Port Canaveral Forecasts 9 Million Cruise Passenger Movements in 2026

Port Canaveral is projecting about 9 million multi-day passenger movements in fiscal 2026 as cruise demand continues to climb, port CEO Capt. John Murray told community leaders during the port’s State of the Port presentation on Nov. 5.

The outlook follows a record fiscal 2025 and comes as the Canaveral Port Authority advances a large set of parking, terminal, and roadway projects intended to keep pace with higher ship calls and a growing number of homeported vessels.

Record 2025 performance sets the baseline for 2026

Port Canaveral’s fiscal year ended Sept. 30 with 1,038 cruise ship calls and 8.6 million multi-day passenger movements, a 13% increase from the prior year. Murray also pointed to a long-term milestone reached in April 2025: the port surpassed 100 million passenger movements since its first cruise sailed in 1982 aboard Scandinavian Sea.

At a Port Canaveral commission meeting, Port CFO Jeff Long said cruise passenger traffic has climbed 26% over the last two years, underscoring how quickly volumes have accelerated.

Revenue mix and local economic spillover

In fiscal 2025, Port Canaveral reported $218 million in total revenue, with cruise operations contributing $182 million, cargo contributing $25 million, and non-ship operations adding $11 million. The port has described itself as the second-busiest cruise port in the world behind PortMiami.

Murray tied the cruise business to local hotel stays, saying 27% of cruise passengers spend at least one night in a local hotel, which the port calculates as 2.3 million Brevard County room nights annually. “We have an increasing responsibility to drive economic value in our region,” Murray said, adding that growth supports jobs and local tax revenue.

2026 forecast: more ship calls, more homeported vessels

Murray projected 18 homeported cruise ships in 2026, up from 16 in 2025, with about 9 million multi-day passenger movements across 1,083 ship calls.

Financially, the port is projecting $237.4 million in total revenue for fiscal 2026. Murray said cruise ship traffic is expected to generate about $200 million in revenue next year.

Homeported lineup: major brands and new additions

Port Canaveral officials expect the 2026 homeporting mix to span multiple major cruise brands, with some vessels listed as seasonal service.

• Carnival Cruise Line is expected to include Mardi Gras, Carnival Glory, Carnival Freedom, and Carnival Vista, with seasonal calls for Carnival Venezia.
• Royal Caribbean International is expected to include Star of the Seas, Utopia of the Seas, and Harmony of the Seas, with seasonal calls for Explorer of the Seas.
• Disney Cruise Line is expected to sail Disney Treasure, Disney Wish, and Disney Fantasy from the port.
• Norwegian Cruise Line is expected to include Norwegian Prima, with seasonal service for Norwegian Joy.
• MSC Cruises is expected to include MSC Seashore, with seasonal service for MSC Grandiosa.
• Princess Cruises is expected to list Sky Princess and Caribbean Princess as seasonal.
• Celebrity Cruises is expected to list Celebrity Apex as seasonal.

Among the headline ships discussed for Port Canaveral is Royal Caribbean’s Star of the Seas, described by port officials as the world’s largest cruise ship, sailing Caribbean itineraries and featuring an AquaTheater and a new Category 6 water park.

Capital program focuses on parking, terminal capacity, and passenger flow

Murray said the Canaveral Port Authority has $255 million in capital projects planned for 2026 and $912 million mapped out over the next five years, with priorities aimed at the most visible pinch points for cruise guests: parking availability, terminal capacity, and the movement of people onto and off ships.

Parking growth: 4,500 additional spaces

Murray said Port Canaveral added 4,500 new parking spaces over the past year through garages and surface lots, including a 2,000-space garage at Cruise Terminal 6, a 1,000-space garage at Cruise Terminal 10, and 1,500 ground spaces.

Terminal projects, including expansions sized for larger ships

Planned and ongoing terminal work includes interior projects at Cruise Terminal 1 and Cruise Terminal 10. The port’s capital plan also calls for nearly doubling the size of Cruise Terminal 5 and Cruise Terminal 10 to support new homeporting vessels expected to arrive in 2027.

Port officials have also said Cruise Terminal 5 is being expanded to accommodate larger vessels and will continue operating during a 16-month construction period without interrupting scheduled ship turnarounds.

Boarding bridge redundancy and operational risk

Port Canaveral is adding a new mobile passenger boarding bridge as part of its effort to improve redundancy during peak operations. “Our boarding bridges are the weak point of our entire network,” Murray said, describing how reliance on a single gangway can create problems if equipment fails.

Road and traffic work tied to future terminal development

As passenger volumes rise, the port is working with the Space Coast Transportation Planning Organization and the Florida Department of Transportation on future plans to widen State Road 528 and replace the State Road 401 bridge. Additional traffic-flow changes are also being planned alongside modifications to George King Boulevard and Flounder Street, and Murray said the port is developing a traffic optimization plan tied to future cruise terminal development.

Port Canaveral officials have also said the port is planning to build a new cruise terminal on the southwest side, with roadway capacity and circulation framed as prerequisites as planning advances. Canaveral Port Authority Commissioner Kevin Marquee credited cruise partners for the continuing influx of newer tonnage. “Our growing number of cruise partners with their newest, largest and most technically advanced ships in the world sailing from our port shows the strength, confidence and popularity this port has earned,” Marquee said.

Cargo projects continue alongside cruise growth

While cruise is the port’s largest revenue driver, Murray said Port Canaveral is continuing cargo investments, including deepening several berths to allow access for larger vessels. “We learned from our fuel suppliers” that certain tanker sizes could not previously call because of draft limits, Murray said, describing how berth depth affects what ships can be served.

The port also commissioned a new harbor crane in October that has already been used for satellite-related work.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What milestones did Port Canaveral reach in fiscal 2025?

The port reported 8.6 million multi-day passenger movements in fiscal 2025, up 13% from the prior year, and hosted 1,038 cruise ship calls. In April 2025, it also surpassed 100 million passenger movements since Scandinavian Sea began sailing from Canaveral in 1982.

What capital projects are planned as the port prepares for 2026 and beyond?

Port CEO Capt. John Murray said the Canaveral Port Authority has $255 million in capital projects planned for 2026 and $912 million mapped out over the next five years. Projects highlighted include parking additions, terminal interior upgrades, terminal expansions, and equipment such as a new mobile passenger boarding bridge.

Which cruise lines and ships are expected to homeport at Port Canaveral in 2026?

Murray projected 18 homeported cruise ships in 2026. The lineup discussed by port officials spans brands including Carnival Cruise Line (such as Mardi Gras and Carnival Vista), Royal Caribbean International (including Star of the Seas, Utopia of the Seas, and Harmony of the Seas), Disney Cruise Line (including Disney Treasure and Disney Wish), and MSC Cruises (including MSC Seashore, with MSC Grandiosa listed as seasonal), among others.

What role does cargo play at Port Canaveral?

In fiscal 2025, cargo contributed $25 million of Port Canaveral’s $218 million total revenue. Port officials have continued to highlight cargo-focused investments such as berth deepening to accommodate larger vessels and a newly commissioned harbor crane that has already been used for satellite-related work.

With passenger movements projected near 9 million and ship calls expected to increase in fiscal 2026, port officials have said the largest projects will continue through 2026 as Port Canaveral prepares for additional new ships and terminal demands expected in 2027.