Carnival gets OK to expand Long Beach Cruise Terminal

The Long Beach Cruise Terminal and the Queen Mary Hotel. Photo Credit: TrekandShoot/Shutterstock

Carnival Cruise Line has inked a deal to nearly triple the size of its terminal in Long Beach, Calif., from approximately 66,000 square feet to 142,000 square feet.

The deal between the cruise line and landlord Urban Commons and the City of Long Beach will enable larger ships to use the port.

Carnival has operated the Long Beach Cruise Terminal since 2003, using an area of the Geodesic Dome. The agreement gives Carnival 100% use of the Dome, not only allowing for larger ships but also providing the space required for both arriving and disembarking guests to access the terminal.

Carnival president Christine Duffy said the expansion will make Long Beach one of Carnival’s largest homeports.

Construction is slated to be completed in late 2017. During the construction period, measures will be taken to “ensure a continued smooth operational flow and high standard of customer service for cruise guests,” Carnival said.

Earlier this year, the city selected Urban Commons, a real estate company, to assume the lease of the nearby Queen Mary, the former ocean liner now serving as a floating hotel. Urban Commons plans to renovate the Queen Mary’s guestrooms and restaurants over the next year and redevelop 45 shoreside acres into an entertainment district. Its plans call for a hotel, restaurants, shops, a marina, an amphitheater and a Ferris wheel.

Carnival said it is working with Urban Commons on enhancements to the area surrounding the dome and the Queen Mary, as well as ways to increase parking.

The Carnival Inspiration and the Carnival Imagination currently operate three- and four-day Baja cruises year-round from Long Beach. The Carnival Miracle sails seven-day voyages to the Mexican Riviera and 14- and 15-day cruises to Hawaii and Alaska from Long Beach.