PortMiami and Port Everglades have reported record-breaking passenger numbers for fiscal year 2024 as cruisers returned to the high seas en masse following the pandemic.
PortMiami, the nation’s busiest cruise port and often called the “Cruise Capital of the World,” has set a new record with an astounding 8.2 million cruise passengers in fiscal year 2024, marking a 12.79% increase from the previous year’s record.
Meanwhile, Port Everglades in Broward County has also surpassed its previous records, welcoming 4,010,919 cruise passengers in the same fiscal year. This represents a remarkable 39% growth in passenger numbers and a 23% increase in cruise ship calls compared to the previous year, demonstrating the port’s rapid recovery and expansion. Of note, Port Everglades achieved passenger records with just 648 calls, highlighting the growing size of cruise ships.
Both ports’ fiscal years run from October 1 through September 30.
“Cruising is in high demand, and our cruise line partners are poised for greater gains with new itineraries and a variety of sailing dates,” said Joseph Morris, CEO and Port Director of Port Everglades.
Both ports are looking ahead to even more growth. PortMiami is preparing to welcome several new cruise ships in the upcoming 2024-2025 season, including vessels from Explora Journeys, Virgin Voyages, MSC Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line, and Oceania. The port is also expanding its infrastructure, with MSC Cruises’ new Cruise Terminal AA set to become the world’s largest cruise terminal.
Meanwhile, Port Everglades expects the new record to be short-lived, with a whopping 4.4 passengers expected across its terminals in FY2025.
PortMiami also launched its shore power project in June, allowing cruise ships to plug into landside electrical power while docked, reducing emissions and noise. This initiative, a collaboration between the port and major cruise lines, positions PortMiami as the first major cruise port on the U.S. eastern seaboard to offer shore power capability at five cruise berths.
Port Tampa Bay has resumed vessel operations and our port’s shipping channels are officially re-opened, with vessel movements restricted to daylight hours, the port announced on Saturday.
Throughout the storm, Port Tampa Bay coordinated with federal, state, and local agencies, as well as the maritime community, to respond to the impacts of Hurricane Milton.
In coordination with the Port Heavy Weather Advisory Group, and following detailed assessments of the port, waterways, and channels, the U.S. Coast Guard has reopened the port and set the port condition to normal, with a daylight hour restriction and one-way travel. Port staff fully assessed the docks, wharves, and terminals for safety.
Some of the first vessels to return will be fuel tankers, cruise ships and vessels carrying perishable cargo.
There will be changes to the following cruise schedules: Carnival Paradise, Royal Caribbean Serenade of the Seas, Royal Caribbean Grandeur of the Seas, Royal Caribbean Enchantment of the Seas and Margaritaville at Sea Islander.
For its first full winter season since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Celebrity Cruises is deploying a total of nine ships in the Caribbean. In addition to the new Celebrity Beyond, two other Edge-Class ships and four Solstice-Class vessels will be sailing in the region during the winter.
The season will also see the premium brand offering varied itineraries in Australia, South America, the West Coast and the Galapagos.
