Port Canaveral Continues to Set Records and Get Ne...

Earlier this month at Seatrade Cruise World in Miami, I had the chance to sit down down with Capt. John Murray, CEO of Port Canaveral. We talked in regards to the port’s development, future, and modifications that had been lately made to present visitors the very best expertise as they begin or finish their cruise.

Port Canaveral has grown over the previous few years to be one of many prime two busiest cruise ports within the nation. They preserve seesawing forwards and backwards with PortMiami because the busiest, although they now have 4 much less berths than Miami.

How has Port Canaveral grown a lot over the previous 10-15 years? Here’s a take a look at why and causes you must take into account taking a cruise from the port.

New Cruise Ships

A decade in the past, should you wished to sail on the most recent cruise ships, you needed to head to South Florida. That each one modified in 2021 when Carnival Cruise Line started to homeport their first Excel class ship, Mardi Gras, at Port Canaveral.

Final yr, Royal Caribbean primarily based a model new ship there, Utopia of the Seas. This coming August, the cruise line’s latest and largest ship, Star of the Seas, will homeport at Port Canaveral crusing week lengthy cruises to the Caribbean.

Different new ships which might be crusing from the port this yr are Norwegian Aqua and Disney Treasure.

In 2027, two new cruise ships will sail from Port Canaveral. MSC Cruises lately introduced that MSC World Atlantic will debut from the port in 2027.

Carnival Festivale will even sail from the port when the ship debuts in 2027. Mardi Gras will transfer to three- and four-night cruises that depart each Monday and Friday from Port Canaveral.

“We don’t need to be much less dangerous than different ports, we need to be one of the best” – Capt. Murray

Comfort/Easy Expertise

Since there are not any airports inside 40 miles of Port Canaveral, it’s primarily a driving port. If are are flying into MCO, had been are several shuttle companies that join it with the cruise port.

85% of all passengers who take a cruise from Port Canaveral drive to the port. The port opened two new parking garages this previous yr that may accommodate an extra 3,000 automobiles to park.

The port is simply off of I-95 and provides straightforward in, straightforward out entry. As a result of they’re the primary main cruise port on the drive south in Florida, you don’t should take care of site visitors such as you do at ports in South Florida.

The port made a number of operational modifications up to now yr to raise the expertise at their six cruise terminals. This helps create a smoother expertise for visitors who’re disembarking or embarking on their cruise.

Additionally they now have groups onsite to repair something that will go mistaken throughout disembarkation and embarkation.

Capt. John Murray mentioned the next:

“A cruise may be destroyed with dangerous service from the port on the entrance finish or again finish. Very last thing you need is for somebody to have an amazing journey, get off the ship, and get completely pissed off getting out of the port. We take a look at ourselves being an extension of that. We don’t need them to have a foul expertise on the port.”

Choices

Seven main cruise traces supply cruises from Port Canaveral, supplying you with extra choices than ever earlier than.  They’re:

• Carnival Cruise Line
• Superstar Cruises
• Disney Cruise Line
• MSC Cruises
• Norwegian Cruise Line
• Princess Cruises
• Royal Caribbean

Way forward for Port Canaveral

Port Canaveral simply set their month-to-month report for cruise visitors in March with 925,994 visitors. That is 16% larger than final March. They’re anticipating 8.4 million passenger actions this yr, up from 7.6 million in 2024.

Over the subsequent decade, the port is eyeing two areas to construct new cruise terminals.  One is between Terminal 1 (Royal Caribbean) and Terminal 3 (Carnival Cruise Line). Terminal 2 is at the moment utilized by Victory On line casino Cruises and their lease is up in early 2030s. 

The port is at the moment planning on relocating the on line casino ship when their lease is up and construct a brand new terminal at that location for big cruise ships.

Norwegian Cruise Line can also be planning on including extra cruises from Port Canaveral sooner or later.