Port Canaveral Welcomes 4th Royal Caribbean Cruise Ship

Port Canaveral Prepares for a Big Cruise Season in 2025

Port Canaveral, the second-busiest cruise port in the world, is getting ready for an exciting year ahead. It has been breaking records and welcoming more visitors than ever before. Recently, the port celebrated a special moment—the arrival of Royal Caribbean’s Voyager of the Seas, a ship that can carry 3,600 passengers. This ship will be based at Port Canaveral for the winter season of 2024-25.

In fiscal 2024, Port Canaveral already welcomed over 7.6 million passengers, beating its earlier estimate of 7.3 million. The addition of Voyager of the Seas makes the port an even stronger hub for Caribbean cruises.

A Warm Welcome for Voyager of the Seas

On November 26, 2024, Port Canaveral held a grand ceremony for Voyager of the Seas. The port organized a maritime plaque exchange on the ship to mark its arrival. On its first trip from the port, starting November 30, 2024, the ship offered a 5-night cruise to the Eastern Caribbean. Stops included the Dominican Republic and Royal Caribbean’s private island, Labadee, Haiti.

When the ship returned from its first trip, the port held another ceremony on December 5, 2024. Captain Josep M. Ruyra was welcomed by Wayne Justice, Vice Chairman of the Canal Port Authority Commission. After the festivities, the ship left for a 4-night cruise to the Bahamas.

Voyager of the Seas will offer 4- and 5-night cruises to the Caribbean from Port Canaveral until May 3, 2025. With four Royal Caribbean ships now based at the port, over 18,000 passengers are expected to embark on cruises from the port on every sailing day.

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Record-Breaking Growth Ahead

Port Canaveral is growing fast. Even though PortMiami remains the busiest cruise port with 8.2 million passengers in 2024, Port Canaveral is closing the gap. Officials expect 8.4 million passengers in 2025.

In July 2024, Royal Caribbean’s Utopia of the Seas, the second-largest ship in its fleet, made Port Canaveral its home. The ship offers 3- and 4-night cruises to the Bahamas and will stay at the port until April 2026. Another exciting addition is the Star of the Seas, a new Royal Caribbean ship under construction that will begin sailing from Port Canaveral in summer 2025. It will offer 7-night cruises to the Eastern and Western Caribbean, bringing even more guests to the port.

More Ships, More Choices

Port Canaveral isn’t just about Royal Caribbean. Other cruise lines are also increasing their presence at the port:

• Celebrity Cruises launched the Celebrity Equinox, which will sail from the port until April 2025.
• Disney Cruise Line will introduce the Disney Treasure with its first voyage on December 21, 2024.
• MSC Cruises plans to bring its largest ship, the MSC Grandiosa, to the port in December 2025.

By 2025, 16 cruise ships will be based at Port Canaveral, with more than 1,000 scheduled calls. This expansion ensures that Port Canaveral remains one of the most popular cruise destinations in the world.