PortMiami Tops 1 Million Cruise Passengers in November for First Time

PortMiami topped one million cruise passengers in a single month for the first time in its history in November 2025, reporting 1,007,325 guests moving through its cruise terminals.

Port officials marked the milestone publicly on social media, calling November a “record-breaking, history-making” month and adding in another post, “Last month was hard to beat!” The record arrived shortly after PortMiami lost the “world’s busiest cruise port” title at the close of the fiscal year in October, when Port Canaveral moved ahead, although port executives have expressed optimism about potentially reclaiming the designation in 2026.

How PortMiami reached a million-passenger month

The November figure reflects the scale of large-ship deployments and tightly scheduled turnaround operations now concentrated in Miami. With multiple high-capacity ships homeported and sailing on overlapping schedules, monthly totals can surge quickly as the port processes both disembarking and embarking passengers within narrow time windows, alongside provisioning and ground transportation demand.

Large homeported ships that helped drive volume

PortMiami’s passenger counts have been boosted by some of the largest ships operating from the port, including:

• Icon of the Seas, homeported with a reported size of 248,700 gross tons and capacity of 7,600 guests.
• MSC World America, homeported with a reported size of 216,700 gross tons and capacity of 6,762 guests.
• Carnival Celebration, homeported with a reported size of 183,500 gross tons and capacity of 6,631 guests.
• Norwegian Encore, homeported with a reported size of 169,120 gross tons and capacity of 4,000 guests.

A record day: 75,201 passengers on Nov. 30

PortMiami’s busiest month also included its busiest day on record. On November 30, 2025, the port processed 75,201 cruise passengers, with 10 ships from seven cruise lines calling the same day.

The ships listed for the November 30 call included:

• Symphony of the Seas was among the 10 vessels in port during the record-setting day.
• Independence of the Seas was part of the multi-ship lineup that helped push the daily total to 75,201 passengers.
• Azamara Onward was included in the day’s schedule as PortMiami handled traffic from seven cruise lines.
• Scarlet Lady called during the same high-volume day when 10 ships were in port.
• Norwegian Aqua was listed among the ships contributing to the Nov. 30 passenger record.
• MSC Divina was part of the 10-ship call that set PortMiami’s single-day passenger mark.
• Celebrity Beyond was included in the set of ships in port as the daily total reached 75,201.
• Carnival Sunrise called during the record day and also appeared in PortMiami’s early January 2026 traffic outlook.
• Carnival Horizon was on the Nov. 30 list and later appeared in the port’s early January 2026 lineup.
• Carnival Celebration was listed on the record-day roster, underscoring how high-capacity vessels can swing daily totals.

Beyond that single date, PortMiami experienced frequent multi-ship days in November, including at least 12 days when six or more cruise ships were in port at the same time.

Congestion and roadwork around the terminals

The surge in cruise traffic has also increased attention on the trip to and from PortMiami’s terminals. Construction and roadway projects in and around downtown Miami, including within the port area, have contributed to congestion, detours, and longer travel times.

Some passengers have described delays lasting one to two hours or more, including travelers staying in hotels near the port. Major events in the city, including parades, concerts, art festivals, and marathons, can further restrict traffic flow around PortMiami access routes.

Early January 2026: Carnival advisory and back-to-back high-volume days

The pressure of multi-ship operations carried into early 2026, with Carnival Cruise Line warning guests about delays for January 4 and January 5 sailings from Miami. In a notice sent January 3, Carnival told guests PortMiami would be handling a “high number of ships” while construction was underway in and near the port, and advised travelers to allow extra time to reach their terminal within their scheduled arrival appointment.

January 4, 2026: 10 ships in port

Carnival’s advisory covered January 4, when 10 ships were scheduled in PortMiami. Carnival Celebration and Carnival Magic were among the vessels turning around that day, alongside ships from several other lines.

Using the capacities cited in the advisory, Carnival Celebration (6,500 passengers) and Carnival Magic (4,724 passengers) could account for up to 11,224 guests per sailing moving through the port across disembarkation and embarkation activity.

January 5, 2026: nine ships in port

PortMiami was set for another high-traffic day on January 5, with nine ships scheduled. Carnival Conquest, Carnival Horizon, and Carnival Sunrise were among the ships slated to call that day, alongside vessels from Royal Caribbean, Norwegian Cruise Line, MSC Cruises, and smaller brands.

Based on the capacities provided for those three Carnival ships, Carnival Conquest (2,980 passengers), Carnival Horizon (4,977 passengers), and Carnival Sunrise (2,984 passengers) could bring a combined maximum of 10,941 guests per sailing through the port’s terminals across disembarkation and embarkation activity.

After the January 4 and January 5 surge, PortMiami’s schedule was expected to ease briefly before another busy day on January 10, when eight ships were anticipated in port at the same time.

Planning for peak turnaround periods

For travelers sailing out of Miami during heavy turnaround windows, the pattern is consistent: multi-ship days can compress thousands of arrivals, departures, and vehicle movements into the same morning and early afternoon periods. Carnival also pointed guests to its optional text alerts for real-time updates tied to a specific sailing.

With November 2025 delivering both a record monthly passenger total and a record daily count, PortMiami entered 2026 with continued high-volume cruise activity, and travelers departing in peak periods may want to factor construction-related detours and the possibility of extended traffic delays into their terminal arrival plans.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How many cruise passengers did PortMiami handle in November 2025?

PortMiami reported 1,007,325 cruise passengers in November 2025, the first time it has exceeded one million passengers in a single month.

What is PortMiami’s single-day cruise passenger record?

PortMiami set a daily record of 75,201 cruise passengers on November 30, 2025, when 10 cruise ships from seven cruise lines were in port.

What factors helped PortMiami reach the 1-million-passenger milestone?

The milestone was linked to the concentration of large, high-capacity ships homeported in Miami, including Icon of the Seas, MSC World America, Carnival Celebration, and Norwegian Encore, along with frequent multi-ship operating days. PortMiami also recorded at least 12 days in November when six or more cruise ships were in port at the same time.

Why did Carnival warn guests about delays in early January 2026?

Carnival Cruise Line told guests embarking January 4 and January 5, 2026, to expect heavier traffic and possible detours because PortMiami would be handling a “high number of ships” while construction was underway in and around the port area, and advised travelers to allow extra time to reach their terminal within their scheduled arrival appointment.

How has construction affected passengers traveling through PortMiami?

Construction projects in and around PortMiami, including roadway work in the downtown area and within the port, have contributed to congestion and detours. Some passengers have reported traffic delays of one to two hours or more, and major city events such as parades, concerts, art festivals, and marathons can further restrict access routes.