MSC Cruises is bringing new life to one of its older ships, giving the MSC Magnifica a facelift that will wow passengers in 2026.
The cruise line just announced its 93,330-gross-ton ship, which debuted in 2010 as the fourth and final Musica Class ship, will undergo its most extensive dry-dock refurbishment in a decade.
Included in the plans? The addition of the MSC Yacht Club, MSC Cruises’ “ship within a ship” luxury, all-inclusive section of select ships.
These offer private suites, lounges, and pool areas for guests seeking a more exclusive cruise experience, the largest found on the new MSC World America.
Until the debut on MSC Magnifica, the MSC Yacht Club has never been featured from Warnemunde, Germany, to destinations in the Baltic and Scandinavia, nor on the company’s World Cruise sailings.
That will change aboard MSC Magnifica, which revealed it will return to service in time for a Baltic cruise departing from Germany on May 16, 2026.
The Yacht Club will also be available on the 2027 MSC World Cruise, a 121-night journey across 25 countries.
“The MSC Yacht Club is one of our most highly regarded products, loved by guests for its outstanding level of service, elegant spaces, and exclusive facilities, so we are proud to be bringing this to MSC Magnifica,”said Gianni Onorato, CEO of MSC Cruises.
Onorato said the planned remodel will be the largest the cruise line has undertaken, and includes significant enhancements such as the addition of a new MSC Aurea Spa and MSC Gym Powered by Technogym.
The dry dock will take place in Malta’s Palumbo Shipyard in October and November 2025.
Renovation Unveiled
The MSC Yacht Club on the 3,223-passenger MSC Magnifica will occupy five decks and feature 63 suites in five categories, including ocean-view and connected balcony options for families.
A standout among them will be the Royal Suite, which accommodates six guests and includes a private whirlpool and a 840-square-foot terrace with panoramic views.
Each suite will include marble-finished bathrooms, a Nepresso machine, a complimentary minibar, embroidered towels, and 24-hour room service.
Guests of the Yacht Club will have access to a new private sundeck with a pool, whirlpool, and cabanas, as well as a grill and bar. A Top Sail Lounge will offer panoramic ocean views from the foredeck, while a new Yacht Club restaurant will provide round-the-clock service, multiple menus, and an on-site sommelier.
Beyond the Yacht Club, the ship will receive a new nearly 3,000-square-foot MSC Aurea Spa, featuring a sauna with sea views, two steam rooms, a salt room, a Kneipp path, and relaxation spaces.
MSC Yacht Club Pool
The MSC Gym will occupy a large space on deck 14 and include dedicated areas for yoga and spin classes along with Technogym advanced fitness equipment.
Starting in summer 2026, MSC Magnifica will sail Northern Europe itineraries from Warnemunde, calling in Denmark, Latvia, Estonia, Sweden, and Finland.
Cruises will vary from 6-, 7- and 10-night journeys beginning May 16, 2026.
In Winter 2025-2026, the ship will offer a limited Mediterranean schedule with sailings from 3 to 8 nights, visiting ports like Barcelona, Spain; Civitavecchia (Rome), Italy; and Marseille, France.
The 2027 MSC World Cruise, also announced, will depart on MSC Magnifica on January 4, 2027, from Civitavecchia.
The 121-night cruise will be the first with the Yacht Club and will visit 45 destinations across 25 countries, with seven overnight stays planned, including Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Buenos Aires, Argentina; Hobart, Tasmania; and Sydney, Australia.
Just one day after completing her sea trials with flying (or sailing!) colors, Star of the Seas is even more eager to welcome her first guests – so eager that Royal Caribbean has added a fourth showcase cruise ahead of the ship’s official inaugural voyage.
The new sailing is a 4-night Perfect Day at CocoCay cruise that will depart Port Canaveral, Florida on Saturday, August 16, 2025.
“We’re excited to bring you even more great news about Star of the Seas,”the announcement read.“To officially kick off our inaugural season, we have added an additional 4-Night Star Showcase Cruise to Perfect Day on August 16, 2025 because we simply can’t wait to debut the world’s best family vacation.”
The new itinerary only visits CocoCay on Sunday, August 17, where Star of the Seas will be alongside Royal Caribbean’s newest ship (until that day!) – Utopia of the Seas.
Two full days at sea will follow as Star of the Seas makes her way back to Port Canaveral. This will give guests onboard the second Icon-class ship plenty of time to enjoy all her fabulous amenities, themed neighborhoods, outstanding eateries, seven pools, the Category 6 waterpark and more.
This is the fourth showcase cruise Star of the Seas has had added to her deployment schedule ahead of her “official” maiden voyage, a 7-night Western Caribbean itinerary departing on August 31.
Guests already booked on the ship’s August 20 departure – what was, until today, the earliest possible sailing for Star of the Seas – have been given the opportunity to move up their voyage if they wish to be on the absolute first cruise.
This follows the completion of Star of the Seas’ sea trials, which were finished “in record time” and with excellent results. This means the ship is fully operational and all systems are very much full speed ahead, permitting the ship to debut earlier than expected.
Ironically, Star of the Seas was originally scheduled to debut with her inaugural voyage on August 17, 2025, but that sailing was cancelled more than a year ago when it appeared the ship’s construction would be delayed.
Since then, construction has progressed more smoothly and more quickly than expected, which has permitted these showcase cruises to be added. Star of the Seas is certainly eager to prove what a star she is destined to be!
Are Showcase Cruises Different Than Regular Sailings?
While these showcase cruises are nominally earlier than the inaugural voyage and will certainly give guests plenty of fun to enjoy, it is possible that every onboard experience may not be 100% ready for eager guests.
