Port Canaveral CEO, Captain John Murray delivered the annual State of Port address on November 8, 2023 at Cruise Terminal 1. Central Florida’s world’s busiest cruise port has welcomed a record breaking 6.8 million cruise passengers in 2023, up from about 4 million in 2022.
Port Canaveral homeported 13 ships while receiving 906 ship calls. The port also brought in more than $191 million in operating income, up from $127 million in 2022, and a record-breaking $158 million in revenue from cruise operations. The port’s popularity continues to grow as nearly all of the major cruise lines homeport ships at Port Canaveral either seasonally or year-round.
Port Canaveral has had a substantial economic impact on the region. It has contributed $6.1 billion to the state’s economy, and provided 42,700 jobs with $2.1 billion in income. The Port has also generated $189.5 million in state and local taxes.
“This Port is an economic powerhouse in the state of Florida. Central Florida benefits immensely from our operations, with numerous jobs created, businesses thriving, and increased tourism. We play a crucial role in supporting Florida’s tourism industry,” said John Murray, CEO of Port Canaveral.
Port Canaveral is expected to break more records when it homeports 13 cruise ships, welcomes 7.3 million passengers, and receives 913 ship calls. In order to help with the rising number of passengers, the Port will invest $78 million for port-wide parking improvements along with $182 million in capital improvements. Additionally, other port improvements will include a new camp store, pavilion renovations, road paving, and RV site upgrades at the Port’s Jetty Park.
“We’re very excited for the future,” Murray said. “We have some great assets coming online in the next few years and a lot of surprises for the business as a whole.”