As Port Canaveral heads into the new year, big changes are underway to establish the port as a cargo destination and to draw more cruise ships. In January, the port will begin work on deepening its channel to make room for cargo vessels and on widening it to accommodate ever-larger cruise ships.

Carnival Cruise Lines said its 3,006-passenger Carnival Splendor will launch seasonal Caribbean cruises from Miami beginning in November. Carnival Splendor will be the seventh Carnival Cruise Lines ship to be based in South Florida.

Aerialists, dancers and other performers for Royal Caribbean Cruises ships will train — and live — at Florida International University‘s Biscayne Bay campus as part of a partnership announced Wednesday by the university and cruise ship company.

Costa Cruises’ Costa Luminosa has started her Caribbean season after making her maiden call in Miami, US, on 7 December. The 92,000-ton vessel, which is the largest ship Costa has ever deployed from Miami, will offer ten-day roundtrip to six Caribbean ports until March 2014.

T&T is among four countries in the region now closer to agreeing a deal that will boast cruise ship travel to their destinations. Grenada, St Vincent and the Grenadines and St Lucia are the Caricom member states partnering with this country.