Plan Your Miami Cruise With These Portmiami Cruise Lines
PortMiami is one of the world’s busiest Miami cruise ports in the world and offers many cruise lines and exciting new ships that can transport you to the Caribbean, Mexico, South America, and beyond.
Carnival Cruise Line
(800) 764-7419
Destinations from PortMiami: Bahamas, Jamaica, Grand Cayman
One of the most popular Miami cruise lines in the world, Carnival Cruise Line is especially attractive to travelers who want shorter, less-expensive Miami tours and those who enjoy a fun and energetic atmosphere. Most of their cruises visit the Bahamas or the Eastern or Western Caribbean. Carnival ships sailing from PortMiami include the Celebration, the Conquest, the Horizon, and the Sunrise. All Carnival ships offer an array of onboard entertainment, including stage shows, musical performances, deck parties, and casino-style gambling. Eco-conscious cruisers will be pleased to know that Carnival’s Celebration is powered by Liquified Natural Gas, a cleaner alternative to traditional diesel fuel.
Royal Caribbean Group
(800) 562-7625
Destinations from PortMiami: Bahamas (Coco Cay), Jamaica, Haiti, Spain
Founded in Norway and based in Miami Beach, Royal Caribbean Group has one of the largest fleets in the industry. Its ships are of the “resort-at-sea” style and many are equipped with surfing and skydiving simulators, rock-climbing walls, and mini-golf courses, and offer Broadway-style shows and several restaurants.
The company has a private island in the Bahamas, Coco Cay, which many of its cruises visit. One of the ships calling PortMiami home is the 5,500-passenger Oasis of the Seas, which underwent a $165 million renovation in 2019. Other Royal Caribbean Group ships with Miami as their home port are the Explorer of the Seas, the Freedom of the Seas, the Grandeur of the Seas, the Harmony of the Seas, and the Symphony of the Seas.
Royal Caribbean Group offers voyages both short and long. For example, the Oasis of the Seas offers a Miami cruise, including a four-night cruise to Nassau and Coco Cay and a five-night cruise that stops in Jamaica and Haiti. For those wanting to cruise longer, Royal Caribbean Group has a transatlantic voyage leaving from cruise ship Miami that takes 14 nights to go to Spain and visits four ports there before docking in Barcelona.
Norwegian Cruise Line
(800) 338-4962
Destinations from PortMiami: Bahamas, Great Stirrup Cay, the Dominican Republic, the U.S. and British Virgin Islands, St. Maarten, Antigua
Norwegian Cruise Line’s resort-at-sea-style cruises have water parks with water slides, miniature golf, laser tag, go-kart racing, and quality restaurants where guests can dine whenever they would like. Their accommodations range from deluxe Haven Suites (which share a private sundeck and restaurant) to Studios (a smaller, more affordable option for solo travelers). The company has a private island in the Bahamas, Great Stirrup Cay, which many Miami-based Norwegian cruises visit.
Many of its ships are big – carrying 4,000 passengers – and built recently. Sailing out of PortMiami, the Norwegian Encore has cabins for nearly 4,000 passengers and sails weekly on seven-day Caribbean cruises. Other NCL Cruise Ships Miami include the Bliss, the Escape, the Joy, the Pearl, and the Sky. One of the seven-day itineraries from Miami stops in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic; St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands; Tortola, British Virgin Islands; and Great Stirrup Cay. Other Norwegian ships sailing out of Miami give guests time in tropical destinations such as Jamaica, St. Maarten, the Dominican Republic, Antigua, and St. Kitts.
Celebrity Cruises
(888) 751-7804
Destinations from PortMiami: Bahamas, U.S. Virgin Islands, British Virgin Islands, Castaway Cay, Mexico, Colombia, California
Celebrity Cruises is known for offering elegance without luxury-liner prices. The Miami cruise line now offers several shorter-length cruises – varying from three to five nights – on the Celebrity Summit sailing from PortMiami. On the shorter cruises, guests can enjoy time in destinations such as the Bahamas, Mexico, and Key West. Celebrity tour Miami also offers longer cruises sailing from PortMiami, such as a 14-night voyage from Miami to Los Angeles via the Panama Canal, visiting Colombia, Costa Rica, and Mexico en route. Celebrity has clean ocean programs and practices environmental and community stewardship to help preserve the world it explores.
