largest cruise ship at port canaveral

Giant cruise ship Utopia of the Seas coming to Port Canaveral, where sister ship already sails

One of the world's largest cruise ships will be making its debut at Port Canaveral next year.

Royal Caribbean International on Tuesday announced that its Utopia of the Seas ― which now is under construction ― will sail from Port Canaveral when it hits the seas starting in July 2024 on three- and four-night sailings to the Bahamas. The ship will join its sister ship, the Wonder of the Seas ― which currently is the world's largest cruise ship ― at Port Canaveral.

Separately, Disney Cruise Line just announced its sailing schedules for the fall of 2024 for its five ships, including two that are based at Port Canaveral. But it did not reveal deployment plans for its sixth ship, the Disney Treasure, which now is under construction and is expected to start sailing in late-2024. The first five Disney ships all debuted at Port Canaveral.

$6 billion boost: Port Canaveral has a $6 billion annual economic impact. Here's what it means

Here are some more details about the announcements:

Why is the Utopia of the Seas announcement so significant?

Port Canaveral is getting the debut sailings of a new ship that Port Canaveral Chief Executive Officer John Murray describes as "one of the most anticipated new cruise vessels in the industry." In the past, such debuts more typically have occurred at PortMiami or Fort Lauderdale's Port Everglades.

Also, the twice-a-week sailings of Utopia of the Seas ― as opposed to once-a-week sailings ― will be important for Port Canaveral, which is the world's busiest cruise port. That's because the port's cruise revenue is based in part on fees tied to dockings of cruise ships and to passenger counts. The more sailings per year, the more potential revenue.

Where will the ship sail?

Utopia of the Seas will sail out of Port Canaveral on Fridays and Mondays, with stops at Nassau and Perfect Day at CocoCay, which is Royal Caribbean’s private island in the Bahamas that soon will include an adults-only Hideaway Beach.

How big is the ship?

Utopia of the Seas will be the sixth "Oasis-class" ship in the Royal Caribbean fleet. It currently is under construction at the Chantiers de l'Altantique shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, France.

At 1,188 feet long, the 18-deck ship will be nearly as long as four football fields and weigh as much as about 95,000 Ford F-150 pickup trucks combined. It will have 2,834 staterooms, a capacity of about 6,800 passengers and a crew of 2,290.

When the Utopia of the Seas debuts at Port Canaveral, it will give Port Canaveral two of the world's three largest cruise ships, joining Wonder of the Seas.

What are some of the features of the Utopia of the Seas ?

The ship will have a 259-foot-long slide, a 10-story-high zip line, a surf simulator, water slides, mini-golf and a play area for younger children.

There will be more than 20 dining options; more than 20 bars and entertainment spots; five pools; two casinos; live music venues; theaters; and more than 20 types of accommodations.

What else is notable about the ship?

The Utopia of the Seas will be Royal Caribbean's first Oasis Class ship powered by cleaner-burning liquefied natural gas.

Two other Port Canaveral-based ships already use liquefied natural gas ― the Carnival Mardi Gras and the Disney Wish.

So what's the latest on Disney Cruise Line?

During the fall of 2024, the Disney Fantasy will sail from Port Canaveral on seven-night eastern and western Caribbean itineraries; as well as three-, four- and six-night cruises to the Bahamas. The Disney Wish will sail from Port Canaveral on three- and four-night cruises to the Bahamas. All those sailings will include a stop at one of Disney's two private islands ― Castaway Cay and Lighthouse Point ― and some will stop at both.

Princess joins lineup: Princess Cruises to debut at Port Canaveral, bringing ship in November 2024

During that time frame, the Disney Dream will sail out of Fort Lauderdale after a trans-Atlantic sailing from Southampton, England. The Disney Magic will sail from Fort Lauderdale; Galveston, Texas; and San Juan, Puerto Rico. The Disney Wonder will sail out of various ports in the fall of 2024, including Vancouver, Canada; Honolulu; Auckland, New Zealand; and Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney, Australia.

Dave Berman is business editor at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Berman at   [email protected] , on Twitter at  @bydaveberman  and on Facebook at  www.facebook.com/dave.berman.54

Watch CBS News

Miami-Based Carnival's Largest Cruise Ship, Mardi Gras, Arrives At Port Canaveral

June 4, 2021 / 1:16 PM EDT / CBS Miami

PORT CANAVERAL (CBSMiami) – The largest ship ever built for Miami-based Carnival Cruise Line pulled into its home part of Port Canaveral on Friday morning.

The Mardi Gras isn't just the company's newest luxury ship, it's also the first cruise ship with an onboard roller coaster.

It's called "Bolt" and it's not quite a traditional roller coaster. Instead of riding on a train, passengers sit in a smaller vehicle shaped like a motorcycle that rides along a track. The cars aren't powered by downhill inertia but instead use electric motors. That means riders will get to decide how fast they go.

Carnival also says the Mardi Gras is the first in the Americas to be powered by liquefied natural gas, a cleaner-burning fuel.

The ship is 1,130 feet long, has 21 decks, 2,641 staterooms, and features six themed zones and restaurants from Guy Fieri, Emeril Lagasse, Rudi Sodamin and Shaquille O'Neal.

Cruise ships haven't starting sailing with passengers out of Port Canaveral or other U.S. ports since March 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic. However, a handful of test sailings will soon start taking place as part of an effort by cruise lines to get federal clearance to sail with paying passengers this summer.

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World’s largest cruise ship to set sail from port canaveral, ‘wonder of the seas’ cruises will launch from orlando starting fall 2022.

Samantha Dunne , Digital Journalist

PORT CANAVERAL, Fla. – The world’s largest cruise ship is making a splash at Port Canaveral starting in November 2022, Royal Caribbean announced Wednesday.

