By
Rebecca Gibson |
Virgin Voyages is to build a dedicated cruise terminal at PortMiami in Florida, US and plans to begin homeporting operations at the new facility in winter 2021.
Designed by Miami-based company Arquitectonica, the 100,000-square-foot Palm Grove terminal will be located on the north-west side of the port. The two-storey facility will have a storm-proof glass frontage, as well as a rooftop that resembles Miami Beach’s palm trees and pays homage to the island’s origin as a coconut harvesting location. The building will be surrounded by landscaped vegetation and there will also be designated areas for passenger drop-offs, ride-sharing and provisioning.
Virgin Voyages aims to achieve a Leadership in Energy Efficiency and Design gold certification from the US Green Building Council.
“South Florida is our home, and with our fleet now growing to four ships, we’re humbled and thankful to soon have a gorgeous new terminal overlooking the Miami skyline, an incredible view that will set the stage for the alluring journey that we will take our sailors on,” said Tom McAlpin, president and CEO of Virgin Voyages.
Pending approval from Miami-Dade County’s board of commissioners, the construction project is expected to start in 2019 and be completed by November 2021, ahead of the winter cruise season. Once operational, the cruise terminal will serve as a homeport for Virgin Voyages vessels, including Scarlet Lady, which will be based at PortMiami's Terminal F when she launches in 2020.
“It’s gratifying to see Virgin Voyages expand its presence in Miami-Dade County,” said Carlos Gimenez, Mayor of Miami-Dade County. “By constructing a new cruise terminal at PortMiami, Virgin Voyages is signalling its confidence in our thriving community, which is not only the ‘Cruise Capital of the World’, but also the ‘Gateway to the Americas’.”