PortMiami, the world’s busiest cruise port, has sailed to another record, totaling 12.9% more passengers in the year ended Sept. 30 as it prepares for even greater passenger numbers during the current year. Figures unveiled last week show that the port recorded 8,233,056 passenger boardings and arrivals during the year. The prior record was 7,299,294, set last year. The total was more than double the year’s total passenger count at Port Everglades, which tallied 4,010,919 departures and arrivals. Port Everglades is the third busiest port in Florida. Remaining second busiest in the state is Port Canaveral in Central Florida, which briefly displaced PortMiami as the world’s cruise capital in total passengers in 2022 but since has fallen behind. Every cruise port counts each passenger on departure and again on return to port, so the actual number of people involved is half of port totals. Still, that means that far more than 4 million people last year flooded from downtown Miami into adjacent Dodge Island to take a cruise. There should be many more passengers in the coming years. By the end of 2025, the port reports, six new liners will sail from PortMiami. Explora Journeys’ Explora II starts sailing this month, as does Virgin Voyages’ Resilient Lady. MSC Cruises’ World America and Norwegian Cruise Line’s Aqua both begin sailing in April. After that, Virgin Voyages’ Brilliant Lady sails in October and Oceania Allura begins sailing in November 2025. In the rapidly expanding seaport, the ships will also find more new terminals. MSC’s new Cruise Terminal AA will open this season and upon completion will be the world’s largest cruise terminal, capable of handling two or three massive cruise ships at one time. Meanwhile, on the port’s west end, construction is to begin in summer 2025 on Cruise Terminal G for Royal Caribbean International. County figures say port passenger and cargo operations support 340,000 jobs. Related Posts:PortMiami follows airport in breaking passenger recordsWorld’s largest cruise terminal nears PortMiami openingThree-way deal brings shore power to cruise shipsCounty floats bonds for Royal Caribbean headquartersFYI Miami: March 9, 2023The post PortMiami sets nation’s cruise passenger record appeared first on Miami Today.