Bahamas Cruise from MiamiCruises from Miami: Every Line, Ship and Route at PortMiami
Cruises from Miami start at PortMiami, which calls itself the Cruise Capital of the World. This guide lists every major line that homeports there, the ships it keeps in Miami, the terminals each one uses and the destinations you can reach, from 3-night Bahamas runs to 7-night Caribbean loops and longer Panama Canal sailings. You also get the practical side: the busiest months, hurricane season, parking rates, the transfer from Miami airport and what to do in the city before you board. The Bahamas routes get a short summary here because Bahamas cruises from Miami have a full page of their own. Everything below is priced only where the port or the line publishes a figure.
Norwegian Sky docked at the Port of Miami, seen from the causeway. Photo: David Balmer, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Quick answer Cruises from Miami at a glance
PortMiami carried 8,564,225 cruise passengers in its latest fiscal year, the highest annual count in its history, and hosts Royal Caribbean, Carnival, Norwegian, MSC, Virgin Voyages, Celebrity and five smaller lines at Terminal J. Ships sail year-round on 3 to 5 night Bahamas routes and 6 to 8 night Caribbean routes, with longer Panama Canal and transatlantic sailings on some lines.
Key takeaways
- See which lines sail to the islands in Bahamas cruises from Miami.
- Match ship to terminal in the Port of Miami cruise terminal guide.
- Book a private transfer to the cruise port from $70 and skip the airport scrum.
- Fill a free morning with the free day trips from Miami.
Cruise Lines That Sail from Miami
PortMiami splits its berths between the mass-market lines and a small luxury cluster on the south side. Each line has its own terminal or terminals, so your departure address depends on who you booked with.
Who Sails from PortMiami
The table below lines up the major homeported lines with the terminals they use and the typical trip lengths they sell from Miami. Terminal assignments come from the port and the Greater Miami tourism guide. Lengths are the ranges each line advertises for its Miami program, so a specific ship may sit at one end of the range. Check the terminal printed on your booking before you arrange transport, because the garages, entrances and drop-off zones differ between the north and south sides of the port.
One thing to note before the table: a Cruise Terminal G groundbreaking was announced by Miami-Dade County and Royal Caribbean Group, with a $345 million one-berth terminal for up to 7,000 guests per call planned to open in late 2027 for Royal Caribbean, Celebrity and Silversea. The terminal map is still changing.
| Line | Ships from Miami | Terminal | Typical lengths |
|---|---|---|---|
| Royal Caribbean | Wonder of the Seas, Freedom of the Seas, Icon of the Seas | Terminal A | 3 to 7 nights |
| Carnival | Celebration, Conquest, Firenze, Horizon, Magic, Sunrise, Sunshine, Venezia | Terminals D, E, F | 3 to 8 days |
| Norwegian | Aqua, Luna, Getaway, Jewel, Encore, Joy, Escape | Terminal B | 3 days to 20+ days |
| MSC Cruises | MSC World America, MSC Seaside | Terminal AA | 3 to 7 nights |
| Virgin Voyages | Valiant Lady, Resilient Lady, Brilliant Lady | Terminal V | 4 to 7 nights |
| Celebrity Cruises | Celebrity Xcel, Celebrity Beyond | Terminal C | 6 to 8 nights |
| Oceania, Regent, Azamara, Windstar, Silversea | Luxury ships on Caribbean and Panama Canal voyages | Terminal J | 7 to 17 nights |
Royal Caribbean Cruises from Miami
Royal Caribbean is the anchor tenant at Terminal A and keeps some of the largest ships afloat in Miami. Wonder of the Seas, 235,600 gross tons and up to 7,084 guests at maximum capacity, moved to PortMiami on August 25, 2025 and runs 3 and 4 night cruises to Nassau and Perfect Day at CocoCay. Freedom of the Seas sails a 4-night loop with a sea day, CocoCay and Nassau, plus a 5-night Bahamas and Perfect Day version, and also runs 4-night Eastern Caribbean sailings with a call at Grand Turk.
Icon of the Seas, 248,663 gross tons, features 7-night Eastern Caribbean cruises from Miami with CocoCay plus Western Caribbean options calling at Roatan and Cozumel. It is due to move its homeport to Galveston, Texas in 2027, when Hero of the Seas takes over a Miami slot. Royal Caribbean charges $18.50 per guest per day in standard cabins and $21 in suites, plus 18 percent on drinks, specialty dining and room service.
