More cruise ships, bigger cruise ships: Is Port Canaveral running out of space?

PORT CANAVERAL, Fla. - Traveling to the Bahamas, Caribbean and beyond just got more exciting as Port Canaveral announced several new cruise ships will take off from its port. 

In its State of the Port, Nov. 5, Canaveral Port Authority introduced several new ships from multiple cruise lines that will embark from Port Canaveral, as well as expansion plans to the terminal. 

Canaveral Port Authority Commissioner Kevin Marquee spoke at the 2025 State of the Port thanking the port’s partners for its success. 

"Our growing member of cruise partners – with their newest, largest and most technically advanced ships in the world sailing for our port – shows the strength, confidence and popularity this port has earned in the highly competitive multi-billion-dollar global cruise industry," Marquee said.

Here are six ships coming to Port Canaveral for the first time: 

New ships to explore

Star of the Seas

Royal Caribbean's newest Icon-class ship, Star of the Seas, features eight neighborhoods onboard, including a Category 6 water park, seven pools – including a suspended infinity pool – and a surfside neighborhood. 

• First sail: Star of Seas set sail on Aug. 31 from Port Canaveral.
• Cost: Depending on varying itineraries to the Eastern or Western Caribbean or to the Perfect Day at CocoCay resort, prices range from $1,105 to $1,331 per person. View more prices on the cruise line's website.
• How long is the sail? Seven nights
• Where is it going? The Star of Seas travels to destinations in the Eastern and Western Caribbean, including Costa Maya, Roatán, Cozumel and Royal Caribbean’s top-rated exclusive destination, Perfect Day at CocoCay in The Bahamas.
• What to experience? The ship also features a myriad of entertainment for guests, such as "Back to the Future: The Musical," several drink and dining lounges, a music hall and karaoke lounge.

 

New ships to Port Canaveral

Celebrity Apex

Celebrity Cruise's newest ship, Celebrity Apex, features one of the best places to view the water's edge with The Magic Carpet, a floating platform that reaches 13 stories above sea level.  The serene, modern atmosphere on board is said to create simple, beautiful, imaginative encounters, leaving visitors relaxed and refreshed. 

• First sail: The Celebrity Apex arrived in Port Canaveral on Nov. 1, replacing the Celebrity Equinox.
• Cost: Depending on the trip destinations, sailings on the Apex range from $866 to $1,516 a person.
• How long is the sail? Sailings from Port Canaveral range from seven nights to 13 nights.
• Where is it going? The Apex has multiple destinations, including Key West, George Town, Grand Cayman, Cozumel, Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic and Turks and Caicos.
• What to experience? Apex guests can enjoy 29 restaurants, bars and lounges with world-class cuisine and hand-crafted cocktails. The ship offers a unique theater with a 20-foot-tall 4K LED screen comprised of 17 million pixels curved 110 feet featuring three shows: Rockumentary – featuring rock performances through the decades – Tree of Life – which shows an uplifting journey through the seasons of life – and Crystalize – a multisensory experience with electrifying pop and violin music.

 

Sky Princess

Your home at sea, the Sky Princess, with Princess Cruises, offers luxurious spacious staterooms, a state-of-the-art fitness center and multiple spas and a variety of restaurant choices with award-winning chef partnerships. 

• First sail: The Sky Princess arrives in Port Canaveral on Nov. 30, replacing the Caribbean Princess.
• Cost: Sailings range from $425 to $974 per person.
• How long is the sail? Depending on the port destinations, sailings range from six to eight days.
• Where is it going? The Sky Princess travels to various destinations, including Turks and Caicos, Nassau in the Bahamas, Dominican Republic, Amber Cove and Puerto Rico.
• What to experience? The Sky Princess offers a range of food options from multiple areas of the world, such as top-quality cuts of steak, homemade pasta courses, seafood, a pizzeria and a crab shack. Entertainment includes original musicals, magic shows, feature films, comedians and nightclubs.

 

MSC Grandiosa

The MSC Grandiosa blends European style with American comfort, its website said. The state-of-the-art ship features a Wild Forest Aqua Park, which incluldes four pools and nine whirlpools. Kids can enjoy the Lego-themed kids club or arcade. The ship also features a full-size bowling alley and an F1 simulator. 

• First sail: The MSC Grandiosa arrives in Port Canaveral on Dec. 6.
• Cost: Trips range from $266 to $326 per person.
• How long is the sail? Cruises range from three to seven nights.
• Where is it going? The MSC Grandiosa travels to various destinations in the Caribbean and Bahamas.
• What to experience? On the MSC Grandiosa, guests can indulge in cuisines from around the world with 13 distinct dining venues and 16 stylish bars. Adults can relax in one of the ship's 13 serene pools and whirlpools or a sauna session in the Aurea Spa.

A little further

Disney Cruise Line's newest ship, Disney Destiny, sets sail from Fort Lauderdale. Disney Cruise Line's Treasure, Wish, Fantasy and Dream have sailings from Port Canaveral. 