It is not unusual for the first few sailings of a new cruise ship to lack some entertainment options, or there may be kinks in normal operation that need to be ironed out.
Star of the Seas sea trials (Photo Credit: Mediascope Productions)
It is also possible that the ship may not be completely staffed for the showcase cruises and therefore lines could be a bit longer than anticipated. Of course, the cutest crew member is already learning her duties!
These types of possible minor inconveniences are more than made up for by the excitement of being among the very first guests to experience a brand new ship.
To celebrate the occasion, all guests onboard will receive special gifts and swag to commemorate the debut of Star of the Seas, regardless of whether they are on one of the shorter showcase cruises or the official inaugural sailing.
The inaugural cruise, of course, will have the full ship experience, more ports of call (CocoCay, Costa Maya, Roatan, and Cozumel), and even more time to explore and enjoy everything about the new ship.
A cruise is a cruise…right? Well, not really. While, to the uninitiated, cruises might all look the same, there are actually quite a few differences between not just cruise ships, but cruise lines and even individual cruise itineraries. Depending on choice of booking, passengers could have vastly different experiences.
So how do you pick the right cruising experience for you and your traveling companions, whether that be a group of your friends, your partner and kids or anyone else? It starts with knowing the different types of cruises that are available to you.
Then, as you become more familiar with which cruise lines are most likely to offer these types of cruises, you can start investigating which ships and itineraries might be your ideal match.
Ready to learn more? Here are 11 of the most common types of cruises you can book.
Luxury Cruises
EXPLORA I Leaving Miami (Photo Credit: Explora Journeys)
You might assume that any cruise is luxurious to a degree. With the right booking, you get all-inclusive dining and drinks. You can spend your day lounging by the pool and taking trips to the spa, all while the cruise ship whisks you between sunny, sandy islands.
And while this is the case on many cruise ships, you can have pretty much all of this on a budget. So, when we say “luxury cruises,” forget everything you know about traditional cruising. We’re talking ultra-luxury.
Ultra-luxury cruises often cost in the high five digits per suite (and, yes, notice that we did say “suite,” not “cabin” — many ultra-luxury cruise vessels are suite-only) and can easily exceed $10,000 per trip. However, you get what you pay for.
Luxury cruises roll out all the stops. Think everything included — everything. Think Michelin star-worthy meals, high-end wines and spirits, and adventure excursions that range from behind-the-scene tours of international landmarks to driving around the ocean floor in a submarine.
Think being greeted with caviar and Champagne upon arrival, and black-tie dress codes at dinner. In some cases, ultra-luxury cruise lines will even bundle your cruise together with your flights and a pre- or post-cruise luxury hotel stay.
Luxury cruises are best for travelers who want it all and aren’t afraid to spend to get it. Do note, though, that these cruises often do appeal most to the older set, given their high price tags. Additionally, it’s not uncommon for luxury cruise lines to either outright ban children, or at least discourage them.
Some of the most popular luxury cruise lines include Regent Seven Seas, EXPLORA Journeys, Silversea, and Seabourn.
River Cruises
River Cruise on the Danube (Photo Credit: Davidi Vardi)
River cruises are just what they sound like — cruises that take you down rivers, instead of across the ocean or sea. River cruises allow you to visit spots that aren’t accessible to ocean liners and, in some cases, spots that aren’t really accessible to most travelers at all (such as the case when on a river cruise to one of the more remote, bucket-worthy destinations you could consider, such as the Amazon Rainforest).
Because the ships naturally have to be smaller, you’ll enjoy fewer crowds, but also fewer options. Don’t expect go-kart tracks, roller coasters or waterslides on a river cruise ship.
For most, the focus isn’t so much on on-ship entertainment, as it is stopping every day in a new places along the river to enjoy immersive shore excursions.
You can find river cruises for all budgets and traveler demographics. Popular river cruise lines include Viking River Cruises, Uniworld Boutique River Cruises and Avalon Waterways.
Themed Cruises
First Comic-Con Cruise (Photo Courtesy: Entertainment Cruise Productions)
If you love a good themed party, you’re going to love a themed cruise. Themed cruises often center around a beloved fandom, musician, movie or pop culture icon that a lot of people love — and then tons of those people come together for a few days of sailing and activities that all celebrate that theme.
Themed cruises are hosted on normal cruise ships, and an event production company often is behind all the organizing and planning.
Recent themed cruises have included a Royal Caribbean Star Trek-themed cruise that hosted Star Trek actors, with shows, parties, activities and even themed shore excursions, and with cruisers highly encouraged to dress in costume.
Royal Caribbean’s Independence of the Seas has hosted a Cleveland Browns fan cruise, featuring team alumni, autograph sessions, parties and other experiences.
In short, if you’re a passionate fan of something — anything! — you can likely find a themed cruise to cater to that passion.
Ocean Cruises
Royal Caribbean Ships Docked in CocoCay (Photo Credit: Aleksandr Dyskin)
Ocean cruises are your more typical cruises that, yes, sail on the ocean or sea, rather than along a river. All the top cruise lines offer ocean cruises, and you can find ocean cruises anywhere that there’s an ocean.
The large variety of ocean cruises means that you can find an ocean cruise to fit any budget, lifestyle, traveler demographic, etc. In fact, except for the river cruises, every other type of cruise on this list, can also be considered an ocean cruise.
There are some major cruise lines that you’ll find sailing our oceans, including Carnival Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian Cruise Line, and MSC Cruises. Ships from these operators are often much larger than smaller river and luxury vessels
Not for the faint of heart, expedition cruises are for the adventurous. Expedition cruises are for those travelers who wish that there was still an undiscovered corner of the world that they could claim for their own. They’re for those who wished they could’ve sailed the high seas with the explorers of centuries ago.
