by Ana Figueroa
Last updated: 4:53 PM ET, Thu April 12, 2018
Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (NCLH) received the go-ahead yesterday to proceed with its futuristic Miami cruise terminal. Miami-Dade County commissioners approved plans-and a sizeable investment-for the new Terminal B.
The county will cough up $100 million for the project, with additional funds of up to $65 million coming from NCLH.
Groundbreaking is set for April 26 for the all-glass, oblong, 166,000-square foot structure. It will be located at 1015 N. America Way. That's east of existing Terminals B and C, where the NCLH brands (Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruisesand Regent Seven Seas Cruises) currently operate. Those terminals will be known collectively as Terminal C after the new terminal is completed in November of 2019.
Terminal B will open in time for the debut of the newest Breakaway Plus vessel, Norwegian Encore. Able to accommodate 5,000-passenger vessels, features include indoor and outdoor waiting areas, high-tech embarkation facilities, a 1,000-car parking garage, valet area and lounge.
PortMiami is the busiest cruise port in the world. And, county officials are spinning the new Terminal B agreement as a win.
In a release, Miami-Dade County points to a guaranteed minimum of 1.3 million Norwegian Cruise Line (Norwegian) passenger moves annually. Those numbers are expected to generate approximately $24 million in gross revenues starting fiscal year 2018, with an increase of three percent annually throughout the life of the agreement.
Moreover, some 155 new full-time jobs are expected to come on line.
"Investing in PortMiami's infrastructure positions Miami as a global destination for visitors," said Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos A. Gimenez in the release. "The construction of a new cruise terminal with the capacity to berth an additional 5,000-passenger cruise ship represents thousands of jobs and increased opportunities for our community. We are grateful for Norwegian Cruise Line's continued partnership."
NCHL shared similar sentiments.
"We are excited to partner with Miami-Dade County, the architects at Bermello Ajamil & Partners, and the team at NV2A and Haskell to create a modern and innovative terminal that will soon welcome guests to a premium experience that begins even before they embark and fully immerse themselves in what it means to cruise with Norwegian," said Frank Del Rio, president and chief executive officer of NCLH.
The NCLH brands will introduce seven additional ships through 2025, with an option for two more in 2026 and 2027.
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