PHOTO: Port Everglades opened its upgraded Cruise Terminal 4 with a ribbon-cutting celebration. (Courtesy of Port Everglades)
Port Everglades celebrated the opening of Cruise Terminal 4 after a $24 million renovation project. It was the sixth cruise terminal to undergo upgrades in five years.
The 140,000-square-foot Cruise Terminal 4 in Fort Lauderdale now has 172 more surface parking spaces next to the ground transportation area, 50 new check-in counters, updated restrooms and an additional loading bridge to expedite embark and debark processes. The single escalator and older elevators were replaced with two new escalators and two new elevators for improved passenger flow. The terminal also got improved lighting and acoustics, and a high-efficiency air conditioning system.
In addition, the passenger drop-off area was moved from the east side of the terminal to the west side to separate the traffic from neighboring Cruise Terminal 2 and reduce traffic congestion in that area. Plus, the loading and drop-off areas were covered.
Also installed was a new art piece by South Florida artist Xavier Cortada. Titled "Pelican Path," the 4-by-40-foot ceramic mural is used to guide cruise passengers from the arrival area to their ship.
The Jan. 8 ribbon-cutting ceremony also celebrated Broward 100, the county's centennial year and commitment to the arts. The ceremony was attended by travel agents, elected officials and cruise line executives.
"We continuously re-invest in our facilities to keep pace with the today's customer-service driven cruise industry, to provide our guests with a seamless boarding experience," said Port Everglades Chief Executive and Port Director Steven Cernak. "Our goal when we reconfigured Cruise Terminal 4's traffic pattern and updated the interior, was to make it easier for the cruise lines to process passengers while providing guests with a bright, comfortable experience."
Port Everglades is one of the world's leading cruise ports, exceeding 4 million passengers this year and ranking as the second busiest multi-day cruise port in the world.
In addition, the terminal's energy-efficient improvements will qualify it to become certified through Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), a first for Port Everglades.
Port Everglades' next project for this terminal will be to lengthen the adjacent slip by 250 feet, for a total 1,150 feet of berth length to accommodate larger cruise ships. The $18 million slip extension is slated to be completed by the end of 2016.
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