Expedition cruises take travelers to the far reaches of the planet, and to the most remote ports and destinations, like Antarctica, the Galapagos Islands or the fjords of Chile. However, you can also find expedition cruises to more standard cruise destinations, like Alaska.
Wherever you go on this adventure vacation, though, you’ll enjoy a bevy of adventurous activities. Think trekking out on a glacier, or kayaking among whales.
Think visiting rare wildlife, led by a world-class naturalist. Expedition cruises often feature an educational component, and while the focus isn’t necessarily on luxury, expedition cruises are often rather luxurious, as they’re often quite pricey.
Popular expedition cruise providers include National Geographic, Lindblad Expeditions and Hurtigruten.
Adults-Only Cruises
Virgin Voyages Scarlet Night (Photo Credit: AVOXY)
If you’re not really a fan of vacationing around screaming children — or maybe you’re trying to get away from your own screaming children for a quick trip — then you likely won’t want to travel on one of the more family-friendly cruise lines.
While there are luxury cruise lines that aren’t really kid-friendly, with no kids programming, there are some cruise lines that take things a step further and just ban the kiddos outright. Virgin Voyages and Viking Ocean Cruises are two of the most well-known.
And while you might not think that you specifically need an adults-only cruise to enjoy your getaway, think about what an adults-only setting offers.
There’ll be minimal guests shrieking and splashing in the pool. You won’t find yourself bumped and bothered by unaccompanied children who’ve lost their parents and decided to take over the buffet.
Everything is catered to your needs, as an adult, and the cruise line has put all its efforts, money and resources into crafting the perfect adult-friendly getaway — no room for kids’ clubs, character breakfasts or splash pads.
Family-Friendly Cruises
Open Deck of Disney Wish (Photo Credit: Melissa Mayntz)
On the flip side, if you think of a cruise as an awesome opportunity to form amazing memories with your children, and you might even want to expand the experience to include your broader family, maybe for a multigenerational trip, then you should pick one of the family-friendlier cruise lines.
Many of the big, more prominent cruise lines brand themselves as very family-friendly, such as Carnival and Royal Caribbean. These cruise lines are a nice option especially for those multi-gen trips, as they offer things for the adults to enjoy (casinos, spas, fine dining, quieter spaces), but really ensure the kids are taken care of with tons to keep them occupied, regardless of age.
Plus, they provide tons of options for the entire family to come together to have a good time, with sports courts, roller coasters, water parks and the like. Meanwhile, they even have family-focused suites, with kid-friendly amenities like bunk beds and gaming consoles.
If your children are Disney fans, Disney’s cruises are also a good choice.
Singles Cruises
Norwegian Cruise Line Ship (Photo Credit: Dennis MacDonald)
Some might find traveling as a single boring or even a little sad, but if you’ve traveled solo before, you know that couldn’t be further from the truth. Traveling on your own provides an amazing amount of freedom.
While singles cruising can sometimes come with a single supplement (or an extra fee because you’re traveling solo in a room built for more than one person), more and more cruise lines are beginning to offer staterooms specifically designed for single travelers, that come with no surcharge and sometimes even access to a singles lounge, such as on Norwegian Cruise Line ships.
However, in some cases, you can find entire cruise itineraries completely geared toward singles. Do note, though, that these are often charter cruises and on smaller ships, as the demand for singles cruises isn’t quite as high as you might think.
Weekend Cruises
Royal Caribbean’s Utopia of the Seas (Photo Credit: Santiago Castillo Chomel)
You don’t need a week or longer to enjoy a cruise! You can get away with just a weekend! While most cruise itineraries do hover somewhere around the week mark, in terms of length, it is possible to find shorter itineraries.
Plus, if you live near a cruise port (like, in the United States, near Miami, Port Canaveral, Galveston, etc.) then you don’t even need to consider extra time for hopping a flight.
You can just take a rideshare to the port, hop on the ship and spend a few days sailing around before heading back home. It’s an excellent want to enjoy the cruising experience with both little time and little cash.
As an example of what you can find, Royal Caribbean offers three-night cruises from Orlando and Miami, taking you to the Bahamas, as well as three-night Ensenada cruises from Los Angeles. Similarly, Celebrity Cruises offers three-night Bahama and Key West itineraries from Fort Lauderdale.
Holiday Cruises
Christmas on a Carnival Cruise (Photo Credit: Ihor Koptilin)
Holiday cruises are much like themed cruises, expect the theme is the holidays! The most popular holiday cruises are, of course, centered around Christmas, but you can also find holiday cruises for Halloween, too. Expect the cruise ship to be decked out in all its holiday finery, and lots of holiday-centric activities.
For example, Disney Cruise Line offers Halloween cruises across multiple ships, with Halloween-themed décor, food, events and more. Costumes are, of course, encouraged.
Disney Cruise Line also hosts Christmas-themed cruises with more of the same, including holiday-themed entertainment, visits from Santa and more. (Could you really expect any less from Disney? The brand knows how to do the holidays.)
You can also find themed cruises that are also holiday cruises, as is the case with the Hallmark Channel holiday movie-themed cruises that Norwegian hosts.
If your dream is to live out a Hallmark holiday movie, this is the cruise for you, with cookie decorating, ugly sweaters and plenty of chances to fall in love.
World Cruises
Queen Mary 2 Docked in Southampton (Photo Credit: P.Cartwright)
Last, but definitely not least, there are also world cruises that are the epitome of the most amazing cruising experience you could possibly have. World cruises literally take you around the entire world, often stopping in dozens of ports, even dozens of countries, over the course of months.
