8 nights South America from Rio de Janeiro

The 8 nights South America from Rio de Janeiro is a 8-night Brazil cruise aboard MSC Splendida, operated by MSC Cruises. Departing Rio de Janeiro on December 31, 2026, the voyage visits 5 ports. Fares start from $2,571 per person.

Length: 8 nights
Departs: Dec 31, 2026
Returns: Jan 8, 2027
Ports of call: 5
Days at sea: 4

from $2,571

$321 / night per person, incl. taxes & fees

Book with CruiseDirect Book direct with MSC Cruises

We may earn a commission

from $2,571 pp

via CruiseDirect

Book

Book direct with MSC Cruises we may earn a commission

Itinerary

Day 1 Dec 31, 2026 Rio de Janeiro Departs 18:00 As you’ll be able to appreciate when you cruise the Atlantic Ocean with MSC Cruises, in its position on the southern shore of the magnificent Guanabara Bay, Rio de Janeiro has, without a shadow of a doubt, one of the most stunning settings in the world. Extending for 20km along an alluvial strip, between an azure sea and forest-clad mountains, the city’s streets and buildings have been moulded around the foothills of the mountain range that provides its backdrop, while out in the bay there are many rocky islands fringed with white sand. The aerial views over Rio are breathtaking, and even the concrete skyscrapers that dominate the city’s skyline add to the attraction. As the former capital of Brazil and now its second-largest city, Rio has a remarkable architectural heritage, some of the country’s best museums and galleries, superb restaurants and a vibrant nightlife – in addition to its legendary beaches. A shore excursion on your MSC South America cruise can be the opportunity to visit the Pão de Açúcar. The Sugar Loaf Mountain rises where Guanabara Bay meets the Atlantic Ocean. Its name may simply reflect a resemblance to the moulded loaves in which sugar was once commonly sold. Alternatively, it may be a corruption of the indigenous Tamoya word Pau-nh-Açuquá, meaning “high, pointed or isolated hill”. On the top of Corcoavado Mountain instead the Art Deco statue of Cristo Redentor (Christ the Redeemer), arms outstretched in welcome, stands 30m high and weighs over 1000 tonnes. It was supposed to be completed for Brazil’s centenary independence celebrations in 1922, but wasn’t actually finished until 1931. In clear weather, fear no anticlimax: climbing to the statue is a stunning experience, with the whole of Rio and Guanabara Bay laid out before you. Rio de Janeiro port guide Search cruises visiting Rio de Janeiro

Rio de Janeiro photo — Day 1 Dec 31, 2026 Rio de Janeiro Departs 18:00 As you’ll be able to appreciate when you cruise the Atlantic Ocean with MSC Cruises, in its position on the southern shore of the magnificent Guanabara Bay, Rio de Janeiro has, without a shadow of a doubt, one of the most stunning settings in the world. Extending for 20km along an alluvial strip, between an azure sea and forest-clad mountains, the city’s streets and buildings have been moulded around the foothills of the mountain range that provides its backdrop, while out in the bay there are many rocky islands fringed with white sand. The aerial views over Rio are breathtaking, and even the concrete skyscrapers that dominate the city’s skyline add to the attraction. As the former capital of Brazil and now its second-largest city, Rio has a remarkable architectural heritage, some of the country’s best museums and galleries, superb restaurants and a vibrant nightlife – in addition to its legendary beaches. A shore excursion on your MSC South America cruise can be the opportunity to visit the Pão de Açúcar. The Sugar Loaf Mountain rises where Guanabara Bay meets the Atlantic Ocean. Its name may simply reflect a resemblance to the moulded loaves in which sugar was once commonly sold. Alternatively, it may be a corruption of the indigenous Tamoya word Pau-nh-Açuquá, meaning “high, pointed or isolated hill”. On the top of Corcoavado Mountain instead the Art Deco statue of Cristo Redentor (Christ the Redeemer), arms outstretched in welcome, stands 30m high and weighs over 1000 tonnes. It was supposed to be completed for Brazil’s centenary independence celebrations in 1922, but wasn’t actually finished until 1931. In clear weather, fear no anticlimax: climbing to the statue is a stunning experience, with the whole of Rio and Guanabara Bay laid out before you. Rio de Janeiro port guide Search cruises visiting Rio de Janeiro

