Reported by Jason Wheeler and Greg Pallone
PORT CANAVERAL -- The cruising options along the Central Florida coast continue to grow. as yet another new cruise ship is set to call Port Canaveral home -- the Carnival Dream has arrived, but it won't be the last new ship.
The Carnival Dream can carry more than 3,600 passengers.
It's the company's largest "Fun Ship" and is the latest in larger ships coming here.
Earlier this year, Royal Caribbean's Freedom of the Seas pulled in, and in the next two years, Disney will place two new, larger cruise ships in Port Canaveral.
According to port officials, this is just proof that this region is ripe for expansion.
"Well, we're going to grow. Everyone had always considered us to be a mature cruise port, but since that time we've continued to grow. I think we were noted in one publication as being an up and coming port. And I think that's what we are. But we are a very large up and coming port. We're putting the building blocks in for the future," said Stan Payne, the ports' chief executive officer.
The port is already home to Royal Caribbean's Freedom of the Seas, which boasts room for nearly 4,400 passengers. Over the next two years, Disney will bring in two 4,000-passenger ships.
By the way, the largest cruise ship in the world, Royal Caribbean's the Oasis of the Seas, will be making port at Fort Lauderdale. The 6,000 passenger ship was built in Finland and includes several neighborhoods on board. It features a water theater, ice skating rink, and two level suites.
The Carnival Dream begins regular 7-day Caribbean cruises on Dec.12. But before that, the public is invited out to welcome the liner at a bon voyage Sail-A-Bration at 5:30 this afternoon at Jetty Park. Visitors are asked to bring a non-perishable food item to help out area food banks.
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