MSC Opens New Cruise Terminal in Miami

MSC Opens New Cruise Terminal in Miami

MSC Cruises officially opened its new massive cruise terminal in PortMiami during a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Saturday.

The event was attended by key executives of the company and partners, in addition to local and national authorities from the United States and Italy.

Pierfrancesco Vago, executive chairman of MSC Group’s Cruise Division, took the stage during the ceremony to highlight the new facility and thank all partners involved in the project.

Also present were Rick Sasso, MSC Cruises’ chairman in the United States; Pierroberto Folgiero, CEO and managing director of Fincantieri Group; Mariangela Zappia, Italian ambassador to the United States; On. Edoardo Rixi, Italian deputy minister of infrastructure and transport; J. Alex Kelly, Florida secretary of commerce; Heidi Webb, port director; and Daniella Levine Cara, mayor of Miami-Dade county.

According to the company, the new MSC Miami Cruise Terminal is the most technologically advanced and sets a global benchmark for cruise infrastructure.

The new facility is also the first in the industry to implement a complete biometric journey with digital identity verification, MSC said, to provide a seamless embarkation experience.

Designed by global design firm Arquitectonica and built by Fincantieri Infrastructure, the MSC Miami Cruise Terminal is able to process up to 36,000 passengers daily.

Three ships can dock simultaneously, with the facility occupying 492,678 square feet of area.

In his speech, Vago highlighted various aspects of the project, including its facade artwork and a new automatic baggage handling process designed in partnership with Leonardo.

“It’s a fully automated system that will load 27,000 pieces of luggage each day,” he said, noting the designers did a fantastic job with the project.

Vago also said that the new terminal focuses on passenger experience and sustainability.

“Our new terminal not only combines innovative design and technology but is also designed with energy efficiency and environment in mind,” he explained.

Among the green features of the facility is its shore power capability and a LEED Gold Certification.

The new terminal was developed to provide an experience where “every step is carefully streamlined for a stress-free embarkation,” the company added.

The facility will serve both MSC Cruises’ and Explora Journeys’ ships sailing from PortMiami, including MSC Cruises’ new flagship, the MSC World America.

Currently sailing to Florida after being delivered, the LNG-powered vessel will be named during a ceremony at the terminal on April 9, 2025.

The terminal also offers a six-level garage with over 2,400 parking spaces, which can be reserved in advance via the MSC for Me app or the MSC Cruises website.

There is a covered drop-off zone for buses, taxis and ride shares. All forms of arrival share a covered path straight to the terminal’s main entrance.

Guests who have opted into the biometric journey can simply scan their passport and look at the camera of one of the terminal’s 18 biometric face pods for validation.

The terminal uses 22 biometric E-gates to finalize the embarkation process before guests enter the gangway.

According to MSC, embarking will now be performed on the terminal side rather than on the vessel, allowing guests to start their holiday immediately.

Other highlights of the facility include a design that favors natural light and spacious waiting areas facing Biscayne Bay.

Guests of the MSC Yacht Club, the cruise line’s luxury “ship-within-a-ship” concept, also have exclusive access to a private lounge to enjoy drinks and snacks.

Guests will discover seven curated works of art commissioned through the Miami-Dade County Art in Public Places program.

The most striking piece is a first-of-its-kind 10,816-square-foot digitally projected installation that adorns the exterior of the terminal, using real-time NOAA oceanic data to create an ever-evolving display of tides, currents and weather patterns.

Additional exclusive artwork will enhance the MSC Yacht Club's private lounge.

Galveston to Support Cruise Growth with Updated Master Plan

Galveston to Support Cruise Growth with Updated Master Plan

The Galveston Wharves Board of Trustees announced plans to fund an updated 20-year Strategic Master Plan and to continue to support the development of additional cruise infrastructure.

According to a press release, the plans were voted on Feb. 6, 2025, and come after a record year for cruise operations in 2024.

As the nation’s 4th-ranked cruise port, Galveston saw 3.4 million passenger movements through its three terminals last year.

The port is set to open a fourth cruise terminal in November, which will serve as a homeport for MSC Cruises and Norwegian Cruise Line.

Galveston forecasts more than 400 sailings and almost 3.6 million passenger embarkations and debarkations will take place at the port this year.

