Port Canaveral approves new cruise terminal

By Tom Stieghorst

Port Canaveral will gain another cruise terminal under a plan approved by port commissioners.

The 185,000-square-foot terminal, along with a 1,000-square-foot parking garage, will be the first on the south side of the port channel in the Cove restaurant and retail area.

That’s the same side of the port where a striking new Exploration Tower is set to open this month. The combination of the tower, restaurants and retail will for the first time give passengers pre- and post-cruise activities within walking distance of the ships, said Port Canaveral CEO John Walsh.

The terminal is expected to cost $80-$85 million and be ready for use by November 2014. It will be able to handle the largest ships in the industry, Walsh said.

Construction is expected to start in January, with tenants to be announced shortly.

Currently, Carnival Cruise Lines, Disney Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean International are prime users of the central Florida port.

To accommodate the new terminal, Port Canaveral will relocate its recreational boat ramps to a new, larger complex at the channel’s entrance west of Jetty Park.