Port Canaveral expects 38 vessels to call in the last months of 2019. The world’s second-busiest cruise port will welcome ships from AIDA Cruises, TUI Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean International, Holland America Line, Saga Cruises and Disney Cruise Line from late October to Dec. 31.

Many of the ships will be sailing itineraries from Europe to reposition for winter schedules in the Caribbean, said Port CEO Capt. John Murray at a recent Canaveral Port Authority Board of Commissioners.

“Port Canaveral is an enticing port-of-call for some of the world’s most prestigious cruise lines, and that means more visitors, more tourism dollars, and more attention focused on the Port and the Space Coast,” Murray said. “We are pleased to welcome these magnificent cruise ships and their guests, and we hope to generate even more port-of-call visits in the coming years.”

In total, 86 cruise ships carrying 284,833 guests made port-of-call stops at the Port during Fiscal Year 2019.

On Oct. 10, TUI Cruises’ Mein Schiff I made her inaugural call to the port, bringing more than 2,800 guests who visited local attractions or rode bicycles. While on an 11-day, round-trip cruise from New York to The Bahamas and back, the 16-deck cruise ship arrived at Cruise Terminal 10. Many disembarked guests boarded buses for excursions to nearby Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, while others chose to rent bicycles and tour the port’s recreational areas.

Built in 2018, the 1,035-foot Mein Schiff 1 is co-owned by TUI Cruises, a German-based joint venture cruise company of TUI Group and Royal Caribbean International. The 111,500 gross-ton vessel offers mostly European itineraries, sailing from homeports in Hamburg and Kiel, Germany, and Las Palmas in the Canary Islands. Currently, the Mein Schiff 1 is offering New York-based cruises through Nov. 5.

In keeping with port tradition, representatives from Port Canaveral and Intercruises Shoreside & Port Services presented Mein Schiff 1 Capt. Todd Burgman with plaques commemorating the cruise ship’s first visit to the Port. 

Other cruise ships that called on Port Canaveral recently were Holland America’s MS Zaandam on Oct. 15, AIDA Cruises’ AIDAluna on Oct. 21, Holland America’s MS Veendam on Oct. 22, and Norwegian’s Norwegian Pearl and Norwegian Escape on Oct. 29.

Vessels planning upcoming port of calls include the Mein Schiff 1 on Oct. 30, Disney’s Disney Magic on Oct. 31, the AIDAluna on Nov. 3, Royal Caribbean’s Anthem of the seas on Nov. 4 and Grandeur of the Seas on Nov. 5, AIDA Cruises’ AIDAdiva on Nov. 9 and Norwegian’s Norwegian Bliss on Nov. 26.