The current master plan, adopted by the Wharves Board in 2019, includes plans to double the number of cruise terminals from two to four, to build an internal roadway to accommodate more port traffic and expand its cargo complex.

These major projects are either completed or in various stages of construction, the Galveston Wharves Board said.

“Our updated master plan will look at growth opportunities in all of our business lines – cruise, cargo and commercial,” said Rodger Rees, Galveston Wharves port director and CEO.

“The board’s unanimous vote to support cruise infrastructure growth reflects the economic benefits that our cruise business provides and allows us to continue to invest in our cargo business,” he added.

The port’s cruise industry is a major economic engine for local and regional businesses, the Galveston Wharves Board said.

In 2023, cruise operations generated 4,547 jobs for Galveston area residents, $733 million in business revenues, $291 million in personal income and $25 million in state and local taxes.

“The updated master plan will evaluate all that we’ve accomplished to date and lay a foundation for continued growth based on new cruise and cargo forecasts and port and community goals,” Rees said.

“The master plan has served us well. It’s been our roadmap for major capital projects to grow our business and maximize port assets while managing potential community impacts.”

According to the Galveston Wharves Board, much has changed in the last five years, with the cruise business growing faster than forecast and construction costs continuing to rise.

“A big focus in the master plan update will be how we can continue to efficiently manage traffic on and around Harborside Drive as our cruise, cargo and commercial businesses grow. Our current master plan includes a 2.25-mile-long internal roadway, cueing lanes at cruise terminals and on-site parking garages,” Rees added.

The port also wants the updated plan to consider locations for the USS Texas, public areas on the waterfront and safely connecting the port’s waterfront commercial areas to downtown.

Several items in the current plan will be addressed, including dock and wharf improvements, development potential for port acreage on Pelican Island, drainage improvements and a public boardwalk, to name a few.

Master plan consultants from Bermello Ajamil and Partners Inc. will evaluate these projects, update cost estimates and identify new opportunities.

Consultants will hold workshops and public meetings to gather input from Wharves Board members, port partners and the community.

“Armed with this information, we’ll be prepared to continue to maximize our port assets and remain a strong community asset,” Rees said.

 

Nelson Mandela Cruise Terminal in Durban Officially Inaugurated

Nelson Mandela Cruise Terminal in Durban Officially Inaugurated

The Nelson Mandela Cruise Terminal in Durban has been officially inaugurated by President Cyril Ramaphosa ahead of South Africa’s 2023-24 cruise season.

 The $16 million building was created and funded by MSC Cruises in partnership with the African Armada Consortium and Transnet National Ports Authority, according to a press release.

The 6,000 square-meter cruise terminal with a capacity to handle 4,000 passengers a day will be operated by KwaZulu Cruise Terminal Limited.

Attendees included Pierfrancesco Vago, executive chairman of MSC Cruises and Chairman of KwaZulu Cruise Terminal, President Cyril Ramaphosa, His Majesty King Misuzulu kaZwelithini, the Nelson Mandela Foundation, government ministers, port officials and leaders from South Africa’s main travel agencies.

 “Nelson Mandela was an incredible statesman and leader who continues to inspire progress around the world and we are honored that the Nelson Mandela Foundation allowed us to use his name for what is the gateway to the Zulu Kingdom,” said Vago.

 “MSC Cruises arrived in South Africa in the early 1990s and since then, thousands of cruise guests have discovered the beauty of the KwaZulu-Natal Province and beyond.  The new Nelson Mandela Cruise Terminal in Durban will give access to passengers from more than 100 nationalities and they will enjoy the unique experience we offer on board and visits to the beautiful destinations we have developed at Portuguese Island and Pomene in Mozambique.

MSC Splendida birthed at the new terminal.

 “It has been 10 years since the public-private partnership was initially conceived, the first of its kind for the east coast of South Africa.  We were given the privilege together with our black empowerment partner to create new infrastructure that supports the expansion of the South African cruise tourism and the new terminal will be welcomed by all cruise companies from around the world.”   

Ross Volk, managing director of MSC Cruises South Africa, added: “We are fully committed to helping drive the country’s tourism industry and create employment opportunities along the way which has and will continue to have a positive economic impact on the nation.  This will be typified later this week with the start of the local cruise season and the arrival of MSC Splendida, MSC Cruises’ largest and most modern ship to serve the South African market.”