Disney Destiny

Disney Cruise Line's newest addition to its fleet – the Disney Destiny – immerses sailors into the world of Disney, Pixar and Marvel heroes and villains. Themed areas on the ship include Fairytale Hall – where kids can meet Disney princesses and craft Rapunzel-themed floating lanterns – a Marvel Super Heroes Academy, a Star Wars Cargo Bay and a Walt Disney Imagineering Lab. 

• First sail: Nov. 20 from Fort Lauderdale
• Cost: Sailings start around $2,000 per person.
• How long is the sail? Four to five nights
• Where is it going? The Destiny sails to Nassau, Bahamas – with a stop at Disney's Castaway Cay.
• What to experience? The Destiny includes themed, interactive dinners, including: Pride Lands: Feast of Lion King – a musical retelling of "The Lion King," a fashion-forward "101 Dalmatians" style lounge called "De Vil's" and a Haunted Mansion 21+ parlor where griming ghosts can materialize. The Broadway-style show Hercules is unique to the Destiny.

All ships at Port Canaveral in 2026

Here are all the cruise ships that leave out of Port Canaveral in 2026. 

Carnival

• Mardi Gras
• Carnival Glory
• Carnival Freedom
• Carnival Vista
• Carnival Venezia

Princess

• Sky Princess, winter of 2026
• Caribbean Princess, summer of 2026

Royal Caribbean

• Star of the Seas
• Utopia of the Seas
• Harmony of the Seas, starting Aug. 2026
• Oasis of the Seas, a provision call that comes from New York every Tuesday in 2026
• Adventure of the Seas
• Explorer of the Seas

Celebrity Cruises

• Celebrity Apex

Disney Cruise Line

• Disney Treasure
• Disney Wish
• Disney Fantasy

Norwegian Cruise Line

• Norwegian Prima
• Norwegian Joy, winter of 2026

MSC cruises

• MSC Grandiosa
• MSC Seashore

2026 and beyond

Two new ships are coming to Port Canaveral in 2026 and 2027. These ships are powered by liquefied natural gas. 

Carnival Festivale

Carnival's newest ship, Carnival Festivale, will host guests for the first time in 2027. Across the ships' six zones, the ship features a new music-inspired immersive experience: Studio 724 – a multimedia experience with lights and sound effects – with some of Carnival's greatest hits returning on the Festivale.  

• First sail: Carnival Festivale will deport in Port Canaveral in 2027.
• Cost: Depending on the length of the trip, sailings range between $724 to $1,404 per person.
• How long is the sail? Trips range from six to eight days.
• Where is it going? From Port Canaveral, the Festivale travels to Southern and Eastern Caribbean spots – Celebreation Key, Amber Cove, RelaxAway and Half Moon Cay – as well as to Nassau, Bahamas.
• What to experience? A true culinary experience, the Festivale offers world-renown cuisine such as a teppanyaki experience, a barbecue smokehouse, sushi and Guy Fieri's burgers.

 

MSC World Atlantic

MCS World Atlantic, MCS's newest World Class cruise ship, is a symbol of motivation, comfort and sustainability, MCS said in a press release. With 2,634 cabins, the ship will hold 6,850 passengers – making it one of the largest liners in the world. 

• First sail: The MSC World Atlantic will set sail from Port Canaveral in 2027.
• Cost: Prices for sailing dates on the World Atlantic are not available at this time.
• How long is the sail? The MSC World Atlantic offers 7-night and 14-night trips to the Caribbean.
• Where is it going? The ships will travel to Private island, Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve, the Bahamas, Puerto Rico and Jamaica.
• What to experience? The World Atlantic immerses guests into a unique experience with 19 restaurants – featuring seafood, Japanese and Mexican cuisine – and 18 bars and lounges. The ship also offers an interactive water slide and family-friendly water activities.

Future Cruise Terminal

Canaveral Port Authority Capt. John Murray said there's plans to build a new cruise terminal, but some traffic issues need to be worked on first. 

A new port will be built on the southwest side of the port. Canaveral Port Authority is currently working on developing a traffic optimization plan, Murray said. 

Port Canaveral Expansions

Port Canaveral is expanding terminal CT-5, which will double the terminal's size to accommodate larger vessels, a Canaveral Port Authority spokesperson said. During the 16-month construction period, the terminal will continue operating without interrupting scheduled ship turns, the spokesperson said. 

Murray said big ships are coming – they're in our contracts, he said – so the port is working to accomodate those incoming ships. 

The port also conducted enhancements and upgrades to other terminals, including CT-10 – which now accommodates the world’s largest cruise ships up to 5,600 passengers and berthing up to 1,200 feet in length – and CT-1 – which has new canopies and walkways, updated landscaping, new lighting, and refurbishments to the adjacent parking garage with new paint, landscaping, perimeter fencing and gangway upgrades. 

Upgrades to CT-5 and CT-10 will be ongoing in 2026. 

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