden.

Health protocols for cruise ships

Ordinance 657/2021 conditions the cruise trips within Brazilian ports to the regulation by the Ministry of Health, based on the epidemiological scenario, on standard protocols for identifying cases, managing shipboard COVID-19 outbreaks, and quarantining suspect or confirmed cases. Port cities to be called by cruise ships must have an operational plan approved by local health authorities establishing conditions for the landing of crews and passengers for medical assistance in Brazil.

The upcoming protocols are expected to call for ships operating with reduced occupancy, COVID-19 screening for all passengers before boarding, vaccinated crew, use of face masks and distancing, among other measures.

Market expectation

For the 2021/22 cruise season, MSC and Costa Cruises plan to deploy seven cruise liners to cover the Brazilian coast, offering more than 566,000 beds, reportedly the highest offer in the last four seasons.

The Ministry of Tourism affirmed that there will be several ports of calls in the country, including Santos, Ilha Bela, Rio de Janeiro, Angra dos Reis, Búzios, Salvador, Fortaleza and Maceió. Other national destinations are also being contemplated. It estimates that from November 2021 to April 2022, 130 cruises and 570 cruise calls will take place.

Popular destinations in previous seasons, ports in Argentina and Uruguay remain prohibited, as well as other international ports.

Other restrictions in place

Land borders remain closed, except with Paraguay, and cross border cargo transportation, among other exceptions.

Air borders have been open to short-term foreign visitors since April 2020, except for foreigners arriving from or transiting through the UK, Northern Ireland, South Africa and India. A quarantine of 14 days outside the country is required. Those who fall into the exception categories must be quarantined upon entering the country.

Ordinance 655 of 23 June of 2021, which previously regulated entry restrictions, has been repealed; however, there were no modifications to the standing procedures for crew changes and repatriations.

Read more in our practical guide on measures against COVID-19 for ports, vessels and seafarers.

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Published 4 October 2021. Updated 6 October 2021.

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