Of course, world cruises are pricey (don’t be shocked to pay $50,000-plus), but how many times are you really going to have a travel opportunity like this?
Many cruise lines offer world cruises, albeit only a few per year. Royal Caribbean’s Ultimate World Cruise takes place over 274 nights and includes visits to more than 60 countries, with more than 150 destinations on the itinerary. North America, South America, Asia Pacific, Africa, Europe — it’s all covered.
If you don’t have quite that many days off work, you can find shorter itineraries with fewer stops. For example, Viking offers several world cruise itineraries, like one that travels between Florida and London over 138 days, and visits 28 countries.
Conclusion: There’s a Cruise Out There For You
With so many different types of cruises out there, you’re bound to find what matches what you want out of a vacation.
Whether you’re looking to chill and enjoy your time on the ship or have an adventure at every port, most cruise lines offer a variety of options. Do your research to determine the best one for your perfect outing!
Just weeks after Carnival Magic‘s upcoming dry dock was rescheduled with some cruises cancelled and new cruises added, another Carnival cruise ship – Carnival Conquest – is now undergoing similar scheduling changes.
Guests booked on seven upcoming sailings aboard Carnival Conquest have now been notified that their cruises are cancelled due to the dry dock change. The impacted voyages are the ship’s January 5, 2026 departure through and including the January 26, 2026 departure.
“We have had to reschedule Carnival Conquest’s dry dock to January 2026, and we are sorry to inform you that the above cruises, including yours, have been cancelled,”the email notification read.
Impacted travelers are being offered price protection on comparable sailings in similar stateroom accommodations, if they wish to rebook on an alternative cruise.
The new cruise does not have to be onboard Carnival Conquest, but must not be any longer than the original – now cancelled – sailing.
The cancelled cruises were both 3- and 4-night Bahamas itineraries. Carnival Conquest is homeported from Miami, Florida and offers these short getaways year-round, with visits to Princess Cays, Half Moon Cay, and for these early 2026 cruises, the soon-to-open Celebration Key.
Guests who do choose to rebook on a similar cruise will also receive $50 (USD) onboard credit per person (up to $100 per stateroom) for the new cruise.
Carnival Cruise Line will also reimburse up to $200 per person for any non-refundable flight change fees if applicable, though documentation for those changes must be submitted for consideration.
Of course, guests do not have to rebook if they aren’t interested in a different sailing or if other cruises don’t fit with their vacation plans. In that case, a full refund of the cruise fare and any pre-purchased items will be processed after June 10, 2025.
No details of why the dry dock has been rescheduled have been released, but it may be due to berth availability, shipyard operations, materials availability, or numerous other factors beyond the cruise line’s control.
Booking schedules show a gap in Carnival Conquest‘s schedule from mid-August through the end of September 2025, which is likely where the original dry dock was planned.
For Carnival Horizon, just one impacted cruise was cancelled – a transatlantic voyage between Barcelona and Miami. While it may just be one sailing, it was sure to have been a bucket-list itinerary for many travelers.
The changes for Carnival Magic have been more convoluted, with more than a month’s worth of sailings cancelled between mid-April and late May, 2026.
Guests on both ships received the same onboard credit compensation offer as for Carnival Conquest.
In an interesting twist, new sailings added for Carnival Magic have continued to generate both excitement and confusion since her fall 2025 dry dock was delayed.
One is the ship’s new November 15, 2025 departure, which will now host John Heald, the cruise line’s wildly popular brand ambassador. While not a fully themed “FFS Cruise” with Heald, the sailing is sure to have exclusive events and extra fun for guests to enjoy.
Rather, this is a very unique situation that the cruise line is taking advantage of to offer special deals for its players’ club members.
It is possible that new sailings will be on offer soon for Carnival Conquest during her previously scheduled dry dock dates. These could also be casino offers or special event cruises, or simply great deals for any traveler looking for an amazing last-minute getaway.
Here is Cruise Hive’s list of the top 10 busiest cruise homeports based on cruise guest traffic, including passengers on home-ported ships plus port call visitors. We’ll keep updating the list with the latest numbers reported by the cruise ports.
The sprawling PortMiami, with its cruise terminals and a major cargo facility spread across 518 acres, welcomed 8,233,056 million cruise passengers in its 2024 fiscal year from October 1, 2023 to September 30, 2024.
The cruise port maintains its No. 1 spot as the cruise capital of the world and continues to grow. Passenger transits through the port jumped by nearly 13% from 2023’s 7,299,294 million.
Virtually all of the major cruise lines have a presence at PortMiami, particularly during winter seasons when Caribbean cruising is at its peak. The port, which opened in 1960 and is located in Biscayne Bay, is a leader in shore power development and opened its 10th cruise terminal in 2025.
The new 492,000-square-foot MSC Miami Cruise Terminal can accommodate three ships at a time and process up to 36,000 cruise guests per day. The terminal opened in April 2025 and is the largest passenger cruise terminal in North America.
Name: PortMiami
State: Florida
Annual Cruise Passengers: 8,233,056
Number of cruise terminals: 10
Address: 1015 North America Way, Miami
2. Port Canaveral (Florida)
Port Canaveral (Photo Credit: Canaveral Port Authority)
Florida’s Port Canaveral is the second-busiest cruise port in the US based on passenger transits. In 2024, the port welcomed 7.6 million cruise guests, a 12% hike from the previous year.
Looking ahead, the port expects to reach 8.4 million guest transits in 2025, when it will have 16 ships homeporting and more than 1,000 ship calls.
