Page 32 - IAADFS Summit of the Americas 2025 Special Issue

INSIDER

Canaveral – home port
to 15 cruise ships --

continues to expand

Port Canaveral, the second busiest
cruise port in the world after PortMiami,
handled a record 7.6 million passenger
movements in fiscal 2024, a 12%
increase over the previous year – with 13
homeported ships and 911 cruise ship calls,
PortMiami sets record with 10 cruise ship day as of Sept. 30, 2024.
The Port’s diverse operations – from
cruise and cargo to recreation, commercial
Underlining its title as the Cruise Norwegian Aqua (April 2025), Royal fishing, military, and aerospace operations
Capital of the World, PortMiami welcomed Caribbean International Wonder of the Seas – are unique in the maritime industry. But
a record-breaking 10 cruise ships on (August 2025), Cunard Queen Elizabeth the cruise segment is of vital importance,
February 8, 2025. (October 2025), Virgin Voyages Brilliant contributing $156 million of the total $191
It was the first time the port had Lady (October 2025), and Oceania Cruises million generated by the port this past year.
docked that many cruise ships in one day Allura (November 2025). Cargo accounted for $23 million in
and the vessels ranged from the world’s Another historic milestone which revenues and non-ship operations came in
largest cruise ship, Icon of the Seas, recently took place was the June 17, 2024 at $12 million.
to ships from Norwegian Cruise Line, launch of shore power. Shore power allows
Carnival Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean cruise ships to turn off their engines and More new ships
International, MSC Cruises, Oceania plug into landside electrical power while Since the FY numbers were issued in
Cruises, Virgin Voyages, and Holland docked, resulting in reduced emissions and November, the Voyager of the Seas became
America Line. noise. A partnership between Miami-Dade the fourth Royal Caribbean International
The Port said it expected close to County, Carnival Corporation & plc, MSC ship to home port here.
68,000 passengers to be onboard the cruise Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, The 137,000-ton, 3,600-passenger
ships. Royal Caribbean Group, Virgin Voyages, ship offers a seasonal schedule of four-
PortMiami’s 2025 season is filled and Florida Power & Light Company, and five-day cruises with visits to Bimini,
with new cruise ships. Among the lineup PortMiami is the first major cruise port on Cozumel and Costa Maya, Mexico; and the
of ships are Cunard Queen Anne (January the U.S. eastern seaboard that will offer cruise line’s private destinations Perfect
2025), MSC Cruises MSC World America shore power capability at five cruise berths. Day at CocoCay and Labadee.
(April 2025), Norwegian Cruise Line In December, the Celebrity Equinox
began sailing from Port Canaveral,
Port Everglades cruising to solid growth the first Celebrity ship to do so. The
2,850-passenger Celebrity Equinox –
Setting a new cruise passenger record, Multi-day cruise ship calls increased offering week-long Caribbean voyages
Port Everglades welcomed more than 4 by 25%, with 235 calls in the quarter --became the 15th vessel to home port at
million embarking and disembarking guests compared to 188 calls in the same period Canaveral.
in FY2024, a 39% increase over FY2023. of the previous year. The wave of growth In addition, MSC Cruises has
A total of 889 ship calls, including is also seen in the port’s cruise passenger announced that it will expand its operations
241 calls from Balearia’s Caribbean ferry, traffic, which is up by 27% to 1,349,313 at Canaveral, deploying its fourth 215,000-
generated nearly $77 million in revenue guests versus 1,064,998 compared to the ton World Class ship in the 2027-28 cruise
and parking generated another $13.8 same period in FY24. season. This new ship will join the MSC
million. The uptick in ship calls and guests Grandiosa, which will offer year-round
Disney Cruise Line opened its resulted in part from Disney Cruise Line seven-night Caribbean cruises from Port
second homeport at Port Everglades establishing homeport operations at Port Canaveral beginning in Winter 2026-2027,
at the beginning of the fiscal year and Everglades, joining industry leaders following its inaugural season during
joined Celebrity Cruises, Princess Cruises Celebrity Cruises, Crystal, Holland Winter 2025-2026. MSC Seashore will
and Royal Caribbean International with America Line, Princess Cruises, Ritz- also continue to offer year-round three-
year-round sailing itineraries, all of which Carlton Yacht Collection, Royal Caribbean and four-night cruises to The Bahamas
contributed to the port’s cruise growth. International, Silversea Cruises and Viking and Ocean Cay Marine Reserve from
Port Everglades’ cruise business is Cruises. Canaveral.
on course for another buoyant fiscal year The port anticipates setting a new The as-yet-unnamed World-Class ship
based on double-digit growth during the cruise passenger record in FY25 with a will build upon the platform launched with
first quarter of Fiscal Year 2025 (Oct. 1 to forecasted 4.4 million guests. MSC World Europa in 2022.
Dec. 31, 2024).

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