Port Everglades Sets Record With 4.7M Cruise Passengers in FY2025

Port Everglades said it handled more than 4.7 million cruise passengers in Fiscal Year 2025, setting a new record as three newly delivered ships prepare to begin inaugural seasons from Fort Lauderdale during a tightly packed stretch of November 2025.

The preliminary total topped the port’s prior mark of 4.1 million passengers in Fiscal Year 2024, with Fiscal Year 2025 running from Oct. 1, 2024. The new passenger milestone arrives as Princess Cruises’ Star Princess, Disney Cruise Line’s Disney Destiny and Celebrity Cruises’ Celebrity Xcel join the port’s homeport lineup for the winter 2025-26 season.

Record passenger year meets a concentrated month of ship debuts

Port Everglades CEO and Port Director Joseph Morris pointed to both consumer demand and the pace of fleet investment across major cruise brands. “Cruising is more popular than ever,” Morris said, adding that new ships coming into service bring expanded dining and entertainment along with “greener fuels and impressive connectivity.”

All three ships are scheduled to operate Bahamas and Caribbean itineraries from Port Everglades for at least the winter 2025-26 season, with christenings and first guest sailings clustered across the month.

Key November 2025 dates in Fort Lauderdale

• Star Princess: Arrived at Port Everglades on Nov. 5, 2025, was named on Nov. 6, and begins sailing from Fort Lauderdale on Nov. 7 as it starts Caribbean itineraries before a planned repositioning to Alaska in 2026.
• Disney Destiny: Scheduled for a Nov. 10, 2025 christening in Fort Lauderdale (set to be livestreamed), followed by its first revenue sailing on Nov. 20, 2025 on four- and five-night itineraries to The Bahamas and the Western Caribbean.
• Celebrity Xcel: Plans call for preview sailings beginning Nov. 9, 2025, including short trips for media and travel professionals, ahead of a Nov. 16, 2025 naming at Port Everglades and a winter season of seven-night Caribbean cruises.

Star Princess launches at Port Everglades with celebrity christening

Princess Cruises’ Star Princess, the line’s second Sphere-class ship, was christened in Fort Lauderdale on Nov. 6, 2025. The 177,800-gross-ton ship is LNG-powered, listed to carry up to 4,300 guests, and is among the largest vessels in Princess Cruises’ fleet.

Camila and Matthew McConaughey served as godparents at a ceremony held inside the ship’s Princess Arena and hosted by TV personality Dawn McCoy. Instead of the traditional champagne bottle, the couple used a bottle of their Pantalones Organic Tequila, linking the event to a partnership with Princess Cruises. “It’s an honor to follow in the footsteps of past godparents and welcome Star Princess into the Princess fleet,” the McConaugheys said.

Princess Cruises President Gus Antorcha also framed the event as a major moment for the company. “Today’s naming ceremony is a milestone filled with pride and joy,” Antorcha said.

The debut celebration included a live performance by Sheryl Crow and concluded with a drone display that previewed the ship’s future Alaska plans. Star Princess first sailed a short preview voyage to The Bahamas before launching regular seven-night Caribbean itineraries. Onboard features highlighted during the ship’s rollout include a geodesic Dome designed for top-deck events and a glass-enclosed Sphere Piazza, along with redesigned public spaces, elevated dining concepts and more than 1,500 balcony suites.

Princess said the ship will operate Caribbean itineraries through spring 2026 before transiting the Panama Canal and repositioning to Seattle for its inaugural Alaska season, including seven-day Inside Passage cruises beginning in summer 2026.

Disney Destiny adds a heroes-and-villains theme as Disney grows its fleet

Disney Cruise Line’s Disney Destiny is the company’s third Wish-class ship and its first built around a heroes-and-villains theme. The LNG-powered newbuild is described as carrying up to about 4,000 passengers and measuring 144,000 gross tons.

Disney Destiny reached Florida following delivery in mid-October 2025 and a transatlantic crossing. The ship made a stop at Port Canaveral on Nov. 2, 2025, where it was greeted by Hero Minnie and more than 250 cast members, and it sounded a custom horn arrangement tied to Disney Hercules, one of the onboard entertainment productions planned for the ship.

The ship’s Fort Lauderdale christening is scheduled for Nov. 10, 2025, and its first cruise with paying guests is planned for Nov. 20. Early itineraries are built around four- and five-night cruises from Port Everglades to The Bahamas and the Western Caribbean, including stops at Disney Cruise Line’s private destinations in The Bahamas, Castaway Cay and Lighthouse Point.