  

Port Everglades: New Lines, New Ships and a New Terminal

Port Everglades: New Lines, New Ships and a New Terminal

Port Everglades is kicking off the 2023-24 cruise season by welcoming new cruise lines and ships, and establishing itself as a new homeport for Disney Cruise Line, according to a press release.

“We could very well top our 4 million passenger record, although our ‘official’ projected number is conservatively estimated at some 3.7 million embarking and disembarking guests,” said Port Everglades CEO and Port Director Jonathan Daniels.

“As a trend, we are seeing more luxury ships such as Viking and Ritz-Carlton, and shorter itineraries from Royal Caribbean, Celebrity and Disney,” Daniels added.

So far this season, which started in October, Port Everglades has welcomed first calls from Viking’s expedition ships Viking Octantis and Viking Polaris, Viking Mars, as well as Phoenix Reisen’s Artania.

Beginning November 20, 2023, the Disney Dream will homeport year-round in a specially designed cruise terminal dedicated for Disney Cruise Line guests. The partnership with Disney includes a 15-year agreement with one ship to be homeported in Port Everglades year-round and joined by a second, seasonal ship, to be announced, in 2025.

Celebrity Cruises’ Celebrity Ascent debuts at Port Everglades with two 3- and 4-night preview sailings in November 2023 before being named at Port Everglades on December 1, 2023, and embarking on her inaugural Caribbean season with alternating 7-night Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries. Celebrity Ascent is the fourth ship in Celebrity’s Edge Series class, and one of seven Celebrity ships to sail from Port Everglades this season.

The Silver Nova will be named at Port Everglades on January 4, 2024. This will be the first ship to use liquefied natural gas (LNG) as its main fuel at Port Everglades.

Royal Caribbean International’s Oasis-class Symphony of the Seas will shift to Port Everglades after returning from Europe in November 2023 and will sail alternating 6- and 8-night cruises to the Caribbean.

Azamara also joins the Port Everglades fleet for the first time with the arrival of the Azamara Onward on November 30, 2023. Azamara Onward will finish the 2024 season at Port Everglades with an inaugural 155-night World Voyage departing January 5, 2024, visiting over 40 countries with 22 overnight stays and 27 late nights in port.

Port Everglades said it also looking forward to having a busier than usual summer 2024 with five cruise ships including Celebrity Beyond (7-days), Celebrity Reflection (3- and 4-days), Disney Magic (3-, 4- and 5-days), Enchanted Princess (7-days), and Freedom of the Seas (7 days).

Princess Cruises will homeport the brand-new Sun Princess at Port Everglades beginning in October 2024. The Sun Princess, the first in the line’s new Sphere class, will be Princess Cruises’ first LNG-fueled ship and its largest, accommodating more than 4,000 guests.

The newly rebranded luxury line Crystal recently announced that it will move from Miami and begin homeporting from Port Everglades in November 2024, with the completely refurbished Crystal Serenity.

Port Everglades has completed a study to add shore power to the port’s eight cruise terminals, which will allow cruise ships to use electricity while idling in port instead of burning fuel. The study was performed by Moffatt & Nichol, a global infrastructure advisory firm working in cooperation with Florida Power & Light (FPL), Carnival Corporation, Disney Cruise Line and the Royal Caribbean Group. The recommended plan is capable of delivering up to 16 megawatts of electricity simultaneously to each of the eight terminals in accordance with IEC/IEEE 80005 standards.

The projected cost for the project, including the estimates for FPL supply and distribution system upgrades, is approximately $20 million per cruise terminal, for a total cost of $160 million. The project is expected to be financed through federal and state grant funds, contributions from FPL, the participating cruise lines, and Broward County. Implementation will occur in phases. The earliest construction could occur is mid-2024 with all phases completed by the end of 2027, the port said.

Royal Caribbean Opens New Cruise Terminal in Galveston

Royal Caribbean Opens New Cruise Terminal in Galveston

Royal Caribbean Group’s new cruise terminal in the Port of Galveston is officially open, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony held at the new facility on Wednesday morning with the Allure of the Seas docked in the port.

Generating 100 per cent of its needed energy through on-site solar panels, the 161,334-square-foot facility is set to become the first in Texas to achieve LEED Gold certification.

