Celebrity Cruises to join expanding Port Canaveral lineup
Port Canaveral has reeled in another major cruise line to join its burgeoning fleet, as Celebrity Cruises announced Tuesday it will begin sailing from the port in 2024.
The premium brand and sister cruise line to Royal Caribbean, Celebrity is bringing to the port its 2,852-passenger, 122,000-gross-ton Celebrity Equinox, which debuted in 2009.
The announcement is the latest coup for the Orlando-area port, which became the No. 1 cruise port in the world in 2022, besting PortMiami for the first time as it brought in more than 4 million multi-day passengers for the year.
“Expanding into Central Florida allows us to introduce the Celebrity cruise experience to new audiences, especially families who are seeking a relaxed yet elevated cruise vacation,” said Celebrity Cruises President Laura Hodges Bethge in an email.
Port Canaveral has been the traditional home of Disney Cruise Line as well as mainstay tenants Royal Caribbean, Carnival and Norwegian Cruise Line. In 2022, MSC Cruises based a ship at the port year-round.