Port Everglades, the worlds second-busiest cruise ship port, officially reopened its newly renovated $24-million Cruise Terminal 4 at a ribbon cutting ceremony Thursday morning. The Fort Lauderdale, Florida, port, which welcomed more than 4 million passengers in 2014, began renovations of its Cruise Terminal 4 in March in large part to accommodate larger cruise ships. Our cruise industry is our biggest economic engine, Broward County Vice Mayor David Kiar said at the ceremony. Additions to the 100,405-square-foot terminal include 172 parking spaces, 50 check-in counters and restrooms. The terminal also has improved lighting, and added new elevators and escalators. Our goal when we reconfigured Cruise Terminal 4s traffic pattern and updated the interior, was to make it easier for the cruise lines to process passengers, while providing guests with a bright, comfortable experience, Port Everglades CEO and Port Director Steven Cernak said. The terminal atmosphere looks like some of the larger, newer ships Port Everglades sees on a daily basis. Bright, pastel colors and hanging lights give it a modern, open-space feel. Passengers also will have access to free WiFi. To improve traffic congestion, the passenger drop-off area, which was previously on the east side of the terminal, was moved to the west side to decrease traffic from nearby Cruise Terminal 2. Passengers who walk through the terminal will also see an art installation by South Florida artist Xavier Cortada. Cortadas 4-foot-by-40-foot ceramic mural, dubbed Pelican Path. The mural will be installed in the next few weeks, according to port spokeswoman Ellen Kennedy. Cernak said the terminal also will receive Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification for its environmentally friendly aspects, which include waterless toilets, remote-controlled air-conditioning and recycled concrete used in the terminals construction. Cruise Terminal 4 is the sixth Port Everglades cruise terminal to undergo renovations in the past five years. The port hosts a number of cruise lines and ships, including Royal Caribbeans Allure of the Seas, the biggest cruise ship in the world. Costa Cruises will return to Port Everglades later this year with Costa Deliziosa. And, the upgrades to the port will continue. Port Everglades plans to lengthen the terminals adjacent Slip 2 by 250 feet, which would be able to accommodate larger cruise ships. The $18-million project is scheduled to be completed by the end of next year. While the ceremony was Thursday the 15th January, the terminal welcomed cruise ship passengers headed on to Celebrity Constellation last month.
Posted on: Wed, 21 Jan 2015 19:26:01 +0000
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