Carnival Cruises from Miami
Carnival lists eight ships sailing from Miami: Celebration, Conquest, Firenze, Horizon, Magic, Sunrise, Sunshine and Venezia. It sails from Terminals D, E and F. The short end of the program is built around Carnival's private destinations. Conquest runs a 3-night Bahamas cruise calling only at Celebration Key, leaving Miami at 3:30 PM and returning at 8:00 AM on day 4, and a 4-night version that adds RelaxAway Half Moon Cay. Sunrise sails a 5-night Bahamas cruise visiting Celebration Key, Half Moon Cay and Nassau with each port stop running 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM.
The bigger ships cover the Caribbean. Carnival Celebration, 183,521 gross tons and up to 6,500 guests, sails 6 to 8 day Eastern, Western and Southern Caribbean cruises and carries the 800-foot Bolt roller coaster. Horizon sails year-round 6-night Western Caribbean and 8-night Eastern and Southern Caribbean cruises. Venezia arrives in 2027 for 6 and 8 day Caribbean routes. Carnival charges $17 per person per day in standard staterooms and $19 in suites, with no charge for children under 2.
Norwegian Cruises from Miami
Norwegian lists seven ships on Miami sailings: Aqua, Luna, Getaway, Jewel, Encore, Joy and Escape, sailing from Terminal B. Norwegian Luna arrived in Miami on March 27, 2026, holds 3,565 guests at double occupancy and sails 3 and 4 day Bahamas plus 7-day Eastern Caribbean cruises from April to October, switching to a Western Caribbean route with Roatan, Cozumel and Harvest Caye from November. The ship stays in Miami through the 2026-27 winter and returns for the 2027/2028 season.
The Miami program covers 3 to 4 day and 3 to 5 day Bahamas and Caribbean cruises, 7-day Caribbean cruises and Panama Canal sailings of 10 to 20+ days, plus transatlantic and repositioning cruises. Almost every Norwegian Bahamas sailing includes Great Stirrup Cay, the line's 250-acre private island, with Nassau, Grand Bahama and on some sailings Bimini as the other ports. Norwegian's own service-charge page shows $20 per person per day for Club Balcony Suite and below and $25 in The Haven and suites, for guests aged 3 and older.
MSC Cruises from Miami
MSC sails from Terminal AA, a $300 million building on 16.7 acres that opened April 5, 2025 with two simultaneous berths. For winter 2026-27 the line keeps two ships in Miami. MSC World America, 216,638 gross tons and 6,762 guests, alternates a 7-night Western Caribbean route through Roatan, Costa Maya, Cozumel and Ocean Cay with a 7-night Eastern route through Puerto Plata, San Juan and Ocean Cay. MSC Seaside runs 3 and 4 night Bahamas cruises to Ocean Cay and Nassau, and every MSC Bahamas cruise includes Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve, with overnight stays at the island on select 4-night sailings.
Two changes are coming. MSC Poesia runs a 20-night Panama Canal cruise from Seattle to Miami starting September 28, 2026 to reposition, and MSC Seashore moves to Miami in 2027 for 6 to 9 night Eastern Caribbean and Bahamas cruises.
Virgin Voyages from Miami
Virgin Voyages is adults-only and sails from its own Terminal V. Three ships work Miami. Valiant Lady runs a 4-night Bahamas and Bimini Beach Club cruise: out of Miami at 5:00 PM, Nassau from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM on day 2, a sea day, The Beach Club at Bimini from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM on day 4, back at 6:30 AM on day 5. Brilliant Lady runs a second 4-night route through Freeport and The Beach Club at Bimini. Resilient Lady adds Thursday departures on 4-night weekend voyages that return Monday, plus 7-night sailings to Grand Cayman and Jamaica.
Virgin charges $20 per night if prepaid or $22 if charged onboard for bookings from October 7, 2025, with no extra gratuity on drinks or dining.
Celebrity and the Terminal J Lines
Celebrity Cruises sails from Terminal C. Celebrity Xcel, 141,420 gross tons and up to 3,937 guests, sails from Miami from November 8, 2026 to April 11, 2027 on 6 to 8 night Caribbean cruises, including 8-night Southern Caribbean sailings to Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao. Celebrity Beyond sails a year-round 7-night rotation from Miami and Fort Lauderdale with calls at Grand Turk, CocoCay and the ABC islands. Celebrity charges $19.50 per guest per day in inside, ocean view and veranda rooms, $20.50 in Concierge and AquaClass and $24.50 in The Retreat.
