When it comes to the starting point for passenger cruises, Florida runs rings around the rest of the world.
Between the two of them, the world's most popular ports of Miami and Cape Canaveral saw more than 14 million cruise passengers in 2023 while there is also the smaller Port Everglades in Broward Country that still saw just over three million passengers pass through.
Beyond that, the world's top ports by cruise passenger traffic include Cozumel in Mexico and Nassau in the Bahamas — the Port of New York and New Jersey is the only other U.S. port to make the top 20 with just over 1.5 million passengers.
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That said, the U.S. has a large number of smaller ports in which cruise lines either dock for a day stop or depart — while these usually include smaller luxury cruise lines with unique itineraries, Norwegian Cruise Line (NCLH) just announced that it will make Philadelphia a home port in a first for major cruise lines in nearly 15 years. In 2011, the authorities overseeing the port voted to shut it down to cruise lines due to lack of traffic.
Norwegian promises to be 'even more accessible to the U.S. Mid-Atlantic region'
The reboot will come in the form of two Norwegian cruise routes of Bermuda, Atlantic Canada, and New England. While the details of the stops are yet to be announced, the first cruise is scheduled to depart on April 16, 2026 and sail throughout the summer season until October.
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"We remain committed to delivering more experiences for our guests to create unforgettable memories, so they can vacation better with us," Norwegian Cruise Line President David J. Herrera said in a statement. "We are particularly proud to partner with PhilaPort to launch cruising in the area, making it even more accessible to the U.S. Mid-Atlantic region."
The Philadelphia itineraries will be run on the Norwegian Jewel, a 2,376-passenger ship that was built in 2005 and up to now used primarily for sailings to Alaska from Seattle. Norwegian also announced that, by the time of the 2026 season, it will launch 250 new itineraries out of U.S. cities that include New York, Baltimore, Norfolk and Charleston.
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Locals welcome new routes: 'Economic opportunity for our region, workers and businesses'
But the new Philadelphia sailings were received with particular excitement locally given that it reignites a dormant industry and helps bring in a different wave of tourists.
"With all eyes on Philadelphia as we prepare to host our country’s 250th birthday in 2026, the Port will continue to help support and grow Philadelphia tourism to create economic opportunity for our region, workers, and businesses," Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro said in a statement.
Also encompassing stops on the Florida coast from which new passengers will join, the Bermuda sailings from Philadelphia will take either seven or nine days (the longer route includes an overnight stay on the island) and run from April 16 to Aug. 27 while the journey around Atlantic Canada and New England will take 10 or 11 nights and will replace the Bermuda trip from Sept. 5 until early October 2026.
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