According to a press release, PortMiami welcomed a record-breaking 10 cruise ships on Feb. 8.
They were the Carnival Magic, Carnival Sunrise, Zaandam, MSC Seascape, Norwegian Escape, Norwegian Gem, Sirena, Icon of the Seas, Independence of the Seas and the Scarlet Lady.
Close to 68,000 passengers were expected during the day, the port said.
“It is no surprise PortMiami and the cruise industry continue to break records,” said Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava. “PortMiami is the departure choice for all major cruise lines. As a destination, Miami-Dade is undoubtedly the centre of world cruise tourism with incredible weather, culture and unlimited options for exciting experiences.”
The 2025 season is filled with new cruise ships. Among the lineup of ships are Cunard Queen Anne (January 2025), MSC Cruises MSC World America (April 2025), Norwegian Cruise Line Norwegian Aqua (April 2025), Royal Caribbean International Wonder of the Seas (August 2025), Cunard Queen Elizabeth (October 2025), Virgin Voyages Brilliant Lady (October 2025), and Oceania Cruises Allura (November 2025).
Oceania Cruises has revealed its “largest itinerary launch to date”, with more than 350 voyages on offer across seven ships in 2024.
The line will sail in Europe, Alaska, Canada, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Africa, South America, the South Pacific, and the Caribbean. The itineraries will open for reservations on 4 May.
Oceania will position six ships in Europe in 2024. Insignia, Nautica, Marina, and Sirena will spend the majority of the season in the northern part of the continent and the western wine countries. Riviera and Vista will base in the Mediterranean to offer voyages to Spain, France, Italy, Croatia, Greece, Turkey, Malta, Israel and Egypt.
Meanwhile, Regatta, Insignia, and Nautica will offer close to three dozen explorations of Alaska, New England, Canada, Bermuda, and the US colonial south.
The regatta will reprise its Alaska season with a series of voyages to Icy Strait Point, Kodiak, Juneau, Skagway, Ketchikan, Sitka, Wrangell, Prince Rupert and Victoria. On the East Coast, Insignia and Nautica will offer sailings to Bermuda, New England, and Canada’s maritime provinces from New York City, Boston, and Montreal.
Marina will sail the entire of Latin America, as well as a diversion to Paradise Bay, Admiralty Bay, and Half Moon Island in Antarctica.
Riviera will chart its inaugural season in Asia, sailing from Arabia to India, Southeast Asia, the Philippines, Vietnam, China, South Korea, and Japan. Nautica will explore the Far East while also offering a range of voyages to South Africa, Mozambique, Mayotte, and Seychelles.
Oceania Cruises is also expanding its offerings in the South Pacific by deploying two ships in the region – Regatta and Nautica.
Caribbean, Panama Canal and Mexican sailings visit Bonaire, Dominica, Guadeloupe, and Saint Vincent along with Gustavia, Rodney Bay, Tortola, and Port Royal.
Howard Sherman, president and chief executive of Oceania Cruises, said: “Next to our reputation for serving the finest cuisine at Sea, Oceania Cruises is widely acclaimed for developing the most enticing and destination-rich itineraries in the cruise industry.
“With our 2024 collection, we have set a whole new standard for destination innovation with an astounding mix of marquee destinations and exotic new locales, blended together in creatively crafted voyage offerings.”
Oceania Cruises plans to completely revamp two of its ships, Riviera and Marina, and give them a full “stem-to-stern” overhaul.
The undertaking, which will be completed over the course of this year and next, is the next step in its ongoing OceaniaNEXT programme.
Once completed, Oceania said it would proudly deploy a fully refreshed fleet comprising brand new or “better-than-new” ships in every destination.
Oceania expects Riviera to re-enter service in December 2022 and Marina in November 2023. Each ship will accommodate 1,210 guests.
Every suite and stateroom will be renovated, while public spaces will feature a refreshed colour palette, new fabrics, furnishings and light fittings.
“At Oceania Cruises, we continue to raise the bar and elevate the guest experience at every opportunity,” said president and chief executive Howard Sherman.
He added the work would extend to new culinary concepts and “immersive new destination experiences”.
Riviera will debut on 7 December sailing a 16-day Mediterranean, Atlantic and Caribbean cruise from Rome to Miami.
It will then resume sailing seven- to 14-day trips from Miami to the Caribbean, Mexico and Central America before returning to Europe in late March 2023. An inaugural Far East season will follow in late 2023 and early 2024.
Marina, meanwhile, will return to service on 13 November 2023 sailing a seven-day cruise from Barcelona to Lisbon. From Lisbon, Marina will sail to Miami to sail its annual South America season, starting 3 December 2023. Details of Oceania’s 2024 itineraries will follow in the coming weeks.
Oceania’s other ships – Insignia, Regatta, Sirena and latterly Nautica – have all been refreshed, with Nautica returning to service on 1 April.
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