Marking the arrival of the Oasis class to Texas, the vessel departed from its new homeport for the first time on Wednesday afternoon.  

Launching a series of Western Caribbean cruises departing from Galveston, the Royal Caribbean International ship is sailing on a promotional short cruise before kicking off a schedule of week-long cruises to Mexico and Honduras next Sunday.

The program features a regular itinerary that includes visits to Cozumel, Costa Maya and Roatán.

One of the world’s largest cruise ships, the Allure of the Seas has a capacity for over 5,400 guests.

Following the Oasis of the Seas, the 220,000-ton vessel introduced a groundbreaking design that is highlighted by features such as Central Park, a park with real plants, surrounded by shops and restaurants. 

The 2010-built vessel also has its public areas divided in seven different neighbourhoods, each one of them having a different appeal. The BoardWalk, for instance, was inspired by a seaside pier and features a carousel, and carnival games, in addition to retail outlets and eateries.

With its new terminal in Galveston, the Royal Caribbean Group will be able to accommodate up to 630,000 guests in the port per year.

The $125 million project saw construction started in 2021 and is a collaboration between Royal Caribbean International, Ceres Terminal Holdings, LLC and Galveston Wharves.

In addition to the Allure, a second Royal Caribbean International vessel, the Adventure of the Seas, is set to offer cruises from Galveston during the 2022-2023 season.

In November 2023, the Harmony of the Seas is set to take over Allure’s program, offering similar week-long itineraries in the region.

Galveston Set to Break Ground on New Royal Caribbean Terminal

Officials will break ground for the brand new $110 million cruise terminal at Galveston Wharves for Royal Caribbean International on Saturday at 10 a.m. local time. 

Galveston Wharves will be represented by Port Director and CEO Rodger Rees, who will be joined by Royal Caribbean Group Vice President of Destination Development Joshua Carroll and Ceres CEO Craig Mygatt.

Also expected are Craig Brown, Mayor, the City of Galveston and Albert Shannon, Chairperson, Board of Trustees of the Galveston Wharves.

The new cruise terminal will cover approximately 170,000 square feet on ten acres of land in the southeast section of the Port of Galveston known as Pier 10.

The facility, which is anticipated to open in fall 2022, will feature state-of-the-art technology to enable mobile check-in and facial recognition to create an expedited arrival experience for guests, according to a press release.

The terminal will be designed and developed sustainably to meet LEED certification standards.

MSC Obtains Clearance To Build and Operate Terminal in Barcelona

MSC Cruises has announced that it obtained the final approval by the Port of Barcelona’s Board of Directors to build and operate an exclusive cruise terminal. This multi-year concession will see the construction of an innovative terminal of 11,670 square meters that MSC Cruises will operate and manage for a 31-year period.

The project is estimated to represent a 33-million-euro investment by MSC Cruises. With construction work set to start shortly, the new terminal is expected to enter service in 2024.

“We are particularly pleased with the award of this multi-year new terminal concession. Barcelona is not only an important homeport for the cruises division, but also for the entire group and its shipping business. As such, the new terminal is further proof of MSC Group’s longstanding commitment to the city of Barcelona and the entire Catalonia region,” said MSC Cruises’ Executive Chairman Pierfrancesco Vago.

For the project, MSC Cruises is partnering with the renowned Catalan architect Ricardo Bofill.

“I am also honoured that for this project we will able to partner with the impressive Ricardo Bofill and his firm. Together, we will build a state-of-the-art new terminal that is bound to become another landmark for the beautiful city of Barcelona,” Vago said.

According to him, the new terminal will allow MSC to operate “expanded homeport operations, resulting in added direct and indirect economic benefit for the city and the overall region.”

“This will come from higher spent locally by our international guests either flying into or out of Barcelona airport and likely to spend additional days in the city and its hotels together with their travelling parties. Homeport operations will also allow us to dedicate to Barcelona more of our new ships – including the LNG-powered MSC World Europa which is currently under construction and is shaping up to become one of the most environmentally friendly ships at sea when she comes into service,” noted Vago.

“Finally, the new terminal allows us to further demonstrate our commitment to environmental sustainability as it will feature both shore power facilities as well as LNG bunkering operations,” he concluded.

According to a press release, this project will allow MSC Cruises to “consolidate its presence in Barcelona,” which is one of the brand’s most important ports in the Western Med and to expand its homeporting operations out of the city.