Cruise Industry News looked into the company’s full deployment for the Winter of 2022-2023. Here’s the breakdown:
Caribbean and Bahamas
Celebrity Millennium Capacity (at 100% Occupancy): 1,950 guests Built: 2000 Homeports: San Juan (Puerto Rico) and Fort Lauderdale (United States) Length: Three to ten nights Itineraries: Seven-night cruises to Southern and Eastern Caribbean departing from San Juan, in addition to varied itineraries departing from Fort Lauderdale in December and January Sailing Season: October 15 to April 15
Celebrity Summit Capacity (at 100% Occupancy): 1,950 guests Built: 2001 Homeports: Miami (United States) Length: Four and five nights Itineraries: Short cruises to Key West, Mexico, the Bahamas and more Sailing Season: October 27 to April 22
Celebrity Silhouette Capacity (at 100% Occupancy): 2,886 guests Built: 2011 Homeport: Miami (United States) Length: Four to ten nights Itineraries: Short cruises to Key West, Mexico and the Bahamas, in addition to ten-night voyages to Eastern Caribbean visiting St. Croix, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, St. Kitts and more Sailing Season: November 3 to April 10
Celebrity Beyond Capacity (at 100% Occupancy): 3,260 guests Built: 2022 Homeport: Fort Lauderdale (United States) Length: Five to eight nights Itineraries: Western and Eastern Caribbean visiting St. Thomas, St. Maarten, Mexico, Dominican Republic, Honduras and more Sailing Season: November 4 to April 16
Celebrity Constellation Capacity (at 100% Occupancy): 1,950 guests Built: 2002 Homeport: Tampa (United States) Length: Five to ten nights Itineraries: Southern, Western and Eastern Caribbean sailing to Panama, Mexico, St. Maarten, Colombia, Aruba, Curaçao, Bonaire, Grand Cayman and others Sailing Season: November 6 to April 7
Celebrity Edge Capacity (at 100% Occupancy): 2,900 guests Built: 2018 Homeport: Fort Lauderdale (United States) Length: Four to 11 nights Itineraries: Southern Caribbean and Panama Canal visiting St. Maarten, Antigua, Barbados, St. Lucia, Bonaire, Curaçao, Aruba and more Sailing Season: November 7 to April 7
Celebrity Apex Capacity (at 100% Occupancy): 2,900 guests Built: 2020 Homeport: Fort Lauderdale (United States) Length: Six to eight nights Itineraries: Western and Eastern Caribbean visiting Mexico, Grand Cayman, Belize, Puerto Rico, St. Kitts and more Sailing Season: November 12 to April 15
Celebrity Reflection Capacity (at 100% Occupancy): 3,030 guests Built: 2012 Homeport: Fort Lauderdale (United States) Length: Five to eight nights Itineraries: Western, Eastern and Southern Caribbean visiting Aruba, Jamaica, Mexico, Bahamas, Grand Cayman, St. Maarten, St. Thomas and more Sailing Season: November 13 to April 16
Celebrity Equinox Capacity (at 100% Occupancy): 2,850 guests Built: 2009 Homeport: Fort Lauderdale (United States) Length: Nine to 11 nights Itineraries: Southern, Western and Eastern Caribbean visiting Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao, Barbados, Martinique, Antigua and more Sailing Season: Year-round
Australia and New Zealand
Celebrity Eclipse Capacity (at 100% Occupancy): 2,850 guests Built: 2010 Homeport: Sydney (Australia) Length: Three to 13 nights Itineraries: Varied itineraries visiting New Zealand, Fiji, the Great Barrier Reef, Tasmania, Tonga and more Sailing Season: October 22 to April 19
South America
Celebrity Infinity Capacity (at 100% Occupancy): 1,950 guests Built: 2001 Homeports: Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), Buenos Aires (Argentina) and Valparaiso (Chile) Length: Nine to 14 nights Itineraries: Brazil, Patagonia, Antarctica, Falklands and more Sailing Season: December 12 to April 4
West Coast
Celebrity Solstice Capacity (at 100% Occupancy): 2,850 guests Built: 2008 Homeport: Los Angeles (United States) Length: Seven and eight nights Itineraries: Mexican Riviera and Pacific Coast visiting Cabo San Lucas, Catalina Island, Mazatlán, Puerto Vallarta, Monterey, San Francisco, San Diego, Santa Barbara and more Sailing Season: September 24 to April 22
Galapagos
Celebrity Flora Capacity (at 100% Occupancy): 100 guests Built: 2019 Homeport: Baltra (Ecuador) Length: Seven nights Itineraries: Galapagos Expeditions sailing to Rabida Island, Puerto Egas, Elizabeth Bay, Las Bachas and others Sailing Season: Year-round
Celebrity Xploration Capacity (at 100% Occupancy): 16 guests Built: 2007 Homeport: Baltra (Ecuador) Length: Seven nights Itineraries: Galapagos expeditions visiting Black Turtle Cove, Sullivan Bay, Calega Tagus, Punta Espinoza and more Sailing Season: Year-round
Celebrity Xpedition Capacity (at 100% Occupancy): 100 guests Built: 2001 Homeport: Baltra (Ecuador) Length: Seven nights Itineraries: Galapagos expeditions visiting North Seymour, South Plaza, Santa Fé Island, Puerto Ayora, Bahia Post Office and more Sailing Season: Year-round
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