By
Laura Hyde |
PortMiami in Florida has recorded its busiest cruise year ever, after welcoming 7,299,294 cruise passengers between 1 October 2022 and 30 September 2023. This is a 6.97 per cent increase on the previous record of 6,823,816 passengers, who visited during the same period in 2018-2019.
“Congratulations to the entire PortMiami team and its partners on its busiest cruise year ever,” said Daniella Levine Cava, Miami-Dade County mayor. “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.”
The 2024 cruise season will see a new lineup of ships departing from PortMiami, including Oceania Cruises’ Vista, Costa Cruises’ Costa Venezia, Scenic Luxury Cruises and Tours’ Scenic Eclipse II, Crystal Cruises’ Crystal Serenity, Explora Journeys’ Explora I, Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Viva, and Regent Seven Seas Cruises’ newest ship Seven Seas Grandeur. Royal Caribbean International’s Icon of the Seas, the largest cruise ship in the world, will set sail from the port in January 2024.
In the past three years, PortMiami has 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. MSC Cruises’ Terminals AA/AAA are scheduled to open in 2024, while Royal Caribbean Group’s new Cruise Terminal G is expected to open in late 2027.
Shore power is expected to be available at five cruise terminals at the port in 2024. The facilities are being installed via a partnership between PortMiami, Florida Power & Light Company, Carnival Corporation, MSC Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean Group, and Virgin Voyages. They will enable three ships to plug in simultaneously.