TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) – After nearly three years of uncertainty and challenges, cruise lines are gearing up to set sail in the new year.
According to a new AAA survey, 52% of adults in the United States are just as likely or more likely to consider taking a cruise than they were before the pandemic. That number is up from 45% a year ago.
“Cruising is back in a big way. We expect a lot more people to book cruises in 2023 as several new ships have entered the market,” Debbie Haas, Vice President of Travel for AAA said in a statement. “We already saw this in November which proved to be a record-breaking month for cruise bookings. For many cruise companies, Black Friday was the single largest booking day in history.”
With cruise bookings performing record-breaking numbers, here are the most popular departure cities in Florida and their destinations:
| 2023 Domestic Departure | Cruise Destination |
| Anchorage, AK | Alaska |
| Seattle, WA | Alaska |
| Honolulu, HI | Hawaii and California |
| Anaheim, CA | Hawaii, California, and Mexico |
| San Francisco, CA | Hawaii, California, and Mexico |
| Fort Lauderdale, FL | Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean |
| Miami, FL | Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean |
| Port Canaveral, FL | Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean |
| New Orleans, LA | Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean |
| New York, NY | The Caribbean, Bermuda, New England and Canada |
According to AAA’s survey, the most popular cruise ships among people who are likely to go on a cruise in 2023 are contemporary, family-friendly, and luxury cruises.
“There is something for everyone in cruise vacation options,” Haas said. “Families, couples, and friends looking to reconnect are finding that cruising offers outstanding experiences and value.”
“Cruise lines have undertaken extensive measures to promote health and safety onboard, so you can expect attention to detail and cleanliness. In the case of unexpected illness, they have protocols in place to isolate passengers as they recuperate,” she added.
AAA’s survey conducted on Dec. 2-4, 2022, consisted of 1,070 interviews among U.S. adults 18 years of age or older.