All of the major cruise lines operate from Port Canaveral, and the facility holds the record for having the highest number of ships calling. That is likely due to its proximity to the theme parks of Orlando.
Opened in 1953, Port Canaveral became the first liquified natural gas (LNG) port in the US in 2021, an important milestone since many new ships are being constructed to use the environmentally friendly fuel and existing ships are being upgraded to use it.
Name: Port Canaveral
State: Florida
Annual Cruise Passengers: 7.6 million
Number of cruise terminals: 7
Address: 9245 Charles Rowland Drive Cape Canaveral
3. Port Everglades (Florida)
Fort Lauderdale Cruise Port (Photo Credit: Drew Rawcliffe)
Port Everglades is located in Fort Lauderdale, the South Florida destination synonymous with spring break fun. The port retains its place as the third-busiest in the US, with 4,010,919 cruise passengers transiting in 2024.
The number reflects a substantial 39% increase compared to 2023. The port received 889 ship calls in 2024, including 241 from Balearia’s Caribbean ferry.
Port Everglades hosts year-round cruise ships from Disney Cruise Line, Carnival Cruise Line, Princess Cruises, and Royal Caribbean. The port is on track to install shore power technology later this decade.
The port, which opened in 1928 under the name Bay Mable Harbor, is close to two major airports; it is three miles from Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport and 25 miles from Miami International Airport.
Name: Port Everglades
State: Florida
Annual Cruise Passengers: 4,010,919
Number of cruise terminals: 8
Address: 1850 Eller Drive, Fort Lauderdale
4. Port of Galveston (Texas)
Galveston Cruise Terminals Aerial View (Photo Credit: Felix Mizioznikov)
The Port of Galveston/Galveston Wharves has a long and interesting history. It was established in 1825 by the Congress of Mexico, when Texas was still part of Mexico.
Located on Galveston Island at the northwestern edge of the Gulf of Mexico, the facility is a major drive-to port for cruisers hailing from the Southwest and from Gulf Coast cities.
Its 2024 cruise guest transits totaled 3.4 million. Cruise ships departing from Galveston primarily sail Western Caribbean itineraries, but some cruise lines offer Eastern Caribbean voyages as well.
Galveston port will celebrate the opening of Cruise Terminal 16, its fourth, in November 2025 as it welcomes MSC Cruises’ 170,400-gross ton MSC Seascape to her new Galveston home. The terminal also will serve ships in the cruise brands owned by Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings.
The new $156 million terminal is being built at Galveston Wharves Pier 16, a 160,000-square-foot space that formerly held cargo operations. The terminal will include a seven-story parking garage.
The port in 2025 the port expects to handle more than 400 cruise ship sailings.
Name: Port of Galveston
State: Texas
Annual Cruise Passengers: 3.4 million
Number of cruise terminals: 3
Address: 123 Rosenberg Avenue, Galveston
5. Port of Seattle (Washington)
Cruise Ships Docked in Seattle (Photo Credit: Port of Seattle)
The Port of Seattle, circa 1911, has two cruise terminals that together accommodated 1.75 million cruise guests in 2024, making it the fifth-busiest cruise port in the country.
The Washington State port’s claim to fame is its proximity to Alaska, and several of the major cruise lines routinely embark their Alaska cruise guests in Seattle starting each May, as they gear up for the busy summer season.
The port’s main competitor for the summer windfall of cruise ships is Vancouver, British Columbia, located less than 150 miles north of Seattle and, therefore, even closer to the pristine cruising grounds of the Last Frontier State.
The Seattle port is situated in protected Elliott Bay and is home to the Smith Cove Cruise Terminal at Pier 91 and Bell Street Terminal at Pier 66.
The port is a leader in shore power technology, and thanks to a $44 million investment, all three of the port’s cruise berths are equipped with shore power plug-in infrastructure. Starting in 2027, the port requires that all homeporting cruise ships utilize the local power grid in an effort to substantially reduce emissions.
Name: Port of Seattle
State: Washington
Annual Cruise Passengers: 1.75 million
Number of cruise terminals: 2
Address: Smith Cove Cruise Terminal at Pier 91, 2001 West Garfield Street, Seattle, and Bell Street Terminal at Pier 66, 2225 Alaskan Way South, Seattle
6. Port of San Juan (Puerto Rico)
View of Cruise Piers in San Juan (Photo Credit: Darryl Brooks)
San Juan, Puerto Rico, a US territory located northwest of St. Kitts and Nevis in the Caribbean Sea, is a prime embarkation port for ships heading to the Southern Caribbean.
The San Juan Cruise Port has two cruise terminals accommodating four ships, while the nearby Pan American Pier has two terminals that can dock two ships.
These facilities help make the port, which opened in 1970, among the busiest in the Caribbean and the sixth-busiest in the US. The two facilities together welcomed 1.4 million cruise guests in 2024, including from home-ported ships and those calling at the popular port.
The total reflects a healthy 10% hike compared to the previous year.
Since mid-2022 the port has been managed by Global Ports Holding, which has invested in a major modernization project of the Pan American pier. The cruise port’s Pier 3 West remains under repair, following an incident in April 2024 that saw MSC Cruises’ MSC Meraviglia collide with a berthing dolphin.
The accident was a setback for the port, since Pier 3 West is the only pier able to host Royal Caribbean’s largest ships.