Day 1 Dec 31, 2026 Copacabana, Brazil 21:00 – 23:59 3.0 hrs ashore Copacabana is dominated to the east by Sugar Loaf Mountain and circled by a line of hills that stretch out into the bay as you’ll see when you’re cruising the Atlantic Ocean with MSC Cruises. The town’s expansion as a residential area has been restricted by the Morro de São João, which separates it from Botafogo, and the Morro dos Cabritos, a natural barrier to the west. Consequently, Copacabana is one of the world’s most densely populated areas as well as a frenzy of sensual activity. Of course, Copacabana hasn’t always been as it is today, and traces remain of the former fishing community that dominated the area until the first decades of the twentieth century. Each morning before dawn, the boats of the colônia de pescadores (the descendants of the fishermen) set sail from the Forte de Copacabana, returning to the beach by 8am to sell their fish from stalls at the southern end of the beach. Rio’s sophisticated beach culture is entirely a product of the twentieth century. The 1930s saw the city’s international reputation emerge and “flying down to Rio” became an enduring cliché, celebrated in music, film and literature. Nonetheless, Rio’s beaches are first and foremost the preserve of cariocas: rich or poor, young or old, everybody descends on the beaches throughout the week, treating them as city parks. Copacabana is amazing, the over-the-top atmosphere apparent even in the mosaic pavements, designed by Burle Marx to represent images of rolling waves. The seafront is backed by a line of prestigious, high-rise hotels and luxury apartments that have sprung up since the 1940s. Some fine examples of Art Deco architecture are scattered around the bairro.

Day 2 Jan 1, 2027 Copacabana, Brazil 00:01 – 02:00 2.0 hrs ashore Copacabana is dominated to the east by Sugar Loaf Mountain and circled by a line of hills that stretch out into the bay as you’ll see when you’re cruising the Atlantic Ocean with MSC Cruises. The town’s expansion as a residential area has been restricted by the Morro de São João, which separates it from Botafogo, and the Morro dos Cabritos, a natural barrier to the west. Consequently, Copacabana is one of the world’s most densely populated areas as well as a frenzy of sensual activity. Of course, Copacabana hasn’t always been as it is today, and traces remain of the former fishing community that dominated the area until the first decades of the twentieth century. Each morning before dawn, the boats of the colônia de pescadores (the descendants of the fishermen) set sail from the Forte de Copacabana, returning to the beach by 8am to sell their fish from stalls at the southern end of the beach. Rio’s sophisticated beach culture is entirely a product of the twentieth century. The 1930s saw the city’s international reputation emerge and “flying down to Rio” became an enduring cliché, celebrated in music, film and literature. Nonetheless, Rio’s beaches are first and foremost the preserve of cariocas: rich or poor, young or old, everybody descends on the beaches throughout the week, treating them as city parks. Copacabana is amazing, the over-the-top atmosphere apparent even in the mosaic pavements, designed by Burle Marx to represent images of rolling waves. The seafront is backed by a line of prestigious, high-rise hotels and luxury apartments that have sprung up since the 1940s. Some fine examples of Art Deco architecture are scattered around the bairro.

Day 2 Jan 1, 2027 Ilha Grande, Brazil 08:00 – 18:00 10.0 hrs ashore As you approach the low-lying, whitewashed colonial port of Vila do Abraão in Ilha Grande with your MSC cruise ship, the mountains rise dramatically from the sea, and in the distance there’s the curiously shaped summit of Bico do Papagaio (“Parrot’s Beak”), which rises to a height of 980m and can be reached in about three hours. There’s really very little to see in Abraão itself, but it’s a pleasant enough base from which to explore the rest of the island. Ilha Grande comprises 193 square kilometres of mountainous jungle, historic ruins and beautiful beaches, excellent for some scenic tropical rambling. The island is a state park and the authorities have been successful at limiting development and maintaining a ban on motor vehicles. Ilha Grande offers lots of beautiful excursions along well-maintained and fairly well-signposted trails, but it’s sensible to take some basic precautions. Carry plenty of water with you, and remember to apply sunscreen and insect repellent at regular intervals. According to legend, the pirate Jorge Grego was heading for the Straits of Magellan when his ship was sunk by a British fleet. He managed to escape with his two daughters to Ilha Grande, where he became a successful farmer and merchant. However, in a fit of rage, he murdered the lover of one of his daughters, and shortly afterwards, a terrible storm destroyed all his farms and houses. From then on, Jorge Grego passed his time roaming the island, distraught, pausing only long enough to bury his treasure before his final demise. If there is any treasure today, though, it’s the island’s wildlife: parrots, exotic hummingbirds, butterflies and monkeys abound in the thick vegetation.

