Oct. 22, 2026
FORT LAUDERDALE, FL – For the third consecutive year, Broward County's Port Everglades has hosted a record number of cruise guests. Over 5.38 million guests were welcomed through Port Everglades during Fiscal Year (FY) 2026. With the Broward County Board of County Commissioners' approval of the FY27 budget and the cruise season officially underway as of October, Martin Jackson has been appointed as Director of the newly created Cruise Services Division, having previously served as Assistant Director of the Cruise Services Section.
"Since Martin joined Port Everglades in January of 2025, he has been a consistent champion of the guest experience," said CEO and Port Director Joseph Morris. "This internal restructuring is intended to ensure that our cruise business line continues to receive the focus and support it needs to excel and provide the superior day-to-day services expected by our cruise line partners and cruise guests, while also focusing on supporting future growth with both existing and new cruise brands."
Jackson is enthusiastic about taking the helm. "Operational consistency earns trust, both internally and with our guests and customers, while continuous improvement ensures we are always making progress and moving ideas, vision, and strategy forward," he said. "The Cruise Services Division remains committed to delivering exceptional experiences for all guests and clients of the port."
With the start of the new cruise season, the port has released its Port Everglades 2027-28 Cruise Guide, featuring cover artwork Florida Paradise from world-renowned artist and South Florida resident Romero Britto along with the port's season of cruise line sailings. A massive print of the artwork has also been installed on the southeast side of the Palm Garage.
In November, the port will welcome the world's largest cruise ship, Royal Caribbean's Legend of the Seas, its newest Icon-class cruise ship accommodating up to 7,600 guests, to homeport for the 2027 season. Also new to the port this season will be Orient Express Sailing Yachts, the world's largest sailing ship. The new-build Orient Express Corinthian can sail 100% on wind with up to 110 guests. Crystal's 606-guest refurbished Crystal Symphony will also homeport at Port Everglades and, for the first time since drydocking in 2025, will feature several enhancements and refreshed spaces and public areas. This season, the port will host nine cruise lines and 40 different cruise ships from Celebrity Cruises, Cunard Line, Crystal, Disney Cruise Line, Holland America Line, Orient Express, Princess Cruises, Royal Caribbean, and Viking Ocean Cruises ‒ as well as Baleària Caribbean's fast ferry Jaume II. For a listing of sailings and itineraries, visit the port's award-winning Find-a-Cruise interactive online directory.
Additional port infrastructure updates include enhancements to Cruise Terminal 18 and parking. Cruise Terminal 18 has received a thorough refreshing. The terminal, which opened in 2009 in time for Royal Caribbean's debut of Oasis of the Seas, has been painted a cheerful ocean blue and the embark hall has been transformed with more open space and modern design elements plus the enhancements of new furniture and artwork in the VIP lounge area. More than 850 parking spaces have been added adjacent to Terminal 18 for a total 6,386 spaces parking spaces among the port's two multi-story parking garages and several parking lots.
