New NCL terminal breaks ground at PortMiami

Norwegian Cruise Line celebrated the groundbreaking of the new Norwegian Cruise Line terminal at PortMiami.

The Miami-Dade County Board of Commissioners approved the project on April 10, 2018, with construction beginning May 1.

Present at the ceremony, which took place at PortMiami’s Terminal B, were Frank Del Rio, president and chief executive officer of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd., Andy Stuart, president and chief executive officer of Norwegian Cruise Line, Howard Sherman, executive vice president of onboard revenue and destination services, Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos A. Gimenez, Miami-Dade County commissioner Rebeca Sosa, PortMiami director and chief executive officer Juan Kuryla, Florida State Representative Cynthia Stafford and leading executives from the architecture and construction firms on record, Bermello Ajamil & Partners and the NV2A-Haskell joint venture.

The state-of-the-art terminal is scheduled for completion by the fall of 2019, as Norwegian Encore, the newest ship of the Breakaway Plus class, debuts in Miami with seasonal cruises to the Caribbean.

“This iconic terminal represents our continued partnership with Miami-Dade County, our commitment to excellence and Miami as a world capital,” said Frank Del Rio, president and chief executive officer of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. “As a global cruise company we’re transforming and elevating guest experiences through design and innovation on our ships, and this new terminal at PortMiami is the next step in that journey. We are honored to be here today alongside the team dedicated to making this dream a reality.”

At nearly 166,500 square feet, the Norwegian terminal will accommodate ships of up to 5,000 passengers and will feature state-of-the-art technology to support faster and more efficient embarkation and disembarkation, as well as expedited security screening and luggage check-in.

A dedicated lounge and service area will offer a warm and welcoming arrival for guests, and a new parking garage and valet parking area with direct access to the terminal will streamline the entire arrival and departure process for more efficiency.

“As Miami continues to develop as a global tourist destination, we view investing in PortMiami's infrastructure as imperative to sustainable growth," said Mayor Gimenez. "The construction of a new cruise terminal with the capacity to berth an additional 5,000-passenger cruise ship allows for the creation of thousands of jobs and increased opportunities for our community. We are eager to witness the incredible beauty the terminal will bring to our city skyline and grateful for Norwegian Cruise Line's steadfast partnership.”