‘Horrific’: Port Canaveral officials talk devastating impacts of pandemic, plans for rebound

BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — The pandemic was devastating for the cruise industry and Port Canaveral’s revenue, but port officials said Wednesday that things are looking up.

Port Canaveral went 17 months without cruise revenue. Port officials provided an update at the “state of the port” address.

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CEO Cpt. John Murray spelled out how bad things got when the pandemic hit and the cruise industry ground to a halt.

“17 months without cruise revenue for this port is horrific,” he said.

READ: Port Canaveral celebrates rising economic tide in the cruise ship industry

While record breaking cargo business helped get the port by, the return of cruising is huge.

Now into the 2022 fiscal year, projections for cruising at Port Canaveral are looking good.

WATCH: Cruise revenue returning to Port Canaveral with sailing numbers increasing

The port has more ships, more sailings and bigger ships, like the Carnival Mardi Gras, scheduled than they saw in 2019, the last full year of cruising.

“So we have a tremendous upside potential right now as cruising returns,” Murray said.

Right now, they have capacity for 6.6 million passengers, which is an increase in capacity of 32% over 2019.

WATCH: Carnival’s Mardi Gras set to sail from Port Canaveral

They are projecting just 62% of the available spots on board the ships will be used.

But if cruising sees a giant rebound, officials said the port could actually surpass 2019 in terms of total passengers.

“We’ve got a portfolio of, of new large, exciting ships that have lots of restaurants, dining activities, the itineraries are, you know, beefed up with some of the new private islands,” Murray said.

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Video: Carnival Cruise Line pops the champagne while christening new Mardi Gras cruise ship Carnival Cruise Line popped the champagne and christened its Mardi Gras cruise ship on Saturday. (WFTV)

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