Port Everglades Logs Record 5.38 Million Cruise Passengers for Third Year Running

Port Everglades handled more than 5.38 million cruise passengers in fiscal year 2026, setting a new annual record for the third consecutive year.

The Fort Lauderdale, Florida port confirmed the figure as it prepares for a new season with additional vessels, upgraded facilities and expanded passenger services. Growth is not slowing into the next cycle either. The port expects to host nine cruise lines and 40 cruise ships during the coming season.

Which operators are calling at Port Everglades?

The confirmed line-up for the new season includes:

• Royal Caribbean
• Celebrity Cruises
• Disney Cruise Line
• Princess Cruises
• Holland America Line
• Cunard
• Crystal
• Viking Ocean Cruises
• Orient Express Sailing Yachts

That roster brings several new additions to the port's homeporting operations. Royal Caribbean's Legend of the Seas, an Icon-class ship with capacity for up to 7,600 guests, is scheduled to arrive in November and will homeport at Port Everglades for the 2027 season.

Two more vessels join the programme. The newbuild Orient Express Corinthian enters the port's cruise schedule, alongside Crystal's refurbished Crystal Symphony, which accommodates 606 guests.

The spread matters commercially. A 7,600-guest Icon-class homeport call and a 606-guest refurbishment in the same season show the port is pulling volume from both ends of the market — mass-market mega-ships and luxury small ships — at the same time.

What has changed on the ground?

Port Everglades has completed improvements to Cruise Terminal 18, which originally opened in 2009. The terminal has received a refreshed exterior, redesigned embarkation areas and additional passenger facilities.

The works include more open interior spaces, new furniture and updated artwork in the VIP lounge. The port has also expanded parking capacity near the terminal, adding more than 850 spaces and bringing the total across its garages and parking areas to 6,386.

The stated purpose is straightforward: support passenger operations as cruise activity keeps expanding. More berthed ships and bigger vessels put pressure on embarkation flow and landside access, and the terminal and parking upgrades are the port's answer to that pressure.

Who is running cruise operations now?

The port has appointed Martin Jackson as Director of its newly established Cruise Services Division. Jackson previously served as Assistant Director of the Cruise Services Section and joined the port in January 2025.

The appointment follows approval of the fiscal year 2027 budget by the Broward County Board of County Commissioners. According to Joseph Morris, CEO and Port Director of Port Everglades, the organisational changes are designed to maintain service standards while supporting future growth.

Jackson set out his operating philosophy in his own words. "Operational consistency earns trust, both internally and with our guests and customers, while continuous improvement ensures we are always making progress and moving ideas, vision, and strategy forward," said Jackson, Director of the Cruise Services Division at Port Everglades.

What comes next?

The port has also released its 2027–2028 Cruise Guide, outlining upcoming sailings and itineraries for the new season. With Legend of the Seas arriving in November, a 40-ship schedule and terminal capacity now expanded, Port Everglades enters the 2027 season positioned to push the passenger record streak toward a fourth straight year.