BROWARD COUNTY, Fla. -- Port Everglades welcomed back an old friend on Nov. 9 with the return of Crystal to her winter homeport.

The newly rebranded luxury line made an exceptional entrance with the completely refurbished Crystal Serenity. The 740-passenger ship includes larger, updated suites with artisanal finishes, a new pickleball court and an industry-leading space-to-guest ratio (1 to 93.1 cubic feet).

On hand for the welcoming ceremony were Crystal Serenity’s Captain Vincent Tallaird, Broward County Commissioner Steven Geller, Port Everglades Chief of Staff Peg Buchan, leadership from the Seafarers’ House and Visit Lauderdale, and the port’s law enforcement partners from U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Broward Sheriff’s Office.

“Our port is home to one of the most diverse collections of cruise ships and Crystal’s reimagined luxury ships fit in perfectly,” said Port Everglades CEO and Port Director Joseph Morris. “We look forward to welcoming their guests.”

Crystal’s return to the port comes on the heels of the port’s announcement that it bested its own cruise passenger record with a preliminary count of 4.01 million guests embarking and disembarking during Fiscal Year 2024, which ended September 30, 2024. The new record is expected to be short-lived, however, as 4.4 million guests are anticipated during Fiscal Year 2025.

About Port Everglades
Port Everglades offers everything under the sun from Caribbean cruises to world voyages to fast ferry getaways -- all from the vacation paradise of Greater Fort Lauderdale. Port Everglades’ enviable location in the heart of South Florida and the neighboring Caribbean, makes it one of the three busiest cruise homeports in the world. Guests enjoy the port’s proximity to three international airports including rapidly growing Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) less than two miles away. For pre- and post-cruise stays, Port Everglades is a short drive to sweeping beachfronts, a vibrant art scene, world-class restaurants, craft breweries, entertainment, shopping, casinos, and family-friendly activities -- including the area’s namesake, the Florida Everglades. View details on the latest cruise offerings at PortEverglades.net or contact us by emailing PortEverglades@broward.org.

November 14, 2024

MEDIA CONTACT: Joy Oglesby, Public Information Officer
Port Everglades
954-468-0195
joyoglesby@broward.org