Building on the successful design of the world’s largest single-ship cruise terminal, Port Everglades is following a similar approach to renovate four existing cruise terminals that will be used for Carnival Corporation’s newest and largest cruise ships.

The estimated $35 million cruise terminal renovations are part of an agreement finalized in April 2010 between Carnival Corporation & plc and the Broward County Board of County Commissioners, which is the governing body for Port Everglades.

The landmark agreement, one of the largest in Carnival’s history, calls for a minimum of 25.5 million Carnival-brand cruise guests sailing to and from Broward County’s Port Everglades over the next 15 years, and will potentially produce half-a-billion dollars in Port revenue.

“Flexibility will be the main feature of the redesigned terminals,” says Port Everglades Director Phil Allen. “Today’s cruise terminals have to be able to handle more people and bigger ships. In addition, we want to move these people as quickly and efficiently as possible so they can begin enjoying their vacation that much sooner.”

Since seven Carnival-brand cruise lines already sail from Port Everglades, with a fleet of 30 different cruise ships, the terminals will be able to accommodate cruise ships of various sizes and guest capacities. All will be able to process embarking and debarking passengers at the same time. All terminals will have two passenger loading bridges, separate and larger baggage halls, improved ground transportation areas and the latest energy-efficient technology.

Port Everglades currently is in the design phase of the project with architectural firm Bermello Ajamil & Partners, Inc. Construction is expected to begin in late 2012 with completion of the first terminal in Spring 2013. Broward County’s Public Works Department’s Seaport Engineering and Construction Division will oversee the terminal renovation projects.

Carnival’s agreement with Broward County and Port Everglades is expected to have an average annual economic impact on more than 6,000 local jobs with related personal income of $293.6 million over the 15-year period. According to an economic impact study by nationally recognized maritime research company Martin Associates, the agreement to homeport Carnival’s ships at Port Everglades is also expected to generate $21.7 million in state and local taxes annually.

Let the madness begin: World’s largest #cruise ship causing traffic jams in Fort Lauderdale. http://bit.ly/OPN53 #travel #oasis

It seems that everyone going on cruises this past weekend have been driving by terminal 18 before going to their designated terminal. As with everyone’s first glimpse of the ship, I am sure they slow down to make sure they take in all that Oasis brings, although from the outside its all balconies, but still 8 decks of them are impressive.

The Sun Sentinel, which has been doing a great job of following the Oasis’s arrival in Southern Florida, also commented on the traffic jams:

…the port has been flooded with people asking to get a closer look at Oasis or wanting to take a tour, Ellen Kennedy, spokeswoman for Port Everglades, said on Sunday. Only ticketed cruise passengers and authorized personnel are granted access to Port Everglades for security reasons, she said.

While port security officials have been turning spectators away, mass crowds have made it difficult for cruise passengers to enter and exit the port, Kennedy said.

I can’t blame them for trying to get a look, but really the best view of the Oasis is from their cruise ship. Even more so as it sails out of Port Everglades.

Enjoy!

iCruise Because – here

Royal Caribbean – here

Inletcam on CC – here

Inletcam.com – here

(Sun Sentinel)

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(InletCam)

(South Florida Business Journal)

The excitement keeps building.

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