PortMiami and Carnival Cruise Line jointly held a groundbreaking ceremony today at the site of a state-of-the-art expansion to the cruise port's Terminal F, which will serve as the homeport of Carnival's next Excel-class ship, Carnival Celebration.
Sister ship to the Mardi Gras, the 5,374-passenger Carnival Celebration is currently under construction in Finland and is slated to make its debut in PortMiami in 2022, as part of the cruise line's year-long 50th birthday festivities.
At the groundbreaking ceremony, Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava and Carnival President Christine Duffy, along with a host of county commissioners and building partners, dug in with ceremonial shovels to officially signify the start of construction on the forthcoming 471,000-square-foot facility. Terminal F will become Carnival's third terminal at the PortMiami and its largest in South Florida.
Carnival and PortMiami have been working together since the cruise line's beginnings. In fact, its very first "Fun Ship", the TSS Mardi Gras, set out upon its inaugural voyage from PortMiami in March 1972. In the nearly-50 years since, Carnival has grown to become the World's Most Popular Cruise Line, and PortMiami has risen to the distinction of The Cruise Capital of the World.
Being constructed specifically for Carnival Cruise Line, Terminal F will feature a clean and open design, providing Carnival's newest class of ships with top-tier efficiency and flexibility, and maximizing the use of technology to smooth the guest embarkation process and provide a seamless boarding experience.
"I'm grateful to Carnival Cruise Line and Lemartec for their partnership with Miami-Dade County," said Mayor Levine Cava. "Despite the global pandemic, today's groundbreaking is another example of the growth happening at PortMiami-The Cruise Capital of the World-and how together, we can and we will continue to thrive.
"We are proud of Carnival's role in making Miami the cruise capital of the world, and today marks the continuation of an incredible 50-year partnership with PortMiami and Miami-Dade County. This expanded terminal, built specifically for Carnival Celebration, will make an incredible addition to the existing facilities at our largest embarkation port. My most sincere thanks to Mayor Levine Cava and all of the Miami-Dade officials who made this day possible," said Duffy.
Carnival Celebration is set to incorporate a variety of innovations unique to Excel-class vessels, including a cutting-edge Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) propulsion system-the crowning achievement of Carnival Corporation's "green cruising platform". She'll feature many of sister ship Mardi Gras' signature amenities, such as the first-of-its-kind BOLT onboard roller coaster, but will also boast some special elements created just for her.
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