United Kingdom
United States
Asia Pacific
Florida port gets tidal wave of cruises
Disney cruises are already the best known at Port Canaveral but they’re about to get even bigger.
The largest cruise ship in the world will arrive and begin taking on passengers on Florida’s east coast next year. Then in 2011 and 2012, Disney will add two mega-ships to its fleet, and $22 million in improvements to its terminal.
“It will be a step beyond any cruise terminal in the world,” Port Canaveral CEO Stan Payne said.
With two ships already home-ported there — at a capacity of about 2,700 passengers each — the volume will take a giant leap.
The two new ships will carry 4,000 passengers each. Tom McAlpin of Disney Cruiselines said replacing the old ships – Magic and Wonder – with bigger ones necessitated the terminal changes.
“These ships are 150 feet longer than Magic and Wonder, 15 feet wider, and 3 decks taller,” he said. “So we needed a bigger terminal.”
Royal Caribbean, which operates the Sovereign of the Seas and the Mariner of the Seas, will replace both ships with bigger ones. The newest will be the Monarch of the Seas, the largest cruise ship afloat.
Mr McAlpin said this deal firmly establishes Port Canaveral as the base of Disney Cruiselines.
“We have developed port Canaveral as our home,” he said. “We think this is the home base for Disney cruise line for the very, very long term.”
David
Mark Jaronski of Explore Georgia on FIFA World Cup 2026
Connecting Small Businesses to Global Tourism Markets: Nate Huff of Tourism Exchange
North Carolina’s Resilience: Wit Tuttell on Recovery and Tourism
Kittipong Prapattong’s Plan for Thailand’s Tourism Growth: Taxes, Visas, and Campaigns
James Jin: Didatravel’s Journey from China to Global Reach and the Impact of AI on Travel
Darien Schaefer on Pensacola’s Evolution: From Small Town to Global Destination
Florida Tourism’s Next Frontier: Dana Young on Expanding Beyond the Classics
Patrick Harrison on Tampa Bay Tourism’s Resilience and Marketing Strategy
Bubba O’Keefe on Clarksdale’s Vibrant Music Scene
Commemorating Elvis and Embracing Tupelo’s Culture with Jennie Bradford Curlee
Craig Ray and the Expansion of the Blues Trail
Presenting Mississippi’s Cultural Trails with Katie Coats
BA suspending all Heathrow to Abu Dhabi flights
Turkish Airlines flight in emergency landing after pilot dies
Unexpected wave rocks cruise ship
Woman dies after going overboard in English Channel
Foreign Office issues travel advisory for winter sun destinations