Rio de Janeiro Expecting Eight Ships During 2025 Carnival – Cruise Industry News

The Port of Rio de Janeiro is expected to host eight cruise ships during the upcoming Carnival celebrations, which extend between March 1 and 5, 2025.

According to a press release, Pier Mauá will host over 20,000 passengers during this timeframe, as well as two four-day visits.

The lineup includes vessels from Azamara, Costa, Crystal, MSC and Silversea.

After entering service in August, the Silver Ray will arrive in Rio de Janeiro for the first time on March 1. The LNG-powered vessel is set to remain docked at Pier Mauá for four days.

Other highlights of the lineup include the Crystal Serenity, which is also scheduled to spend three nights docked.

The call is scheduled to start on March 3 and marks the first visit to Rio de Janeiro of the relaunched Crystal brand.

A third ship is also spending multiple days docked at Pier Mauá, the Azamara Journey. After docking on March 1, the vessel is scheduled to set sail on March 4.

Pier Mauá is also hosting the MSC Armonia, the MSC Orchestra, the MSC Poesia, as well as the Costa Favolosa.

“We are expecting a busy Carnival season, with two ships arriving for four-day calls, which is something new to us,” said Marcello Chagas, Pier Mauá’s operations manager.

The cruise terminal is ready to operate continuously during this timeframe, with full staff available 24/7, he explained.

“On overnight calls, we tend to reduce the team slightly at night, as the movement of passengers usually decreases during late hours. However, during Carnival, there are many guests coming and going even at night, making it a unique operation for us,” he told Cruise Industry News.

Many passengers are expected to head to the nearby Sapucaí Sambodrome to take part in Rio’s samba schools’ parade, Chagas added.