People ready to set sail around the Space Coast can do so year-round in the Wonders of the Seas, Royal Caribbean’s global record-breaking giant, officials said.

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Cruise capacity will reach nearly 7,000 guests plus 2,300 crew members.

“We’ve got some of the largest ships in the world here already at Port Canaveral, and this will be the largest,” Port Canaveral CEO Captain John Murray said. “It’s a ship that needs to be filled, and they have the confidence that we can do that from Port Canaveral.”

The ship, which also explores Caribbean and Mediterranean coasts, takes passengers through “locally loved surf spots, sprawling citrus groves, off-road motor trails and emerald golf courses,” a release shows.

According to Royal Caribbean, guests can weave through the Historic Cocoa Village, St. John River marshlands, Exploration Tower and Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex.

Wonders of the Sea, the latest addition to the cruise line’s Oasis family, features an AquaTheater, Playscape, climbing walls and pools, complete with the slides and simulators Ultimate Abyss and FlowRider will offer.

The Caribbean cruises will launch in March 2022, followed by Mediterranean voyages through Spain and Italy as early as May 2022.

Wonder of the Seas brings bold new year-round adventures to Orlando. Now, you can take on the thrills of the Space Coast before boarding the biggest ship in the world. Launch yourself into an adventure from Port Canaveral starting in fall 2022. 🔗 https://t.co/9xJConv2VA pic.twitter.com/5oLB4fFMuR — Royal Caribbean (@RoyalCaribbean) December 15, 2021

Copyright 2021 by WKMG ClickOrlando - All rights reserved.

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I sailed on Royal Caribbean's 2 largest cruise ships. They were shockingly similar for the $1,000 difference

• Royal Caribbean operates many of the cruise industry's biggest ships.
• Icon of the Seas  launched in January, dethroning its predecessor, Wonder of the Seas, as the world's largest.
• Here's how the two mega-ships compare in size, neighborhoods, amenities, dining, cabins, and costs.

Icon of the Seas, Royal Caribbean's new mega-cruise ship darling, was deemed a success before it was even built.

In January, the highly anticipated vessel — complete with more than 40 bars and restaurants, a six-slide waterpark, and a waterfall — set sail, dethroning its less than two-year-old precursor, the Wonder of the Seas , as the world's largest cruise ship.

Before its debut, Michael Bayley, the president and CEO of Royal Caribbean International, had already repeatedly called Icon its "best-selling product" yet. The company experienced its largest booking day ever when reservations opened for Icon of the Seas more than a year before its launch, it said

Despite all of this fanfare, you might be surprised by how similar it is to its predecessor.

I've sailed on both ships. Let's see how Icon and Wonder compare in six categories: size, neighborhoods, amenities, dining, cabins, and costs.

Both ships stunt the size of their competitors.

Wonder of the Seas debuted in 2022 as the then-world's largest cruise liner, measuring 235,600 gross-tons, 1,188 feet-long, and 18 decks-tall. The ship can accommodate up to 9,288 people, including 2,204 crew.

Icon of the Seas is, comparatively, 13,063 gross-tons heavier, eight feet longer, and two decks taller. It can sail up to 9,950 people, including 2,350 crew, although it's 52 feet less wide than its predecessor.

Both vessels feel more like amusement parks than traditional cruise ships.

Royal Caribbean invited me on complimentary, non-revenue sailings on both ships: two nights on Wonder in late 2022 and three nights on Icon in January.

I spent most of my time lost, overwhelmed, and exhausted.

It's no surprise both ships are operating weeklong itineraries this year. Any less, and you might not have time to experience all the activities and restaurants on your list.

Like other Royal Caribbean ships, Wonder and Icon have eight 'neighborhoods' that serve separate purposes.

The new ship shares three of Wonder of the Seas' neighborhoods : Central Park, Royal Promenade, and Suite.

Icon's other five — Thrill Island , Surfside, Hideaway, Chill Island, and AquaDome — are a first for the cruise line.

Many of the ships' amenities overlap, but in differing quantities.

Wonder has three waterslides. Icon has a six-slide waterpark complete with rafting and racing options.

Both have increasingly popular cruise amenities like decks-long dry slides, mini-golf courses, rock climbing walls, and playgrounds.

But instead of Wonder of the Seas' zipline , Icon of the Seas has Crown's Edge, a thrilling agility course with a small zipline that leaves travelers dangling 154 feet above the ocean.

Wonder’s Boardwalk neighborhood was my go-to.

Boardwalk delivered exactly as it had promised: an open-air space grounded by wood-planked floors, a hot dog stand, a sweets store, and kitschy, colorful decor.

Icon of the Seas' Surfside , designed for families with young children, felt like its closest dupe.

Both neighborhoods had a carousel, an outdoor playground, and family-friendly dining. But Surfside was more toddler-friendly, as suggested by the children's water play area and nighttime story readings.

On to entertainment: Both mega-ships have ice skating performances and exciting multi-disciplinary shows at the AquaTheater.

But travelers who enjoy musicals at sea will want to stick to Icon.

Unlike its predecessor, the new ship shows a rendition of Broadway hit "The Wizard of Oz" — Munchkins, a puppet Toto, and a 16-piece live band included.

The layout of Icon's amenities were better than its cousin.

Some of Wonder of the Seas' enticing outdoor amenities — like the surf simulator, zipline, and mini-golf course — are clustered on the deck above and away from the pools and water slides.

This layout might be difficult for parents with children who bounce from one activity to the next. Wouldn't it be easier to have all of these outdoor extras near each other, or at least on the same deck, for parental supervision purposes?

This is where Icon of the Seas excelled: All its exciting open-air activities were adjacent.

The rows of pools flowed perfectly into Thrill Island's waterpark , rock climbing walls, mini-golf course, and Crown's Edge.

