A new name is about to join the South American cruise scene. Corazul Cruceros, a startup line launched earlier this year in Spain, is preparing to debut in Brazil in late October with the Buenavista, a 1,806-passenger ship with a long history.
The vessel has quite a résumé. Originally built at Germany's Meyer Werft shipyard for P&O Cruises as the Oriana, it entered service in 1995. In 2019 it moved to Asia and became Piano Land under Astro Ocean Cruises, sailing Chinese domestic routes. Corazul took delivery of the roughly 69,000-ton ship in late September and set about converting it for a Latin audience.
The repositioning trip has been running like clockwork. After leaving Hong Kong, the ship made a technical stop in Singapore for hull painting and maintenance, then pushed on to Mauritius, where more crew joined and provisioning was completed in Port Louis. With over 300 crew already onboard working through preparations, the ship is due to arrive in Santos around 20-21 October, with a shakedown cruise on the 23rd and the inaugural sailing set for 26 October.
So what changes for passengers? According to chief commercial officer Camille Appeldoorn, the ship itself was in good shape, so the focus is cultural rather than structural. Public spaces altered for the Chinese market are being returned to their original layouts, all signage is going trilingual in Spanish, Portuguese and English, and the chef and galley team are already onboard refining menus through test cooking and tastings. Technical management is being handled by Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement, and the company says it has hit every deadline in the handover so far.
Once underway, the Buenavista will run a series of short cruises to Brazilian destinations, departing from both Santos and Rio de Janeiro. For travellers, that means a fresh, affordable option for quick coastal getaways on Brazil's southeastern seaboard — think short hops rather than long-haul itineraries.
Why it matters: a new cruise operator in Brazil adds competition and choice in a market that has traditionally been served by the big international lines during the southern summer. If you've been priced out of a Rio departure or want a short-break style cruise with Spanish and Portuguese-speaking service, this debut is worth watching. Just keep in mind it's a 1990s-built ship, so expect a classic mid-size vessel rather than a modern mega-resort at sea.
Cruise Industry News
