MSC has opened the largest cruise terminal in the world in PortMiami and it’s a modern marvel especially for security.
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Location
At PortMiami, terminals are named for the cruise line that operates them but also by letter, the closer to Z, the closer those terminals are to the city of Miami. MSC Cruises terminal AA operates the last portion of the islip.
Address: 2200 N. Cruise Blvd, Miami, FL 33132
Scale, Size, Security
Unlike most airports, cruise ports are built specific to and by the brand it serves. In recent years, airlines like United, Delta, and American have invested in building out terminals but in a less branded way. Miami-Dade county is the busiest cruise port in the world, and each major cruise line has their own cruise terminal. MSC, which is the largest cruise line in Europe, had expanded significantly in the United States over the last few years. While other cruise lines might use another terminal based on needs and availability from time-to-time, it’s primarily operated by that cruise line or sister companies.
MSC needed a new home for the largest ships in their fleet, one of which has now started sailing from Miami and built it not only large enough for now, but well into the future.
The structure spans nearly a mile long, four stories tall, a literal giant. It’s size, scope, and position make it the dominant terminal at PortMiami. The terminal can process 36,000 passengers daily, the equivalent of its largest largest ship more than five times daily. For context, Pittsburgh International Airport serves 23% fewer travelers than this terminal’s capacity. The attached parking garage can hold 2,400 cars and the terminal can unload up to three large ships at once.
Upon arrival, checked luggage is collected outside and transferred to guest cabins later the first day of the trip. Guests make their way into a preliminary area whereby staff assists in scanning passports and ticket confirmations. Once scanned, guests can proceed to security inside the building in one of three sections separated by massive support beams. These highly efficient lines make security checks, quick and easy, and they mostly mirror what you’d find at an airport but with only metal detectors (no body scans) and no pre-check lines to avoid crowds.
The guest then moves through to a large boarding area for passengers not yet permitted boarding where they can wait for their turn. Unlike airports, these terminals do not expect passengers to wait for long and there is no entertainment or concessions in this area.
Following the seating area, guests pass through a biometric scan which is based solely on retina scans performed at the prior document check to confirm the guest has passed onto the sterile area. From there, it’s a very long walk to the gangway before boarding.
For Yacht Club passengers (business class), there’s a private check-in area. While I was upgraded into Yacht Club for my stateroom, I arrived late in the day and was shown directly to boarding rather than the private check-in area.
One struggle for every cruise terminal is getting passengers off as quickly as possible so that the ship can be reset for new guests later that day. We disembarked through dual gangways upon arrival which led to a large line but I was through Customs and Border Control in about 20 minutes. Again, upon disembarkation, the retina scan was all that was needed and I was back in the United States.
I’m not aware of other ports using this technology and it’s incredibly efficient. For whatever reason, Global Entry is not available at any US entry port we have arrived at any terminal. It’s not needed at this one, but it remains odd to me as someone who is still new to cruise.
Airports Should Hire MSC
The MSC terminal is an engineering marvel. It’s on an incredibly limited piece of land, the very end of the port, and requires massive bulk storage hidden from guests with the same baggage and passenger handling of a mid-major US airport.
But to that extent, municipalities might be well advised to hire the MSC team to build their airports. My home airport, Pittsburgh, is undergoing a new terminal building, roadways, and a parking garage. The budget has just increased to $1.57bn and none of that has to be built over water.
Many other cities around the country are building airports or reviving their terminals with staggering costs and fewer challenges. Another $950MM dollar airport project, Omaha Eppley is rebuilding its two separate terminal buildings into one and adding two gates and a limited customs area for international flights for which the airport currently has none.
Southwest Regional Airport (Fort Myers, Florida) is renovating its airport as well adding 14 gates among other improvements. Like the others, the cost is estimated at $1.1bn and unlike the MSC terminal this is an add-on to the existing infrastructure and some new build.
MSC completed its terminal (over budget slightly) at less than half a billion dollars and opened on-time. Smart airports should contact their team and have them build their terminals.
Conclusion
MSC is setting themselves up (and its luxury brand, Explora Journeys) for success well into the future. They came out of left field competing with major brands and the world’s largest cruise lines but with this new completed terminal it’s clear that MSC is going to be in Miami and operating with a large, consistent model for a very long time into the future.
What do you think?
Which art exhibition in the terminal did you enjoy most? I found As Above, So Below: Wayfinding & Wondering by artist Juana Valdés memorable.
I got news for you all…20 Minutes is LONG for cruise customs. My last few cruises we just walked right through. Super easy.
@SMR – From ship to curb in 20 minutes on a ship with 6,700 passengers? I’d respectfully submit that’s unlikely. I think it could have been slightly more efficient but not dramatically.
great commentary on the efficiency of the MSC team on design and construction.
You do realize other cruise lines like Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Lines have been using this technology for years now even before covid. Royal with Oasis and Icon Class ships both of which are just as large as MSC World Class ships have been moving passengers with ease and speed through the CBP process in 10 minutes or less ship to curb side. In fact Royal has gotten so good at it they can empty an entire Oasis Class ship in 3 hours or less and be ready to start boarding at 10 am. MSC is basically playing catch up when it comes to CBP processing and they will get better and faster as time goes on but I’m sure this new port is 1000 times better than the old port they’ve been using since their arrival in the Miami cruise market.
I’ve done a few MSC cruises can’t wait to get on World America but it will have to wait as I already have multiple cruises booked on both NCL and Royal Caribbean later this year and next year.