There’s lots of news around the ports in the U.S.—from first-time calls to brand-new, gleaming terminals. Here’s a roundup of goings-on.
Florida
New terminals seem to be the flavor of the month when it comes to ports in Florida. PortMiami, for example, will debut a Norwegian Cruise Line terminal that is set for completion in fall 2019, as Norwegian Encore, the newest ship of the Breakaway Plus class, makes her debut in Miami with seasonal cruises to the Caribbean. At nearly 166,500 sq. ft., the terminal will accommodate ships of up to 5,000 passengers, and feature new technology to support faster and more efficient embarkation and disembarkation processes, as well as expedited security screening and luggage check-in. Expected to open its doors in 2022 is the new MSC cruise terminal, which will be able to accommodate MSC Cruises’ next-generation, still-under-construction MSC World Class cruise ships carrying up to 7,000 guests. And when it debuts this November, the world’s largest ship, Royal Caribbean’s 5,494-passenger Symphony of the Seas, will be homeporting at Royal Caribbean’s new terminal at PortMiami.
Fort Lauderdale’s Port Everglades is also getting a new terminal, this one from Celebrity Cruises; it’s set for completion this October. It will, of course, accommodate the cruise line’s newest ship, Celebrity Edge, which will also debut in the fall. In addition to Celebrity Edge, the terminal will be the wintertime home of several Celebrity Cruises vessels including Celebrity Infinity, Celebrity Reflection and Celebrity Silhouette. The terminal will feature a seamless check-in process; an interactive light wall art installation; a 1,463-sq.-ft. GKD Mediamesh that will wrap the terminal’s exterior; more than 18,000 sq. ft. of outward-facing glass; and an area for Suite Class guests, which will include an exclusive lounge, elevator lobbies, screening areas and a private rooftop terrace.
A bit farther north near Orlando, Port Canaveral will welcome Harmony of the Seas in May 2019. The ship will be relocating from PortMiami, and will offer 7-night Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries. Mariner of the Seas will also call Port Canaveral home for the 2019-2020 season, offering 3- and 4-night itineraries to The Bahamas. And with this port being near the “happiest place on Earth,” you know we’ve got some Disney Cruise Line news: In June and July 2019, the Disney Dream will sail special itineraries from Port Canaveral—4- and 5-night Bahamian cruises to Nassau, plus two stops at Castaway Cay. Disney Fantasy, too, will embark on special itineraries from the port to The Bahamas and the Caribbean throughout the 2019 summer season.
On Florida’s west coast, Port Tampa Bay will see the arrival of the 2,124-passenger Carnival Legend in October of next year. Kicking off Oct. 27, the ship’s 7-day sailings will include visits to Grand Cayman, Cozumel, Mahogany Bay and Belize or Costa Maya. In December, the ship will operate a roundtrip 14-day Panama Canal cruise from Tampa, visiting Limon in Costa Rica, Cartagena, and Aruba, among other ports. 
California
Carnival will also be making a mark on the U.S. west coast in 2019, offering seasonal 3- to 15-day voyages from the Port of San Diego aboard the newly homeported Carnival Miracle. The schedule kicks off with a 7-day cruise to the Mexican Riviera departing
Dec. 1, 2019.
Princess Cruises’ newest ship, the Royal Princess, will have her first full season (2019-2020) on the west coast at the Port of Los Angeles. She will sail nine coastal departures, including the Classic California Coast itinerary. Additionally, the Grand Princess will sail along the west coast once again in 2019, departing from the Port of San Francisco, including on new 5-day West Coast Getaway itineraries that feature a late night departure in San Diego, and a call to Ensenada, Mexico.
Contact Information
Port Canaveral: portcanaveral.com
Port Everglades: porteverglades.org
PortMiami: miamidade.gov/portmiami
Port Tampa Bay: porttb.com
Port of Los Angeles: portoflosangeles.org
Port of San Diego: portofsandiego.org
Port of San Francisco: sfport.com
Mayflower Calling
Windstar’s 212-guest, all-suite yacht Star Pride will embark on five new sailings (with six sail dates) this fall that span nine to 16 days, offering passengers plenty of time to enjoy fall foliage and discover charming New England coastal towns, historic gems like Boston and Newport, and the Canadian Maritimes and Quebec. On several of the sailings, there is a unique stop in Provincetown, Massachusetts, site of the landing of the Mayflower, a first for Windstar. Of particular note, on the Autumn Latitudes of the Eastern Seaboard itinerary (Oct. 23, 2018 departure), Star Pride will cross the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal that connects the Delaware River with Chesapeake Bay en-route to Baltimore. The canal, built in 1820, is one of only a few sea level canals and spans 14 miles. Windstar will be the largest cruise ship to ever sail it. windstarcruises.com
