The cruise industry has been on a rip-roaring recovery from a significant slump during the COVID-19 pandemic and is forecast to record three straight years of record passenger numbers after achieving new highs in 2023. That means in 2025, an estimated 19 million Americans will take a cruise, a 4.5 percent increase compared to 2024 and 35 percent higher than pre-pandemic levels in 2019.

The U.S. market also drives the global cruise industry, with many of the largest port cities in the world located in the country. Six of the top 10 ports by share of embarkation and disembarkation in 2024 were U.S. ports, including all of the top four.

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PortMiami tops the list, with 10.3 percent of global embarkations and disembarkations, followed by Port Canaveral at 8.3 percent and Fort Lauderdale at 5.2 percent. The trio sit along the east coast of Florida, with Miami to the south, Fort Lauderdale slightly farther north, and Port Canaveral providing a gateway to Orlando and the many theme parks in the center of the state. Galveston, on the Gulf of Mexico near Houston, comes next in the ranking.

Each of these ports focuses on Caribbean cruises, which remain the most popular for U.S. passengers, 72 percent of whom will head to the region in 2025. Longer itineraries can reach as far south as the Colombian city of Cartagena, while shorter trips might involve stops at Key West and the Bahamas or one of a growing number of private islands owned by the cruise lines themselves.

“The cruise industry’s focus on bigger ships, shorter itineraries and private islands has contributed to remarkable growth in recent years,” said Debbie Haas, vice president of Travel, AAA – The Auto Club Group. “Cruise lines have introduced larger ships, which accommodate more guests and have an incredible range of amenities on board. It’s at the point now where the ship itself can be the destination. Many of these vessels sail on short 3- to 4-night itineraries, which allows for more frequent sailings and the opportunity to sample cruising while visiting a private island.”

Next in the ranking, the Spanish port of Barcelona receives a 3.9 percent share of passengers. Visitors to the city are struck by its architecture, including the Sagrada Família, the largest unfinished Catholic church in the world. It was designed by architect Antoní Gaudí, who left his mark all over the city, the largest in Catalonia, a region with its own distinct language and a fascinating history of independence struggles.

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Situated on the Mediterranean, Barcelona remains a common stop on cruises around the region, which also boasts the ports of Civitavecchia in Italy and Marseille in France, both in the top 10 ranking. Civitavecchia lies close to Rome, with all of its great history and food, as well as cruises to great connectivity to other major Italian destinations such as the Leaning Tower of Pisa and rolling hills of Tuscany. The port also offers cruises to the southern and eastern Mediterranean, including the Greek islands.

Marseille lies in the Provence region in the south of France, famous for its rosé wine and proximity to the iconic Cote d’Azur beaches, as well as its cosmopolitan population, thanks to emigration from France’s former colonies in North Africa. The city is having something of a moment, attracting visitors from all over Europe and hosting events such as Chanel’s spring-summer 2024 runway show.

Outside the Mediterranean, the only northern European port in the ranking is Southampton, on the south coast of England. Serving trans-Atlantic cruises to New York City as well as the Norwegian fjords and some longer Mediterranean itineraries, Southampton provides a convenient gateway to the British capital, London, just more than an hour and a half away by train. Rounding out the top 10 largest cruise ports are Seattle, with 2.2 percent of passengers, and New York City with 1 percent. Seattle handles cruises to Alaska and Hawai‘i as well as some itineraries to Asia, while New York City cruise destinations include Southampton, Bermuda, Canada and Iceland.

With the increasing use of private islands and purpose- built terminals developed by individual cruise companies, cruise enthusiasts will find an ever-wider selection of ports at which to call on their next trip, particularly as the cruise industry expects to keep going from strength to strength. Nonetheless, these port cities have built out the necessary infrastructure to handle the largest, most modern ships and look likely to hold onto their status in the top 10 ranking.