Costa Serena: What the Ship Is Like, Cabins and 2026/27 Itineraries

The Costa Serena sails the 2026/27 season in Brazil with 9-night cruises departing from Rio de Janeiro, from January to March 2027, to Buenos Aires, Montevideo and ports of call such as Ilhabela, Balneário Camboriú and Ilha Grande. An inside cabin costs from R$ 6,859 per person (Oct 2026), taxes included, on a ship refurbished in 2025.

🚢 This article is part of the 2026/2027 Cruise Guide, with every ship and port of the season.

How much does Costa Serena cost in the 2026/27 season?

Costa Serena costs between R$ 6,859 and R$ 7,529 per person in an inside cabin on the 9-night departures from Rio de Janeiro, based on double occupancy and with per-person taxes already included (Logitravel, Oct 2026). The cheapest departure right now is 02/23/2027; January dates cost more because they fall during school holidays.

Logitravel lists the trips as “10 days,” which equals 9 nights on board; the 01/19 sailing is 9 days. The “from” price applies to the cheapest inside cabin, with two people in the cabin. With three or four people, the per-head price usually drops, because extra berths cost less; ask for a quote based on your actual number of guests.

The 03/13/2027 departure is a case of its own: it’s a one-way leg, from Rio to Buenos Aires in 3 nights, for R$ 1,635 per person (Oct 2026). It works for anyone already planning to spend a few days in Argentina and fly back, but you need to add the return airfare before comparing it with round-trip sailings.

For New Year’s Eve, the ship runs another trip, departing Buenos Aires on 12/27/2026, with the night of 12/31 spent between Ilha Grande and Copacabana Bay. Prices, itinerary and cabins for that departure are in the guide to New Year’s Eve on Costa Serena.

Where does Costa Serena depart from and what are the itineraries?

In the 2026/27 season, all of Costa Serena’s regular departures leave from Píer Mauá, in Rio de Janeiro, and head to Argentina and Uruguay, with 2 or 3 calls along the Southeast and South coasts. The ship does not sail from Santos or the Northeast this season.

The itineraries alternate between two directions. On the 02/23/2027 sailing, the ship leaves Rio at 5 p.m., stops in Ilhabela the next day (7 a.m. to 4 p.m.), sails two days to Buenos Aires (8 a.m. to 7 p.m.), continues to Montevideo (7 a.m. to 5 p.m.), heads up to Balneário Camboriú (10 a.m. to 4 p.m.) and stops in Angra dos Reis (noon to 7 p.m.) before returning to Rio at 7 a.m. on the tenth day. On the 02/05/2027 sailing, the order is Buenos Aires, Montevideo, Punta del Este, Balneário Camboriú and Ilha Grande, leaving Rio at 4 p.m.

These times are the ones published on the departure page (Logitravel, Oct 2026) and may change due to weather or port authority orders. In Ilhabela, Ilha Grande and Angra dos Reis, disembarkation is usually by tender boat, which eats into your time ashore. In Buenos Aires, the 11-hour stop is enough for a route through Puerto Madero, San Telmo and La Boca without rushing.

Outside Brazil, Costa Serena runs two other legs that are part of the same season: Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego, from San Antonio (Chile) to Buenos Aires between 12/08 and 12/22/2026, with Ushuaia and Punta Arenas, and the crossing to Europe, leaving Rio on 04/08/2027 toward Savona, Italy, in 19 nights, with calls in Recife, Cape Verde, the Canary Islands, Madeira and Barcelona (Costa Serena page on Costa Cruises).

What’s included in the price and what costs extra?

The Costa Serena price includes your cabin with housekeeping, six meals a day (breakfast, morning snack, lunch, afternoon snack, dinner and late-night snack), shows, activities and per-person taxes. Drinks outside the buffet, internet, specialty restaurants, the spa and shore excursions cost extra.

The service charge is the most confusing part. According to the departure page on Logitravel (Oct 2026), when the booking doesn’t include the “Special Service” line, the charge is added to your onboard account at the end of the cruise. The amount doesn’t show up in the quote, so ask before you pay and add it to your budget.

