Travel

Want to take a cruise? See the ships based in South Florida for the season

It’s still November, but the winter cruise season is underway. New ships are arriving at Port Everglades and PortMiami.

In Miami, Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth has started Caribbean trips for the next six months. And Disney is basing a ship in Fort Lauderdale.

MORE: Take a look inside the Queen Elizabeth as ship makes Miami home for first time

Here’s a look at what’s happening at South Florida seaports:

Broward County

View of the Royal Caribbean's Wonder of the Seas at Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale in 2022.
View of the Royal Caribbean's Wonder of the Seas at Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale in 2022. Pedro Portal pportal@miamiherald.com

Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, South Florida’s second-busiest cruise port, is having a busy November.

The hub has hit a port record of more than 4.7 million cruise passengers in fiscal year 2025, which began Oct. 1, 2024. While based on preliminary numbers, that’s 15% greater than the 4.1 million in fiscal year 2024, a record at the time.

With a convention center undergoing remodeling and expansion nearby, and the adjacent Omni Fort Lauderdale hotel expected to open by year-end, the port could have a big year. And travel will become easier in the area: An elevated bypass through the port directly connects U.S. 1, State Road 84 and 17th Street to the convention center.

Port Everglades has eight cruise terminals, each of which offers WiFi and lots of seating. Most terminals also use facial recognition.

Three new ships are home-porting at Port Everglades. Each makes its inaugural trip in November. The cruise season goes from October through Sept. 30, 2026. In total, the port will be home to 40 ships from 9 cruise lines and 1 ferry for the season.

MORE: Will you find the secret bar on this ship? See new cruises at Broward seaport

The new ships

The Celebrity Xcel has a secret bar.
The Celebrity Xcel has a secret bar.
  • Celebrity Xcel from Celebrity Cruises
  • Disney Destiny from Disney Cruise Line
  • Star Princes from Princess Cruises

Ships until next summer

Baleària Caribbean: Jaume II

Celebrity Cruises: Celebrity Ascent, Celebrity Eclipse, Celebrity Reflection, Celebrity Silhouette, Celebrity Summit, Celebrity Xcel

Crystal: Crystal Serenity (partial)

Disney Cruise Line: Disney Destiny, Disney Dream

Holland America Line: Eurodam, Koningsdam, Nieuw Statendam, Oosterdam (partial), Rotterdam, Volendam (partial)

Princess Cruises: Caribbean Princess, Coral Princess, Enchanted Princess, Island Princess (partial), Majestic Princess, Star Princess, Sun Princess

Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection: Ilma

Royal Caribbean: Allure of the Seas, Jewel of the Seas (starting May 2026), Liberty of the Seas, Oasis of the Seas, Radiance of the Seas

Silversea: Silver Dawn, Silver Ray, Silver Shadow, Silver Spirit

Viking: Viking Mars, Viking Octantis, Viking Polaris, Viking Sky

Year-round ships

  • Allure of the Seas
  • Celebrity Reflection
  • Disney Destiny
  • Jewel of the Seas
  • Jaume II (ferry)

Miami-Dade County

An aerial view of the Cunard cruise ship Queen Elizabeth sits docked at PortMiami on Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025, in Miami. The vessel arrived around 6 a.m. and will be based in Miami for six months, offering voyages to the Caribbean. After tours and festivities, the ship is scheduled to depart later Thursday on its inaugural 12-night Caribbean cruise.
An aerial view of the Cunard cruise ship Queen Elizabeth, docked at PortMiami on Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025, in Miami. The vessel arrived around 6 a.m. and will be based in Miami for six months, offering voyages to the Caribbean. Pedro Portal pportal@miamiherald.com

PortMiami, the world’s biggest cruise hub, is looking to set another record.

In fiscal year 2024, the seaport saw 8.2 million passengers, a 13% increase from the previous year. The port doesn’t yet have any numbers out for fiscal year 2025, but expects to set another record.

In October, PortMiami welcomed Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth, home-porting in South Florida for the first time. The downtown Miami port also saw the arrival of Virgin Voyages’ new ship Brilliant Lady.

Ships until next spring

Cruisers and visitors explore the restaurants and shops on multiple levels as MSC Cruises officially named its highly-anticipated new flagship, MSC World America, at the line’s new state-of-the-art MSC Miami Cruise Terminal on Wednesday, April 9, 2025, at PortMiami.
Cruisers and visitors explore the restaurants and shops on multiple levels as MSC Cruises officially named its highly-anticipated new flagship, MSC World America, at the line’s new state-of-the-art MSC Miami Cruise Terminal on Wednesday, April 9, 2025, at PortMiami. Carl Juste cjuste@miamiherald.com

MORE: Inside a new cruise ship: 22 decks, a dozen restaurants, a mall. Take a tour

Following are ships that are home-porting in Miami through spring 2026:

Carnival Cruise Line: Celebration, Conquest, Horizon, Magic, Sunrise

Aida: AidaDiva

Cunard: Queen Elizabeth

Holland America: Zuiderdam

P&O Cruises: P&O Ventura

Princess Cruises: Crown Princess

Seabourn Cruise Line: Encore, Sojourn, Quest

Explora Journeys: Explora I, Explora II

MSC Cruises: World America, Seaside, Divina

Norwegian Cruise Line: Aqua, Encore, Getaway, Jewel (in February 2026, will dock in Tampa), Joy (sharing with Port Canaveral), Luna, Pearl

Oceania: Allura, Nautica, Insignia (Tampa in March 2026)

Seven Seas Cruises: Grandeur, Regent Mariner (partial)

Celebrity Cruises: Beyond

Royal Caribbean: Freedom of the Seas, Independence of the Seas, Icon of the Seas, Symphony of the Seas, Wonder of the Seas

Virgin Voyages: Scarlet Lady, Brilliant Lady, Resilient Lady

Cruise ship information

View of the Cunard cruise ship Queen Elizabeth's pool deck, as it sits docked at PortMiami on Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025, in Miami. The vessel arrived around 6 a.m. and will be based in Miami for six months, offering voyages to the Caribbean. After tours and festivities, the ship is scheduled to depart later Thursday on its inaugural 12-night Caribbean cruise.
A view of the Miami skyline from the pool deck of the Queen Elizabeth. Pedro Portal pportal@miamiherald.com

PortMiami: Go to the downtown Miami port’s cruise guide

Port Everglades: Go to the Fort Lauderdale port’s cruise guide.

This story was originally published November 13, 2025 at 6:01 AM.

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