This will result in added direct and indirect economic benefit for the city and region as more international guests will transit through Barcelona, likely spending additional days in the city either before or after their cruise, the cruise line wrote.

The new terminal will feature shore power facilities and be ready for LNG bunkering operations, allowing MSC Cruises to deploy more next-generation, environmentally-friendly ships in Barcelona, including the MSC World Europa. The World Europa is the brand’s first LNG-powered cruise ship, currently under construction and due to enter service in 2022.

Both cargo operator MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company and ferry operator GNV have a solid presence in the Port of Barcelona, the cruise line said.

“As such, the new terminal is a further proof of MSC Group’s longstanding commitment to Barcelona, Catalonia and the whole of Spain,” MSC stated.

Seattle: Alaska Drives Demand

Seattle: Alaska Drives DemandQuantum of the Seas in Seattle.

 While moving ahead with plans to build a third terminal, the Port of Seattle set another record last year with 1,210,000 passengers on 211 calls and is forecasting a further increase this year to 1,380,000 passengers on 225 calls.

“We are also extending our season starting as early as April 1 with the Grand Princess and closing on Oct. 19 with the Ruby Princess,” said Michael McLaughlin, director of cruise and maritime operations. “Norwegian Cruise Line will also bring a third ship, the Norwegian Sun, joining the Bliss and the Encore at Pier 66. The Sun will sail 11-day Alaska cruises.

“Next year, the new Norwegian Encore will replace the Joy,” he continued. “It is a good example of how Norwegian is keeping their newest and best products in the market.

“Also in 2021, Carnival will replace the Spirit with the larger Freedom.”

Last year marked Seattle’s 20th year as a cruise port, during which it has seen nearly 14 million passengers.

“What stands out over those two decades,” said McLaughlin, “is that even during the recession we continued to grow our market share year-over-year. There was some flattening out in Alaska when that head tax was put into place, but it had less effect on Seattle in that we had entered into berthing agreements with the brands where they needed to meet their annual guarantees. So when they decided to pull ships out of the market as a result of the taxation in Alaska, it had less effect on Seattle.

“Over the long run, the growth trend has been really positive.”

Having released a Request for Proposals (RFP) for a new terminal last summer, the port has announced three groups that were shortlisted. They were the so-called Cruise Industry Leaders Group, with Royal Caribbean, MSC Cruises, Carnival Corporation and SSA Marine, a Seattle-based stevedoring company; Global Ports Holding and Miami-based Civil & Building North America; and Ports America, teaming up with Jacobs Engineering Group, headquartered in Dallas.

With the goal of having the new terminal ready for the 2023 season, it means Seattle will have three cruise terminals and four berths: Terminal 46 with one berth; the Bell Street Terminal at Pier 66 with one berth, and the Smith Cove Terminal at Pier 91 with two berths.

Port Canaveral: Diversified Offering

A brand-new Terminal 3 is nearing the final stages of construction for Carnival Cruise Line at Port Canaveral, along with a 1,800-spot parking garage, all in preparation for the new Mardi Gras which will become the first LNG-fueled ship in North America.

Projections call for just under five million cruise guests in the fiscal year 2020, and over 5.6 million by 2024.

For port CEO Captain John Murray, the planning started years ago, wanting to be ready for LNG-fueled ships. The effort has paid off as Port Canaveral will host the Mardi Gras year-round and is expected to be home to Disney’s LNG-fueled ships as well.
“We are growing consistently,” Murray said. “All our cruise lines are very strong and over the next few years they plan to add additional ships.

 
“We are going to become the Florida port that can expand as the tonnage will be on the market and there won’t be as many berthing options in Florida as there have been in the past.”
Other big news at Port Canaveral includes the summer arrival of Marella Cruises in 2021, a deployment move announced late last year that had been in the works since 2017, said Robert “Bobby G” Giangrisostomi, vice president, cruise business development.
“They were looking for an American product,” he said, adding that the port’s proximity to Orlando was key.

Long term, the big homeport customers have major deals with Port Canaveral, including Carnival, Royal Caribbean and Disney, and Murray said in November he was negotiating a new deal with Norwegian.