In practice, the real total cost of a week and a half on Costa Serena starts at around R$ 7,000 per person in an inside cabin, considering the R$ 6,859 fare and getting to Píer Mauá (Oct 2026). From there, the bill climbs with the service charge, drinks, internet and excursions in Buenos Aires and Montevideo. If you’re coming from another state, add the flight to Rio and, ideally, a hotel night the day before.

One exception to the paid drinks: the Mini Suite with balcony shows up on Logitravel as “All included (by the glass),” from R$ 9,243 per person on the 02/23/2027 departure (Oct 2026). If you drink every day, comparing that category with a regular balcony plus a drinks package could change your choice.

What are Costa Serena’s cabins like and which one is worth it?

Costa Serena has 1,500 cabins, 505 of them with balconies and 66 suites, split into inside, ocean view (with a window), balcony and suite. For most couples, the balcony is worth the difference: on the 02/23/2027 departure it costs R$ 676 more per person than an inside cabin (Oct 2026).

All cabins have a private bathroom, individually controlled air conditioning, TV, phone, safe, hair dryer and luggage space. The ship has cabins for up to four people and cabins adapted for reduced mobility. In the suites, Costa offers an exclusive restaurant or reserved table, a butler to book excursions, access to the spa and specialty restaurants, a pillow menu, a coffee machine and welcome sparkling wine (Costa Cruises, season announcement, Jul 2026).

One detail that affects the price: choosing your cabin position (forward, midship or aft) costs extra. If you get seasick, go for midship and the lower decks, where the motion is gentler; the guide to seasickness on a cruise explains the logic. On the leg to the Río de la Plata, the sea off southern Brazil can get rough.

On January trips, which fall during school holidays, balconies and cabins for four people are the first to sell out. If you’re traveling as a family, book early, because the alternative is usually splitting the group into two cabins, which makes the trip more expensive.

What the ship is like inside: pools, restaurants and entertainment

Costa Serena has 7 pools and hot tubs, 8 restaurants, 9 bars, a theater, a casino and the 6,000 m² Solemio Spa. The ship was refurbished in 2025 with a new theme inspired by mythology’s gods, which changed the atrium, the restaurants and the outdoor areas.

Among the restaurants are Archipelago, The Salty Beach Street Food, Sushino at Costa and Pizzeria Pummid’Oro, which gained a sculpture of an Atlas holding a tomato. Among the bars are the Wine Bar, the Aperol Spritz Bar, the Sunset Bar and Gelateria Cioccolateria Amarillo, plus a secret bar with its own cocktails. The atrium became the “Temple of Light,” with lighting that changes throughout the day (Costa Cruises, season announcement).

For families, the ship has Squok Baby and Squok Club for kids, and the Teen Zone for teenagers. For those who work out, there’s a gym, a multi-sport court and a jogging track on deck. With 3,780 guests and 1,100 crew across 290 meters, Costa Serena is a mid-sized ship by today’s standards: smaller than the Meraviglia-class MSC ships, which means shorter lines and shorter walks between your cabin and the common areas.

The three sea days on the itinerary are the busiest at the pools. If you want a lounge chair, get up early; if you prefer quiet, take advantage of the port calls, when most guests are ashore.

What documents should you bring to board?

Since Costa Serena goes to Argentina and Uruguay, Brazilians board with a valid, undamaged ID (RG) or a valid passport. A driver’s license, a copy or a digital document won’t work on this itinerary, neither for boarding nor for going ashore in Buenos Aires and Montevideo.

For the RG, Argentina and Uruguay require a legible document with a recognizable photo; a very old or damaged RG is often refused at immigration. Minors under 18 traveling without both parents need a travel authorization. The full rules, including the case of children, are in the guide to cruise documents. Keep the document in your carry-on, never in the suitcase that goes to your cabin.

Medical care on board costs extra, and there’s no public healthcare system in Argentine and Uruguayan ports. Travel insurance that covers cruises avoids a bill in dollars or euros in case of a consultation, medication or medical disembarkation.

How do you get to Píer Mauá, in Rio, for embarkation?

