With nearly 6.4 million cruise passengers expected to arrive this year alone, and with the expectation of even more guests in 2024, the busiest cruise port in the world, Port Canaveral, is expanding its parking.
The port’s commissioners unanimously agreed to spend $67.4 million to construct two new northside parking garages. The approved contracts will allow for an eight-level garage near Cruise Terminals 5 and 6 that will hold 1940 vehicles along with a six-level garage near Cruise Terminal 10 to hold 1081 vehicles. The garages are expected fo be completed by the end of 2024.
William Crowe, the port’s vice president of engineering, construction and facilities, said, “The garages are supposed to reach substantial completion in October 2024, with final completion in December 2024. So that meets the time frames that are needed and are very fast-tracked according to the vessel schedule that’s increasing.”
Port Canaveral currently has thirteen cruise ships that will home port during the 2023-23 winter season. That number is going to increase as high as 17 cruise ships to homeport during the 2024-25 winter season.
This number includes Royal Caribbean’s Utopia of the Seas in July 2024, Princess Cruises’ Caribbean Princess in November 2024 and Celebrity Cruises’ Equinox in December 2024. Neither Princess Cruises nor Celebrity Cruises have been based at Port Canaveral before.
The construction of the new parking garages is the largest item in the port’s capital project budget for the 2023-24 budget year. The three cruise terminals benefitting from the increased parking currently welcome cruise ships from Marella Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean International, Carnival Cruise Line, and MSC Cruises. The port is also home to Disney Cruises and will soon welcome Princess Cruises and Celebrity Cruises.