Newport, Rhode Island welcomed 65 ships in 2014 and business is solid for 2015, according to Kathryn Farrington, vice president of marketing for Discover Newport.

Big ships tender in at the Perrotti Park pier, right in the heart of downtown, while smaller ships can dock at Fort Adams.

A visitor information center is located just steps from the downtown piers. Passengers electing to take organized tours generally visit mansions and museums in the area, said Farrington.

“People want to see how the robber barons lived,” Farrington added.

There is also the White Horse Tavern, built in 1673, and among the oldest taverns in the United States.

Traffic is concentrated during the fall season, and Farrington described the port as “smack dab in the middle (of an itinerary), with great product offering and world class attractions … we are geographically in a great spot and we know it. The city understands the importance of cruise ship visits.”