Carnival Cruise Line and PortMiami held a groundbreaking ceremony for the expansion of the state-of-the-art Terminal F which will serve as the homeport of Carnival Celebration, the line’s next Excel-class ship.
Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava and Carnival President Christine Duffy, along with county commissioners and construction partners, used ceremonial shovels to officially mark the beginning of construction on the expansive 471,000-square-foot facility which will be Carnival’s third terminal at the port and its largest in South Florida.
Carnival Cruise Line got its start when the original “Fun Ship,” the TSS Mardi Gras, departed on its inaugural voyage from PortMiami in March 1972, starting a nearly 50-year relationship that has seen Carnival grow to become the World’s Most Popular Cruise Line and PortMiami earn the distinction as The Cruise Capital of the World.
“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.
“Both Lemartec and MasTec, like Carnival Cruise Line, are the classic American dream story, born in Miami. We are proud to have been chosen by PortMiami and Miami-Dade County to build this iconic terminal,” said Manny García-Tuñón, President of Lemartec Corporation, a MasTec Company, which is serving as the general contractor.
The terminal’s clean and open design by will allow for exceptional efficiency and flexibility to accommodate Carnival’s newest class of ships, maximizing use of technology to move guests through the embarkation process, providing a seamless boarding experience.
Carnival Celebration will offer a variety of innovations including an onboard roller coaster as well as a Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) propulsion system, part of Carnival Corporation‘s “green cruising platform.” The ship will also offer a wide range of accommodation categories with 180 suites across 11 different categories, along with unique innovations created just for this vessel.
