Port Everglades is riding the wave of back-to-back passenger records, as it looks ahead to an expected 4.4 million cruise guests during the 2025 financial year. South Florida’s busiest turnaround port will receive five cruise ships throughout the summer, which has typically been a slower time of the year for the port. “Cruising is in high demand, and our cruise line partners are poised for greater gains with new itineraries and a variety of sailing dates,” says Joseph Morris, CEO and port director at Port Everglades. This summer, the third-busiest cruise homeport in the world by passenger numbers will welcome Celebrity Cruises’ Celebrity Reflection, Disney Cruise Line’s Disney Dream, Princess Cruises’ Enchanted Princess, and Royal Caribbean International’s Jewel of the Seas and Oasis of the Seas. For guests looking for a day or overnight trip, Baleária Caribbean offers a near-daily ferry service from Port Everglades to The Bahamas. The growing variety of itineraries and cruise lines available to guests sailing from Port Everglades comes as US cruising is experiencing a surge in popularity. “The American Automobile Association (AAA) echoed our projections in a survey that found 19 million Americans are expected to cruise in 2025,” says Morris. “That is 4.5 per cent more people than last year.” Results for Port Everglades suggest a similar uplift in cruise numbers. In one financial year from 2023 to 2024, passenger counts grew 39 per cent and cruise ship calls rose 23 per cent as the popularity of Caribbean cruising surged. Last financial year saw 4.01 million cruise guests travel through Port Everglades, much higher than the port’s original record, which was set in 2014 with 3.88 million guests. A major reason for this success is how easily cruise guests can access Port Everglades. Highways feed into the port and three international airports in the area, including Fort LauderdaleHollywood International Airport, which is two miles from the cruise terminal. Cruise line partners are therefore able to offer shorter travel time to Caribbean destinations, along with a range of pre- and post-cruise experiences curated by Visit Lauderdale. Joseph Morris of Port Everglades discusses with Alex Smith why the South Florida destination is seeing a surge in popularity Breaking records in Florida NORTH AMERICA: INTERVIEW Around 4.01 million cruise passengers visited Port Everglades in 2024 Photo: Port Everglades “ Our cruise line partners are poised for greater gains” 187
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