PORT CANAVERAL, Fla. – Port Canaveral has surpassed every other cruise terminal on the planet in annual passenger traffic, port leaders announced Tuesday, calling it a milestone driven by strong tourism demand and years of expansion.
Port CEO Capt. John Murray said the port saw 8.6 million passengers in 2025, a 13% increase from the previous year, officially making it the busiest cruise port in the world, ahead of longtime leader PortMiami.
“It’s great for the state of Florida. It’s great for our tourism, our hotels and our tax base,” Murray said.
Murray credited employees for the growth, saying the port’s success is the result of daily work behind the scenes. Port Canaveral is currently home to 18 cruise ships and handled more than 6 million tons of cargo in the past year.
“It’s a very strong business market right now,” Murray said. “We’ve been fortunate to bring in some great numbers, which I think is a testament to all the folks at Port Canaveral who do the hard work every day.”
Visitors at the port Tuesday echoed the excitement. The Triemert family, visiting from Minnesota, said they return annually to watch cruise ship departures, enjoy the beaches and catch rocket launches.
“We come every year with the in-laws,” Holly Triemert said. “We watch the boats take off, go to the beach and watch the rocket launches.”
Murray said the port is planning for further expansion, including development of a seventh cruise terminal. The project will take several years to complete.
“Costs are going up, but it’s improving the overall guest experience,” he said. “A high guest satisfaction rate brings more business.”
The growth comes as SpaceX prepares to increase drone ship traffic at the port to support additional launches, including future Starship missions. Nearby restaurants, waterfront areas and viewing spots continue to draw both cruise passengers and space enthusiasts.
Port officials also said they expect to add more parking garages due to demand, noting that roughly 75% of cruise passengers drive to Port Canaveral.