Due to its strong port-of-call cruise business, currently Port Canaveral is finding it will have to get creative in how it accommodates incoming ships.
The cruise port is looking into using cargo terminals in order to do double duty in also hosting cruise vessels on occasion, especifically the port-of-call ones that make visits to Port Canaveral, but aren't based here.
The move was necessitated by the demolition of one of the smaller terminals of Port Canaveral, Cruise Terminal 3, east of Cove area on the port's south side.
A much-larger terminal will take the place of that cruise terminal. But building of the new terminal won't be completed until late 2019. Cruise Terminal 3 project features a budget of US$150 million. It will include a 188,000ft2 terminal with 1,800-vehicle parking garage.
Port Canaveral is the 2nd-busiest cruise port in the world, in terms of passenger volume, behind Port of Miami.
Norwegian, Disney, Carnival and Royal Caribbean have presence there, with both ships that make port-of-call visits and home-ported ships. Several other lines also occasionally have vessels that make port-of-call visits to Port Canaveral.