The best part? The adult-only Hideaway — which flexes an infinity pool club with a DJ — is right behind Thrill Island, creating a clear separation between parents and their children without being too far from each other.

'Free' options like the buffet and build-your-own tacos and burritos bar are available on both ships.

But you won't find the larger vessel's five-stall food hall or mini-golf-adjacent finger food stand on Wonder.

As expected, Icon of the Seas has more dining options than its predecessor, although there are some overlaps.

Wonder of the Seas has 11 bars and 21 dining venues (9 complimentary and 12 upcharged).

Icon of the Seas has eight more bars, four more complimentary restaurants, and three more specialty dining choices.

Nor will you find the new ship’s plush $200-a-person Empire Supper Club on any other cruise liner.

The multi-course dinner, paired with cocktails and live music, stunts the cost of either vessel's other dinner options.

But if you love Johnny Rockets, you’ll be disappointed by Icon of the Seas.

Restaurants like the popular burger chain and Southern comfort-inspired Mason Jar are only on Wonder of the Seas. Fine by me: My fried chicken at Mason Jar was as dry as a desert.

The younger ship doesn't have Wonder's robot bartender-armed bar either. It does, however, have new watering holes with dueling pianos and live jazz.

Surprisingly, Wonder of the Seas has 65 more cabins than its new cousin.

But several of Icon's 28 stateroom categories are a first for the cruise line.

This includes the new family infinite balcony cabin, which has a small bunk bed nook for children.

Royal Caribbean assigned me an ocean-view balcony stateroom on both ships.

My Wonder of the Seas' cabin was 20 square-feet smaller than the one on Icon. But my bathroom on the latter was so tiny, I accidentally elbowed the walls at almost every turn.

Sailing on the world's largest cruise ship doesn't mean you'll have the world's largest cabin after all.

Wonder and Icon are both operating seven-night roundtrip itineraries from Florida to the Caribbean.

In 2024, Wonder of the Seas is scheduled for year-round sailings from Port Canaveral to the Caribbean and Royal Caribbean's private island, Perfect Day at CocoCay , starting at $700 per person.

Icon of the Seas is spending its first year in service operating nearly identical itineraries but from Miami instead. The cheapest 2024 option is $1,786 per person.

That's a difference of more than $125 per person per day.

"Bookings and pricing for Icon of the Seas can only be described as 'iconic,'" Naftali Holtz, the CFO of Royal Caribbean Group, told analysts in February.

Icon of the Seas’ name speaks for itself.

If your family is looking for a jam-packed kid-friendly cruise with enough amenities to stay entertained for a week, both ships are a great option.

But if you're a seasoned mega-ship-cruiser looking to experience something new, Icon of the Seas is your best bet.

They may be similar, but no other behemoth cruise liner has a waterpark for children and a pool club for adults just dozens of feet from each other.

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Subscriber only, royal caribbean to shuffle world’s largest cruise ship up to port canaveral.

Richard Tribou/Orlando Sentinel

Royal Caribbean Wonder of the Seas began sailing from Port Canaveral for year-round service in November 2022. It's the current record holder for world's largest cruise ship. This image taken Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2022 shows the new "inTENsity" show performed in the AquaTheater.

Royal Caribbean Wonder of the Seas began sailing from Port Canaveral for year-round service in November 2022. It's the current record holder for world's largest cruise ship.

Royal Caribbean Wonder of the Seas began sailing from Port Canaveral for year-round service in November 2022. It's the current record holder for world's largest cruise ship. It's seen here dwarfing Anthem of the Seas docked alongside on Thursday, Dec. 8, 2022 at Royal Caribbean's private Bahamas island Coco Cay.

Royal Caribbean Wonder of the Seas began sailing from Port Canaveral for year-round service in November 2022. It's the current record holder for world's largest cruise ship. This images shows the ice skating show "365: The Seasons on Ice."

Royal Caribbean Wonder of the Seas began sailing from Port Canaveral for year-round service in November 2022. It's the current record holder for world's largest cruise ship. This image shows one of the largest suites on board.

Royal Caribbean Wonder of the Seas began sailing from Port Canaveral for year-round service in November 2022. It's the current record holder for world's largest cruise ship. This image taken Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2022 shows the new Southern restaurant concept The Mason Jar.

Royal Caribbean Wonder of the Seas began sailing from Port Canaveral for year-round service in November 2022. It's the current record holder for world's largest cruise ship. This image taken Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2022 shows the new Southern restaurant concept The Mason Jar and one of its signature cocktails, the Far From Manhattan.

Royal Caribbean Wonder of the Seas began sailing from Port Canaveral for year-round service in November 2022. It's the current record holder for world's largest cruise ship. This image taken Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2022 shows the new Southern restaurant concept The Mason Jar including brunch menu item chicken and waffles.

Royal Caribbean Wonder of the Seas began sailing from Port Canaveral for year-round service in November 2022. It's the current record holder for world's largest cruise ship. It's seen here docked Thursday, Dec. 8, 2022 at Royal Caribbean's private Bahamas island Coco Cay.

Royal Caribbean Wonder of the Seas began sailing from Port Canaveral for year-round service in November 2022. It's the current record holder for world's largest cruise ship. This image taken Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2022 shows the new Southern restaurant concept The Mason Jar that includes a live performance stage.

Earlier this year Royal Caribbean decided to shift plans and send what will be the new world’s largest cruise ship, Wonder of the Seas, to Florida instead of China.

While it will debut in March out of Port Everglades, the company decided to shuffle its Oasis-class arsenal in the fall and send the ship up to Port Canaveral starting in November.

Port Canaveral has hosted three of its sister ships and currently hosts Harmony of the Seas. The line sails them out of PortMiami as well.