Terminal J on the south side of the port serves the smaller lines: Oceania, Regent Seven Seas, Azamara, Windstar and Silversea. Regent uses Seven Seas Grandeur, Mariner and Splendor for 22 Caribbean and Panama Canal voyages from Miami in 2026-27, running 7 to 17 nights with three full Panama Canal transits. PortMiami's 2026-27 visiting ship list has 17 entries including L'Austral, Explora III, Silver Ray, Azamara Quest, Four Seasons I and Silver Nova.
Port and transit figures: PortMiami
Where Cruises from Miami Go
Nearly every ship out of PortMiami points south or east. The short cruises stay in the Bahamas, the week-long ones split between the Western, Eastern and Southern Caribbean, and a handful of lines run long-haul repositioning routes.
Destinations by Cruise Length
The table matches each destination group to the lines that sail it from Miami and the ports you can expect, using the itineraries the lines publish for their Miami programs. Lengths are the advertised ranges, so individual sailings inside a range may drop or add a port. Private islands appear in the example ports because they are often the main call on a short cruise.
| Destination | Nights | Lines | Example ports |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bahamas | 3-5 (MSC 3-4, Norwegian 3-8) | Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, MSC, Virgin | Nassau, Freeport, Bimini, Celebration Key, CocoCay, Great Stirrup Cay, Ocean Cay |
| Western Caribbean | 6-7 | Royal Caribbean, Carnival, Norwegian, MSC | Roatan, Costa Maya, Cozumel, Harvest Caye |
| Eastern Caribbean | 4-8 | Royal Caribbean, Carnival, Norwegian, MSC, Virgin, Celebrity | Grand Turk, Puerto Plata, San Juan, Grand Cayman, Jamaica |
| Southern Caribbean | 8 | Carnival, Celebrity | Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao |
| Panama Canal | 10-20+ | Norwegian | Full and partial transits |
| Key West | 4-7 | Margaritaville at Sea | Key West |
The Bahamas
The 3 to 5 night Bahamas cruise is the core product at PortMiami and every major mass-market line runs one. Each line steers you to its own private destination: Carnival to Celebration Key and RelaxAway Half Moon Cay, Royal Caribbean to Perfect Day at CocoCay and Royal Beach Club Paradise Island, Norwegian to Great Stirrup Cay, MSC to Ocean Cay and Virgin to The Beach Club at Bimini, with Nassau, Freeport and Grand Bahama filling most itineraries. The port-by-port detail, the island guides and the ferry alternative live on the homepage at Bahamas cruises from Miami.
The Caribbean
Week-long cruises from Miami split three ways. Western Caribbean routes call at Roatan, Costa Maya, Cozumel and, on MSC and Norwegian, the line's own stops. Eastern Caribbean routes reach Grand Turk, Puerto Plata, San Juan and in Virgin's case Grand Cayman and Jamaica.
Southern Caribbean sailings on Carnival and Celebrity add Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao on 8-night trips. Norwegian's longest Miami product is the Panama Canal program at 10 to 20+ days, and Regent runs 7 to 17 night Caribbean and Panama Canal voyages from Terminal J.
Private Islands
The private destinations are a big part of why lines homeport in Miami. Celebration Key on Grand Bahama opened on July 19, 2025 with over 65 acres, a 1.5-mile beach and a $600 million price tag, and is open only to Carnival guests. Perfect Day at CocoCay has free entry with unlimited dining at five island food spots, and the walk from the ship to the Arrivals Plaza takes about 6 minutes.
Royal Beach Club Paradise Island opened in late 2025 with day passes sold in the Royal app or onboard. Great Stirrup Cay gets a 28,000-square-foot oceanfront pool and an adults-only Vibe Shore Club in its 2026 upgrade. Ocean Cay sits in a 64-square-mile marine reserve and only MSC ships visit.
The full breakdown is on the homepage at private islands by line.
Top 10 Cruise Itineraries Sailing from Miami
A rundown of the cruise routes that sail from PortMiami. Third-party video by CruiseHols. This site did not shoot it and has no relationship with the creator.
When to Cruise from Miami
Miami ships sail every week of the year, but the port's rhythm changes a lot between winter and the hurricane months.
