December 2026 Cruises: Which Ones Sail Over Christmas and New Year’s

December cruises are the peak of the 2026/2027 season in Brazil: the cheapest one we found is the 3-night MSC Musica sailing from Santos on 12/03, starting at R$ 2,204 per person with taxes (Oct/2026). To spend Christmas on board, the most affordable departure is the MSC Virtuosa on 12/19, and for New Year’s Eve on the ship, the MSC Seaview on 12/27.

Partner links (advertising): we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. Learn more

🚢 This article is part of the 2026/2027 Cruise Guide, with ships, ports and prices for every month of the season.

Which cruises depart in December 2026?

In December 2026 there are departures every week from Santos, on the MSC Musica, MSC Divina, MSC Virtuosa and MSC Seaview, plus sailings from Rio de Janeiro, Itajaí, Salvador and Maceió. All prices below were checked on Logitravel on 10/11/2026, per person in a double cabin and with taxes.

The same ship varies a lot in price on the same route. The 7-night MSC Seaview to the Prata route cost R$ 4,884 on the 12/13 departure, R$ 6,014 on 12/20 and R$ 8,114 on 12/27 (Oct/2026): that’s R$ 3,230 per person difference just because the last week falls on New Year’s Eve. On the MSC Virtuosa, the 12/19 departure costs R$ 1,090 more than the 12/12 one for including Christmas on board. If you don’t care about the holidays, you save by traveling in the first half of the month.

The MSC Seaview also has an 8-night departure from Santos on 12/05, starting at R$ 5,249 (Logitravel, Oct/2026). Costa ships didn’t show up in the search for domestic December cruises on Logitravel on 10/11/2026; the calendar for all companies is in the 2026/2027 cruise season guide, and the previous month, with the opening mini cruises, in November cruises.

Which cruises have Christmas (12/25) on board?

Three Brazilian departures include 12/25 within the trip: the MSC Virtuosa from Santos on 12/19, the MSC Seaview from Santos on 12/20 and the MSC Virtuosa from Salvador on 12/22, all 7 nights. The cheapest is the Virtuosa on 12/19, starting at R$ 5,114 per person (Logitravel, Oct/2026).

On both Santos departures, the night of December 24 to 25 happens at sea, with no port call the next day, according to Logitravel’s day-by-day itinerary. That’s great for anyone who wants a relaxed Christmas Eve dinner on the ship, but it means no shore excursion on the holiday. The special dinner, restaurant and dinner seating depend on the cruise line and fare: confirm at booking before paying. The step-by-step on departures, dinner and cabins for families is in the Christmas cruise guide.

Which cruises have New Year’s Eve (12/31) on board?

New Year’s Eve is on board on three regular departures on sale at Logitravel: MSC Seaview from Santos on 12/27, MSC Musica from Itajaí on 12/27 and MSC Musica from Rio on 12/29. The cheapest is the Seaview, starting at R$ 8,114 per person (Oct/2026), with the night of 12/31 at sea after the stop in Buenos Aires.

Both MSC Musica itineraries stop off Copacabana beach for the fireworks, according to the itinerary published on Logitravel, but with no disembarkation: you watch the show from the deck, not from the sand. The Seaview swaps Rio’s fireworks for a day in Buenos Aires on 12/31. The MSC Splendida from Rio also has a departure on 12/31, 8 nights, starting at R$ 12,163 (Oct/2026); the embarkation time that day is to be confirmed at booking. A comparison of ships, prices and what’s included that night is in New Year’s Eve cruise, and the month’s themed party is in the Réveillon em Alto Mar guide.

How much does a December cruise cost and what’s included?

A December cruise costs from R$ 2,204 per person on a 3-night mini cruise and from R$ 4,024 on a 7-night trip along the Northeast, departing from Santos (Logitravel, Oct/2026). With Christmas on board, the floor rises to R$ 5,114; with New Year’s Eve, to R$ 8,114. The amounts are per person in a double cabin and already include taxes.

The real total cost starts with the fare and adds whatever you’ll spend on board. For a couple driving down from São Paulo on the MSC Musica of 12/03, the minimum bill comes to about R$ 2,225 per person: R$ 2,204 for the cabin with taxes plus half the toll for the drive down via Anchieta or Imigrantes, at R$ 40.60 (Oct/2026). Drinks are extra: on MSC, not even soda is included in the price, only water, coffee and juice from the buffet machines. On 7 nights with parties, the drinks package weighs more; compare in MSC drinks package and see every expense in how much a cruise costs.