“We’re very proud to have Royal Caribbean’s Wonder of the Seas homeport here, and we look forward to welcoming her next fall,” said Port Canaveral CEO Capt. John Murray in a press release. “This is terrific news for our entire port community and another endorsement of our commitment to excellence in providing a world-class experience for our cruise guests.”

The ship comes in at 1,188 feet long, 217 feet wide with 18 decks and 2,867 staterooms. It debuts four years after the debut of Symphony of the Seas, the current record holder for world’s largest cruise ship. Each ship from 2008’s Oasis to 2009’s Allure of the Seas to 2016’s Harmony and then Symphony have been incrementally heavier in terms of gross tons so that they have been able to hold the moniker of world’s largest cruise ship.

Symphony’s size measures at 228,081 gross tons and has a maximum capacity of 6,680 guests with 2,200 crew. At double capacity, though, the guest count is 5,518 from 2,759 staterooms.

Wonder of the Seas will debut with a gross tonnage of 236,857 but have a 6,988-guest maximum capacity, the highest among all Oasis-class ships.

Wonder of the Seas remains under construction at the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, France gearing up for its debut.

Unlike the other four ships in its class, Wonder of the Seas will add one more neighborhood among its design for a total of eight with the introduction of the Suite Class Neighborhood. In it, suite guests will find an elevated Suite Sun Deck with a plunge pool, bar and loungers. The neighborhood will be home to private dining experience Coastal Kitchen serving global dishes, plus the Suite Lounge. Dedicating a large space within the ship that’s exclusive to suite guests is a move similar to MSC Cruises and Norwegian Cruise Line.

For everyone on board, a new bar called The Vue will offer panoramic vistas from above the pool deck, and at night feature a colorful mosaic canopy.

On the top deck will be a new Wonder Playscape, an open-air kids play area with slides, climbing walls, games, puzzles and an interactive mural activated by touch.

Similar to other Royal ships, the main pool deck will get the Caribbean feel overlay that includes the multi-story bar The Lime & Coconut. It will once again include the three waterslide of The Perfect Storm, a kids waterpark called Splashaway Bay and oodles of unique lounge spaces such as hammocks, in-pool loungers and mini covered casitas.

Like other Oasis-class ships, Wonder of the Seas will still feature the Central Park space in the interior, Boardwalk, Pool & Sports Zone, Entertainment Place, Royal Promenade, Vitality Spa & Fitness Center and Youth Zone. The ship will also have the popular Ultimate Abyss dry slide, zip line, AquaTheater, twin rock-climbing walls, carousel, FlowRider and ice skating rink.

For its Florida voyages, the ship will sail seven-night alternating Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries with stops like Cozumel, Mexico; Philipsburg, St. Maarten; and San Juan, Puerto Rico plus visits to the line’s private Bahamas island Perfect Day at CocoCay.

Beginning in May, the line plans to take the ship to Europe to sail from Barcelona and Rome on seven-night Western Mediterranean itineraries.

Wonder of the Seas had its first steel cut in April 2019 with its keel-laying in October of that year. It was originally to have debuted this year, but the COVID-19 pandemic delayed construction. The ship successfully completed sea trials in August.

It’s the third Oasis-class ship built at the shipyard, previously known as STX France. The first two ships were built at what was then STX Finland, now known as Meyer Turku.

Wonder of the Seas will hold the world’s largest cruise ship title until a sixth Oasis-class ship, also to be built at Chantiers de l’Atlantique, comes online in 2024.

The Oasis-class ships have a limited number of home ports, first using Port Everglades when Oasis of the Seas debuted, but now regularly sailing from PortMiami, Port Everglades and Port Canaveral as well as from Cape Liberty in Bayonne, New Jersey in 2020.

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World’s largest cruise ship to set sail from Port Canaveral

‘wonder of the seas’ cruises will launch from orlando starting fall 2022.

Samantha Dunne , Digital Journalist

PORT CANAVERAL, Fla. – The world’s largest cruise ship is making a splash at Port Canaveral starting in November 2022, Royal Caribbean announced Wednesday.

People ready to set sail around the Space Coast can do so year-round in the Wonders of the Seas, Royal Caribbean’s global record-breaking giant, officials said.

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Cruise capacity will reach nearly 7,000 guests plus 2,300 crew members.

“We’ve got some of the largest ships in the world here already at Port Canaveral, and this will be the largest,” Port Canaveral CEO Captain John Murray said. “It’s a ship that needs to be filled, and they have the confidence that we can do that from Port Canaveral.”

The ship, which also explores Caribbean and Mediterranean coasts, takes passengers through “locally loved surf spots, sprawling citrus groves, off-road motor trails and emerald golf courses,” a release shows.

According to Royal Caribbean, guests can weave through the Historic Cocoa Village, St. John River marshlands, Exploration Tower and Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex.

Wonders of the Sea, the latest addition to the cruise line’s Oasis family, features an AquaTheater, Playscape, climbing walls and pools, complete with the slides and simulators Ultimate Abyss and FlowRider will offer.

The Caribbean cruises will launch in March 2022, followed by Mediterranean voyages through Spain and Italy as early as May 2022.

Wonder of the Seas brings bold new year-round adventures to Orlando. Now, you can take on the thrills of the Space Coast before boarding the biggest ship in the world. Launch yourself into an adventure from Port Canaveral starting in fall 2022. 🔗 https://t.co/9xJConv2VA pic.twitter.com/5oLB4fFMuR — Royal Caribbean (@RoyalCaribbean) December 15, 2021

Copyright 2021 by WKMG ClickOrlando - All rights reserved.

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What it’s like on the world’s largest cruise ship, Wonder of the Seas

• Sharon Kennedy Wynne Times staff

PORT CANAVERAL — Everything is a big deal on the biggest cruise ship in the world.