Busiest Months and Departure Days
The busiest months at PortMiami are January to March plus the two weeks around Christmas. Norwegian calls December to April the best time to cruise from Miami, which lines up with Nassau highs of 77F in January rising to 89F in July and August and the island getting 6 to 7 inches of rain per month from June to September against under 2 inches a month from January to March. Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays are the busiest embarkation days at the port.
Typical embarkation runs about 11:00 to 15:30 and disembarkation clears the ship between 07:00 and 10:00.
Hurricane Season
The Atlantic hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30 and NOAA puts the climatological peak at about September 10, with most activity between mid-August and mid-October. NOAA's seasonal outlook called for 8 to 14 named storms, 3 to 6 hurricanes and 1 to 3 major hurricanes with a 55 percent chance of a below-normal season. Cruise lines monitor storms and reroute around them, which can mean a swapped port or an extra sea day, so travel insurance that covers trip disruption is worth pricing in the fall months.
Sailing outside the season, from December to April, buys you the driest and coolest weather the Bahamas and Caribbean get.
Cruise ships beyond the road and palms along the approach to PortMiami. Photo: Ivan Curra, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
PortMiami in Brief
PortMiami sits on Dodge Island in Biscayne Bay, a few minutes from downtown Miami, and calls itself the Cruise Capital of the World.
Terminals and Parking
The terminal lineup is straightforward once you know your line: Terminal A for Royal Caribbean, Terminal AA for MSC, Terminal B for Norwegian, Terminal C for Celebrity, Terminals D, E and F for Carnival, Terminal V for Virgin Voyages and Terminal J for Oceania, Regent, Azamara, Windstar and Silversea. A new Cruise Terminal G is under construction for Royal Caribbean Group with completion planned for late 2027. Every terminal has parking: Garages C, D, F, G and Surface Lot E cost $25 per day long-term and $10 per day short-term, while Garage AA (MSC) and Garage B (Norwegian) charge $35 per day long-term. Garage A is priced through the Royal Caribbean site and not on the port's rate table. Parking needs no reservation, takes cash, Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Discover, and disabled parking is free for vehicles with specialized equipment. Oversized vehicles park in Lot E at $25 per day, or $50 for two spaces.
The GPS address is 1015 North America Way, Miami, FL 33132. The port recommends dropping luggage before parking the car, porters are tipped about $2 to $5 per checked bag, and there are no storage lockers on site. Rates and garage maps are covered in detail in the Port of Miami cruise terminal guide.
Getting There
The port is reached from I-395 and the MacArthur Causeway through the toll-free Port of Miami Tunnel. PortMiami lists Miami International Airport as 7.1 miles away and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International as 25.7 miles away, and the airport run takes about 25 minutes off-peak or 50 minutes or more around 8am or 5pm. A rideshare from Miami airport to the port costs roughly $25 to $45 and a cruise-line transfer roughly $20 to $35 per person each way. A private option is the Miami private transfer to the cruise port from $70 one way, which covers airport, hotel and port routes with luggage assistance and 60 minutes of free airport waiting.
By public transport, the only direct service is the free Coral Way Route Trolley from Government Center Station downtown, with stops at Terminal J, Terminal E and the port offices. From Fort Lauderdale airport the Brightline train takes about 38 minutes to MiamiCentral, then about 10 minutes by rideshare to the port, and Brightline's Vacation Service carries cruise passengers to and from the port. South Beach is about 4 miles and roughly 15 minutes across the MacArthur Causeway if you want a beach morning first.
Before and After Your Cruise from Miami
Most cruises leave in the afternoon and clear customs by mid-morning, so a half day on either side is normal. Miami makes that time easy to spend.
A Biscayne Bay Cruise
The cheapest way to see the city from the water is the Biscayne Bay Millionaire Homes Cruise at $20, a 1.5-hour boat ride from Bayside Marketplace past Star Island, the Venetian Islands and the PortMiami cruise ships with a live bilingual guide. The 24-hour free cancellation window covers a changed plan.
Free Days in the City
Downtown and Miami Beach both work on foot and on free transit. Bayfront Park covers 32 acres with free admission 365 days a year, Metromover is free and runs 5:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. on three loops, and the Miami Beach trolley is free from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. South Pointe Park's 450-foot pier is open 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. beside Government Cut where cruise ships pass.
