Tag Archives: port

Carnival Cruise Line Celebrates 35 Years at Port Canaveral

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Carnival Cruise Line Celebrates 35 Years at Port Canaveral

Carnival Cruise Line marked 35 years of cruises from Central Florida with a special celebration aboard its Mardi Gras on Saturday.

Carnival began sailing from Port Canaveral in 1990, and has grown its operations over the years to homeport more ships than any other cruise line and embark more than 1.2 million guests from the port annually, the company said in a press release.

To commemorate the anniversary and longstanding partnership, Carnival hosted an onboard celebration. The event included several members of the community, such as leaders from the Canaveral Port Authority, the United States Coast Guard, and Brevard County.

David German, Port Canaveral’s vice president of cruise business development, presented Carnival with a framed Canaveral Port Authority Board of Commissioners proclamation, documenting the special resolution the board passed this week to recognize the economic growth created by the 35-year relationship.

The cruise line also announced the charitable donation of a hybrid pickup truck that will support the work of Keep Brevard Beautiful, a non-profit organization dedicated to environmental conservation in the area.

The donation coincides with the weekend of World Ocean Day, emphasizing Carnival’s commitment to sustainability and environmental stewardship.

Carnival, which homeports four ships year-round and another ship seasonally at Port Canaveral, recently announced it will enhance offerings further by deploying its next new ship to the port. Sister ship to the Mardi Gras, the Carnival Festival is now under construction and will bring all new features into the Carnival fleet, including music-themed zones and the cruise line’s largest-ever water park, when it debuts in 2027.

Pick up truck

“Port Canaveral has been a cornerstone of Carnival’s success for 35 years,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line. “We’re proud to celebrate this incredible milestone alongside the community that has been such an essential part of our growth. Our exciting growth continues with the opening of Celebration Key next month, our exclusive destination that will really be a game-changer for us and for our guests.”

The Carnival Vista, which is homeported in Port Canaveral, will make the first official visit to Celebration Key for the destination’s grand opening. All Carnival ships sailing from Port Canaveral offer sailings that visit Celebration Key on Grand Bahama, which will offer guests the ultimate day in paradise.

With over 300 annual departures from Port Canaveral, Carnival guests contribute an estimated $450 million in economic impact to the region before and after cruises.

“We are proud to celebrate Carnival Cruise Line’s 35th anniversary of sailing from Port Canaveral and humbled by what this milestone represents,” said Capt. John Murray, Port Canaveral CEO. “From the inaugural sailing of the TSS Carnivale in 1990 to having five year-round and seasonal vessels in their homeported fleet today, Carnival Cruise Line is our longest continuous cruise business relationship, contributing economic value over the decades for our Port community, the Central Florida region and our state.”

PortMiami Posts Busiest Cruise Year in History

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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.