In December, the real “all-inclusive” only shows up in specific fares and categories, with drinks in the package. MSC’s basic fare includes food, shows and the service charge, but not alcoholic drinks or soda; read the fare description before comparing prices.

Which themed cruises take place in December?

December has five themed cruises on the MSC Divina, all boarding in Santos and organized by PromoAção: four in the first half of the month and Réveillon em Alto Mar, from 12/29 to 01/02. The cabin is sold only by the organizer, and the port fee is R$ 1,350 per person (Oct/2026), on top of the fare.

These ships don’t show up on Logitravel because they’re fully chartered. Among the themed ones, the MSC Divina has a regular departure from Santos on 12/18, 3 nights through Angra dos Reis and Búzios, no show, starting at R$ 2,364 per person (Oct/2026), sold by any agency, including Logitravel. The full season calendar is in themed cruises 2026/2027.

Are there December cruises departing from the Northeast, Rio or the South?

Yes. In December, the MSC Virtuosa leaves from Salvador (12/08, 12/15 and 12/22) and from Maceió (12/09 and 12/16), on 7 nights along the coast; the Maceió departure starts at R$ 4,454 per person (Logitravel, Oct/2026). From Rio, the MSC Splendida goes to Uruguay and Argentina on 12/06 and 12/14, starting at R$ 5,163, and the MSC Musica makes the New Year’s Eve trip on 12/29.

In the South, the only December departure found is the MSC Musica from Itajaí on 12/27, 7 nights, with Ilhabela, Rio, Ilha Grande, Búzios and Paranaguá. Details on each port are in the guides to cruises from Salvador, cruises from Maceió, cruises from Rio and cruises from Itajaí. Anyone thinking about the Caribbean has departures from Miami and Florida the same month, like the 4-day Celebrity Reflection on 12/18, starting at R$ 2,570, and the 8-day Norwegian Epic on 12/20, starting at R$ 4,118 (Logitravel, Oct/2026), not counting the flight.

Which port does the cruise leave from and how do I get to the embarkation?

Most December cruises leave from the Concais terminal, at the Port of Santos, with passenger entry and official parking through Gate 6. Rio departures board at Pier Mauá, downtown; Northeast departures board at the Salvador and Maceió terminals.

From São Paulo, the drive down via Anchieta or Imigrantes takes about 1h30 with no traffic; the car toll costs R$ 40.60 one way (Oct/2026). During Christmas and New Year’s week, the mountain road fills up with people heading to the coast: leave early or spend the night in Santos the day before. On MSC, check-in closes 2 hours before the ship departs, and the Santos ships set sail between 5 pm and 6 pm, according to Logitravel’s itinerary. The terminal, parking and neighborhoods near the port are in the cruises from Santos guide.

What cabin types are there and which one is worth it?

On the 3-night mini cruises at the start of the month, an inside cabin is enough for anyone who spends the day on deck. On the 7-night holiday sailings, with two or three consecutive days at sea, the balcony makes more of a difference and is the first to sell out on the 12/20 and 12/27 departures.

The categories follow the same order on every ship: inside (no window), ocean view (with a window that doesn’t open), balcony and suite. On MSC, there are also the Bella, Fantastica and Aurea experiences, which change rebooking flexibility, dinner time and services. Guaranteed cabin fares, with no chosen number, tend to be the cheapest, but passengers only find out the location at embarkation. Families should check the actual occupancy of a cabin for 3 or 4 people instead of multiplying the adult fare.

Tip: on Christmas and New Year’s departures, the balcony cabin is the first to sell out. On the MSC Seaview of 12/27, the difference between an inside cabin and the most expensive categories tops R$ 30,000 per person (Oct/2026), so compare the same date before deciding: check the MSC Seaview cabins.

What documents do I need to board?

On Brazil-only cruises, MSC accepts RG, passport or CNH; the digital CNH is only valid through the official app, according to MSC’s documents page. On the Prata route trips of the MSC Seaview and MSC Splendida, which stop in Punta del Este and Buenos Aires, bring an original RG in good condition or a valid passport: CNH is not accepted.

Minors under 18 need their own document and, if traveling without one of the parents, authorization according to Federal Police rules; during the December school holidays, this is the most common mistake at embarkation. The full list is in cruise documents. On MSC, pregnant women cannot board at 23 weeks and 6 days or more on any day of the trip, according to MSC’s health FAQ.

