Global Ports Holding is a familiar name to cruise industry insiders, since the firm enjoys long-term management contracts with 30-plus ports around the world. However, some might not realize the full scope of operations provided by its Global Ports Services (GPS) division.

GPS handles, for instance, ground services that include everything from passenger and luggage security to the loading of cruise ship provisions, setting up gangways, coordinating harbor pilots — even managing mail for crew members, among other tasks.

As 2025 winds down, the service company is looking back on the milestones it reached and the strides it made as operations continue to expand across the world. Among them is the opening of a new headquarters office in Malaga, Spain, as business in the region grows.

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“2025 has been a year of meaningful progress: expanding our reach, deepening client relationships, and delivering services that meet the rising standards of the cruise industry,” said Jordi Guillem, director of GPH Port Services. 

“We are committed to building on this momentum and continuing to provide integrated port services that bring efficiency, quality, and added value to every port call,” Guillem added.

In Barcelona, the Mediterranean’s busiest cruise port that Global Ports Holding (GPH) has managed since 2014, the services company handled five embarkations and debarkations for TUI Cruises’ newest ship, Mein Schiff Relax.

The 4,100-guest ship entered service in February 2025 as the first in the cruise line’s InTUItion class. Mein Schiff Relax is among the industry’s most technologically advanced; she is powered by liquefied natural gas, is equipped for shore-power connection, and has a thermal waste treatment system.

Port of Barcelona Attracts Cruise Ships Year-round

Barcelona is a sought-after port of call as well as an embarkation port. The destination is included on many transatlantic crossings and world voyages.

In winter 2026, several cruise ships are operating roundtrip from Barcelona, such as MSC World Europa and MSC Orchestra, while others, including Viking’s Viking Vesta, are sailing between Barcelona and Athens and Rome.

Along with its new office in Malaga, GPS notes that it managed operations for Virgin Voyages’ Brilliant Lady, including crew movements and onboard logistics after she left her shipyard.

The 2,770-guest ship was built at a Fincantieri yard in Italy, entered service in September 2025, and began sailing from PortMiami a month later.

In another first, GPS handled its initial cruise ship embarkation and debarkation at Lisbon Cruise Port.

Global Ports Holding manages key ports in the Mediterranean and Caribbean. They include facilities in Nassau, St. Lucia, and San Juan in the Caribbean.

In Europe, the company has contracts to operate the ports in Valencia and Tarragona, Spain; Messina, Sicily; Valletta, Malta; and Kusadasi, Turkey, among others.

In 2024, it completed a major construction project at the Tarragona Cruise Port, about an hour south of Barcelona. The new $6 million cruise terminal now accommodates up to four cruise ships.

It’s no surprise that traffic will be heavy around the Thanksgiving holiday, but many people think of that only with respect to driving to a relative’s home or heading to the airport. What about cruise ports?

Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, has posted an alert to raise awareness of traffic concerns that can make arriving at the cruise port more challenging than guests may realize.

“With the influx of cruise guests traveling during the Thanksgiving holiday, port users and visitors should expect traffic delays. Motorists are encouraged to allow for additional drive time until December 1st,” the alert explained.

From Wednesday, November 26, through Sunday, November 30, there are 21 cruise ships that will be making their way through Port Everglades.

While Wednesday isn’t too busy with just Viking Mars and Disney Dream in port, the weekend will get much more hectic. No ships are actually homeporting on Thanksgiving Day, but traffic picks up significantly for the holiday weekend.

On Friday, November 28, six different ships from five different cruise lines will be passing through Port Everglades:

• Holland America Line’s Rotterdam is beginning a 21-night Southern Caribbean ABC cruise
• Disney Destiny is welcoming guests for a 5-night Bahamas Disney Vacation Club sailing
• Royal Caribbean’s Liberty of the Seas and Radiance of the Seas both for 3-night Bahamas cruises
• Celebrity Reflection is beginning a 3-night Key West and Bahamas voyage
• Crystal Cruises’ Crystal Serenity is setting off on a 9-night one-way sailing to Barbados

When all six vessels are combined, there may be more than 38,500 cruise passengers passing through Port Everglades on Black Friday.

