October 21, 2026 — Update: Corazul Cruceros, the start-up line whose first ship, Buenavista, begins sailing from Brazil in late October, says it is in talks to buy more ships. Yesterday’s story covered Buenavista’s onboard plans. What is new: COO Camille Appeldoorn confirmed negotiations for more tonnage and said the line is weighing year-round South American operations.
What Corazul said
- More ships: talks to acquire additional vessels are under way; details are covered by non-disclosure agreements (TBA).
- Sales: bookings are rising week over week, with group and charter requests coming in. No figures were given.
- Year-round? The current plan is to sail in Brazil through the end of March 2027, then reposition to Europe. Brazilian officials and port agents have asked about permanent deployment, and Corazul is evaluating it.
- Background: Corazul originally planned to launch from Spain in July 2026 but cancelled that season a few months before launch, citing tough conditions in Europe.
| Ship | Details |
|---|---|
| Buenavista | 1,806 passengers; repositioning to South America now; first guests late October 2026; 3- to 7-night cruises from Santos and Rio de Janeiro |
What it means for airline travelers
- Santos cruises are usually reached through São Paulo’s airports (GRU or CGH), followed by a road transfer of about an hour or more to the port. Rio departures use Rio’s Galeão (GIG) or Santos Dumont (SDU). Arrive the day before, especially when flying standby to Brazil.
- Corazul has already cancelled one planned season (Europe 2026), and the Europe repositioning after March 2027 could change if it stays in Brazil. Avoid non-refundable flights for any Corazul sailings after March 2027 until the line confirms its plans.
- No travel-industry or interline rates were mentioned.
Sources
- Cruise Industry News, “Corazul Eyes Additional Tonnage as Sales Momentum Builds“
Get NonRev Travel News by email
A weekly recap newsletter, sent out every Sunday, with the airline, airport, cruise and travel-warning news that matters to airline employees and retirees. Free.
ADVERTISEMENT