With options, Carnival’s latest arrangement could extend to 45 years. For the port, terminal infrastructure is about building smart. “Flexible terminals,” commented Giangrisostomi. “A 1,200-foot ship can have up to 7,000 passengers. You have to be flexible. LNG ships, big ships, medium ships and Port Canaveral can handle them all.”
Deals also include more parking infrastructure, which may not be as long term.
"We have to look at what the concept of parking could be in 10 years,” Murray said, noting autonomous vehicles and an 83 per cent jump in Uber and Lyft usage at the port year-over-year.

Shorter cruises? Plan for more drive-in passengers. Estimates suggest that 40 to 60 per cent of guests embarking at Port Canaveral are drive-in customers.                   
“We are 200 miles closer to the entire Southeast,” explained Giangrisostomi
Another metric that is up is port-of-call business. With an expected 83 transit calls this year, that number jumps to just over 100 next year with more visits from the Oasis of the Seas sailing from Bayonne.

"Our port-of-call business is substantial,” added David German, director, cruise business development. “It’s good for the local community, with 6,000-plus passengers.”
The out-island arms race has paid dividends to all the Florida ports, Murray added. With cruise lines spending big developing their own destinations in the Bahamas, they have a reason to keep ships in nearby homeports.

New facial recognition has sped up clearing ships with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, which can now happen in as little as two hours for 5,000 disembarking guests.
"They clear the ship very quickly. It helps the cruise lines get to zero counts much sooner,” Murray said.

“Being ready and out front for our cruise customers,” Murray answered when asked about how to run a cruise port successfully. “The guests are the most important part of our operation … easy in, easy off, easy on the ship, easy off the ship. We want to be number one in customer service … It boils down to the end-user.”

Carnival line's largest ship going to Port Canaveral

Carnival Cruise Line said it reached an agreement with the Canaveral Port Authority to build a new terminal for the 5,286-passenger ship Carnival plans to deploy in 2020.

The 180,000-gross ton ship is 34% larger than Carnival's most recent vessel, the 134,000-ton Carnival Horizon.

Carnival noted that the vessel will offer "an array of groundbreaking, never-before-seen features and attractions," while also being the first North American-based cruise ship to be powered by liquefied natural gas.

Further ship details, along with itineraries from Port Canaveral, are expected to be announced in 2019.

The ship is the second recent newbuild set to debut outside of Miami, where Carnival's newest ships are typically based. Next year, the Carnival Panorama will debut in Long Beach, Calif., which will be its year-round homeport.

Carnival said it currently has three year-round ships based in Port Canaveral carrying upwards of 650,000 passengers a year. In October, the six-year-old Carnival Breeze will be repositioned from Galveston to homeport at Port Canaveral as well.

Copenhagen Set for New Terminal in 2020

Cruise ship calls continue to increase on an annual basis in Copenhagen as the Danish city has gone from 325 calls in 2017 to 346 in 2018, and expects 355 calls and 900,000 guests next year, according to Arnt Moller Pedersen, COO cruise and ferries.

The 2018 season kicked off in late March with the Astoria and will go to the end of October when the AIDAmar calls on Halloween. That is a full month longer than the 2017 season, with 2018 featuring nine new ships.

There are also nine off-season Christmas and New Years call, an all-time high.

Among the highlights, the biggest ship to call was the Norwegian Breakaway, while May 20 saw the port handle six ships, 24,000 cruise passengers and 8,000 crew in a single day, said Pedersen.

“We are building a new cruise terminal in Copenhagen with capacity for 5,000 guests and with a quay length of 370 meters and a water depth of 12 meters,” he said, noting it will be ready by April 2020. “The terminal building will have two floors, totalling 10,000 square meters and two gangway bridges.”

Overall more than 1.1 million cruise passengers are expected to visit Danish ports this year, with an economic impact of 200 million euro, according to a statement.

In addition to Copenhagen’s strong numbers, Aarhus will welcome 100,000 passengers for the first time; and business is also expected to double for the port of Skagen.

And in Visby, a new cruise quay opened earlier this year and was inaugurated by a call from the AIDAdiva in April.

Fourth Oasis-class ship to be called Symphony of the Seas

Royal Caribbean's new 170,000-square-foot terminal in Miami will be home to two Oasis-class ships.

Royal Caribbean's fourth Oasis-class ship will be called Symphony of the Seas and begin service in late 2018 from its new Crown of Miami terminal.