Oceania Miami Cruise
(855) 623-2642
Destinations from PortMiami: Belize, Honduras, St. Barts, Dominica, Barbados, Grenada, St. Lucia, Argentina, Peru, California
Oceania Cruises offers voyages on small ships that are formal and luxurious. Think martini bars and jazz lounges, rather than rock-climbing walls and waterparks. Although the line doesn’t have as many onboard restaurants as other fleets, the food quality and table service are notable. Oceania has menus inspired by masters, such as French chefs Jacques Pépin and Alexis Quaretti.
Oceania ships sailing out of PortMiami include the Sirena and the Insignia, smaller vessels with a capacity of 684 passengers, and the larger Vista. The 1,200-passenger Vista debuted in January 2023 with cabins that all have balconies. There’s also a grand stairway with a floor-to-ceiling sculpture of hanging crystals.
Miami cruise options departing from the Miami city tour include seven days on the Vista stopping at Costa Maya, Mexico; Harvest Caye, Belize; Roatan, Honduras; and Cozumel, Mexico. A 19-day cruise on the Vista will visit those ports and add a stop back in Miami before sailing to St. Barts, Dominica, Barbados, Grenada, St. Lucia, Antigua, Puerto Rico, and Great Stirrup Cay in the Bahamas, the private island of Oceania’s owners, Norwegian Cruise Line. Other trips from Miami sail to Buenos Aires, Argentina; Lima, Peru; and Los Angeles.
Azamara Club Cruises
(855) 292-6272
Destinations from PortMiami: Peru, Cayman Islands, Costa Rica, Colombia, Ecuador
Destination immersion is what makes Azamara Club Cruises stand out because guests can stay longer and experience more in each port. Azamara carries only 690 passengers on its boutique-style ships, making them small enough to reach destinations the larger ships can’t. Starting in 2024, Azamara will embark on 10-night cruises on the Azamara Journey from PortMiami, through the Caribbean to the Panama Canal, including stops in Aruba and Colombia. A 16-night voyage on the Azamara Journey will also depart Miami and sail through the Panama Canal to Lima, Peru, with stops in the Cayman Islands, Costa Rica, Colombia, and two ports in Ecuador. A 14-night Eastern Caribbean exploration on the Azamara Onward includes stops at nine islands.
Regent Seven Seas Cruises
(866) 208-8769
Destinations from PortMiami: Key West, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, St. John’s, St. Barts, Montreal, Barcelona
The luxury cruise line Regent Seven Seas Cruises features smaller ships, fewer passengers, and all-inclusive pricing that covers alcohol, shore excursions, and tips. Its ships have more space per passenger than many cruise lines.
One of its most luxurious and newest ships, the Seven Seas Splendor, carries only 750 passengers and all of its cabins are suites with balconies. Top restaurants on the Seven Seas Splendor include a Pan-Asian restaurant, a French restaurant, and a popular Italian restaurant with stunning, over-the-water alcove seating.
Splendor’s one-way cruises from Miami include one to San Juan, Puerto Rico, with stops at Key West; Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic; Charlotte Amalie, U.S. Virgin Islands; St. John’s, Antigua; and Gustavia, St. Barts. A once-in-a-lifetime Splendor voyage from Miami spends 67 nights circumnavigating South America. Other Regent ships sailing out of Miami are the Navigator and the Mariner, which were refurbished in recent years and sail to destinations such as Montreal, Barcelona, Belize, Honduras, Tortola, and Dominica.
Virgin Voyages
(954) 488-2955
Destinations from PortMiami: Bahamas, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, St.Croix, Mexico
Virgin Voyages is an adults-only cruise line featuring ships with innovative appearances and sleek, modern interiors. Virgin Cruises focuses on fun and relaxation and ports longer at destinations than some other cruise lines. Its three ships sailing from Miami – Brilliant Lady (completed in early 2023), Valiant Lady, and Scarlet Lady – are instantly recognizable by their bright colors and towering, half-cylinder sterns. Virgin is known for its casual, non-traditional style and offers dining experiences without scheduled seating and themed parties for its guests. For those looking to have a permanent token of their Virgin cruise, one of its ships even has an onboard tattoo parlor.
Typical cruises on Virgin ships last four to seven nights and visit Virgin’s 4.5-acre beach club in the Bahamas. One of its voyages from Miami to the Eastern Caribbean takes eight days and stops in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic; San Juan, Puerto Rico; St. Croix; and Bimini. A five-night Western Caribbean trip visits Cozumel, the nearby resort of Playa del Carmen, Mexico, and Bimini. Virgin was the first major Miami cruise line to install Climeon Ocean systems on its ships, which generate electricity using heat from the engines to reduce carbon dioxide emissions.