Further out, Domino Park in Little Havana, Wynwood street murals and the Everglades Shark Valley loop all fill a day, and the full list is in the free day trips from Miami guide.
Shore Days on a Bahamas Sailing
If your Miami cruise calls at Nassau, the port exit puts you about 5 minutes from the Straw Market and 10 to 15 minutes from Junkanoo Beach on foot. Booked days worth considering are the Nassau swimming pigs, reef snorkel and turtles powerboat tour at $245, a 4-hour trip with lunch, or the Nassau food tour. In Freeport, cruise pickups run for the Paradise Cove beach day pass at $75 with snorkeling at Deadman's Reef.
Check the tour's meeting point and duration against your ship's port hours before you book anything independent of the line.
Miami Cruise Tips
Do
- Do check which terminal your ship uses before booking transport, because PortMiami's garages and entrances sit on both the north and south sides of Dodge Island.
- Do drop luggage with the porters before parking, which is the port's own recommendation, and budget $2 to $5 per bag for the tip.
- Do aim to arrive inside the typical 11:00 to 15:30 embarkation window, and earlier on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday when the port is at its busiest.
- Do carry a passport even on a closed-loop Bahamas cruise, where US citizens can technically re-enter on a photo ID plus a birth certificate, because the Bahamas requires a passport valid at least six months and does not accept passport cards.
- Do build in a buffer around the airport run, which takes about 25 minutes off-peak but 50 minutes or more around 8am or 5pm.
Don't
- Don't rely on a debit card for port parking, since the port lists cash and four credit card brands and the tourism guide says debit cards are not accepted.
- Don't expect a rental car desk at the port, because there are no on-site rental car agencies, though some run shuttles.
- Don't plan to store bags at the terminal, because PortMiami has no storage lockers and lost items go to the cruise lines.
- Don't book a shore excursion that ends less than 30 to 45 minutes before all-aboard, and allow 60 to 90 minutes of buffer for distant stops.
Cruises from Miami: Questions
Which cruise lines sail from Miami?
Royal Caribbean, Carnival, Norwegian, MSC, Virgin Voyages and Celebrity all homeport ships at PortMiami, and Oceania, Regent Seven Seas, Azamara, Windstar and Silversea sail from Terminal J on the south side. The full ship-by-line table is in this guide, and the Bahamas routes are broken out at Bahamas cruises from Miami.
What is the shortest cruise from Miami?
The shortest sailings are 3-night Bahamas cruises, such as Carnival Conquest's loop that calls only at Celebration Key, leaving Miami at 3:30 PM and returning at 8:00 AM on day 4, and Royal Caribbean's 3-night Wonder of the Seas trip to CocoCay and Nassau. Norwegian runs 3-day Bahamas cruises on ships like Norwegian Joy that call at Great Stirrup Cay and Nassau. Compare the short options in the 3 day Bahamas cruise from Miami guide.
Where do cruises from Miami depart from?
All of them depart PortMiami on Dodge Island at 1015 North America Way. Your terminal depends on the line: Terminal A for Royal Caribbean, Terminal AA for MSC, Terminal B for Norwegian, Terminal C for Celebrity, Terminals D, E and F for Carnival, Terminal V for Virgin Voyages and Terminal J for the smaller lines. Terminal maps and parking rates are in the Port of Miami cruise terminal guide.
How do I get from Miami airport to the cruise port?
The port lists Miami International Airport as 7.1 miles away, a run of about 25 minutes off-peak or 50 minutes or more at rush hour. A rideshare costs roughly $25 to $45 and a cruise-line transfer roughly $20 to $35 per person each way, or you can book the private transfer to the cruise port from $70 one way with luggage assistance.
When is the best time to cruise from Miami?
December to April is the sweet spot: the port is busiest January to March, Nassau highs run 77F in January against 89F in summer, and rainfall is under 2 inches a month from January to March versus 6 to 7 inches from June to September. Hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30 and peaks around September 10.
Is there a ferry from Miami to the Bahamas instead of a cruise?
Yes, but it does not leave from Miami. The Baleària Caribbean ferry sails from Port Everglades Terminal 21 in Fort Lauderdale to Bimini in about 2 hours and to Freeport in about 3 hours, with no Miami departure. The day-trip options, including one with Miami Beach hotel transfers, are compared on the ferry from Miami to Bahamas page.