Busiest Day Ever

[3Sisters]

Port Miami has officially had its "busiest day ever" as it hosted over 67,000 cruise passengers on April 9, 2023. Known as the cruise capital of the world, Port Miami has seen some serious competition lately from Port Canaveral. Port Canaveral has recently begun overshadowing PortMiami, as it became the world's busiest passenger cruise port in February of this year. For those of you who have cruised out of either of these ports, which is your favorite and why? 

[FJB]

Not part of the Question, but I prefer the port of Baltimore- 2 hour drive from home and only one ship at a time! 

[kefthecruiser]

@3Sisters Oh, the congestion of it all! Traffic to/from the Port had to be a nightmare. I would not like to be at any port when it has a 'busiest day ever' day, whether Miami, Port Canaveral, Nassau, Cozumel, etc... Tourists, tourists, everywhere; all in a hurry and many unsure where to go!

To answer your question - my fav Florida port is actually Port Everglades as it seems to have a wider variety of itineraries (my brand loyalty spreads across 4 brands).  Then Tampa (30 minutes from the house) - for a quick booze cruise, or if I need a Cozumel fix (LOL). I then prefer Port Canaveral over Miami, simply due to traffic issues in Miami, always. Though, in the past, Miami cruises have been cheaper for comparable itineraries than the other ports. 

[3Sisters]

@FJB I haven't cruised out of the port of Baltimore before! I'm curious to hear about cruise line options, airline and parking accessibility, and standard ports of call for Baltimore departing itineraries. 

@kefthecruiser I agree that the traffic in these areas can be wild, particularly in Port Miami. When traveling to Miami, particularly the port, give yourself an extra hour. The traffic is absolutely horrid almost all of the time, even in the middle of the night it can be trafficky. I agree, I prefer to cruise out of Port Canaveral than Miami, but Port Everglades is really great too because of the diversity in itinerary options. Port Everglades can be more congested than Port Canaveral. They are all close together so sometimes cruising out of the port with the best price and itinerary you are looking for is the way to go! 

[PaulB]

That is some impressive numbers I must admit. I'm guessing that it being the busiest port, waiting times must certainly be quite annoying. I personally would prefer a quieter port so the congestion isn't as overwhelming.

[Cruising Caribbean]

@PaulB I agree that usually the business of the port could be intimidating to a newcomer, but honestly, with proper infrastructure, it's not too bad. Staggered ship entry has helped significantly with the embarkation, and disembarkation process! That's one thing I really appreciated about post-pandemic protocols. Most of the regulations were frustrating but the staggered entry has really helped smooth out the lines and entire on/off ship systems. I even noticed that the luggage delivery to the room was quicker and had a better flow than the frantic nature of it all. 

[PaulB]

As long as there is a system in place and it's all organised, then guests will be patient in comparison. The last thing people want is a bad start to proceedings as it's the first image you get and your mindset is on the wrong footing from the word go. 

[Jim Lamb]

This would definitely be Port Canaveral! Close to home and that makes it easy to get off a ship on a Monday morning and be at work in just a few hours, therefore stretching the vacay time by just a little bit more!

[Cruising Caribbean]

@Jim Lamb I love that it's so convenient for you! Cruising shorter itineraries out of Port Canaveral is probably a really great option for you and your work schedule. Which cruise line do you prefer to cruise on out of this port? I have gone on a Royal Caribbean Line ship that embarked from there many years ago. This port had nearly doubled in size and popularity since then!

[Jim Lamb]

That would be Royal! We try and cruise Royal whenever we can as their crew and ships always seem to be just nicer to us. 

[Kendall James-Vargas]

@Jim Lamb Thanks for sharing your perspective here! I agree that Royal Caribbean has also been very consistent with friendly crew members and great service. When I call and email they always respond in a timely fashion, and I don't need to question the customer service I will receive. That is a very reassuring feeling. Are you excited for Icon of the Seas? It's going to be pretty large, but I'm sure over the top packed with fun!