Earlier this month at Seatrade Cruise International 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 progress, future, and modifications that have been lately made to present company the absolute best expertise as they begin or finish their cruise.
Port Canaveral has grown over the previous few years to be one of many high two busiest cruise ports within the nation. They hold seesawing forwards and backwards with PortMiami because the busiest, regardless that 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 need to think about taking a cruise from the port.
New Cruise Ships
A decade in the past, when you wished to sail on the latest 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 12 months, 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 are crusing from the port this 12 months 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 can 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 the perfect” – 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, have been are a number of shuttle firms 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 12 months that may accommodate an extra 3,000 vehicles to park.
The port is simply off of I-95 and provides simple in, simple out entry. As a result of they’re the primary main cruise port on the drive south in Florida, you don’t must cope with visitors such as you do at ports in South Florida.
The port made a number of operational modifications prior to now 12 months to raise the expertise at their six cruise terminals. This helps create a smoother expertise for company who’re disembarking or embarking on their cruise.
In addition they now have groups onsite to repair something which will go improper throughout disembarkation and embarkation.
Capt. John Murray stated the next:
“A cruise might be destroyed with dangerous service from the port on the entrance finish or again finish. Last item you need is for somebody to have an incredible journey, get off the ship, and get completely annoyed getting out of the port. We take a look at ourselves being an extension of that. We don’t need them to have a nasty expertise on the port.”
Choices
Seven main cruise strains provide cruises from Port Canaveral, providing you with extra choices than ever earlier than. They’re:
- Carnival Cruise Line
- Celeb 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 company in March with 925,994 company. That is 16% larger than final March. They’re anticipating 8.4 million passenger actions this 12 months, up from 7.6 million in 2024.
Over the subsequent decade, the port is eyeing two places to construct new cruise terminals. One is between Terminal 1 (Royal Caribbean) and Terminal 3 (Carnival Cruise Line). Terminal 2 is at present utilized by Victory On line casino Cruises and their lease is up in early 2030s.
The port is at present planning on relocating the on line casino ship when their lease is up and construct a brand new terminal at that location for giant cruise ships.
Norwegian Cruise Line can be planning on including extra cruises from Port Canaveral sooner or later.
