Gotta Go Orlando
- Jan 4

Central Florida's Port Canaveral Voted Best US Cruise Homeport of 2023

Port Canaveral has done it again, retaining it's crown as Top Homeport in the United States for the fourth consecutive year.

Central Florida’s Port Canaveral has been named the Best US Homeport for 2023 in the annual Cruise Hive Awards for the fourth consecutive year.

Nearly 20 ports in total competed for the annual honor, with Port Canaveral earned 34% of the vote, more than twice the votes of second-place finisher Port Miami.

The Cruise Hive Awards have been an annual feature since 2014. Voting opened on October 1, 2023, and closed on Friday, December 22.

The Cruise Hive Awards make the second milestone for Port Canaveral in 2023. In February 2023, the Florida Ports Council announced that the port – east of Orlando on the state’s Atlantic coast - had 4.07 million multi-day passengers in 2022. That topped Miami’s total of 4.02 million, making Port Canaveral the world’s busiest cruise port for 2022. That designation was reversed this December when Port Miami regained the title for 2023.

Port Canaveral is home to many of the industry’s top cruise lines, including Carnival Cruise Line, Disney Cruise Line, Norwegian Cruise Line, MSC Cruises, and Royal Caribbean International. It offers easy access to more than 50 destinations, including the Caribbean, Bahamas, and Eastern and Western Mexico.

Guests traveling through the port laud its short transfer time from Orlando International Airport and the parking availability. Its proximity to Walt Disney World, Universal Studios Florida, and SeaWorld Orlando makes it a convenient port for family vacationers.

Located 45 miles east of Orlando, Port Canaveral initially opened in 1953 and primarily served Florida’s commercial fishing industry. In the 1960s, it took on an important role in America’s space program as the homeport for the nearby Kennedy Space Center.

In 1982, Port Canaveral opened its first dedicated cruise terminal. Carnival Cruise Line homeported its first ship there in 1990, followed by Disney Cruise Line in 1998, and Royal Caribbean in 2000. “We’re very excited for the future,” said Capt. John Murray, Port Canaveral CEO, at November 2023’s State of the Port address. “We have some great assets coming online in the next few years and a lot of surprises for the business as a whole.” For 2024, officials at Port Canaveral project its terminals will homeport 13 cruise ships, host 7.3 million passengers and expect 913 ship calls.

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