The United States has several cruise ports, and also the busiest cruise port in the world, which is Port Miami in Florida. People travelling from Florida, Texas, or New York can easily reach the Caribbean, Bermuda, or the Bahamas, which are the most preferred cruise destinations.
Ships sailing from Washington and California offer itineraries to Alaska and Mexico, two other centres of cruise tourism. In this sense, the nation’s variety of coastal areas and its proximity to famous destinations play a vital role in making the U.S a major global cruise market.
According to Statista, revenue from the Cruise industry in the U.S. is estimated to increase by 7.7 billion U.S. dollars between 2024 and 2029 and reach 32.39 billion U.S. dollars in 2029.
With this, let us explore the major U.S. cruise Ports that significantly contribute to these figures.
1. PortMiami, Florida
This cruise port welcomes over 8.2 million cruise passengers annually. Its cruise terminals have not only transformed the port, but also the Miami Skyline.
The second-largest cruise terminal in the world, after China’s Xiamen International Cruise Terminal 2, opened in the port in 2025.
The MSC Cruises’ Terminal AA covers 490,000 square feet and has four levels to accommodate 3 ships and 36,0000 passengers daily.
Royal Caribbean’s The Crown of Miami Terminal A opened in 2018. It is 170,000 square feet and has an expedited security check area for international guests and spacious lounge areas.
Cruise Terminal B or The Pearl of Miami, operated by Norwegian Cruise, spans 190,000 square feet. There is a Cruise Terminal C, which serves ships from other cruise lines
Carnival Cruise Line’s Terminals D, E and F are known for their modern designs and underwent renovations to accommodate larger vessels. Cruise Terminal J caters to small vessels and luxury cruises.
Cruise Terminal V of Virgin Voyages has three stories and includes a geometric design with palm trees.
2. Port Canaveral, Florida
Port Canaveral is the second busiest cruise port, receiving over 7.6 million cruise guests every year.
It has 7 modern cruise terminals which can accommodate some of the biggest cruise ships.
The facility is home to popular cruise lines, like Carnival Cruises, Celebrity Cruises, Disney Cruise Line, Norwegian Cruise Line, Princess Cruises, Royal Caribbean and MSC Cruises.
It is also the closest port to Orlando and Central Florida Theme Parks and Attractions.
Even if you are not going on a cruise vacation, you can still visit Port Canaveral as it offers waterfront dining experiences, out-of-this-world entertainment, a Jetty Park Beach and a Campground for visitors.
3. Port Everglades, Florida
Port Everglades provides everything from Caribbean Cruises to World Voyages to fast ferry getaways, all from the vacation heaven of Greater Fort Lauderdale.
The port’s location in the heart of South Florida and the nearby Caribbean makes it among the busiest cruise ports in the world, visited by over 4 million cruise guests annually.
The port has 8 cruise terminals and each is air conditioned with free wifi, snacks, restrooms and a comfortable seating space.
The terminals also display works of local artists and world-famous ones like Dale Chihuly.
4. Port of Galveston, Texas
Galveston Port sits on around 840 acres of land and is one of the biggest U.S. cruise ports.
It has 3 cruise terminals and can accommodate over a million people every year.
The Galveston cruise port is just 45 minutes from the Open Sea and has a rich heritage and history. Visitors can access other major cities, including Dallas, Austin and Houston, among other cities in the southern region.
People can explore many places and venues and engage in several fun activities.
The port was designed to accommodate the largest cruise ships, and visiting the port gives the chance to see the finest views and experience the state-of-the-art facilities.
5. Cape Liberty Cruise Port, New Jersey
This is one of the three trans-Atlantic passenger terminals in the Port of New York and New Jersey. It is situated in Bayonne, on the northern side of the 3.2 km long pier of the Peninsula at the Bayonne Harbour, which was earlier a military terminal.
It is less than an hour’s drive from Manhattan and has unparalleled views of the New York City Skyline and the famous Statue of Liberty.
Before or after your cruise from New Jersey, you can also spend some days in New York, exploring and dining at famous restaurants.
One can sail from Cape Liberty to Bermuda and experience the beauty of Charleston and Newport, or get on a transatlantic cruise which stops in Iceland, Greenland or Canada.
The port mainly serves the New York metropolitan area and handles over 1.5 million guests annually.
6. Flynn Cruiseport Boston, Massachusetts
This cruise port opened in 1986 and welcomed 13 cruise ships and more than 11,000 guests in its first season.
It now sees around 400,000 guests annually.
Situated in South Boston’s Seaport District, the cruise port is easily accessible, just 10 minutes from the Airport. The port supports over 3000 jobs and generates about 256 million dollars in business revenue, contributing 53.9 million dollars in taxes.
Many prominent cruise lines have partnered with the port, such as Azamara Cruises, Celebrity Cruises, Cunard Line, Crystal Cruises, Explora Journeys, Holland America Line, Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises, P&O Cruises, Ponant, Princess Cruises, etc.
The most popular itineraries include sailings to Bermuda, Canada, Iceland, and Greenland.
The cruise terminals see over a million passengers each year.
New Orleans is the city of Jazz, Mardi Gras, and other celebrations, which is why many people choose to begin their cruise vacation from here.
New Orleans is one of the biggest U.S. cruise Ports, and its cruise terminals and parking areas are in the middle of the city, close to cultural offerings and great sightseeing.
The port has two adjacent cruise terminal complexes, the Erato Street Cruise Terminal and the Julia Street Cruise Terminal.
The former is mainly for the Carnival Cruise Line, while the latter is for Norwegian Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean.
Both terminals offer great facilities and are within a short drive of the French Quarter.
The Port of Tampa Bay is a busy cargo port, but it also accommodates cruise ships in its three terminals, situated along Channelside Drive in Tampa, Florida. The port is visited by a million cruise passengers annually.
The Port of Seattle has two cruise terminals, the Bell Street Cruise Terminal at Pier 66 and the Smith Cove Cruise Terminal at Pier 91.
The former is home to Norwegian Cruise Line and Oceania Cruises, while the latter is used by Carnival, Celebrity, Holland America, Princess, and Royal Caribbean.
The main cruise terminal at the Port of Los Angeles is the World Cruise Centre in San Pedro, a hub for cruise lines like Royal Caribbean, Princess Cruises, and Norwegian Cruise Line.
The terminal has two buildings with over 100,000 square feet of passenger processing areas, 2 berths, and 18 acres of space. It offers secured overnight parking with shuttle services to the terminal.
In addition, there is also the Los Angeles Cruise Terminal, which serves as another location for cruises from Los Angeles. The cruise terminals see over a million guests annually. Please provide the contents that need to be rewritten.