Port Canaveral has been ranked in the top three for busiest cruise ports in the world for many years. As more and larger cruise ships seek to make use of this strategically located home port and busy port of call, Port Canaveral is the only established cruise port in Florida with space for significant expansion as it is developing the needed cruise facilities.
Port Canaveral has opened two new cruise terminals in the last two years, Cruise Terminal 6 and the new “Smart” Cruise Terminal 1—a new $120 million, super-mega facility of 187,000 sq. ft. capable of handling the largest cruise ships in the world. In fact, Royal Caribbean International’s Oasis of the Seas will be sailing year-round from this terminal starting in November 2016.
The Port has also recently approved another $90 million for the complete remodeling and renovation of Cruise Terminals 5 and 10, making them both almost brand new and capable of handling larger capacity ships with all the amenities to enhance the cruise guest experience. Cruise Terminal 5 will be completed in spring 2016, with Cruise Terminal 10 to be complete in the fall. This will also include a new 800-car parking garage.
Next comes its “Cove” redevelopment phase anchored by its new Exploration Tower. The new development phase, already underway and scheduled to open in fall 2016, will feature 200,000 sq. ft. of new retail and entertainment venues along with a four-star full-service hotel located directly adjacent to the new Cruise Terminal 1. Future phases include an amphitheater, Jetty Park Beach Club, and the Avocet Lagoon Recreation area.
As the closest port to Orlando, with its world record of 62 million visitors, in 2014, Port Canaveral marketed the One Trip, Two Vacations, Twice the Fun to travel agents, combining a land package to Orlando or the Space Coast with a dream cruise out of Port Canaveral, and offering travel agents the opportunity to earn double commission. This proved to be very successful. So successful, that from November 2015 to November 2016, seven new cruise arrivals will complement its existing fleet, including the Carnival Victory, Carnival Magic, Disney Magic, Norwegian Spirit, Norwegian Epic, Royal Caribbean International’s Majesty of the Seas and Oasis of the Seas.
