Key Aspects:
- Readers have chosen Port Canaveral as the Best US Cruise Homeport for the sixth consecutive year.
- The central Florida homeport dominated with 27.3% of the vote total.
- Florida homeports took all five top spots in this year’s Cruise Hive Awards.
For the sixth year in a row, Port Canaveral has dominated the Cruise Hive Awards for Best US Cruise Homeport to hold firm to the title as a favorite among cruisers.
The central Florida homeport is now the World’s Busiest Cruise Port, having welcomed more than 8.6 million guests in 2025, edging out PortMiami for that illustrious title. It’s no wonder then that the port would also be favored as the Best US Cruise Homeport!
Of all the votes cast from mid-October through mid-December, Port Canaveral secured 27.3% of the total, generously exceeding PortMiami’s 17.2%.
With the next three top homeports all in Florida, it’s a winning day indeed for the Sunshine State. Port Tampa Bay took 10.9% of the vote, followed closely by Port Everglades with 10.1% and Port West Palm Beach with 9.5% of readers’ votes.
Across the US, cruisers overwhelmingly prefer to set sail from Florida with a combined 75% of the votes for the state’s homeports.
Why Is Port Canaveral So Popular?
Port Canaveral is conveniently located less than an hour east of Orlando, making it an attractive homeport for fly-in guests who want to visit the central Florida theme parks – Disney, Universal, Sea World – as part of a longer vacation.
Furthermore, with Kennedy Space Center, the Brevard Zoo, and the world-famous Cocoa Beach nearby, there are plenty of attractions and fun to bring guests close to Port Canaveral before and after their sailing.
The diversity of cruise lines and ships at Port Canaveral is also attractive to frequent cruisers. More than 1,000 sailings set off from Port Canaveral each year, with ships from all the following lines based from central Florida:
- Royal Caribbean
- Disney Cruise Line
- Carnival Cruise Line
- Celebrity Cruises
- MSC Cruises
- Princess Cruises
- Norwegian Cruise Line
This range of cruise lines gives travelers an amazing selection of voyages from Port Canaveral, from fun weekend Bahamas getaways to weeklong cruises to both Eastern Caribbean and Western Caribbean destinations.
For longer sailings, guests can enjoy coveted Southern Caribbean “ABC” itineraries to Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao, as well as select Panama Canal voyages or even one-way transatlantic cruises to and from Europe.
Of course, arranging back-to-back sailings is another convenient option, and with the multiple side-to-side possibilities from Port Canaveral, eager cruisers can customize their dream cruise vacation.
The Port Canaveral Experience
It’s more than just cruise diversity that brings guests to a favorite homeport. While some cruisers opt for the most conveniently close homeport, the smoothness of parking, check-in, and even debarkation are all factors in just how popular a port may be.
Port Canaveral excels at the cruise experience, with easy-to-read signage directing drivers to their respective cruise terminals and ample parking ensuring a smooth arrival and departure. Plenty of bus lanes and drop-off areas are available as well for guests arriving via shuttles, ride shares, or taxis.
Once at the terminal, guests sailing from Port Canaveral enjoy updated and efficient embarkation or debarkation, complete with facial recognition processing that speeds up customs and gets cruisers on their way without delays.
Read Also: Port Canaveral Cruise Port – Piers, Terminals, and Getting Around
But Port Canaveral isn’t stopping there. Thoughtful, forward-facing investments and development projects keep the port at the forefront of technology and innovation, ensuring an updated and ever-adapting experience for millions of cruise guests each year.
Other Popular Homeports
While Florida’s five homeports dominated this year’s voting, other popular cruise homeports certainly have their fans.
Port of Galveston has 5.4% of the votes, a great testament to the growing popularity of cruising from the Lone Star State. New Yorkers prefer the Manhattan Cruise Terminal with 4.0% of the votes, while anyone who loves Alaska cruising can’t do better than the Port of Seattle, with 3.0% of the votes.
Baltimore Cruise Port (2.2%) and Cape Liberty in New Jersey (1.9%) round out the options, with all other US cruise homeports totaling a combined 8.6%. That includes Mobile, Los Angeles, Long Beach, San Francisco, New Orleans, Norfolk, Jacksonville, and other less common homeports.
Of course, there are no “bad” homeports when you’re able to set sail on a cruise vacation, but Port Canaveral’s honors are well-deserved!
Will you be setting sail from Port Canaveral this year? Share your plans and your homeport experiences on the Cruise Hive boards!
