Port Of Miami: Full Steam Ahead

MIAMI (CBS4) - A promising first-quarter for the Port of Miami sets up for another record-breaking season.

The Port of Miami, one of the busiest ports in the world, lived up to its reputation in the first quarter of the 2010-2011 year welcoming 1,144,470 passengers. The number comes in at a near 20% increase compared to the same period last year, which ended in a world record-setting number of 4.15 million passengers.

"This was the best first quarter ever for the Port of Miami," said Port Director Bill Johnson in a written statement.

The Port of Miami's 2011 cruise season opened up with three new ships for cruise aficionados to choose from. Norwegian Cruise Line's Norwegian Epic, which arrived at the Port of Miami in July of 2010, is an ultra-modern and super-luxurious freestyle cruise that offers the best in entertainment. A second option that joined the Celebrity Cruise's fleet in November 2010 is the Eclipse. And a third, Costa Cruises' luxury-class vessel the Atlantica, arrived at the port early January.

A fourth addition set to dock at the Port of Miami is Oceania Cruises' the Marina, a luxury ship that promises to raise the bar even higher for passengers. The Marina set out on a 13-day voyage from Barcelona to Miami on January 22nd. The mid-size ship is set to be christened and join the port's line-up on February 5th.

Miami is home to an array of ships catering to every cruiser's taste and budget. Johnson anticipates welcoming more than four million passengers to Miami's port this year, "The Port of Miami is well-positioned to deliver another strong season."