For the first time, Royal Caribbean is using Port Canaveral as its home base for its newest ship, the Wonder of the Seas. That puts the world’s largest cruise ship within a few hours’ driving distance of the Tampa Bay area.

With 18 passenger decks, it stretches nearly 1,200 feet long and has room for nearly 7,000 passengers attended by some 2,200 crew members, the most of any cruise ship. It’s five times larger than the Titanic.

You’ll get your steps in before dinnertime aboard this city on the sea, which could be tough for anyone with a fear of heights with 18 towering decks. There’s a tube slide called the Ultimate Abyss that is the tallest slide at sea and starts from a vertigo-inducing glass platform. It then twists and turns down 10 stories below. There’s even a floating bar called the Rising Tide that drifts up and down between Deck 5 and Deck 8 as patrons sip their drinks while slowly ascending past other passengers.

While on this ship, it can feel like you are sailing at an amusement park. With three Vegas-style shows to choose from, it also has a whole sports deck with pickleball and a basketball court, and an ice rink that when not center stage for an elaborate show is available for cruisers. There’s also a lineup of comedians, several live music options, waterslides, a surfing simulator, a miniature golf course, rock climbing walls and even a zip line. And of course there are numerous pools, sun decks, bars and food. Lots of food.

This is a family-friendly cruise, with huge play areas, splash pads and a teens-only sun deck, and the price is lower than a Disney cruise. A seven-day cruise for two with a waterfront balcony would cost $4,800 on Wonder of the Seas. The same time frame is $6,700 for Disney. They both charge extra for internet service and specialty dining options. Disney’s price includes complimentary sodas, but Disney doesn’t offer an alcohol package or have casinos on its ships.

Longtime travel adviser Jen Filling, who owns About the Memories Travel in Tampa, has been on Royal Caribbean’s other huge “Oasis class” ships that have identical restaurants and “neighborhoods” segmenting the huge ships. She was on the lookout on Wonder for new elements, and liked the new Southern-style Mason Jar restaurant and bar. It costs extra to eat there ($24.99-$39.99), and you’ll find crab beignets, Nashville hot chicken and red velvet pancakes. The bar serves special cocktails with fanciful twists like the Far From Manhattan bourbon-based drink garnished with a slice of candied bacon.

She also liked that the Windjammer, the sprawling buffet restaurant found on other Oasis-class ships, has been retooled to make it easier to peruse what is being offered and to avoid bottlenecks in the crowd by mirroring service on both sides of the room.

Far from being overwhelming, this kind of buzz of activity is what modern cruisers are looking for, even among the retirees, Filling said.

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“I think since COVID, travelers are now on the go,” Filling said. “People rarely just sit back and relax. They want to go and do things. They want a lot of activities to choose from or to go to ports of call where they have choices. They are very adventurous now.”

Even the most adventurous travelers could feel overloaded by the sheer number of choices. Past cruise reviews of Wonder have shown that popular specialty restaurants and shows have the best times snapped up quickly by those using the ship’s app upon boarding. Crowds can also cause bottlenecks around the pool deck or when a show lets out.

The Boardwalk on Deck 6 feels like Coney Island, with a full-sized carousel, a Johnny Rockets with shakes and burgers, a sports bar and a candy store. The AquaTheater is found at the very rear of the Boardwalk, where you can find movie screenings and game shows by day and a stunning aqua acrobatics and high-diving performance at night.

But the cavernous boat does have its quiet corners. The Solarium, an indoor-outdoor retreat just for passengers 16 and older, has whirlpools and lounge areas and can get downright quiet at night. The open-air Central Park area on Deck 8 has real trees and greenery as you walk past a series of shops and markets in what feels like a quiet neighborhood.

The Wonder also makes a stop at CocoCay, the cruise line’s own private island in the Bahamas. It has three beaches, the largest pool in the Bahamas and free outdoor restaurants. For an extra charge ($84 and up) you can check out the island’s water park, which has a wave pool, a dozen slides, a splash pad, zip line and the tallest waterslide in North America.

And it all starts, for the first time, from a berth at Port Canaveral, now the world’s second-busiest cruise port behind Miami, based on passenger counts. Michael Bayley, president and CEO of Royal Caribbean International, was on site last month at the new ship’s official naming ceremony. He noted the importance of putting this new asset closer to Central Florida vacationers.

“This makes it a great regional drive-to market, and we recognize this as a great terminal closer to big population centers,” Bayley said. “More guests can drive to Oasis-class ships than ever before.”

Events, Family and Travel reporter

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'world's largest cruise ship' coming to port canaveral, officials say.

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A new cruise ship is coming to Port Canaveral.

According to the Canaveral Port Authority, Royal Caribbean's Star of the Seas is set to come to Port Canaveral in July 2025.

Canaveral Port Authority also says the Star of the Seas will be the "world's largest cruise ship."

"This is tremendous news, and we are very proud to be the homeport for this remarkable new ship. Star of the Seas will add even more excitement to the Royal Caribbean fleet that calls Port Canaveral home," Capt. John Murray, Port CEO, said in a statement. "We're looking forward to her arrival in 2025 and will be ready to welcome her and the many cruise guests who will enjoy all that she has to offer."

Port Canaveral has been upgrading and expanding facilities to keep pace with the record-breaking flow of cruisers heading out to sea from Central Florida.

“This design of this ship, it will be an industry game-changer,” said Stewart Chiron with TheCruiseGuy.com. “It’s a testament for the hard work that the port has put in to developing its facilities to attract ships. And realize, all those ships are also competing with Disney."

Star of the Seas is still being built in Finland, and once she’s done in 2025, she’ll be homeport at Port Canaveral.

This is coming about a year and a half after the Miami debut of a sister Icon Class ship, Icon of the Seas.

