New deal nearly triples the size of Carnival's current terminal facility at the US port
By
Rebecca Gibson |
Carnival Cruise Line has signed an agreement with Urban Commons and the City of Long Beach, California to expand the Long Beach Cruise Terminal facility to accommodate larger ships.
Carnival has operated the Long Beach Cruise Terminal since 2003 using a partial area of the Geodesic Dome, which was formerly a museum. The new deal gives Carnival full use of the Geodesic Dome, nearly tripling the size of Carnival's current terminal facility from around 66,000 sqft to 142,000 sqft.
Expanding the facility will allow Carnival to berth larger ships and provide the additional space needed to process both embarking and disembarking guests in the terminal at the same time.
Construction is slated to be completed in late 2017.
“For years we have been working toward reaching an agreement to expand the Long Beach Cruise Terminal to accommodate larger ships on the West Coast, and we’re thrilled to finally be able to move forward with our plans to assume full usage of the Dome, making Long Beach one of our largest homeport facilities,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line. “We would like to thank the City of Long Beach and Urban Commons for their efforts in facilitating this expansion that will ultimately enhance the guest experience and build upon our leadership position as the number one cruise operator from the West Coast.”
Plans also include the expansion of the portside cold-ironing capacity to accommodate larger vessels. The technology enables cruise ships to plug into the local electric grid and reduce exhaust emissions while docked. In addition, Carnival is working with Urban Commons on enhancements to the area surrounding the dome and the adjacent Queen Mary attraction. The companies also want to expand parking capacity to accommodate future growth.
“Carnival Cruise Line is a tremendous asset for the Long Beach community, and we are pleased to reach an agreement with its team that will support the exciting expansion of its operations immediately adjacent to The Queen Mary,” said Taylor Woods, co-founder of Urban Commons, the landlord of the site. “We have big plans for the facility and the surrounding land, and Carnival's success will only add to the vitality and energy of what promises to be one of the top destinations in California.”
Currently, Carnival Inspiration and Carnival Imagination operate year-round three- and four-day Baja cruises from Long Beach, while Carnival Miracle sails seven-day voyages to the Mexican Riviera and 14- and 15-day roundtrips from the port to Hawaii and Alaska.
“The expansion of the Carnival Cruise terminal is great news for Long Beach and great news for visitors to our city,” said Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia. “The added capacity will bring more tourism and economic activity to Long Beach, and we're pleased to continue working with Carnival for many years to come.”