A Brazil cruise can be an astonishing way to experience one of the most attractive South American countries.

The Brazilian coast is nearly 8,000 km (5,000 miles) long, the best part of which in the tropical zone, and several of Brazil's major cities are located by the sea. In spite of this, Brazil is not an important international cruise destination. There are several explanations: Until 1995 only national flag ships could sail between Brazilian ports, so international cruise operators stayed away from Brazil; Brazilians are not used to cruises; and the ports are not prepared to receive big crowds. However, since 1995 cruisers have slowly started to come to Brazil and today more and more cruises go to Brazil.

A growing number of cruise ships are sailing the coast of Brazil and up the Amazon River. Many of them begin and end in Santos, the port city near São Paulo. Popular Brazilian ports of call include Rio de Janeiro, possibly one of the more famous landmarks on a Brazilian cruise, Búzios, Salvador, Ilha Grande, Ilhabela, Recife, Paraty, and the Amazon cities of Belém and Manaus. Some Brazilian cruises also include stops at ports in surrounding countries like Argentina, Uruguay, French Guiana and Chile. A Brazil cruise can last from 3 nights to 9 nights or more.

Some international cruises also visit Brazil, including cruises from Florida, cruises departing from Europe and scaling Rio de Janeiro and other Brazilian destinations, and cruises departing from neighboring countries like Buenos Aires in Argentina or Santiago in Chile.