“There aren’t a lot of places for these ships to be homeported. So, Canaveral for the second Icon class ship was a given,” Chiron said.

The new class of ships, while larger, won’t hold a great deal more passengers.

However, the facilities and activities are the focus on the Icon class, according to Royal Caribbean.

According to their website, Royal Caribbean will open booking on Star of the Seas next week on Dec. 6.

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Port Canaveral Pushing Ahead with More Cruise Expansion

• April 16, 2024

Port Canaveral is pushing ahead with a plan to have another cruise facility in place, Cruise Terminal 4, in time for the 2026-27 season.

“It’s going to be different than any other terminal we’ve ever done,” said Captain John Murray, CEO.

“It’s going to be a Port Canaveral terminal as opposed to a terminal dedicated to any particular cruise line.

“The reason for that is that we don’t necessarily get the highest utilization out of a cruise line dominated terminal. If we control it ourselves, we get the highest utilization for that facility.”

Murray said if the terminal existed today, the port could fill it with business immediately.

“We’re at a point where we are turning away business,” he said, “and I don’t like turning away business.

“In the future we’ll be able to accommodate everyone with a new terminal. With six terminals now we’re running pretty tight.”

Terminal designs will be simplified in the future, Murray said, with guests spending less time than ever in the facilities. He also expects new technology developments for cruise line branding opportunities.

“If we have three or four different brands, we can make it their day,” he explained.

Port Canaveral is also adding 3,000 new parking spaces, which will be ready this coming October.

“We will have 16 homeported ships next season, with the addition of two new cruise lines: Princess and Celebrity,” Murray said.

“The reason we’re building 3,000 more spaces is that we’re in a drive-in market,” he continued. “Quite frequently we get a lot of cars from Texas, all the way to the east coast and up to Canada.”

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Adventure Awaits

Port Canaveral

Waterfront dining, rocket launches, and the largest cruise ships in the world. Welcome to Port Canaveral! Start your adventure at the Cove. Home to some of the best waterfront dining in Florida, you can enjoy fresh seafood, and enjoy live entertainment while watching a rocket launch. With over 20 homeported ships, Port Canaveral is the launch point for over 50 destinations around the Caribbean for cruisers of all types. 

Consistently voted the Best Cruise Homeport in the United States, Port Canaveral is your departure port for the most exciting cruise lines in the world. It’s hard for other destinations to compete when we’ve got room for the newest and best ships in the fleet, amazing pre-post cruise dining and activities within walking distance of the terminals, and some of the best parking and transportation options in the industry.

• Carnival Cruise Line
• Disney Cruise Line
• Royal Caribbean
• Norwegian Cruise Line
• MSC Cruises

Parking: Port Canaveral makes it easy to park and cruise. Every terminal has it’s own dedicated parking garage so you can hop out of your car and walk right in. Off-site parking with shuttle service to the port is also available throughout the county.

Snooze and Cruise:   Many hotels offer special packages that combine your cruise with a stay on Florida’s Space Coast. With plenty of places to stay, things to do, and incredible food to eat, your experience on the Space Coast can be just as memorable as your time on the ship.

The Cove is Port Canaveral’s restaurant and entertainment hub. Helicopter rides, launch viewing, and fantastic dining are all in reach.

• Exploration Tower : This architectural landmark offers fun and education to thousands of visitors every year. An observation deck offers 360 degree views of the Port, Kennedy Space Center, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and more. The other floors offer  unique meeting venues and exhibition spaces for private events.
• Restaurants: Top tier waterfront dining is available all along the port. Unique brunch experiences, exciting happy hours, live music, and good vibes. There’s something for everyone at the Port
• Helicopter Rides : Enjoy incredible views of the Space Coast’s beaches and classic landmarks including Kennedy Space Center, Westgate’s Cocoa Beach Pier, and more from a bird’s-eye perspective with helicopter rides based right at the port
• Victory Casino Cruise : Leaving from Port Canaveral twice daily, 5 days a week, take to the water and enjoy Las Vegas-style gaming
• Deep Sea Fishing

Jetty Park Beach and Pier

Nature lovers get their fix at Jetty Park at Port Canaveral. Located at the eastern tip of the Port you can enjoy fishing from the pier, dolphin watching, rocket launch viewing, and one of the Space Coast’s best beaches. Then retire back to your RV or Cabin at the Jetty Park Camp Grounds. With easy access to some of the best attractions in the area including Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex and The Cove, Jetty Park is the place to be when you need a little nature in your space!

• Fishing: Catch the big one while you’re waiting for your rocket launch, Jetty Park Pier offers plenty of space to cast a line
• Launch Viewing: One of the best locations in America to catch a rocket launch, Jetty Park is about as close as a civilian can get to the action
• Beach: Get away from the crowds and enjoy one of the Space Coasts’ more laid-back beaches
• Campground:  Offering everything from cabins to RV parking, Jetty Park is a great option around for campers.

Make the Most of Your Port Experience

• Port Featured Attractions (10)
• Port Featured Hotels (8)
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The Cove at Port Canaveral

Before you sail out of Port Canaveral, you’ll want to explore The Cove! This dining and entertainment district in Port Canaveral will provide you with a good time before disembarking on your cruise. From oceanfront dining to deep-sea fishing, and Exploration Tower, make sure you visit these one-of-a-kind attractions.  Not to mention, Kennedy Space…

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Jetty Park at Port Canaveral

Jetty Park is a beautiful 35 acre park with a fishing pier, beach and RV campground. Guests can participate in a variety of activities such as surfing, kayaking, walking the beach, riding bikes, and watching cruise ships as they majestically move past the jetty on their way out to sea….

