PortMiami, known as the “Cruise Capital of the World,” recently celebrated its busiest passenger day ever, highlighting the flourishing cruise industry. On April 9, the port achieved a historic milestone by welcoming over 60,000 cruise ship passengers in a single day.
Previously recognized as the world’s busiest cruise port, PortMiami had temporarily relinquished that title to its northern counterpart, Port Canaveral, situated near Orlando, Florida.
However, PortMiami reclaimed its position by setting a new record on April 9, 2023, with an astounding 67,594 cruise ship passengers passing through its numerous cruise terminals. The port proudly announced this achievement on May 16, stating that it marked their busiest day ever.
PortMiami expressed gratitude to their cruise partners, pilots, law enforcement personnel, security staff, porters, housekeeping team, and all dedicated port workers who contributed to this significant milestone.
This remarkable feat follows another record-breaking day on February 12, 2023, when PortMiami hosted 58,984 passengers, surpassing the previous record set on December 9, 2018, with 55,819 passengers in a single day.
Although PortMiami is widely renowned as the world’s busiest cruise port, it recently faced competition from Port Canaveral, a neighboring port in Florida. The Florida Ports Council released the 2022 passenger totals earlier this year, revealing that Port Canaveral welcomed over 4 million guests, surpassing PortMiami’s impressive figures by a slight margin.
At the beginning of the year, Port Canaveral experienced a slow start due to cruise lines limiting guest capacity amid health and safety restrictions. However, as cruise travel made a comeback, the port quickly gained momentum. Its proximity to Orlando and the earlier relaxation of local community restrictions compared to densely populated South Florida communities allowed Port Canaveral to edge past PortMiami.
In 2022, Port Canaveral witnessed a total of 4,072,396 multi-day cruise guests, slightly surpassing PortMiami’s count of 4,022,544 multi-day guests. Despite Port Canaveral’s recent ascension to the title of the busiest cruise port, PortMiami remains a close contender.
During the fiscal year’s first half, from October 1, 2022, to May 1, 2023, PortMiami welcomed an impressive 4.81 million guests, demonstrating a substantial increase compared to the previous year’s passenger numbers.
This significant surge in passengers can be primarily attributed to the bustling October to May period, known as the peak season in the cruise industry. During this time, visitors seeking warm-weather getaways flock to PortMiami to embark on Caribbean cruises offered by various major cruise lines operating from the port.
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