January Cruises: Holidays, Music-Themed Ships and Prices

January cruises are the most sought-after of the 2026/2027 season: it’s school holidays, and from 01/05 to 01/23 the MSC Divina runs six back-to-back music-themed sailings out of Santos. On regular departures, the cheapest one we found is the MSC Divina’s 3-night trip on 01/29, starting at R$ 2,344 per person with taxes (Oct/2026); the most affordable 7-night voyage is the MSC Musica from Rio on 01/05, at R$ 4,374.

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

January combines three things that push prices up: school holidays, guaranteed sunshine along the coast and the run of music-themed cruises on the MSC Divina. If your dates are flexible, you’ll pay less at the end of the month; if you want a specific artist, you have to buy directly from the organizer, because Logitravel and online agencies only sell the regular departures.

What are the January 2027 cruises?

In January 2027 there are departures every week from Santos on the MSC Virtuosa (Northeast) and the MSC Seaview (Uruguay and Argentina), from Rio on the MSC Musica and the MSC Splendida, from Itajaí on the MSC Musica and from Salvador on the MSC Virtuosa. The prices below were checked on Logitravel on 10/11/2026, per person in a double cabin and with taxes.

The MSC Divina only goes back to selling regular departures on 01/29: until the 23rd it’s chartered for the music-themed cruises. That’s why there’s no regular 3-night mini-cruise in the first half of the month, and anyone wanting a short January cruise has two options: a themed sailing or the 01/29 departure. To compare with the previous month, check out the December cruises, which have cheaper mini-cruises and the Christmas and New Year’s dates.

Which music-themed ships sail in January?

In January 2027 there are six music-themed cruises, all on the MSC Divina, from Santos, 3 nights each, between 01/05 and 01/23, according to the official PromoAção list checked on 10/10/2026. Before them, the Réveillon em Alto Mar runs from 12/29/2026 to 01/02/2027.

The cabins for these cruises are sold by PromoAção, on each event’s website or through agencies accredited by them, and the fare only shows up at checkout. The port fee is R$ 1,350 per person on all of them (official websites, Oct/2026), and the shows take place on the pool decks, which is why the itinerary is only set close to the date and may not even include a port stop. The full calendar, the rules and what’s different from a regular cruise are in the guide to music-themed cruises.

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

A January cruise costs from R$ 2,344 per person on the 3-night mini-cruise on 01/29 and from R$ 4,374 on a 7-night trip departing from Rio, in a double cabin and with taxes (Logitravel, Oct/2026). For Uruguay and Argentina, the floor rises to R$ 5,744, on the MSC Seaview on 01/31.

The real total cost starts with the fare and adds whatever you’ll spend on board. For a couple driving down from São Paulo to the MSC Virtuosa on 01/30, the minimum bill comes to about R$ 4,425 per person: R$ 4,404 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, only water, coffee and juice from the buffet machines. Over 7 hot nights, the drinks package adds up; compare it in MSC drinks package and see every expense in how much a cruise costs.

On the music-themed ships the math is different: the PromoAção checkout fare plus the R$ 1,350 per person port fee (Oct/2026). The real “all inclusive” only shows up in fares and categories with drinks in the package; MSC’s basic fare includes food, shows and the service charge, but not soda or alcohol.

Which week of January is the cheapest?

The cheapest week of January is the last one. On the MSC Virtuosa sailing from Santos, the same 7-night trip drops from R$ 5,244 on 01/02 to R$ 4,404 on 01/30; on the MSC Seaview, from R$ 6,844 on 01/03 to R$ 5,744 on 01/31 (Logitravel, Oct/2026).

Prices checked on Logitravel on 10/11/2026, per person in a double cabin, with taxes. The MSC Musica from Rio is the exception: it gets more expensive through the month until 01/19. The general logic follows the school calendar: the first week still catches those who extended their New Year’s break, and by the end of the month people are heading home.

Which port does the cruise leave from and how do you get to the terminal?

Most January cruises leave from the Concais terminal at the Port of Santos, including all the music-themed ships. Departures from Rio board at Pier Mauá, downtown; those from Itajaí and Salvador, at those cities’ passenger 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). In January, the mountain road fills up on weekends with people heading to the coast, and the themed ships swap crowds every 3 days, with disembarkation at 8am and boarding from noon at the same terminal. Leave early or spend the night in Santos the day before. On MSC, check-in closes 2 hours before departure, and the Santos ships set sail between 5pm and 6pm, according to the Logitravel itinerary. The terminal, parking and neighborhoods near the port are in the guide to cruises leaving from Santos; for the other ports, see leaving from Rio, leaving from Itajaí and leaving from Salvador.

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

On the 3-night mini-cruise and the themed sailings, an inside cabin is enough, because your day is spent on deck and the shows run into the early hours. On the 7-night January trips, with two or three straight sea days, a balcony makes more of a difference and is the first to sell out on the first week’s 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 how flexible your changes are, your dinner time and the services included. A guaranteed cabin fare, with no chosen number, tends to be the cheapest, but you only find out the location at boarding. Families on holiday should price the actual occupancy of a cabin for 3 or 4 people instead of multiplying the adult fare; see what changes in cruising with kids.