Name: Port of San Juan
State: US Territory of Puerto Rico
Annual Cruise Passengers: 1.4 million
Number of cruise terminals: 2
Address: Pan American Pier 1 East, Calle Lindbergh, San Juan; Pan American Pier 1 West, Calle Tadeo Rivera, San Juan
7. Port of New Orleans (Louisiana)
Brilliance of the Seas Docked in New Orleans (Photo Credit: arthurgphotography)
The Port of New Orleans is situated on the Mississippi River near the Gulf of Mexico, making it a popular embarkation port for ocean cruises to the Eastern and Western Caribbean, and for river ships that ply the Mississippi.
There has been a deepwater port in that location since the US bought the territory from France in 1803, but it wasn’t until 1984 that the first cruise terminal was developed. In 2024, the facility announced a record-breaking year with more than 1.2 million cruise passenger movements.
All major cruise lines sail from New Orleans, an important drive-to port for cruisers living in the Southern US. The port, which has a substantial cargo operation, has two cruise terminals, at Erato Street and Julia Street. Cruise guests can easily access the historic French Quarter and other attractions from either terminal.
Carnival Cruise Line in particular has had a longstanding relationship with the destination. In May 2024, the cruise line marked 30 years of year-round service from the Big Easy. It celebrated another milestone in October 2024, when it welcomed its 7 millionth guest embarking one of its ships at the port.
Name: Port of New Orleans
State: Louisiana
Annual Cruise Passengers: 1.2 million
Number of cruise terminals: 2
Address: 1350 Port of New Orleans Place, New Orleans
8. Port of Los Angeles (California)
Discovery Princess in Los Angeles (Photo Credit: Darryl Brooks / Shutterstock)
The Port of Los Angeles ranks No. 8 on the busiest cruise port list, with 1.1 million cruise guests moving through the facility’s World Cruise Center in 2024. It also is a major cargo port serving the US West Coast.
The cruise port, with two cruise ship berths and two terminal buildings comprising the cruise center, is a homeport for cruise lines operating voyages to the Mexican Riviera, through the Panama Canal, to Hawaii and Alaska, and along the California coast.
Roughly a half-hour drive from downtown Los Angeles, the port was founded in 1907 but had been used as a trading and cargo port since the early 19th century. A bid to expand its cruise facilities surfaced several years ago but was sidelined by the pandemic.
In 2024, the port issued a request for proposals to redevelop the World Cruise Center, which currently has two cruise berths, two terminal buildings, and a baggage handling structure, and to build a new Outer Harbor Cruise Terminal. The project is pending.
Name: Port of Los Angeles
State: California
Annual Cruise Passengers: 1.1 million
Number of cruise terminals: 2
Address: 100 Swinford Street, San Pedro
9. Port Tampa Bay (Florida)
A View of Tampa Cruise Port (Photo Credit: Feng Cheng)
On Florida’s west coast on the Gulf of Mexico, Port Tampa Bay handled 1.1 million cruise passenger transits through its three cruise terminals, Terminal 2, Terminal 3, and Terminal 6, all located a short drive from Tampa International Airport.
Essentially tied with the Port of Los Angeles, we’re listing Tampa Bay as the ninth-busiest US cruise port. It offers easy access to the Eastern and Western Caribbean, and on the shoreside, to Orlando, Florida’s theme park capital.
Cruise guests arriving at the Tampa port will find a major cargo and container operation, as well as a thriving shipbuilding and repair business. The port opened in 1924 and today attracts the industry’s major cruise lines for home-porting as well as port calls.
The port also takes steps to provide services to cruise ship crew members. Early in 2023, it opened a Seafarers Center at Terminal 3, offering support to international crew visiting the port.
Name: Port Tampa Bay
State: Florida
Annual Cruise Passengers: 1.1 million
Number of cruise terminals: 3
Address: 1101 Channelside Drive, Tampa
10. Cape Liberty Cruise Port (New Jersey)
Royal Caribbean’s Symphony of the Seas Docked at Cape Liberty (Photo Credit: Brian Logan Photography)
Cape Liberty Cruise Port, in Bayonne, New Jersey, has a storied past. It started out as a federal government site that distributed military supplies during World War II.
The facility was eventually turned over to local authorities in Bayonne, who in turn entered into a partnership with Royal Caribbean in 2004.
An agreement between the town and the cruise line led to the construction of a cruise terminal, and Royal Caribbean’s Voyager of the Seas became the first cruise ship to sail from the port.
Today it is among the busiest cruise ports in the country, welcoming about 600,000 cruise guests to Bayonne Harbor. In 2025, the port will receive roughly 80 ship visits.
Its location about 10 miles from Manhattan makes it a convenient embarkation port for cruisers living in the tri-state metro area of New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut, which together are home to some 24 million people.
The port’s three terminals support operations for the major cruise lines, which offer itineraries to the Bahamas and the Caribbean, the Eastern Seaboard, plus seasonal cruises to Canada/New England.
The Port of Galveston/Galveston Wharves has enjoyed the seasonal presence of a Disney Cruise Line ship for more than a decade, but will soon welcome one of the line’s ships on a year-round basis.
Currently, the 2,700-guest Disney Magic homeports at Galveston from November to April, sailing Western Caribbean cruises from the popular and growing Gulf Coast port.
In previous years, the 2,400-guest Disney Wonder was sometimes deployed seasonally to the Texas port instead of Disney Magic.
However, Disney Cruise Line has bigger plans in the works for Galveston Wharves starting in 2027, according to the port’s top official.
“Disney is expanding to full-time here in Galveston starting in 2027 [with] a bigger ship. That will tell you there’s a lot of interest in families,” Rodger Rees, port director and CEO, recently told the Galveston City Council.
The news was revealed during a joint meeting of the city council and the Galveston Wharves board of trustees on May 21, 2025.