The 5,400-passenger ship will be joined at the new terminal by another Oasis-class ship, Allure of the Seas.

Since the debut of the Allure in 2010, Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale has been the home of two Oasis-class ships and Miami none. The new 170,000-square-foot terminal in Miami is being built to accommodate the giant ships and to create an iconic presence at PortMiami, where Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. has its global headquarters.

The Harmony of the Seas, now sailing from Port Everglades, presumably will remain there while the Oasis of the Seas continues at Port Canaveral, Fla. The Harmony entered service last spring.

The four Oasis-class ships would give Royal Caribbean the capacity to carry 21,600 passengers or more per week from the three Florida ports.

On Wednesday, Royal Caribbean also will announce an agreement with the government of the Bahamas allowing RCCL to build a pier at its Coco Cay private island in the Bahamas and make other upgrades.

In return, RCCL will expand a program for local vendors at Coco Cay, make a commitment to hire more Bahamians to work on ships and start a training program in the Bahamas for hospitality workers.

Carnival in talks to build new Miami terminal

FORT LAUDERDALE -- PortMiami is in talks with Carnival Cruise Line to build a new terminal that would serve a ship with capacity of up to 6,000 passengers, a port official said.

The terminal would be the eighth and probably last terminal at the busiest cruise port in the world.

PortMiami has six terminals now, and Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. has just broken ground on a seventh that is scheduled to be finished by November 2018.

The new terminal for Carnival would be built directly east of the RCCL terminal, on ground now used for cargo operations.

"We're in discussions with Carnival Cruise Line at present to build what may be the last terminal at the port for a ship that could carry up to 6,000 passengers, said Kevin Lynskey, deputy director of PortMiami.

Lynskey spoke as part of a panel discussion at the Seatrade Cruise Global convention.

The $200 million RCCL terminal is being built and financed by RCCL under an arrangement that is essentially a land lease for the port, Lynskey said. The Carnival terminal may be financed the same way, he said.

PortMiami projects that it will exceed 6 million passenger movements by 2018-19 fiscal year, the first full year of operation for the 170,000-square-foot RCCL terminal, to be called the Crown of Miami. 

Both RCCL and Carnival Corp., the parent of Carnival Cruise Line, have their global headquarters in Miami.

CRUISE SEASON BRINGS IN £7M

Cunard's Three Queens in Liverpool

Liverpool Cruise Terminal helped to generate an economic impact of about £7m during the summer season after welcoming more than 100,000 passengers, according to the latest figures.

A report to go before the city council's Culture, Tourism and Events Select Committee next week said 63 cruise liners visited, bringing 114,676 passengers and crew to Liverpool. Inaugural calls were made in 2016 by four different vessels, including two visits by the Disney Magic ship.

To coincide with second the Disney Magic visit, a free family-focused event was programmed comprising an outdoor cinema screen showing Disney films, a Victorian bandstand with performances and a firework finale for both passengers and spectators.

In 2017 – a year when Liverpool Cruise Terminal celebrates its tenth anniversary – there have already been 65 confirmed cruise calls, with more than 108,000 passengers and crew expected.

Earlier this year, it was revealed that plans are being drawn up to build a permanent cruise liner building. Liverpool City Council has identified the former Princes Jetty at Princes Parade, close to the landing stage, as a preferred location.

Royal Caribbean to move Oasis ships to new Miami terminal

The terminal will have two glass-faced buildings with slanted roofs facing each other.

MIAMI — Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. will move at least one and probably two of its Oasis-class ships to a new terminal it expects to open in Miami in 2018.

Two of the 5,400-passenger ships, Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas, currently sail from Port Everglades about 30 miles to the north. The new Harmony of the Seas will sail from Port Everglades from Nov. 17 to April 18.

At an event at the waterside Perez Art Museum in Miami, RCCL chairman Richard Fain announced that the new terminal will be designed by the architectural firm Broadway Malyan of Singapore. He unveiled renderings of the building, expected to be finished by the end of 2018.

The 170,000-square-foot terminal has two glass-faced buildings with slanted roofs facing each other, forming a shallow V. Royal Caribbean has dubbed it the “Crown of Miami.”

It is unusual because most cruise terminals are designed by engineers, not architects. “If we had been doing this 10 years ago, we would not have been so ambitious with the aesthetic side of it,” Fain said. 

