Royal Caribbean departing Port of Miami photo credit Spacejunkie2
PortMiami welcomed a total of 7,299,294 passengers during Fiscal Year 2023, setting a new record in cruise activity, the port announced in a press release.
During the period, which started on October 1, 2022 and ended on September 30, 2023, PortMiami experienced a nearly seven percent increase in cruise passenger totals compared to its previous record of 6,823,816 passengers in Fiscal Year 2019.
“Congratulations to the entire PortMiami team and its partners on its busiest cruise year ever,” said Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava.
“PortMiami continues to drive our economy forward, creating opportunities for residents and businesses across our county. The Port is an industry leader, which is future ready and committed to innovative, efficient, and sustainable growth,” she added.
The 2024 Fiscal Year season is also bringing new developments, PortMiami said, which include new cruise lines and new vessels.
Among the new line-up of ships which began sailing to the facility are Oceania Cruises’ Vista, Carnival Cruise Line’s Carnival Venezia, the Scenic Eclipse II, Crystal Cruises’ Crystal Serenity, Explora Journey’s Explora I, Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Viva; and Regent Seven Seas Cruises’ Seven Seas Grandeur.
In January 2024, Royal Caribbean Group’s Icon of the Seas, the largest cruise ship in the world, will also begin a year-round deployment from the port.
According to the port, dedicated partnerships and the development of new business have contributed to PortMiami’s post-pandemic recovery.
Since the pandemic, the port opened three new cruise terminals: Norwegian Cruise Line’s Cruise Terminal B, the Pearl of Miami; Carnival Corporation’s Cruise Terminal F; and Virgin Voyages’ Cruise Terminal V, the Palm Grove.
Currently under construction are MSC Cruises’ Terminals AA/AAA, which will open in 2024. Recently, the Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners approved Royal Caribbean Group’s new Cruise Terminal G, which is expected to open in late 2027.
Shore power – a partnership between PortMiami, its cruise partners (Carnival Corporation, MSC Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean Group, and Virgin Voyages) and Florida Power & Light Company – is also in progress. Upon completion in 2024, shore power capability will be available at five cruise terminals with the ability to plug in three ships simultaneously. Shore power will allow a cruise ship to turn off their primary engines while docked, resulting in reduced air emissions, PortMiami said.
The Marine Hotel Association’s (MHA) 2023 Symposium at Sea has kicked off from the just-christened Norwegian Viva, which sailed from Norwegian Cruise Line’s Pearl of Miami terminal on Saturday, Dec. 2 on a four-day Bahamas cruise.
Sailing from PortMiami’s Terminal B, MHA members were quick to move from curb to ship, with a priority access security line and dedicated check in area. The four-day cruise features one day at sea and port calls in Nassau and Norwegian Cruise Line’s private island, Great Stirrup Cay.
The 3,215-guest ship will serve as the host of the MHA’s event, which features sessions with cruise line decision-makers in the hotel operations, food and beverage and supply chain arena from a variety of big-ship, luxury, expedition and niche lines, plus vessel management companies.
In addition to the panel sessions, the ship is offering MHA members a look behind-the-scenes at the operation for over 3,000 guests and 1,000 crew members.
MHA attendees can also look forward to a full schedule of speed networking with cruise lines in attendance, with key personnel on hand from all four major cruise corporations: Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian and MSC.
There are more companies too, including but not limited to adventure brands such as Lindblad Expeditions and vessel management company Anglo-Eastern Leisure Management, which is overseeing multiple vessels in the polar market.
Having entered service this summer after delivery from Fincantieri, the Viva is a sister to the Norwegian Prima. Four more similar but upsized Prima ships are set to follow, with the Norwegian Aqua poised to start service in 2025.
Sailing from Miami, the Viva will reposition in December to San Juan, where she will sail week-long Eastern Caribbean itineraries through March. An April trans-Atlantic crossing positions the ship in the Mediterranean for summer 2024.
Wetravel2u's Weblog 