Both Disney Magic and Disney Wonder are the cruise line’s smallest ships. The statement from Rees indicates that a larger ship, such as Disney Wish, Disney Dream, or Disney Fantasy, perhaps, will be deployed for year-round sailings. All three accommodate 4,000 guests.
Any of those ships would put the line’s capacity at Galveston closer to that of competitor lines such as Carnival Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean, both of which homeport larger ships at the Texas facility on a year-round basis.
Royal Caribbean, for example, deploys the 5,400-guest Harmony of the Seas and the 3,400-guest Mariner of the Seas at Galveston, while Carnival bases its Carnival Jubilee, accommodating 5,300 guests, and the 3,600-guest Carnival Dream at the port.
Disney Cruise Line has not officially confirmed a change in deployment to Galveston. Currently, Disney Magic is due to arrive at the port in November 2025 and remain there until April 2026, when she repositions to Vancouver, British Columbia, for a series of seasonal Alaska voyages.
The Port of Galveston is the fourth-busiest cruise port in North America, and in 2024 welcomed 3.4 million cruise arrivals. The facility is growing at a fast pace and in November 2025 will open Cruise Terminal 16, its fourth.
The new $156 million terminal is being built at Pier 16, a 160,000-square-foot space that formerly held cargo operations. The terminal will include a seven-story parking garage and serve as the new homeport for MSC Cruises’ MSC Seascape.
The terminal also will serve ships in the cruise brands owned by Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings.
Galveston to Mark 200th Anniversary in 2025
The joint meeting between Galveston Wharves and the city council addressed other issues besides the change in Disney Cruise Line’s capacity.
Port and city officials reviewed the port’s updated master plan and discussed the upcoming celebration of the port’s 200th anniversary.
The celebration was launched on May 22, 2025 as the port marked National Maritime Day with free public events such as vessel tours, information booths, and a special ceremony.
Galveston Cruise Port (Photo Credit: BUI LE MANH HUNG)
Other events are planned as part of the anniversary. On October 17, 2025, Galveston will host a Party on the Pier, a free public event presented by Royal Caribbean and featuring live music and a drone show at Pier 21.
The next day, Carnival Cruise Line will sponsor a gala dinner at the Galveston Island Convention Center. Also in October, a book focused on the history of the port will be released.
The Port of Galveston was created as a provisional port and customs entry point by a proclamation issued by the Congress of Mexico on October 17, 1825, when the land known today as Texas still belonged to Mexico. The port has operated as the Galveston Wharves since 1940, when it became a city entity.
The cruising world is waiting eagerly for the second Icon-class ship to make her debut, and it seems that Star of the Seas is just as eager to join the Royal Caribbean fleet and set sail as the star she is.
Meyer Turku, the shipbuilder responsible for the massive vessel, has announced that she has successfully completed her sea trials and is ready for the final phase of construction work.
“Star of the Seas completed her sea trials in record time and returned to the shipyard on the morning of Tuesday, May 27th,”the shipyard confirmed.
“Star spent a total of eight days at sea, during which all systems were thoroughly tested. All tests were completed successfully.”
Star of the Seasbegan these open water tests on May 19, 2025. This is one of the most important milestones of the ship’s construction, when every system is fully tested to ensure proper operation.
Navigation, propulsion, emergency maneuvers, safety responses, and other systems are tested while the ship is underway, ensuring that everything is functioning well within established guidelines.
For a ship with such a glamorous name to live up to, Star of the Seas is certainly holding her own.
“These were the best sea trials I have ever participated in. There was a strong sense of team spirit throughout,”said Jaakko Leinonen, Project Manager for Meyer Turku.“Now it’s time to focus on completing the remaining work on the ship.”
While the ship’s systems are now fully operational, more finishing detail work must be completed before Star of the Seas is considered complete and ready for handover to Royal Caribbean, which should happen in the next few weeks.
Work has progressed amazingly well on the vessel, so well that her debut has been pushed forward for three “showcase sailings” ahead of her planned inaugural 7-night cruise on August 31, 2025.
Now, the ship will welcome her first guests on August 20 for a 3-night Perfect Day at CocoCay cruise, followed by two 4-night showcase cruises also visiting the private island destination.
The “official” inaugural cruise is a Western Caribbean itinerary that will not only visit Perfect Day at CocoCay (as will all sailings of the new ship!), but also Costa Maya, Roatan, and Cozumel.
Star of the Seas will remain homeported from Port Canaveral year-round, offering both Western Caribbean and Eastern Caribbean sailings. The Eastern Caribbean routes will be visiting St. Thomas and St. Maarten, while select sailings will call on San Juan and St. Kitts instead.
Undoubtedly, the ship will arrive in Port Canaveral ahead of her first showcase sailings, with great fanfare to welcome her home.
From an Icon to a Star – up next is a Legend! The wild popularity of Icon of the Seas and the impressive progress on Star of the Seas has certainly set high expectations for the third Icon-class ship, Legend of the Seas.
Also under construction at the Meyer Turku shipyard in southern Finland, Legend of the Seas is scheduled to debut in 2026. At the moment, her first sailing is planned as a 7-night Western Mediterranean cruise from Barcelona, departing August 2.
The ship will remain in Europe until November 2026, at which time she will homeport from Port Everglades.
This will position all three Icon-class ships from Florida homeports – Icon of the Seas from Miami, Star of the Seas from Port Canaveral, and Legend of the Seas from Fort Lauderdale – each one offering amazing cruise adventures for everyone aboard.
I think many of us can relate to wanting to leave demanding corporate jobs behind and relax on the high seas indefinitely. One woman, who goes by Laura, has actually taken the leap.
