Port Everglades has surpassed its previous record for cruise passengers, with an estimated 4,010,919 individuals embarking and disembarking during the fiscal year ending September 30, 2024. This achievement is expected to be temporary as projections indicate that approximately 4.4 million guests will pass through in Fiscal Year 2025.
Joseph Morris, CEO and Port Director, commented on the success: “We expected to do well with the addition of Disney Cruise Line to our fleet and a mix of short and week-long cruises throughout the summer. As the year progressed, it became evident that a near-record 4 million guests was within reach.” He added that "cruising is in high demand" and noted that their partners are ready for further growth with new itineraries and varied sailing dates.
The number of cruise passengers increased by 39 percent from FY2023 to FY2024, while cruise ship calls went up by 23 percent as the industry rebounded from pandemic impacts. The previous record was set in FY2014 with 3,880,033 guests. At that time, it took 887 cruise ship calls to achieve this figure compared to only 648 calls needed this year due to larger ships being used.