Is it worth it? Who it’s for and who it’s not for

A December cruise is worth it for anyone who wants to spend Christmas or New Year’s without cooking, without beach traffic and with lodging, food and shows in a single booking. It’s not worth it for anyone looking for a bargain: holiday departures cost double those in the first half of the month.

Worth it for: families on school holidays who want everything taken care of; couples who prefer a served Christmas Eve dinner; anyone who wants to see the Copacabana fireworks from the sea; those who live in the Northeast and board in Salvador or Maceió without flying. Not worth it for: anyone prone to seasickness, because the holiday sailings have consecutive nights at sea; anyone who wants to spend 12/25 or 12/31 ashore with family; anyone who needs the lowest price, which is on the mini cruises of 12/03 and 12/10 (see mini cruise).

Between the two most popular departures in the second half of the month, the choice depends on the date. The MSC Virtuosa of 12/19 is the cheapest Christmas, Brazil-only, with Salvador and Maceió along the way. The MSC Seaview of 12/27 costs R$ 3,000 more per person (Oct/2026), but it’s the most affordable New Year’s Eve on the ship and includes Punta del Este and Buenos Aires.

For anyone who just wants the ship, with no holiday date, the first half of the month is the best value for money and days on board. The MSC Virtuosa of 12/05 or 12/12 does the same 7-night Christmas route, with Búzios, Salvador and Maceió, for R$ 4,024 per person (Oct/2026), and the MSC Seaview of 12/13 goes to Buenos Aires for R$ 4,884. The ports and stops are the same; what changes is the crowd, more families during the holidays, and the price. If the trip can wait until after the holidays, compare with January cruises, which have the school holidays and ships with artists.

What nobody tells you

Boarding in December doesn’t guarantee Christmas on the ship. Departures on 12/26 or 12/27 have already passed 12/25, and the MSC Splendida sailing on 12/22 docks in Rio at 8 a.m. on 12/31: you get Christmas on board, but New Year’s Eve happens on land.

Watching the Copacabana fireworks from the ship isn’t the same as stepping off. On the MSC Musica itineraries, the stop in front of the beach is a no-disembarkation call, from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. If you want the sand, you need a hotel in Rio, not a cruise.

The advertised price is per person, in a double cabin. Solo travelers pay a supplement, and families with kids need to price out the actual occupancy. Ports with tender disembarkation, like Búzios and Ilhabela, depend on the sea; if the captain cancels, the ship keeps sailing.

Black Friday on 11/27 may lower prices for December departures, but it usually doesn’t touch the holiday dates, which sell themselves. If the Christmas or New Year’s date is non-negotiable, lock in the total price of that exact sailing today and track it; waiting for the sale and losing the balcony costs more than the discount. The method is in the cruise Black Friday guide.

Conclusion

December has two price tiers: until 12/18, mini-cruises and 7-night trips from R$ 2,204 per person (Oct/2026); after that, Christmas and New Year’s departures cost from R$ 5,114 to R$ 8,364. Choose the date you need to be on board first, then the ship. If Christmas and New Year’s don’t matter, the first half of the month delivers the same routes for nearly half the price; if they do matter, book the cabin before Black Friday, when balconies on 12/19 to 12/29 departures start disappearing. To keep planning the season, see the Cruise Guide.

Frequently asked questions

What’s the cheapest cruise in December 2026?

The cheapest cruise in December 2026 is the 3-night MSC Musica departing Santos on 12/03, with a stop in Búzios, from R$ 2,204 per person in a double cabin, taxes included, according to a Logitravel search on 10/11/2026.

Are there December cruises to the Caribbean?

Yes. In December 2026 there are Caribbean cruises departing from Miami and Florida, such as the 4-day Celebrity Reflection on 12/18, from R$ 2,570, and the 8-day Norwegian Epic on 12/20, from R$ 4,118 (Logitravel, Oct/2026), not including flights.

Do December cruises include all-inclusive drinks?

December cruises only include drinks on fares or categories with a package. MSC’s basic fare includes full board, shows and the service charge, but not soda or alcoholic beverages.

What’s the cancellation and refund policy?

The cruise cancellation policy depends on the fare you buy. On MSC’s promotional fare, the penalty is 50% up to 31 days before embarkation and 100% in the final 30 days. Ask for your fare’s rules in writing before you pay.

Are there restrictions for children, seniors or pregnant travelers?

Yes. On MSC, pregnant travelers cannot board if they are 23 weeks and 6 days or more on any day of the cruise and need a medical certificate. Minors traveling without one parent need authorization. There’s no age limit for seniors, but the onboard medical center is paid.