Pt Everglades Terminal Expansion!! - Cruise Line Fans: Cruise Forum, Reviews and Chat From Real Cruisers

canarymoon · 11-17-2008, 07:17 AM

Press Release from Port Everglades:

Port Everglades Welcomes Celebrity Solstice by Opening Cruise Terminal Expansion
November 14, 2008
In time for the launch of Celebrity Cruises' newest cruise ship Celebrity Solstice, Broward County's Port Everglades cut the ribbon to open Phase I of Passenger Terminal 18.

This is the first phase of a two-part terminal renovation that will transform Terminal 18 into the largest cruise terminal in the world, dedicated to servicing a single ship. Once the entire expansion project is complete in fall 2009, the terminal will be home to the largest cruise ships in the world, Royal Caribbean International's Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas.

canarymoon · 11-17-2008, 07:17 AM

"Our challenge was to complete this work in time for the arrival of Celebrity Cruises' brand new 122,000 gross ton Celebrity Solstice, which will be named at Port Everglades this evening," said Port Everglades Director Phillip C. Allen during the morning ribbon cutting ceremony. "It is fitting that Celebrity is our first customer to use the expanded Terminal 18. In 1996, this terminal was actually converted from a cargo warehouse into our tenth cruise terminal just to accommodate Celebrity Cruises' then-new 77,000 gross ton sister ships Century and Galaxy. The ships just keep getting bigger and so do our terminals."

Dignitaries participating in the ribbon cutting event included:

• Lois Wexler, Broward County Mayor
• Richard Fain, Chairman and CEO of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.
• Daniel Hanrahan, President and CEO, Celebrity Cruises
• Phillip C. Allen, Port Everglades Director
• Charlotte Rodstrom, Vice Mayor, City of Fort Lauderdale
• Heidi O'Sheehan, Commissioner, City of Hollywood

canarymoon · 11-17-2008, 07:19 AM

Construction for Terminal 18 is being done in two phases which, when complete in November 2009, will expand the interior space of Passenger Terminal 18 from 67,500 square feet to a total of 240,000 square feet.
The expansion is partially funded through appropriations granted through the Florida State Legislature during the 2007 session. Port Everglades received $8.1 million out of the statewide $50 million matching grant, of which $2.45 million is being utilized for the cruise terminal expansion project.

canarymoon · 11-17-2008, 07:19 AM

In Phase I, 34,500 square feet of existing warehouse space has been converted to terminal space for a total of 90,000 square feet on the first floor and 12,000 on the second floor.
In Phase II, a new structure will be constructed to the north side of the existing Terminal 18, with a total of 138,000 square feet of floor space on two levels. An additional 600 parking spaces will be constructed during Phase II, which when combined with the existing 410-space lot, will allow a total of 1,010 vehicles to park within walking distance to the terminal. In addition, two new passenger loading bridges are being constructed by FMT in Trelleborg, Sweden

fllady · 11-17-2008, 10:45 AM

Thanks for all the details. We use Everglades port most of the time, and it really did need more space, and parking. Will look forward to our next trip in 2 weeks!!

canarymoon · 11-17-2008, 04:57 PM

We cruised from Port Everglades in October. I sure hope this helps relieve some of the congestion there.

I think we are spoiled at Port Canaveral... it's hardly ever crowded here. We can be checked in and on board, eating lunch in less than 45 minutes after leaving home.