4 8 FEATURE: FLORIDA- CARIBBEAN CRUI S ING Captain John Murray, CEO of Port Canaveral “Port Canaveral is uniquely located to access a range of cruise destinations, so Eastern, Western and Southern Caribbean itineraries are very popular sailings from our port. Each year, Port Canaveral host nearly five million passengers annually through our state-of-theart terminals. Our long-standing commitment to continuous improvement and customer service excellence delivers consistently high-quality guest experiences. Cruise guests love our easy access, ample parking facilities, and efficient arrivals and departures. Five global cruise lines choose Port Canaveral to homeport some of their largest, most technically sophisticated and very popular ships which sail three-, four- and seven-night itineraries to the Caribbean and The Bahamas. Plus, Port Canaveral welcomes many portof-call vessels for day of fun exploring one of Orlando’s famous theme parks, visit the nearby NASA Kennedy Space Center, or to relax on our own uncrowded pristine Jetty Park Beach.” Four leaders explain why their ports are an ideal base for operators are the ideal base for cruise operators and guests who want to explore the Florida-Caribbean region Sailing from the Sunshine State “Cruises from Florida to the Caribbean offer travellers the chance to visit a new world, while staying close to home. It is the convenience of the trip that continues to attract guests from the USA and around the world. A study by the tourism council in Jacksonville, Florida, reported that 60 per cent of guests cruising from the Jacksonville Port Authority (JAXPORT) cited easy access as the primary reason for cruising from Jacksonville. JAXPORT has welcomed passengers from 40 states, the District of Columbia and overseas. And once visitors get a taste of what our region offers, they choose to return again and again.” Fred Wong, Chief Operating Officer at JAXPORT
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