Cruisers who depart from driving destinations may have the ease of getting to ports easier than those who have to fly, but that ease often turns into a headache when it comes to parking congestion.
From heavy traffic to constant construction and limited shuttles from distant lots to cruise terminals, the experience can cause anxiety and stress that disrupt the start of a vacation.
Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (NCLH) is hoping to change that at the world’s busiest cruise port by taking over operations at PortMiami Garage.
The port, which welcomed more than 8.2 million passengers in fiscal 2024, is growing, and with it, passengers need more parking.
NCLH, which owns Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises, and Regent Seven Seas Cruises, will take over Cruise Terminal B Garage’s operations and maintenance and announced it will also develop a new multipurpose parking facility at PortMiami.
“This agreement highlights our strong and growing partnership with PortMiami,” said Dan Farkas, executive vice president, general counsel, and chief development officer at NCLH.
“With increased passenger commitments and new infrastructure management and development, we are ensuring that PortMiami continues to lead as a world-class hub for the cruise industry and a key driver of our local economy,” he continued.
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The agreement marks a major step in addressing the increasing volume of passengers moving through PortMiami, including Norwegian’s added commitment to bring 25 million more passengers over the next 30 years, bringing the company’s total to nearly 75 million during the initial terms of the agreement.
“By combining Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings’ and PortMiami’s resources, we can invest in infrastructure projects which will benefit the growing number of cruise customers,” said Danielle Cohen Higgins, chairwoman of PortMiami’s Resiliency and Sustainability Committee.
Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava expressed optimism about the partnership and said, “By collaborating with our valued partners and investing in future-ready transportation projects, we are ensuring our global position as Cruise Capital of the World.”
The new multipurpose parking facility will boost parking capacity by adding a minimum of 2,000 additional parking space. Although a construction date has not been announced, NCLH says the project will be complete by late 2028.
Major Cruise Lines Invest in PortMiami
This isn’t the first time Norwegian has expanded its footprint at PortMiami. In 2021, Norwegian Cruise Line unveiled a new 188,000-square-foot terminal and parking garage capable of accommodating ships holding up to 5,000 passengers.
Known as Terminal B, the LEED Gold Certified project designed by Miami-based architecture firm Bermello Ajamil & Partners Inc., cost more than $100 million.
However, Norwegian Cruise Line is not alone in addressing the parking needs of its passengers. Royal Caribbean Group is set to begin construction on new Terminal G in 2025. The project, with an estimated cost exceeding $2.8 billion, includes expanding the multi-level parking garage at the terminal.
Completion is anticipated by late 2027, and the new terminal is expected to more than double Royal Caribbean’s annual passenger movements across its brands, which include Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises, and Silversea Cruises.
Carnival Cruise Line also completed an expansion project at Terminal F in early 2023. The 471,500-square-foot project welcomes 100,000 passengers annually.