Tip: in January, compare the same cabin on two dates before booking: the difference between weeks can pay for the upgrade to a balcony. Check the cabins on the MSC Virtuosa.

What documents do I need to board?

On cruises within Brazil only, MSC accepts RG, passport or driver’s license; the digital driver’s license is only valid through the official app, according to MSC’s documents page. On the Prata route trips on the MSC Seaview and MSC Splendida, which stop in Punta del Este, Montevidéu and Buenos Aires, bring an original RG in good condition or a valid passport: a driver’s license won’t work.

Anyone under 18 needs their own document and, if traveling without one of their parents, an authorization according to Federal Police rules; during the January holidays, this is the most common mistake at boarding. The full list is in documents for a cruise. 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. On the themed cruises, the official FAQ requires an original photo ID, such as RG, driver’s license or RNE, and bans bringing drinks in your luggage.

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

A January cruise is worth it for anyone whose only vacation time is then or who wants to see an artist on board. It’s not worth it for anyone hunting for the lowest price: the same trip costs up to R$ 1,100 more in the first week than in the last (Logitravel, Oct/2026).

Worth it for: families with kids on school holidays; fans of Laura Pausini, Daniel, Ivete, Zeca Pagodinho or Safadão, who only get this format in January; small children, on the Festivalzinho; anyone living in the Northeast who can board in Salvador without flying; anyone who wants to see Buenos Aires without a plane, on the MSC Seaview. Not worth it for: anyone prone to seasickness, because the 7-night trips have back-to-back days at sea; anyone who wants a guaranteed port stop on a themed cruise, since the itinerary depends on the sea; anyone wanting a quiet ship, because January is peak holiday season.

Between the two most popular 7-night routes, the choice depends on what you want to see. The MSC Virtuosa heads to the Northeast, with Búzios, Salvador and Maceió, and costs from R$ 4,404 on 01/30. The MSC Seaview goes to Balneário Camboriú, Punta del Este and Buenos Aires, and costs R$ 1,340 more in the same week (Oct/2026). Details on each ship in MSC Virtuosa and MSC Seaview.

For the lowest absolute spend, the MSC Divina mini-cruise on 01/29 costs R$ 2,344 per person (Oct/2026), half of a 7-night trip, with a stop in Búzios; it’s the same ship as the themed cruises, just without the shows. See if the short format works for you in mini-cruise. From Rio, the MSC Musica on 01/05 is the cheapest 7-night trip of the month, with Búzios, Ilha Grande, Paranaguá, Itajaí and Ilhabela, with no international leg, which means you can board with a driver’s license.

What nobody tells you

The music-themed cruise isn’t sold by Logitravel or online agencies. PromoAção sells only on each event’s official website and through accredited agencies, and warns that it doesn’t sell drinks packages, dinner with the artist or backstage access: anyone offering that outside the ship may be running a scam.

January is summer, but that doesn’t guarantee calm seas. Port stops with tender boats, like Búzios and Ilhabela, depend on the weather; if the captain cancels, the ship keeps sailing and there’s no refund for the missed stop. On the themed cruises, the itinerary may not even include a stop, because the shows need the deck.

The advertised price is per person, in a double cabin. Solo travelers pay a supplement, and families with children need to price the actual occupancy. On the way back, disembarkation in Santos starts early, with arrival at 6am on the MSC Virtuosa and 8am on the MSC Seaview, according to the Logitravel itinerary; don’t book an early morning flight out of São Paulo for the same day.

November’s Black Friday may lower prices on January departures, but it usually doesn’t touch the busiest dates, like the first week. If your date is non-negotiable, note today’s total price for that exact departure and keep tracking it; the method is in the guide to cruise Black Friday.

Conclusion

To pay less in January, pick the last week: the MSC Virtuosa on 01/30 and the MSC Seaview on 01/31 are the cheapest 7-night departures from Santos, and the MSC Divina on 01/29 is the lowest price of the month. If the reason is an artist, buy the themed cruise through the official channel and book early. And if you’re still thinking about Carnival, compare with the Carnival cruises.

Frequently asked questions

What’s the cheapest cruise in January?

The cheapest cruise in January 2027 is the 3-night MSC Divina departing Santos on 01/29, with a stop in Búzios, from R$ 2,344 per person in a double cabin, with taxes, according to a Logitravel search on 10/11/2026. For 7 nights, the cheapest is the MSC Musica from Rio on 01/05, at R$ 4,374.

Are there January cruises leaving from Rio, Itajaí or Salvador?

Yes. From Rio, the MSC Musica sails on Tuesdays, and the MSC Splendida on 01/08; from Itajaí, the MSC Musica on Sundays starting 01/03, from R$ 4,624; from Salvador, the MSC Virtuosa on Tuesdays, from R$ 5,454 (Logitravel, Oct/2026).

Do January cruises have all inclusive?

January 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 drinks.

What’s the cancellation and refund policy?

The cruise cancellation policy depends on the fare you bought. On MSC’s promotional fare, the penalty is 50% up to 31 days before boarding and 100% in the final 30 days. On the themed cruises, the rules are in each event’s contract. Ask for your fare’s rule in writing before paying.

Are there restrictions for children, seniors or pregnant women?

Yes. On MSC, pregnant women 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.