Excellent news for Florida tourism income; unhealthy information for site visitors! On January 25, 2025, Port Canaveral in Florida, the second-busiest cruise port on the planet, had its busiest day ever.
The packed port featured a whopping twenty-five vessels, and 6 of these had been cruise ships. The port was jam-packed, and that’s not even counting the handfuls of smaller yachts.
“What a day at Port Canaveral! 25 deep sea vessels—6 cruise ships, 6 cargo ships, 8 house vessels, a playing ship, plus 4 gasoline bunker barges (LNG included!)—working at our Northside and Southside cruise terminals, cargo berths and The Cove bulkhead. Add to that many business fishing vessels and leisure boats at the moment in Port.” Port Canaveral posted.
Among the many ships docked within the port Saturday had been Carnival Vista, Celeb Equinox, Disney Treasure, Carnival’s Mardi Gras, Norwegian Epic, and Royal Caribbean’s Voyager of the Seas.
Carnival Vista a 133,596 gross-ton ship, first launched in 2016, is beginning an eight-day Southern Caribbean itinerary.
The ship, with a passenger capability of 4,716 individuals, will cease in Oranjestad in Aruba, Kralendijk on the island of Bonaire, and Grand Turk Island in Turks and Caicos earlier than returning to Port Canaveral.
Actually, the Carnival cruise ship solely not too long ago began providing sailings from the port after repositioning from New York in December 2024.
In December 2024, Celeb Equinox, a thirteen-year-old, 121,878 gross-ton ship carrying as much as 3,420 passengers, made historical past because the first Celeb Cruises ship to sail from Port Canaveral.
Now it continues Celeb Cruises’ relationship with the favored port because it begins its seven-day, round-trip Japanese Caribbean voyage. It can make stops in Key West, Nassau, and Puerto Plata.
The most recent cruise ship within the port was the 144,256 gross-ton, 3,466-passenger Disney Treasure. Launched in August 2024, it now departs for a seven-day Western Caribbean crusing, with stops in Cozumel, Grand Cayman Island, and Falmouth. It can then cease off at Disney’s non-public island, Castaway Cay, earlier than returning to Port Canaveral.
The 155,873 gross-ton, 5,074-passenger Norwegian Epic, in the meantime, departs for its eclectic seven-day Caribbean cruise visiting Puerto Plata, St. Thomas (USVI), Tortola, and Nice Stirrup Cay.
Voyager of the Seas, homeported in Port Canaveral and carrying as much as 4,099 passengers, units out on a fast five-day itinerary to Labadee and Royal Caribbean’s non-public island, Good Day at CocoCay.
Whereas some vacationers discovered problem navigating the crowds, this jam-packed day is a testomony to the rising reputation of the Florida port.
Enormous Progress for Port Canaveral, Florida
This file day follows a record-successful 12 months in 2024, when the port welcomed 7.6 million passengers and 911 cruise ships, bringing in $156 million in cruise ship income.
It additionally marks the start of a 12 months of anticipated progress, with whole projected revenues reaching $211 million, as revealed on the port’s annual “State of the Port Tackle” in November.
Port Canaveral holds the title for the second-busiest cruise port on the planet, simply barely behind the Port of Miami. It even took the highest title briefly in 2022. Port Canaveral has additionally gained the Cruise Hive Awards‘ “Greatest U.S. Cruise Homeport” honor for 5 consecutive years, profitable in 2024 with 35% of all votes.
So, simply what’s it about this port that pulls in so many?
For one factor, this can be very nicely positioned. Located simply east of Orlando, residence of widespread and thrilling vacationer locations like Walt Disney World, Common Orlando Resort, and, after all, Gatorland, Canaveral is a really handy port for anybody on the lookout for an prolonged trip in addition to for Florida locals.
The Florida coast additionally makes for fast and simple journeys to extremely fascinating, tropical places, such because the Caribbean, and the Japanese Coast of Mexico.
Learn Additionally: What Airports Are Close to Port Canaveral Cruise Port?
One other issue is that Port Canaveral acknowledges the worth of the cruise trade and works to make the expertise of cruisers on the port as good as potential.
On the aforementioned “State of the Port Tackle” in November, 2024, Canaveral Port Authority CEO Capt. John Murray mentioned the next:
“Cruise continues to be a major phase of our enterprise portfolio with among the latest and largest ships on the planet primarily based at Port Canaveral. This speaks volumes to the boldness our cruise companions have in our skill to persistently ship distinctive outcomes for his or her company.”
This cruise-friendly administration philosophy appears to be doing the port nicely. In December, the port welcomed Carnival Venezia as its record-breaking sixteenth cruise ship to homeport there.
We sit up for extra progress within the 12 months to come back.