Disney Cruise Line
(800) 951-3532
Destinations from PortMiami: Bahamas, U.S. Virgin Islands, British Virgin Islands, Castaway Cay, Mexico, Colombia, California
Disney Cruise Line’s ships are renowned for their kid-friendly features, whimsical amenities, and top-notch service. Onboard, its family-pleasing attributes include Disney-themed pools and dining rooms as well as a variety of Disney-inspired entertainment such as live shows and character meet-and-greets. Because the ships offer Youth Clubs divided by age group, from infants to teenagers, Disney ships are great for parents who want the option to sit back and relax. Each ship also caters to adults with adult-only pools, restaurants, spas, and lounges.
Many cruise guests enjoy visiting Disney’s private island in the Bahamas, Castaway Cay. The Disney Dream and the Disney Magic are two ships that sail out of PortMiami with cruise options ranging from three nights to Nassau and Castaway Cay to a seven-night trip that visits the U.S. Virgin Islands, the British Virgin Islands, and Castaway Cay. The line also offers a one-way, 14-night Miami beach tour to San Diego via the Panama Canal, with stops at Cozumel, Mexico; George Town, Grand Cayman; Cartagena, Colombia; Puerto Vallarta, Mexico; and Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.
MSC Cruises
(833) 241-6008
Destinations from PortMiami: Jamaica, Mexico, the Dominican Republic, the Cayman Islands, New York, Bermuda, Portugal and, in 2024, Barcelona and Rome
Swiss-based Miami cruise line MSC Cruises offers its passengers a bit of European flair and the chance to mingle with more international tourists than some other cruise companies. Its 23-ship fleet is among the newest and most innovative of the cruise lines sailing today. Onboard fun includes games and activities around the pool, lounges, Broadway-style shows, an interactive 4D cinema, mini-golf, and bowling.
MSC has a private Island Queen Cruises & Tours in the Bahamas – Ocean Cay. The line offers several short cruises from Miami, most of them including a stop at Ocean Cay. A sampling of other Miami-based itineraries includes Cozumel, Mexico; Ocho Rios, Jamaica; Georgetown, Cayman Islands or San Juan, Puerto Rico and Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic. Want to sail transatlantic and don’t mind flying back? MSC offers a 15-night cruise from PortMiami that stops in New York City, Bermuda, and the Azores before docking in Portugal. MSC will also feature a 19-night cruise in 2024 that will take guests to Barcelona and Rome.
MSC ships sailing from Miami include the Magnifica, the Seascape, and, starting in late 2023, the Divina. The MSC World America is scheduled to debut and begin homeporting in Miami in 2025. The smart features of the Seascape will include integration with the Miami cruise line’s “MSC for Me” app to store passengers’ cruise details and preferences and allow them to make reservations for activities onboard and ashore.
Seabourn Miami Cruise Line
(800) 442-4448
Destinations from PortMiami: Mexico, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Colombia, Panama
Seabourn Cruise Line is a luxury line owned by Carnival that offers voyages lasting anywhere from two weeks to several months. Because its ships are smaller, they can also port at unique destinations that larger ships can’t. Ships embarking from PortMiami include the 450-passenger Quest and the Sojourn. Seabourn’s Caribbean cruises include off-the-beaten-track experiences that allow guests to spend a day with chefs in local markets or follow the crew’s advice on which island bar blends the most delicious daiquiri. The Seabourn experience is meant to be luxurious but not black-tie formal. It’s important to note that while Seabourn cruises are not adults-only, the ships have no services or programs specifically for children.
A 28-day voyage on the Quest follows an Eastern Caribbean route then returns to Miami before visiting the Western Caribbean ports of Cozumel, Mexico; Santo Thomas de Castilla, Guatemala; San Andres, Colombia; Puerto Limon, Costa Rica; and Boca del Toro and Colon, Panama. A 35-day trip on the Sojourn explores the Eastern Caribbean, transits the Panama Canal, and stops at ports on the Pacific coast before ending in Los Angeles. Other itineraries include a 41-day voyage that stops at two ports in Hawaii and ends in Los Angeles and an 80-day Miami cruise that circumnavigates South America.
