By
Laura Hyde |
PortMiami in Florida, USA, handled 8,233,056 cruise passengers from 1 October 2023 to 30 September 2024, breaking its previous record of 7.2 million passengers set in 2022-2023.
The port also introduced shore power capabilities in June 2024 in partnership with Miami-Dade County, Florida Power & Light Company and numerous cruise lines, including Carnival Corporation, MSC Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, Royal Caribbean Group and Virgin Voyages. PortMiami is the first major cruise port on the US east coast to offer shore power at five cruise berths.
Read more: Carnival Conquest becomes first cruise ship to connect to PortMiami’s new shore power facility
The schedule for 2024-2025 cruise season at the US port is already filling up, with vessels such as Explora Journeys’ Explora II, Virgin Voyages’ Resilient Lady and Brilliant Lady, MSC Cruises’ World America, Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Aqua and Oceania Cruises’ Allura booked to sail from the port. The new MSC Cruises’ Terminal AA will also open at the west end of the port in the 2024-2025 cruise season, and construction on a new Royal Caribbean International terminal will begin in summer 2025.
Read more: Why PortMiami is important to the global cruise industry
“PortMiami continues to break records and uphold its status as the ‘Cruise Capital of the World’,” said Daniella Levine Cava, mayor of Miami-Dade County. “PortMiami has not only transformed our iconic skyline and bolstered our economy, but its ongoing commitment to creating more sustainable development ensures that our port remains a forward-thinking, future-ready gateway to the world.”