Saturday, November 29 is even busier, with seven vessels in port representing fantastic vacations from four cruise lines:

• The brand new Star Princess is setting off on a 7-night Western Caribbean itinerary
• Oasis of the Seas is beginning an 8-night Southern Caribbean voyage
• Nieuw Statendam and Koningsdam are offering 7- and 10-night Caribbean itineraries, respectively
• Celebrity Summit is offering a 5-night Bahamas getaway
• Celebrity Silhouette is beginning an 8-night Southern Caribbean ABC itinerary
• Caribbean Princess is starting a 12-night Costa Rica and Panama Canal journey

With the size of these vessels, the passenger numbers are even higher with more than 54,000 guests either returning from cruises or setting sail on their vacations.

Sunday, November 30, is slightly less frenetic with “only” six ships from four cruise lines in port.

• Eurodam is beginning a 7-night Eastern Caribbean itinerary
• Sun Princess and Majestic Princess are offering 7-night Eastern and 6-night Western Caribbean sailings, respectively
• Allure of the Seas is beginning a 6-night Western Caribbean itinerary
• Celebrity Xcel is setting off on a 7-night Eastern Caribbean cruise, while Celebrity Eclipse begins a 6-night Western Caribbean itinerary

Still, there will likely be more than 46,000 guests moving through Port Everglades on Sunday as Thanksgiving holiday traffic winds down.

Of course, arranging ride shares, taxis, or shuttles can help ease some of the anticipated weekend congestion, but travelers should still plan for extra time to reach the cruise port at the appropriate time.

Port Everglades Urges Preparation

All of this extensive cruise traffic will likely cause congestion to and from the port, including at parking facilities.

Port Everglades is urging travelers to allot extra time for their drive to ensure they reach their respective cruise terminals on time. Furthermore, guests are encouraged to have their necessary paperwork in hand as they reach the cruise port to minimize holdups.

“To expedite access into the port, have photo IDs and cruise confirmations ready when approaching the security checkpoints,” the notification said.

Guests should avoid having those critical documents in any bags, as they will need to show their paperwork to security guards in order to enter the cruise port.

Above all, travelers should be patient with any congestion or bottlenecks as they arrive for their cruise vacations. While these busy days at the homeport will undoubtedly cause stress, the wonderful sun and beaches of the Caribbean await travelers!

The 2025 Alaska cruise season was another successful year for port towns featured along the routes of many cruise lines. Juneau, Alaska, the state’s busiest cruise port, closed its season with yet another spike in passenger traffic, with a total of 1,700,842 guests arriving in town from cruise ships.

The bulk of those visitors came from larger cruise vessels, which brought 1,688,738 passengers to Juneau this year.

That’s just a 0.6 percent increase from 2024, when those vessels delivered 1,677,935 passengers.

While the year-over-year change is modest, port officials say the stability underscores Juneau’s role in major Alaskan itineraries.

Small-ship traffic also contributed to this year’s totals, with cruise lines such as UnCruise, American Cruise Lines, and Baranof Dream Cruises adding another 12,104 passengers. 

Although these vessels carry far fewer passengers than traditional cruise ships, officials note their presence extends the season into shoulder months and continues to grow as expedition and adventure-style itineraries gain popularity in Southeast Alaska.

Planning for Another Year of Growth

Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Encore closed out Juneau’s season on October 14, 2025. Now Docks & Harbors, which is responsible for managing Juneau’s port facilities, cruise berths, and waterfront operations, is turning its attention to shaping what’s ahead.

Hosting the 2025 annual Alaska Association of Harbormasters & Port Administrators (AAHPA) meeting earlier in November, planning sessions focused on how the city will handle continued high-volume cruise traffic at a time when demand remains strong and local debates over passenger numbers continue.

Much of the public debate is whether Juneau can or should place limits on cruise calls to no more than five large vessels per day and a visitor cap of 16,000 people daily, with Saturdays dropping to 12,000 cruise guests.

Those proposals have contributed to a wave of new private port development around Juneau, including Royal Caribbean’s current construction of a new two-berth cruise port, Goldbelt Aaní, on nearby Douglas Island. 

Docks & Harbors used its November meeting to discuss long-term infrastructure needs, passenger-flow management on peak days, and capital projects required to support more than 1.7 million annual visitors. The board also addressed concerns that the new ports in development could shift traffic away from downtown docks.

The board also evaluated how Juneau’s decision to nearly double cruise dockage fees beginning in 2026 could affect port revenue and cruise scheduling.

The 2026 Alaska season will begin in mid-April with Holland America Line sending Noordam as the first and one of the last ships to arrive in the Inner Passage. Juneau will welcome its first vessel of the season, Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Bliss, on April 28, 2026.