PortMiami Hits 10 Million Cruise Passengers in Record-Breaking Year

​​PortMiami has reached a major milestone after welcoming its 10 millionth cruise passenger, setting a new annual record for the popular Florida cruise hub.

The milestone was reached on September 14, 2026, with two weeks still remaining in the port's current fiscal year.

​PortMiami's fiscal year runs from October 1 through September 30, meaning the port passed the 10 million mark before the year had even officially ended. That figure comfortably surpasses the previous record of 8,564,225 cruise passengers, recorded during fiscal 2025.

The 10 million passenger milestone represents the highest annual cruise passenger volume in PortMiami's history. The port attributed the growth to strong demand for cruises departing from Miami, continued investment in its cruise terminals and an expanding range of cruise line offerings.

PortMiami has also been investing heavily in its infrastructure, with recently completed and upgraded terminals designed to accommodate some of the world's largest cruise ships. According to Miami-Dade County, these facilities are intended to improve passenger flow while making embarkation and disembarkation more efficient.

The milestone also has significance beyond PortMiami itself. Miami had previously lost the title of the world's busiest cruise port to Port Canaveral, which recorded 8,602,047 passenger movements in fiscal 2025. With Miami already reaching 10 million passenger movements in fiscal 2026, it has moved back ahead of its Florida rival.

The two ports remain among the most important cruise gateways in the world, with both handling huge volumes of passengers travelling to the Caribbean and Bahamas.

PortMiami's latest result highlights the continued importance of Florida as the centre of the North American cruise market. The port serves as a homeport for numerous major cruise lines, giving passengers access to a wide range of Caribbean, Bahamas and longer-distance itineraries. The growth has also brought wider economic benefits to Miami-Dade County.

Cruise passengers contribute to activity across hotels, restaurants, retail, transportation and tourism businesses, while cruise operations support employment throughout the wider maritime and hospitality sectors.

PortMiami says its focus now remains on expanding capacity and modernising its infrastructure as cruise ships continue to grow in size.

The port's latest passenger record comes despite the fact that the 2026 fiscal year had not yet finished when the 10 million mark was reached. With the final two weeks of the fiscal year still to be counted, PortMiami's eventual 2026 total is expected to be higher than the 10 million milestone.

For Miami, the achievement reinforces the port's position as one of the world's most important cruise hubs — and signals just how significant the demand for cruises from South Florida has become.