• Record Passenger Volume: AAA forecasts a record 21.7 million American cruisers in 2026, marking the fourth straight year of growth since the pandemic low.
• Florida Port Dominance: PortMiami, Port Canaveral, and Port Everglades are projected to be the top three U.S. cruise embarkation points, handling the largest share of traffic.
• Fleet Expansion and New Ships: Major cruise lines have recently deployed numerous new and mega-sized ships—including the world’s largest—primarily to Florida ports to meet capacity demand.
• Demographics and Destinations: The majority of cruisers are older adults (65% aged 55+), traveling as couples, with the Caribbean being the destination for 72% of American passengers.

The cruise industry is projected to achieve its fourth consecutive year of record passenger volume in 2026, with AAA forecasting that 21.7 million Americans will embark on an ocean cruise. This figure represents a 4.5% increase from the 20.7 million American travelers expected to cruise in 2025, signaling a robust and sustained recovery since the decline during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The state of Florida is set to dominate the embarkation landscape, with its three major ports—PortMiami, Port Canaveral, and Port Everglades—projected to handle the largest share of U.S. cruise traffic. PortMiami is forecast to lead with 10.2% of all American cruise embarkations and debarkations, followed by Port Canaveral at 8.8% and Port Everglades at 5.6%. Port Canaveral, in particular, projects more than 9 million passenger movements in its fiscal 2026 budget.