Costa Serena boards at Píer Mauá, at Avenida Rodrigues Alves, 10, in the port zone of downtown Rio. The ship departs at 4 p.m. or 5 p.m., depending on the date, and the check-in time is in your Costa e-ticket.

A taxi or ride-share to the gate is the simplest way, especially with luggage. The VLT light rail stops at Parada dos Museus, on Praça Mauá, a few minutes’ walk from the terminal. If you’re flying in, you’ll land at Santos Dumont, about 4 km away, or at Galeão, farther out; on embarkation day, leave buffer time for traffic on Avenida Brasil.

If you’re coming from outside Rio, sleep in the city the night before: a flight delay on embarkation day could make you miss the ship, which won’t wait. Downtown and the port area are within walking distance or a short ride from the terminal. On the way back, the ship arrives at 7 a.m., and disembarkation takes up part of the morning; book your return flight for the afternoon. The step-by-step access to the same terminal is in the guide to the Carnival cruise departing from Rio, which includes Costa Serena’s 02/05 departure.

Is it worth it? Who it’s for and who it isn’t

Costa Serena is worth it for anyone who wants to see Buenos Aires and Montevideo by sea, departing from Rio, on a mid-sized ship with a big spa and Italian cuisine. It’s not worth it for those who only want Brazilian beaches, for those who get seasick easily, or for those looking for the newest ship, with a water park and simulators.

To compare with MSC, the closest match is MSC Seaview, which also goes to Argentina and Uruguay, but departing from Santos, in 7 nights. The guide MSC or Costa compares price, gratuities and what each line includes, and the MSC Seaview guide details the ship. Costa Serena’s advantage is the port (Rio) and the calls at Ilha Grande, Angra dos Reis and Punta del Este, which Seaview doesn’t make.

If you want Carnival on board, there’s the 02/05/2027 departure, which spends the party days between the sea and the ports of the Río de la Plata. If you want to pay less, go for 02/23/2027, after Carnival and with the lowest price of the season. On both, the price rises as the cheap cabins sell out, and the difference between the first and last February date reaches R$ 554 per person for an inside cabin (Oct 2026).

Conclusion

For most travelers, the best buy is the balcony cabin on the 02/23/2027 departure, from R$ 7,535 per person (Oct 2026): it’s the cheapest date, includes Ilhabela and Angra dos Reis and avoids the holiday-season surge. Before you book, ask about the service charge, check your RG or passport and reserve a night in Rio the day before. To see the other ships of the season, the Cruise Guide gathers every departure from Brazil.

Frequently asked questions

What is Costa Serena’s cancellation and refund policy?

Costa Serena’s cancellation penalty depends on the fare you choose and how far in advance you cancel, and Costa hasn’t yet published the 2026/27 general conditions. Ask for the rule in writing before paying, compare the flexible fare with the promotional one and consider travel insurance with cancellation coverage.

Does Costa Serena have restrictions for children, seniors or pregnant women?

Costa Serena welcomes children, with Squok Baby, Squok Club and the Teen Zone, and has cabins for up to four people and cabins adapted for reduced mobility. The week limit for pregnant women and the minimum age for babies depend on Costa’s booking conditions; confirm before paying.

What is Costa Serena’s capacity?

Costa Serena carries up to 3,780 guests and 1,100 crew, in 1,500 cabins spread across 17 decks. The ship is 114,500 tons and 290 meters long and was refurbished in 2025, according to the specs published by Logitravel (Oct 2026).

Does Costa Serena have a water slide?

The entertainment list Costa released for Costa Serena in the 2026/27 season mentions 7 pools and hot tubs, a spa, gym, court and jogging track, but doesn’t mention a water slide. If you’re traveling with kids looking for a water park, confirm with Costa before booking.

Does Costa Serena run a New Year’s Eve cruise?

Yes. Costa Serena has a New Year’s Eve departure from Buenos Aires on 12/27/2026, with 10 days and the night of 12/31 spent between Ilha Grande and Copacabana Bay. The departures from Rio from January to March 2027 don’t include New Year’s Eve.