Disney has also promoted ship-specific offerings that include Pride Lands: Feast of The Lion King, as well as the Broadway-style Disney Hercules show exclusive to the vessel. Separately, the company said Disney Destiny is tied to its Discover Your Destiny initiative, aimed at encouraging students to explore careers in the entertainment industry.

In a phone interview conducted shortly before the christening, Josh D’Amaro, Chairman of Disney Experiences, described the ship as part of a broader expansion push. “Our ambition in this space is delivering more ships to more destinations,” D’Amaro said, adding that Disney continues to focus on storytelling immersion onboard.

Celebrity Xcel brings Edge-class capacity and new onboard venues

Celebrity Cruises’ Celebrity Xcel, the line’s fifth Edge-class ship, is scheduled to be named at Port Everglades on Nov. 16, 2025. Celebrity said the christening will be led by chef Jana na Torres, named Best Female Chef in the World 2024 by World’s 50 Best.

The ship’s debut schedule includes a short preview cruise beginning Nov. 9, followed by additional short sailings aimed at media and travel professionals before the start of its winter Caribbean program. Celebrity Xcel is listed at about 3,250 guests.

From Fort Lauderdale, Celebrity Xcel is set to operate seven-night Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries during the winter season. The ship is also slated to reposition to Europe in spring 2026.

Celebrity has highlighted a mix of updated public spaces and new venues on Celebrity Xcel, including upgraded pool areas, a neon-lit arcade lounge, and the brand’s first-ever Flagship Store offering exclusive mementos, alongside updated spa facilities and reimagined entertainment spaces. The company has also pointed to advanced environmental technology as part of the ship’s design, and noted that Edge-class sister ships have helped establish Port Everglades as a key hub for the brand.

Port access projects target congestion around terminals and the convention district

Alongside the new ship activity, Broward County has emphasized transportation and visitor-district projects designed to improve access around Port Everglades and the surrounding tourism corridor.

A central project is the elevated Convention Center Connector (Bypass Road), which links U.S. 1 (Federal Highway), State Road 84 and SE 17th Street to the Broward County Convention Center area, offering a route that avoids passing through port security checkpoints. At a ribbon-cutting for the connector and the expanded convention center, Broward County Commissioner Tim Ryan Furr said, “This connector is a crucial piece of infrastructure that will ease congestion, improve access and support the continued growth of our Convention Center district.”

The county has also pointed to the ongoing expansion of the Broward County Convention Center, described as providing more than 1.2 million square feet of event space, and the expected opening of the Omni Fort Lauderdale Hotel near the district.

More capacity on the horizon

Port Everglades’ homeport roster is expected to expand again in late 2026, when Royal Caribbean plans to base Legend of the Seas at the port starting in November 2026. The ship is described as the cruise line’s third Icon-class vessel, with capacity exceeding 5,600 passengers, and is expected to be the largest cruise ship to sail from Port Everglades.

Before that milestone arrives, Port Everglades’ 2025-26 winter season will be shaped by the first Fort Lauderdale deployments for Star Princess, Disney Destiny and Celebrity Xcel, with the port also betting that road upgrades around the convention district will make moving through the area easier during peak travel periods.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What are the itineraries for Star Princess from Port Everglades?

Princess Cruises said Star Princess will begin with seven-night Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries from Fort Lauderdale through spring 2026. The ship is then scheduled to transit the Panama Canal and reposition to Seattle for an inaugural Alaska season in summer 2026, including seven-day Inside Passage cruises.

What makes Disney Destiny different from other Wish-class ships?

Disney Destiny is positioned as the first Wish-class ship with a heroes-and-villains theme. Disney has highlighted onboard offerings that include Pride Lands: Feast of The Lion King and the Broadway-style Disney Hercules show exclusive to the vessel, along with itineraries that include Castaway Cay and Lighthouse Point.

Who is scheduled to christen Celebrity Xcel?

Celebrity Cruises said Celebrity Xcel will be christened by chef Jana na Torres, named Best Female Chef in the World 2024 by World’s 50 Best.

What is the Convention Center Connector at Port Everglades?

The Convention Center Connector (Bypass Road) is an elevated roadway linking U.S. 1, State Road 84 and SE 17th Street to the Broward County Convention Center area, providing an access route that avoids port security checkpoints. County leaders have said it is intended to reduce congestion and improve access to the district.

What’s next for Port Everglades after the winter 2025-26 season?

Royal Caribbean has announced that Legend of the Seas, described as its third Icon-class ship with capacity exceeding 5,600 passengers, will homeport at Port Everglades starting in November 2026. The ship is expected to be the largest cruise ship to sail from the port.