Miami-Dade County reports that it has approved Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings’ (NLCH) plans for a new cruise terminal, Cruise Terminal B, at PortMiami.
The new agreement guarantees the county a minimum of 1.3 million guests annually on NLCH brand Norwegian Cruise Line, which the county says solidifies Miami as the line’s exclusive homeport in South Florida. The guarantee is expected to generate approximately $24 million in gross revenues starting this fiscal year, with an increase of 3 percent annually throughout the life of the agreement.
What can passengers expect from the new terminal? The facility will be build to accommodate vessels carrying 5,000 passengers, with a design built around a spiraled and multi-leveled façade that draws inspiration from a nautilus. NLCH has also promised to technology to speed embarkation / disembarkation, expedited security screening and luggage check-in, and indoor and outdoor waiting areas. A dedicated lounge and service area will facilitate arrival for large groups and charters, and a new parking garage and valet parking area with direct access to the terminal and lounge are also scheduled to be completed.
A groundbreaking ceremony for the new terminal is scheduled for April 26 at 10 a.m., with plans calling for construction to be complete in the fall of 2019 – in time to receive the Norwegian Encore, the newest ship in Norwegian’s Breakaway Plus class.
Terminal B isn’t the only major project on tap for PortMiami. Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., parent company of Royal Caribbean International, is also building a new, 170,000-square-foot Terminal A with a crown-inspired design. When the project was first announced Royal Caribbean said it plans to homeport ships out of the new terminal, including the extra-large Oasis class.
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