Royal Caribbean cruise line considers relocating ship from Port of Baltimore to Florida
Cruise line Royal Caribbean International is considering moving one of its ships from the Port of Baltimore, company officials said.
According to the Baltimore Banner, Royal Caribbean has operated its Vision of the Seas out of the Port of Baltimore since 2023. The company told our partners they are relocating the ship to Fort Lauderdale, Fl. sometime in 2026.
According to port officials, discussions about the move are ongoing.
"Royal Caribbean has been an outstanding cruise partner for many years at the Port of Baltimore. We are continuing to hold discussions with them," said Richard Scher, Director of Communications for the Maryland Port Administration.
The Baltimore Banner reported that the move would cost Baltimore more than 40 cruises each year. The ship is currently scheduled to make 45 trips out of Baltimore in 2025.
According to Scher, cruise lines make decisions about where to place their ships each year.
"It is well-known within the cruise industry that the Baltimore-Washington, DC-Northern Virginia region is a very successful, highly populated, and lucrative cruise market," Scher said.
Carnival Cruise Line and Norwegian Cruise Line also operate out of the Port of Baltimore. Carnival's Carnival Pride ship has 48 trips scheduled from Baltimore in 2025, the Baltimore Banner reported.
Port of Baltimore history and impact
The Cruise Maryland Terminal opened at the port in 2006 and has since developed into a successful cruise business, serving the top three cruise lines, according to a 2023 economic impact report.
In 2023, the terminal served 444,122 passengers. Cargo and cruise activity from the Port of Baltimore generated 51,365 direct and indirect jobs and about $70,280.4 million in revenue, according to the report.
The port was impacted by the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in March 2024. Cruises were paused for two months as the incident blocked the shipping channel.
In May 2024, a cruise ship, the Royal Caribbean's Vision of the Seas, left the Port of Baltimore for the first time since the bridge collapsed.
Since then, the state has moved forward with rebuilding the Key Bridge. In mid-March, almost one year after the collapse, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers granted the Maryland Transportation Authority permission to rebuild the bridge.
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