The fact that nearly 4.8 million people cruised from Port Everglades in FY 2025—and even more are expected in 2026—has real implications for passenger safety and the volume of accidents that may occur.
As cruise traffic grows, the sheer increase in passengers naturally raises the likelihood of onboard injuries, not necessarily because ships are more dangerous, but because more people in the same confined, high-activity environment creates more opportunities for something to go wrong.
“When you move nearly five million people through a single cruise port in a year, the number of onboard injuries is going to rise—even if the ships themselves aren’t any less safe. High passenger volume creates high-risk conditions, from crowded decks to rushed turnarounds, and that’s when preventable accidents happen. We’re seeing more cases not because the cruise industry is careless, but because the sheer scale of operations at ports like Port Everglades leaves very little margin for error, ” says cruise ship injury attorney Joel Barnett of Miami-based Waks and Barnett (cruiselawyers.com).
Cruise ships are essentially floating resorts with pools, spas, nightclubs, crowded decks, and constant movement at sea. When larger ships with higher capacity sail more frequently, you see more slip and falls on wet decks, more injuries during rough seas, more problems with congested walkways and stairwells, and more passenger incidents during shore excursions. Even if the accident rate stays proportionally the same, the total number of incidents tends to rise with increased passenger volume.
Port Everglades’ growth also puts pressure on cruise lines to turn ships around faster, move thousands of passengers on and off efficiently, and keep up with maintenance demands. Rapid turnaround schedules can result in conditions being overlooked, crew being stretched thin, or hazards not being addressed promptly. Additionally, when more ships homeport in one location, local medical facilities are more frequently involved in treating disembarking passengers who were injured at sea, which often leads to a higher visibility of serious cases.
From a legal standpoint, more passengers and more voyages generally correlate with a higher number of personal injury claims. Maritime law already requires passengers to meet strict deadlines and file in specific courts, and as traffic through Port Everglades expands, courts in South Florida are likely to see an uptick in cruise-related injury litigation.
In short, increasing cruise volume doesn’t automatically mean ships are less safe, but it does mean the number of accidents—and the number of passengers seeking legal help after those accidents—is almost certain to rise.
Waks and Barnett is a law firm that specializes in cruise ship injury claims.
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Our cruise ship accident lawyers have been helping injured passengers and crew members for more than 35 years. We help you understand your rights and will assist you in filing an injury claim against the cruise line. If you believe negligence played a role in your injury – or just have questions about the your accident – please contact our office today.
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The information provided is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Every case is unique and should be evaluated by an experienced cruise ship accident or maritime injury attorney.