People watch a cruise ship leave Port Canaveral.Joe Raedle/Getty Images
- The Cruise Lines International Association published its 2023 "State of the Cruise Industry" report in May.
- The report listed the top cruise ports visited each year.
The cruise industry is on the upswing.
The Cruise Line International Association (CLIA) said in its 2023 "State of the Cruise Industry" report that travelers' intent to cruise is higher in 2023 than in December 2019. In June, Travel Weekly shared CLIA's Busiest Cruise Port ranking measured by passenger movement, which refers to the number of people boarding and disembarking at a port.
Here are the top 10 busiest cruise ports across the globe.
10. The Ports of Genoa and Savona in Italy at 1,572,000 passenger movements.
A picture taken in the northern Italian Port of Genoa. MIGUEL MEDINA/Getty Images
According to CLIA's list, the Port of Genoa and the Port of Savona tied for the 10th-ranked spot, with 1,572,000 passenger movements.
The International Association of Ports and Harbors reported that the Italian government reformed its port system in 2016 to stimulate economic growth and boost employment.
The Western Ligurian Sea Port Authority manages the Port of Genoa, Port of Savona, and Vado Ligure. The two ports sit around 45 minutes from one another on the Italian coast.
9. Port Everglades in Florida at 1,717,908 passenger movements.
The Royal Caribbean’s Odyssey of The Seas arrives at Port Everglades on June 10, 2021 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Joe Raedle/Getty Images
Port Everglades is found along the coast of Hollywood, Florida, which is considered part of the Greater Fort Lauderdale area.
According to its website, the popular cruise port's total economic value is nearly $30 billion and impacts more than 206,000 jobs statewide. The Sun Sentinel reported that Port Everglades set a record for having the most cruise passengers in a single day — 54,700 — in March 2016.
8. Palma de Mallorca in Spain at 1,727,000 passenger movements.
Two large boats along the coast of Palma, Spain. picture alliance/Getty Images
7. The Port of Southampton in England at 1,899,654 passenger movements.
Cruise ship in Florida's Port of Canaveral. UCG/Getty Images
Southampton is the only UK city to make the busiest port cruise list. Its website notes that the Port of Southampton welcomes nearly two million passengers each year across its five cruise terminals and contributes £2.5 billion ($3,180,487,500 USD) to the nation's economy.
In addition to its local charms, residents also compete in the annual Southampton marathon hosted by the Associated British Ports each year.
6. The Civitavecchia Port of Rome in Italy at 2,172,000 passenger movements.
Cruise ships are seen docked at Civitavecchia port in Italy. Pacific Press/Getty Images
5. Port of Barcelona in Spain at 2,329,000 passenger movements.
View of the port of Barcelona. UCG/Getty Images
4. Cozumel Cruise Port in Mexico at 2,943,760 passenger movements.
Tourists walk at Cozumel's port in Mexico. AFP/Getty Images
Cozumel is a Mexican island in the Caribbean Sea. The island welcomes more than two million cruise passengers each year, according to a website for Puerto Maya, which serves as one of the cruise terminals on the island.
Disney Cruise Line's website noted that Mayans settled in Cozumel by the first century AD and the island's popularity slowly grew, with a tourism boom occurring after 1959.
3. Nassau Cruise Port in The Bahamas at 3,212,603 passenger movements.
Boats at the Nassau Cruise Port. Francois LOCHON/Getty Images
According to the Nassau Cruise Port, it attracts around 3.7 million passengers per year and sits off the coast from three major Florida cruise ports: Port Miami, Port Everglades, and Port Canaveral.
The Nassau Cruise Port underwent a $300 million redevelopment that included repairs, expansions, and new attractions like a 3,500-person amphitheatre and a living coral exhibit. In February, the cruise port set a new one-day passenger record when it welcomed 28,554 travelers.
2. Port Miami in Florida at 4,030,000 passenger movements.
Cruise ship docked at Port Miami. Getty Images
Port Miami welcomes more than 4 million passengers a year and has an economic impact of $43 billion, according to its website. It also generated more than 330,000 jobs for the local community.
Port Miami hosts several cruise terminals that serve millions of people. Its website said it saw more than 4 million cruise passengers in 2022 and plans to draw more tourists with its modern cruise terminals. The Florida Ports Council said Port Miami was the Cruise Capital of the World and Global Cargo Getaway.
1. Port Canaveral in Florida at 4,072,396 passenger movements.
People watch a cruise ship leave Port Canaveral. Joe Raedle/Getty Images