Day 5 Jan 4, 2027 Punta del Este 08:00 – 16:00 8.0 hrs ashore When you’re cruising the Atlantic Ocean with MSC Cruises the Atlantic Ocean with MSC Cruises, Punta del Este is the port of call for you in Uruguay. Situated on a narrow peninsula 140km east of Montevideo, Punta del Este is a jungle of high-rise hotels, expensive restaurants, casinos and designer stores bordered by some of the finest beaches on the coast. Exclusive and luxurious, between this and the nearby towns of La Barra and José Ignacio, this is the place to be seen for many South American celebrities in summer. The best thing to do in Punta del Este is what everyone else does: go to the beach. Within striking distance and well worth the trip is the whitewashed Casapueblo, a remarkable villa and art gallery. The beaches are what attract most visitors to Punta del Este, and two of the best are on either side of the neck of the peninsula. Playa Mansa on the bay side is a huge, arcing stretch of sand, with plenty of space for sunbathing and gentle waves, while Playa Brava on the eastern side is where you go if you’re serious about surfing, or simply to compare your height to the fingers of the uncanny Hand in the Sand sculpture, one of Uruguay’s most famous sights. The area’s best sight is Casapueblo, by Uruguayan artist Carlos Páez Vilaró, a vision just waiting to be seen on an MSC South America excursion. He started the construction himself in the late 1950s, and today it’s an unwieldy yet strangely beautiful villa, restaurant, hotel and art gallery clinging to the side of a craggy peninsula 15km west of Punta del Este. Bright white and lacking any right angles, it’s well worth a visit to see Vilaró’s artwork. Punta del Este port guide Search cruises visiting Punta del Este

Punta del Este photo — Day 5 Jan 4, 2027 Punta del Este 08:00 – 16:00 8.0 hrs ashore When you’re cruising the Atlantic Ocean with MSC Cruises the Atlantic Ocean with MSC Cruises, Punta del Este is the port of call for you in Uruguay. Situated on a narrow peninsula 140km east of Montevideo, Punta del Este is a jungle of high-rise hotels, expensive restaurants, casinos and designer stores bordered by some of the finest beaches on the coast. Exclusive and luxurious, between this and the nearby towns of La Barra and José Ignacio, this is the place to be seen for many South American celebrities in summer. The best thing to do in Punta del Este is what everyone else does: go to the beach. Within striking distance and well worth the trip is the whitewashed Casapueblo, a remarkable villa and art gallery. The beaches are what attract most visitors to Punta del Este, and two of the best are on either side of the neck of the peninsula. Playa Mansa on the bay side is a huge, arcing stretch of sand, with plenty of space for sunbathing and gentle waves, while Playa Brava on the eastern side is where you go if you’re serious about surfing, or simply to compare your height to the fingers of the uncanny Hand in the Sand sculpture, one of Uruguay’s most famous sights. The area’s best sight is Casapueblo, by Uruguayan artist Carlos Páez Vilaró, a vision just waiting to be seen on an MSC South America excursion. He started the construction himself in the late 1950s, and today it’s an unwieldy yet strangely beautiful villa, restaurant, hotel and art gallery clinging to the side of a craggy peninsula 15km west of Punta del Este. Bright white and lacking any right angles, it’s well worth a visit to see Vilaró’s artwork. Punta del Este port guide Search cruises visiting Punta del Este

