Royal Caribbean to build new, world-class cruise terminal; create jobs, revenue for its ‘birthplace’

With Royal Caribbean International’s recent announcement that it will build and operate, as part of a public-private agreement with Miami-Dade County, a dramatic new terminal at PortMiami, it is safe to say that the “cruise capital of the world” will now feature one of the planet’s most impressive facilities.

The new terminal, to be constructed on land leased from the County, will serve as home port to Royal Caribbean vessels, including a 5,400-passenger Oasis-class ship, the world’s largest and most innovative cruise liner. The project’s agreement was overwhelmingly approved by Miami-Dade County Commission.

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. is a global cruise vacation company that owns  Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, Pullmantur, Azamara Club  Cruises and CDF Croisières de France, as well as TUI Cruises through a 50  percent joint venture. Together, these six brands operate a combined total of  47 ships with an additional twelve on order. They operate diverse itineraries
around the world that call on approximately 490 destinations on all seven continents.

“We are truly excited to be working with Miami-Dade County and Port Miami to create not just another cruise terminal, but a truly iconic building,” said Richard Fain, chairman and CEO for Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. “This new terminal is a symbol of our commitment to Miami, the city where our company first started almost 50 years ago. We can’t wait to bring an Oasis-class ship to PortMiami.”
The sea port —the County’s second largest economic engine, handling nearly 5 million cruise passengers and more than 1 million TEUs of cargo, and pumping $28 million into the local economy— can barely wait to reap the benefits of the new terminal.

“Miami-Dade County is happy to welcome Royal Caribbean’s expansion at PortMiami, and all the economic benefits that come along with it," said Carlos Gimenez, Miami-Dade County Mayor. “This public-private partner-ship will have an estimated economic impact of $500 million and generate approximately 4,000 jobs. Royal Caribbean has been an important part of our world-class community for almost 50 years, and this expansion will once again make PortMiami Royal Caribbean’s largest cruise port in the world. I thank them for their continued investment in and commitment to Miami-Dade.”
Broadway Malyan has been selected as the firm to design the new terminal, after a global competition was held between five of the world's leading architectural firms. The firm was selected because of their creative thinking and cutting-edge design.

The 170,000-square-foot terminal is nicknamed the ‘Crown of Miami’ because of its distinct shape. The design evokes the points of the symbolic headgear when viewed from the water; the ‘M’ of Miami when viewed from the east or western approaches; and a sense of waves rising or ships passing when viewed from the terminal side. At night, the terminal’s facade will be lit ensuring that the building makes a striking impression and providing a dynamic addition to the PortMiami landscape.

The new terminal will not be the only addition for Royal Caribbean in the coming year. The company has committed to add a 20,000-square-foot Innovation Lab to its corporate headquarters located at PortMiami. The Innovation Lab will continue to generate Royal Caribbean’s industry-leading, innovative vessels.
Currently, PortMiami welcomes approximately 750,000 Royal Caribbean passengers annually, representing about 15 percent of its overall passenger traffic. Once the new cruise terminal is completed, it is anticipated that Royal Caribbean will generate at least 1.8 million passengers at PortMiami – representing no less than 30 percent of the port’s projected passenger traffic.

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