This cruiser made life on a cruise shipher reality – and has booked sailings to occupy about 95% of her time through March of 2027.
She started her cruise journey on January 18, 2025, and has been on 13 sailings so far – most of which were onboard Princess Cruises’ fleet.
In fact, her first YouTube video documenting her new life was filmed during her fourth back-to-back sailing in a mini suite onboard Enchanted Princess – which first entered service at the end of 2021.
“I am in my mid-50s, and I recently left the corporate grind to pursue my dream of living full-time on cruise ships,” she began her video. “I’m on an adventure to travel the world, living bougie on a budget.”
Though she plans to document her experience on her new YouTube channel (Living on Cruise Control), the avid cruiser started off by explaining how and why she decided to make such a drastic life change in the first place.
Arguably, the biggest motivating factor was the cost. She has been able to make living on cruise ships full-time less expensive than it would be to rent or own a home on land by a significant margin.
“I’m only spending hundreds of dollars sailing in a mini suite with everything paid for, including Wi-Fi, specialty drinks, gratuities, etc. for less than $1,000 a month,” she said.
Though she hasn’t yet shared how she finds her cruise deals, the all-inclusive cruise experience– which covers housing, entertainment, food, and more in one reasonable price – is a big selling point in of itself.
The travel lover is never bored with entertainment like production shows and comedy performances happening daily, and even basics like laundry serviceare free now that she’s become an elite member of the Princess’ Captain’s Circle loyalty program.
Watch Laura Explain Her New Lifestyle in Her Own Words Below:
Better Health and Safety Onboard
For Laura, cruising full time is not just about the money. It’s also about her safety and overall wellbeing.
As a female myself, I can understand how it can be intimidating to travel solo– but Laura feels safe onboard thanks to the security measures and prevalent surveillance in public spaces.
“I feel very safe. I think that, you know, to begin with, there’s cameras everywhere,”she said.
“Your steward that takes care of your room, I feel like become like so friendly and they’re constantly checking on me to make sure that I’m okay and that I’m doing okay,” she added.
Considering I befriend crew members in sailings that last for under a week, I can only imagine how well Laura may get to know some of the hard working men and women that live onboard with her during back-to-back sailings.
Enchanted Princess in Port (Photo Credit: Adam McCullough)
Contrary to what you might expect, Laura is also feeling healthier and shared that she has lost weight since transitioning to living on cruise ships full time – despite all the buffets and specialty restaurants onboard.
“You have an amazing gym right here, right? Open 24 hours or close to 24 hours. There are fitness classes, dance classes, Zumba, meditation. I’ve learned Tai Chi. I’ve been lifting weights,” she explained.
Laura added that she also frequently gets in over 10,000 steps a day between navigating the ship, exploring the ports of call, and making simple choices like opting to use the stairs over elevators.
Hopefully she will continue to feel as happy and healthy as she does now – as her new life at sea is only just getting started.
The verdict is in! According to a court in the western German City of Düsseldorf, an unidentified man and his two travel companions should not have been kicked off their cruise after some alleged misbehavior.
So, what exactly did the guest in question do to warrant such a severe punishment? According to witnesses, the man urinated into a glass at an onboard bar while visiting with his travel party and left the glass on the table.
When a crew member came to clean the table later, they confirmed that there was indeed a strong smell of urine. The specific cruise line and cruise ship has not yet been identified publicly.
There were no consequences for the guest’s alleged action until three days later – when the man and his two cruise companions were prevented from re-boarding at one of the ports of call and told to “book their own flights home.”
Even though the man’s fellow travelers were not accused of doing anything wrong besides being present, they were also removed from the sailing.
It’s unclear why there was such a long delay from the incident to the consequences – although the cruise line may have been silently conducting an investigation and reviewing any available surveillance footage.
Understandably angry to see his holiday coming to an abrupt end, the man sued the cruise line. Ultimately, the court found that his alleged actions – which the man has continued to deny doing – did not justify removal from the cruise ship without any notice or prior warning.
Per this cruise line’s contract, guests can be removed from the cruise for violent, discriminatory, and abusive behavior – and as disgusting as urinating into a glass in public may be, it didn’t fit the criteria for early termination of their travel contract.
The court ordered the cruise line to refund the man for the days he should have been onboard but missed, and to reimburse him for the new flights home and taxi rides.
He was also entitled to compensation for the two other men – as the accused booked the cruise for the entire group. When all was said and done, he was awarded €9,000 (or about $12,222 USD).
Was the Ruling Correct?
As the daughter of two lawyers, I’ve absorbed a lot of legal insight through the natural osmosis of being around my parents – and it sounds a lot like the man may have won in court because he got lucky due to how the language in the cruise contract was worded.
Every situation is also different – and other factors played a role here, such as the fact that the cruise ship docked in another port and allowed the guests to re-board the ship before giving them the boot at a later destination.
Carnival Cruise Bar
Among cruise fans, there was a large feeling that the man’s bad behavior had just been rewarded – and that forcing crew members to clean his mess was potentially a health hazard and abusive to employees.
“The rules need to be changed. That is not only disgusting behavior, but a health issue.. Take the cruise line employees in consideration.. they had to handle that disgusting glass risking their health in doing so. I definitely would not want to be anywhere near that revolting pig,”one person said.
“I would argue that expecting the crew to clean up your bodily fluids is abusive,” another added.
Many also brought up indecent exposure – which can be charged as a criminal offense in some cases.
One person asked: “Could they kick him off for indecent exposure?”
Specific laws and punishments vary depending on the country – but it could be enough to get someone banned from the cruise linefor life at a minimum, assuming the man really behaved as it was reported.
