Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, has recorded an 18.4 per cent increase in multi-day cruise activity for the first six months of the 2011 fiscal year.

In a statement to investors earlier, the port said 2.5 million cruise passengers embarked and debarked through the property for the period ending March 31st.

This is up from the figure of 2.1 million passengers the prior year.

Passengers on one-day cruises are not included in the figures.

According to the port, the increase was largely driven by the addition in late 2010 of Royal Caribbean operated Allure of the Seas.

The 5,400-passenger vessel sails every Sunday from Port Everglades.

Port Everglades expects more than 3.9 million passengers to pass through the facility in 2011.

More than 50 ships from 14 cruise lines sail from the port.