Day 6 Jan 5, 2027 Buenos Aires 08:00 – 18:00 10.0 hrs ashore Passionate, and alive with an infectious crackling energy, the Argentine capital is a breathlessly romantic city, which blends old-world colonial architecture with a down-to-earth Latin American clamour. Famed for steamy tango interplays, and expertly seared steak slabs, a visit to Buenos Aires is a fiery fiesta for the senses. Parque Tres de Febrero is a 400-hectare oasis where 18,000 rose bushes bloom, and skyscrapers give way to still lakes and pretty paths of rollerblading locals. Mighty palm trees - that look like exploding fireworks - stand tall in Plaza de Mayo, the heart of this sprawling cosmopolitan capital of 48 barrios. The square has served as the stage for many fundamental events in this country’s history, and the location where the seeds of independence were sewn continues to serve as the city’s gathering point - and is a place for solidarity, rebellion and revolution. The presidential Casa Rosada’s salmon-hued Palatial Palace borders the plaza, while nearby Museum Nacional de Bellas Artes houses the largest collection of public art in Latin America. Teatro Colón, the opulent 1908 opera house, is one of the world’s finest venues - musical performance here take on an ethereal quality, with the exceptional acoustics transferring every quiver of bow, and tremor of vocal cord, to the audience in spine-tingling clarity. The gargantuan, precipitous terraces of Bombonera Stadium form another of Buenos Aires’s incredible venues, and a wall of noise emanates from it when Boca Juniors take to the field. Juicy steak and punchy Malbec flow in the city’s parrillas – steakhouses - while glitzy bars and thumping nightclubs welcome revellers late into the night. It’s not just the meat that sizzles here either - tango dancers fill milongas - dance halls - to strut passionately until the early hours. Sip steaming mate, the country’s national drink, shop in covered markets, and explore Cementerio de la Recoleta - a city of grand graves and intricate memorials honouring presidents, politicians and notable Argentine heroes from history. Buenos Aires port guide Search cruises visiting Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires photo — Day 6 Jan 5, 2027 Buenos Aires 08:00 – 18:00 10.0 hrs ashore Passionate, and alive with an infectious crackling energy, the Argentine capital is a breathlessly romantic city, which blends old-world colonial architecture with a down-to-earth Latin American clamour. Famed for steamy tango interplays, and expertly seared steak slabs, a visit to Buenos Aires is a fiery fiesta for the senses. Parque Tres de Febrero is a 400-hectare oasis where 18,000 rose bushes bloom, and skyscrapers give way to still lakes and pretty paths of rollerblading locals. Mighty palm trees - that look like exploding fireworks - stand tall in Plaza de Mayo, the heart of this sprawling cosmopolitan capital of 48 barrios. The square has served as the stage for many fundamental events in this country’s history, and the location where the seeds of independence were sewn continues to serve as the city’s gathering point - and is a place for solidarity, rebellion and revolution. The presidential Casa Rosada’s salmon-hued Palatial Palace borders the plaza, while nearby Museum Nacional de Bellas Artes houses the largest collection of public art in Latin America. Teatro Colón, the opulent 1908 opera house, is one of the world’s finest venues - musical performance here take on an ethereal quality, with the exceptional acoustics transferring every quiver of bow, and tremor of vocal cord, to the audience in spine-tingling clarity. The gargantuan, precipitous terraces of Bombonera Stadium form another of Buenos Aires’s incredible venues, and a wall of noise emanates from it when Boca Juniors take to the field. Juicy steak and punchy Malbec flow in the city’s parrillas – steakhouses - while glitzy bars and thumping nightclubs welcome revellers late into the night. It’s not just the meat that sizzles here either - tango dancers fill milongas - dance halls - to strut passionately until the early hours. Sip steaming mate, the country’s national drink, shop in covered markets, and explore Cementerio de la Recoleta - a city of grand graves and intricate memorials honouring presidents, politicians and notable Argentine heroes from history. Buenos Aires port guide Search cruises visiting Buenos Aires

Pricing

Lowest fare we've tracked over the observed 84-day span: $2,004 · range $2,004–$2,601

Current prices

Per person · 2 guests · incl. taxes & fees

Inside

Not available

Oceanview

Not available

Balcony

from $2,571

$321 / night

Fare rows

PREMIUM BALCONY FANTASTICA

Cabin grade

Available

from $2,571

$321 / night

per person · incl. taxes

PREMIUM BALCONY FANTASTICA

Cabin grade

Available

from $3,019

$377 / night

per person · incl. taxes

PREMIUM BALCONY FANTASTICA

Cabin grade

Available

from $5,132

$641 / night

per person · incl. taxes

Suite

Not available

Prices verified Jun 22, 2026

Prices come from third-party data feeds via MSC Cruises and may differ from the cruise line's current fare. Confirm the final price before booking. How our pricing works

Price history

30 days

○ = last available date (sold out, or no longer listed).

Cabin grades

Inside

Lowest Inside IR2 DELUXE INTERIOR FANTASTICA

Balcony

Lowest Balcony $2,571 BL1 PREMIUM BALCONY FANTASTICA BL2 PREMIUM BALCONY FANTASTICA $2,571 BL3 PREMIUM BALCONY FANTASTICA BP DELUXE BALCONY FANTASTICA

Suite

Lowest Suite SLS PREMIUM SUITE AUREA WITH SEALED WINDOW

Lines step between recorded price changes. Plot up to 6 lines at once.