The Wizard of Oz Museum

While traveling with kids, you might search for a children’s museum around Cocoa Beach that adults can enjoy. A visit to the museum is one of the best things to do on a rainy day to experience an Immersive Van Gogh and the Wizard of Oz Experience. The museum aims…

Carib Brewery USA

In the 1880s, the British introduced beer to the Caribbean islands. Nearly 70 years later the region began to produce beer under the entrepreneurship of Sir Gerald Wight. After World War 2, Caribbean Development Company Limited (CDC) successfully made a tremendous economic impact on the local communities. Once where only…

Hilton Garden Inn Cocoa Beach Oceanfront

Hilton Garden Inn Cocoa Beach Oceanfront boasts views of the beach from every room along with a well-equipped gym, game room and outdoor pool. There’s 9,252 square feet of flexible event space, too. The Starlite Restaurant & Pool bar features coastal-American food, refreshing cocktails and a festive vibe. The hotel…

Oceanside Distillery Cape Canaveral

Conveniently located near Port Canaveral in the City of Cape Canaveral, we are the only Artisanal Distillery on Florida’s Space Coast. Our distillery produces small batch Bourbon, Vodka, Gin, and Rums. We offer Distillery Tours and live entertainment along with Bar Bites and Handcrafted Cocktails. 

Victory Casino Cruises

Enjoy a day or night out on the water with Victory Casino Cruises where you can play Las Vegas-style gaming while dining in the Atlantic Cafe and partying in the high-energy Big Norm’s Club V. Leaving from Port Canaveral twice daily, 5 days a week, the daytime cruise leaves at…

Radisson Resort at the Port

Located minutes from Port Canaveral, Radisson Resort at the Port is a great place to kick off your cruise vacation early. Cruise passengers can book the Park and Cruise Package, which allows you to park your car for free with round-trip shuttle service to Port Canaveral. Guests will love relaxing…

Cocoa Beach Aerial Adventures

Cocoa Beach Aerial Park is located minutes from Port Canaveral. This aerial park will suspend you in the air on 45 foot poles and you will navigate your way through 48 unique challenges set in a canopy of beautiful live oak trees. The park offers three different trails and levels…

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End of an era: Miami finally dethroned as world's busiest cruise port

The cruise port that started it all has finally met its match.

For the first time since the modern age of cruising began more than 50 years ago, the Port of Miami can no longer claim the title of world's busiest cruise port.

The new leader in the battle of the cruise ship megaports: Port Canaveral .

Just 214 miles up the coast from Miami, the fast-growing Florida cruise port tallied 4.07 million passengers on multiday voyages in 2022, according to a new report from the Florida Ports Council. That tops the Port of Miami's total of 3.99 million passengers.

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Fort Lauderdale's Port Everglades remained in third place among Florida ports, with 1.62 million passengers.

The data does not include the relatively small number of passengers cruising on day trips out of the ports. If those numbers were included, Port Canaveral would have moved into an even bigger lead.

"We've always aimed to be the best cruise port in the world, but what an achievement to now be known as the busiest," Port Canaveral CEO John Murray said in a statement posted late Friday on Twitter. "This historic milestone is testament to the efforts of our team and cruise partners to provide a best in class experience for all cruise guests sailing from Port Canaveral."

In recent years, Port Canaveral has become the home port of choice for some of the world's newest, biggest and most notable new vessels, including Royal Caribbean 's recently unveiled Wonder of the Seas — the world's largest cruise ship.

The massive vessel, which debuted in 2022 and can carry 6,988 passengers per voyage with every berth filled, began sailing out of Port Canaveral in November . Given that it sails weekly out of the port, this one ship alone could drive passenger totals of 300,000 or more to Port Canaveral annually.

Port Canaveral is also home to Disney Cruise Line 's newest and biggest ship, Disney Wish , and the biggest MSC Cruises ship based in North America, MSC Meraviglia.

Disney Wish can hold up to 4,000 passengers with every berth filled. MSC Meraviglia can hold up to 5,642 passengers.

Additionally, Carnival Cruise Line 's giant new Mardi Gras — tied with the line's new Carnival Celebration as its biggest vessel and holding up to 6,465 passengers — sails from Port Canaveral.

Norwegian Cruise Line 's newest vessel, Norwegian Prima , also sails from the port. Norwegian Prima can carry up to 3,950 passengers at a time.

In all, there are 13 large vessels from five major cruise brands — Royal Caribbean, Disney, MSC Cruises, Carnival and Norwegian — based in Port Canaveral.

Port Canaveral has several advantages as a cruise port compared to other Florida ports; perhaps the most notable is its proximity to Orlando International Airport (MCO), the busiest airport in Florida. Fly-in cruisers have more flight options when traveling to Port Canaveral than Miami or Fort Lauderdale.

For the coming month of March, for instance, MCO has nearly 17,000 scheduled departures while Miami International Airport (MIA) has around 15,000, and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) has close to 11,000, according to Cirium data.

Port Canaveral's proximity to Orlando also allows vacationers to combine cruises out of the port with stays at the Orlando theme park resorts.

Related: The ultimate guide to picking a cruise line

Port Canaveral, the Port of Miami and Fort Lauderdale's Port Everglades dominate the list of the world's busiest cruise ports. In the U.S., their only close rivals (though well behind) are the ports of Galveston, Texas; New York; New Orleans; and Seattle.

Other Florida cruise ports, such as Port Tampa Bay and Jaxport (the port for Jacksonville), are far behind in passenger totals. Port Tampa Bay handled just 418,200 cruise passengers in 2022, according the Florida Ports Council report. Jaxport handled 90,241 passengers.

The Florida Ports Council noted that overall cruise passenger totals at Florida's ports have risen significantly over the past decade. They were up 41% between 2010 and 2019 — the last normal year before the COVID-19 pandemic caused lines to temporarily suspend cruise operations.