But he said Miami has gone through an architectural renaissance. The Perez Art Museum, for example, was designed by the renowned Swiss firm Herzog & De Meuron.

The building will be part of a $200 million investment Royal Caribbean is making to build the terminal, which it will own, on land leased from Miami-Dade County. 

Fain said the terminal is intended to handle a single large ship at a time, and has room for a ship slightly larger than the 225,000-ton Oasis class. By 2018, Royal Caribbean will have four in the class, including a ship under construction for delivery in 2018. 

In a coup, Port Everglades in 2010 won the opportunity to be the home port for the first two Oasis ships, Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas. It will now lose one, possibly both, of those vessels. The Oasis of the Seas will sail from Port Canaveral this winter.

“This will cement us as the cruise capital of the world,” said Port Miami director Juan Kuryla. He said the terminal is expected to boost the port’s annual traffic from 5 million to 6 million passenger movements and add 1 million passengers a year to RCCL's current total of 750,000.

Tower part of Canaveral's expansion

By Tom Stieghorst

Hotels onboard for parking perk

A program at Port Canaveral lets guests at eight nearby hotels park their cars at the port garages at a 40% discount, as an alternative to running a park-and-ride shuttle. Read More 

One of the fastest-growing cruise ports worldwide is Central Florida's Port Canaveral, which benefits from its proximity to Walt Disney World and the islands of the Bahamas.

Only an hour east of Disney and Orlando Airport, the port opened a sixth cruise terminal this summer and already has plans to finish a seventh next November.

The port is laid out on either side of a 12,000-foot east-west channel, allowing for cruise and cargo areas on the north side and recreational uses like boating, fishing and dining on the south side.
Even on the north side, there is a division of functions, said David Poston, director of business development for cruise, tourism and hospitality. "We've been very successful at Port Canaveral in keeping our cruise activity separate from our cargo industry," he said. "There's not a lot of unattractive things to look at here."

Visitors can now get a bird's-eye view of the port from its new $23 million Exploration Tower.

Opened Nov. 8, the seven-story building can host about 100 people on its top deck, which has a prime view of the Kennedy Space Center just north of the port. But almost every floor has good views of the center because the north side of the building is mostly faced with glass.

"There's never been a view quite like the one from the tower," said Brian Blanchard, director of recreation operations for the port.

Although the space shuttle launches have been discontinued, Space X and other contractors continue to send unmanned payloads into orbit from the Canaveral launch facility.

The observation deck has a "perfect" view of the Space X launch pad, Blanchard said.
But there's plenty to do at the 22,000-square-foot tower when a launch isn't on the agenda.

The first six floors are full of port history, interactive displays and installations that give visitors ideas for things to do in Central Florida. There is a 13-minute movie of the port. A simulator lets someone play pilot by bringing a vessel into port under three different scenarios.

An exhibit on the second floor displays scale models of the Starship Royale and two of its sister ships. Sailing as "the Big Red Boat," the Premier Cruise Line vessel became the first multiday ship to be homeported at Port Canaveral, starting in 1984.

There is a whole floor devoted to the space program and its connections to the port as well as a 72-seat theater on the fourth floor, with shades on three walls that can be raised to offer a panoramic view.

One of the area's retail magnets, the Ron Jon Surf Shop, has installed a 12-foot-tall breaking wave fashioned out of surfboards, part of the tower's role as a tour center for visitors.
The tower, which costs $6.50 for adults and $3.75 for ages 3 to 10, is part of a bigger vision for the port's south side, which now includes waterfront restaurants and bars, a marina, terminals for small gaming ships and even a seafood processing plant.

To date, there have been no multiday cruise terminals on the south side, but that will change. An $85 million terminal and 1,000-space parking garage are being built next year east of the Exploration Tower.

"It's going to be a two- to three-minute walk" to the tower, Blanchard said.

The master plan for the south side calls for a 5,000-seat amphitheater to the east of the tower and a greenway lined with shops and restaurants, a hotel and an entertainment venue to the east.

Carnival Cruise Lines, Disney Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean International all homeport ships at Port Canaveral, and visitors making stops on port calls are growing.

In the past two years, ship calls increased from 86 to 123, and that number is poised to grow as vessels such as the Norwegian Breakaway make stops there on seven-night voyages that begin and end in New York.