How a cruise ship solution helped Jacksonville host the Super Bowl

Entertainment · Published 8 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: In 2005, Jacksonville became the unlikely host for Super Bowl XXXIX. Facing a shortage of premium hotel rooms, the city turned to an unconventional solution: docking cruise ships along the St. Johns River to house eager fans. It was a high-stakes gamble for a city looking to prove its worth to the NFL.

The selection of Jacksonville for Super Bowl XXXIX was the result of a competitive voting process by NFL owners on November 1, 2000. While Miami was considered the favorite due to its extensive experience hosting the event, Jacksonville emerged as the winner on the fourth ballot. The decision was not without controversy; officials from the Miami contingent expressed displeasure, and Dolphins president Eddie Jones suggested that while Jacksonville would do a good job, it was not the ideal location.

To host the game, Jacksonville had to overcome significant logistical hurdles. While the city possessed a stadium capable of hosting the event, it lacked the necessary number of premium-level hotel rooms required by the NFL. To provide extra lodging, the host committee decided to moor various cruise ships on the St. Johns River close to the city centre to act as short-term hotels. This expensive strategy required an additional logistical layer: approximately 800 buses to shuttle attendees between various events and activities throughout the week.

On February 6, 2005, at Alltel Stadium, the New England Patriots defeated the Philadelphia Eagles 24–21 to decide the 2004 NFL championship. The game was a tight contest, remaining tied at 14–14 through the end of the third quarter. The Patriots secured the victory with a fourth-quarter touchdown run by Corey Dillon and a 22-yard field goal from Adam Vinatieri. Deion Branch was named Super Bowl MVP after recording 133 receiving yards and tying the record with 11 catches. The broadcast on Fox reached an estimated 86 million viewers.

This win solidified the Patriots' reputation as the NFL's 2000s dynasty, as they were the second squad after the Dallas Cowboys to secure three Super Bowls within four seasons. It also marked their most recent consecutive Super Bowl wins until the Kansas City Chiefs achieved the feat in 2023.

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