That's a compound annual growth rate of 3.9%.

Overall, cruise passenger totals in Florida remained down in 2022 at 10.6 million, but the council expects numbers to return to normal levels in 2023.

Florida ports tallied 17.9 million passengers on multiday voyages in 2019.

The council also noted that Florida ports account for 60.1% of all cruise passenger embarkations in the U.S.

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Carnival Freedom's next two cruises from Port Canaveral canceled after exhaust funnel fire

A fire in the exhaust funnel of the Carnival Freedom this weekend has disrupted a cruise of the Port Canaveral-based ship for the second time in less than two years — and will mean that the ship's next two cruises are canceled.

Damage to the funnel will require the cancellation of Carnival's next two cruises out of Port Canaveral, which were scheduled to depart Monday and Friday.

Thousands of passengers with scheduled cruises will be affected by the canceled cruises during a busy spring break period for Carnival and other cruise lines.

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Carnival initially had said it expected no changes in its upcoming cruises, but on Sunday afternoon said the cancellations would be required.

"Regrettably, the damage is more than we first thought, and will require an immediate repair to stabilize the funnel, resulting in the cancellation of the March 25 and March 29 cruises from Port Canaveral," according to a statement issued by Matt Lupoli, Carnival Cruise Line's senior manager of public relations. "The funnel has been stabilized for the ship’s return to Port Canaveral overnight to disembark guests, and then it will go to the Freeport shipyard on Monday afternoon to begin the required repairs."

Carnival said it made the decision after "our technical team completed a thorough assessment" during the ship’s visit Sunday to Freeport in the Bahamas.

In the statement, Carnival said: "We sincerely regret the impact to our embarking guests, as we know they have been looking forward to their spring break vacation. We are providing all guests on both canceled cruises a full refund and a 100% future cruise credit, so they can come back and enjoy a future cruise with us. We also greatly appreciate the terrific guests who are currently sailing with us, for their outstanding cooperation and support."

In a Facebook post, Carnival's widely followed brand ambassador, John Heald, conceded that many people who booked one of the canceled cruises are "feeling very disappointed," and he apologized for the turn of events.

But, Heald added that he wanted to assure affected passengers that, "when you rebook, using your full refund and your 100% future cruise credit, that the crew will be standing by to give you all the fun you deserve."

More than 500 people responded to the post, with many saying they thought Carnival was generous with the compensation offer. But some people who said they were on the cruise that experienced the fire said they thought Carnival should have done more for the people who were on the ship.

Carnival said the fire was confined to the funnel area. The cruise line said there are no reports of injuries to passengers. Two firefighting crew members were treated for minor smoke inhalation.

Carnival said that, at about 3:15 p.m. Saturday, the Carnival Freedom reported a fire on the port side of the ship’s exhaust funnel. The ship was 20 miles off Eleuthera Island, Bahamas, heading to Freeport after a canceled call to the Carnival private island of Princess Cay due to adverse weather.

Details of previous fire: Fire breaks out on Carnival Freedom while Port Canaveral-based ship was in Grand Turk

"The ship’s fire response team was quickly activated, and the ship’s captain also turned the vessel towards the heavy rain in the area to maximize the efforts to put out the flames," an earlier Carnival statement said. "Eyewitnesses reported the possibility of a lightning strike, and that is being investigated, but cannot yet be confirmed."

By 5:20 p.m. Saturday, the fire was extinguished. 

Carnival said the ship's captain made multiple announcements to passengers and crew, and advised all but essential safety personnel to stay away from balconies and all open decks. 

The port-side portion of the funnel had fallen onto Deck 10, and the firefighting response put out any flames. 

The U.S. Coast Guard has been notified of the fire, and Carnival activated its incident response team to support the ship’s crew. 

Carnival said there were no other operational issues with the ship’s systems, and the ship, which was on a four-night cruise, was visiting Freeport on Sunday.

The Freedom sailed into the channel at Port Canaveral around 7:30 a.m. Monday, and docked at Cruise Terminal 6, letting off the passengers who were on the cruise. Carnival then awaited a Coast Guard inspection of the ship before it could be cleared to leave Port Canaveral for the Freeport shipyard for repairs. The ship left the port about 6:20 p.m.

A cruise ship funnel generally serves as a smokestack to lift emissions above the deck, thus away from passengers and crew.

On Saturday evening, "Carnival Freedom guests enjoyed the Elegant Night dinner as planned, and, with the exception of the open decks, all areas of the ship are fully functioning," Carnival said in its statement. 

The sailing had about 3,700 passengers onboard. And the two upcoming sailings that were canceled each likely would have had a similar passenger count, because this is a busy time for the cruise industry.

The Carnival Freedom's next voyage was scheduled to depart from Port Canaveral on Monday afternoon on a five-night Eastern Caribbean cruise. That cruise had port-of-call stops scheduled at Amber Cove in the Dominican Republic and at Grand Turk Island in the Turks and Caicos Islands.

But that sailing and a Friday sailing both have been canceled. Friday's five-night sailing also was scheduled to stop at those two ports of call, but in reverse order.

In May 2022, a fire broke out in the funnel area of the Carnival Freedom while it was docked in Grand Turk. Carnival then canceled three scheduled sailings of the Carnival Freedom out of Port Canaveral because of the need to repair the ship's fire damage at a shipyard in Grand Bahama.

More recently, in October 2023, the Carnival Freedom debuted a new iconic winged funnel after returning from a 16-day dry-dock refurbishment in Cadiz, Spain.

Dave Berman is business editor at  FLORIDA TODAY.  Contact Berman at  [email protected] , on X at  @bydaveberman  and on Facebook at  www.facebook.com/dave.berman.54

This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Carnival Freedom's next two cruises from Port Canaveral canceled after exhaust funnel fire