Show all 23 cabin grades

Name	Supplier code	Type
BALCONY AUREA	BA	Balcony
BALCONY BELLA GUARANTEED	BB	Balcony
PREMIUM BALCONY FANTASTICA	BL1	Balcony
PREMIUM BALCONY FANTASTICA	BL2	Balcony
PREMIUM BALCONY FANTASTICA	BL3	Balcony
DELUXE BALCONY FANTASTICA	BP	Balcony
INTERIOR BELLA GUARANTEED	IB	Inside
DELUXE INTERIOR FANTASTICA	IR1	Inside
DELUXE INTERIOR FANTASTICA	IR2	Inside
Inside	SPL	Inside
OCEAN VIEW BELLA GUARANTEED	OB	Oceanview
PREMIUM OCEAN VIEW FANTASTICA	OL1	Oceanview
PREMIUM OCEAN VIEW FANTASTICA	OL2	Oceanview
PREMIUM OCEAN VIEW FANTASTICA	OL3	Oceanview
PREMIUM SUITE AUREA	SL1	Suite
PREMIUM SUITE AUREA WITH SEALED WINDOW	SLS	Suite
JUNIOR SUITE AUREA WITH SEALED WINDOW	SRS	Suite
GRAND SUITE AUREA	SX	Suite
MSC YACHT CLUB DELUXE SUITE	YC1	Suite
MSC YACHT CLUB EXECUTIVE & FAMILY SUITE	YC2	Suite
MSC YACHT CLUB ROYAL SUITE	YC3	Suite
MSC YACHT CLUB GRAND SUITE	YCP	Suite
Msc Yacht Club Yacht Club Executive and Family Suite with Balcony	YCT	Suite

Ship

Your ship MSC Splendida 4★ **137,936** GT **4,363** guests Built **2008** MSC Splendida carries you in stylish luxury to the most desirable cruise destinations in the world. You’ll love the live music and wide variety of bars and restaurants on board. Food choices to explore include authentic Mediterranean specialities and spicy Tex-Mex. Complete the night with a world-class show in The Strand Theatre, a winning streak in the Royal Palm Casino or dancing ‘til dawn in the Club 33 Disco. We’ve got fitness and sport covered with four swimming pools, a squash court, volleyball court, ultramodern gym and even a running track, allowing you to take in the stunning ocean views and refreshing sea breeze. For those looking to relax, head to the MSC Aurea Spa where you will find pampering Balinese massages, a range of beauty treatments, a Turkish bath, sauna, whirlpool and solarium. There is also the option to sunbathe in peace on the Top 18 sun deck, located at the top of the ship, where complimentary, refreshing fruit skewers and a thirst-quenching bar menu will keep you cool all day. And while you are topping up your tan, the Kids and Teens can enjoy fabulous facilities and clubs of their own. The foredecks of the ship are home to the exclusive MSC Yacht Club, a luxurious ship-within-a-ship with 71 spacious suites, its own Concierge Reception, 24-hour butler service, private Top Sail Lounge, pool deck and bar. MSC Splendida ship guide Search cruises on MSC Splendida

Similar cruises

Other sailing dates

Same itinerary, different dates. Prices per person · incl. taxes & fees.

View	From pp	Departs
	Call for price	Dec 31, 2026Voyage SP20261231RIORIO

Compare similar cruises

9 nights South America from Buenos Aires

MSC Splendida · Brazil · 9 nights

from $2,227

$247 / night

per person · incl. taxes

Dec 27, 2026

8 nights South America from Buenos Aires

MSC Splendida · Brazil · 8 nights

from $1,740

$217 / night

per person · incl. taxes

Dec 19, 2026

Mediterranean from St. Cruz de Tenerife

Costa Diadema · Canaries · 11 nights

from $1,204

$109 / night

per person · incl. taxes

Nov 11, 2026

Mediterranean from St. Cruz de Tenerife

Costa Diadema · South America · 12 nights

from $1,389

$115 / night

per person · incl. taxes

Nov 11, 2026

24-Day Southern Caribbean Yacht Harbors & Coast of Brazil

Seabourn Venture · Brazil · 24 nights

Call for price

per person · incl. taxes

Oct 5, 2026

16-Day Trinidad to Rio: South American Expedition

Seabourn Venture · Brazil · 16 nights

from $9,623

$601 / night

per person · incl. taxes

Oct 13, 2026

Browse all cruises in search →

from $2,571 pp

via CruiseDirect

Book

Book direct with MSC Cruises we may earn a commission