70 Cartagena’s new cruise terminal has been designed to improve passenger flows at the port REPORT Further down the Florida coast, Port Canaveral is building for what’s next in cruising with exciting new projects to enhance its high-quality guest experience and make sailing from the ‘Space Coast’ easier and more convenient than ever. Cruise Terminal 5 is undergoing an extensive renovation and expansion to accommodate some of the cruise industry’s largest ships while adjacent to Cruise Terminal 6, a new 13-storey parking garage with 3,700 spaces is underscoring the port’s position as a leading drive-to cruise market. These projects are part of the Port Canaveral Advantage, a five-year, $912 million capital improvement programme across all aspects of the port’s operations. On Florida’s Gulf coast, Port Tampa Bay serves as a gateway to the Caribbean, Mexico and Central America. The port welcomed a record 1.66 million cruise passengers in 2025 and is on track to reach 1.8 million in 2026. New passenger boarding bridges are enhancing the existing terminals, while site preparation is underway for a fourth cruise terminal, the port’s first new terminal in more than 25 years. The expansion will create additional capacity to welcome more passengers, supporting continued cruise growth. Turning to the US Pacific coast, the Port of Seattle oversees three cruise berths as well as Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA), supporting an end-to-end journey for Alaska cruise passengers. Services such as Port Valet’s direct luggage transfer to SEA, together with coordination with tour operators, hotels and transit providers, help to ease turnaround days. All berths feature shore power and can accommodate vessels of between approximately 366 and 560 metres alongside. The Port of Seattle is completing additional on-dock configuration work so that all homeported cruise vessels can plug in by the 2028 season. A short distance north, Vancouver in Canada is also expanding shore power connections at Canada Place, which will allow more cruise ships to plug in and reduce emissions from the 2027 season. The port is also investing in passengerprocessing technology and terminal upgrades, including new elevators at key arrival locations. The infrastructure investments are being made as the Alaska cruise market continues to grow, with Vancouver handling turnaround operations for cruise lines sailing to Alaska. In the Caribbean, Aruba has a comprehensive port development plan and continues to invest in its cruise infrastructure, visitor facilities and tourism product to keep pace with the needs of the market. A key priority for the port is developing a sufficiently diverse range of highquality experiences for cruise guests, from shore excursions and cultural activities to nature and local experiences. Investment is focused on creating safe, welcoming and enjoyable visits as well as accommodating more passengers. The port development plan also aims to protect the destination, managing tourism responsibly and moving towards a more regenerative approach.
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