Port of Tampa Bay Proceeding with New Terminal to Meet Growth Demands

As the global cruising population continues to grow, Port Tampa Bay has carved out its niche in the cruise world as Florida’s only Gulf Coast cruise homeport. It is constantly working and planning to keep cruisers and cruise lines more than happy with the product the port provides.

Although final figures for 2026 were still being processed, Greg Lovelace, the port’s Senior Vice-President, Business Development and Marketing, projects a record 1.7 million cruise passengers sailed on cruises from the port. It was expecting 397 cruise ships to sail under the iconic Sunshine Skyway Bridge on their way to or from this historic city, known for its long, established Indigenous presence and its incorporation in 1855.

The Port of Tampa Bay continues to build momentum in the cruise industry. In 2025, Port Tampa Bay welcomed 1.66 million cruise passengers, the highest total in its history. In March, it reported that it was set to break its all-time monthly record for cruise ship calls in March, with 51 scheduled visits as part of a year in which it was scheduled to have 53 three-ship days in 2026, more than double the roughly 20 recorded in previous years.

The port boasts three cruise terminals and homeports five lines: Celebrity Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean International, Carnival Cruise Line, and Margaritaville at Sea. It also welcomes the occasional cruise port call.

Margaritaville based its second cruise ship in Tampa starting in 2024 (Port of Tampa Bay)

To further support the growing business, the number of cruise terminals is about to grow. The Port Tampa Bay is now in the planning stages for a fourth cruise facility.

“We are focused on working with our cruise line partners and providing the facilities and infrastructure they need for a bright future here,” says Lovelace.

The new terminal, the first new cruise facility to be built at the port in over 25 years, is currently in the architectural stage.

In preparation for the building, the port is filling the former Metroport site, once home to the historic Banana Docks. The present work includes restoring more than five acres of new land for the future terminal site. Kimmins Contracting Corporation is leading the site preparation. HDR, in partnership with BEA Architects, will design the terminal and an accompanying parking garage, with initial renderings of the future facility expected in the coming months. The terminal is expected to be ready for passengers in late 2029.

“This project is about much more than adding another cruise terminal. It’s an investment in the future of Port Tampa Bay and the economy of West Central Florida,” said Port Tampa Bay President and CEO Paul Anderson. “As cruise demand continues to grow, this terminal will strengthen our ability to serve existing cruise partners, attract new opportunities, and support jobs, tourism, and business throughout the region.”

Once complete, the terminal is expected to accommodate more than 200 additional annual ship calls, helping Port Tampa Bay’s cruise operations reach more than 2 million passengers annually and generate an estimated $100 million in additional annual economic impact.

Lovelace said the terminal is being added to meet the strong demand, and “we work closely with the cruise lines to make sure that on the days they want to come here, we can accommodate them. There is so much demand here, and we need an extra terminal. I wish it were ready tomorrow, and with the extra capacity we will be able to expand even further.”

Site preparation is underway for the fourth cruise terminal (Port of Tampa Bay)

Because of the low air draft under the Sunshine Skyway Bridge, the port can only handle mid-size cruise vessels that carry 2,500 to 3,000 passengers. But Lovelace believes that is not a problem.

The port expects that size vessel “will be around for a long time. We stay close with the cruise lines and understand what they are doing with their fleets. A lot of these lines are refurbishing their ships and extending their lives 10 to 20 years, so that gives us a lot of confidence, and they have confidence in this market. They want to be here, so, yes, we think cruise lines are responding well to our market,” Lovelace said.

There had been a proposal by private developers to build a large terminal to handle the new mega-sized cruise ships on the seaward side of the bridge. However, that idea was rejected by the state. Lovelace said that proposal had nothing to do with Port Tampa Bay. The port has not made public comments on the project.

“We are focused on working with our cruise line partners and providing the facilities and infrastructure they need for a bright future here,” he said.

Lovelace boasts of the many reasons travelers want to visit Tampa Bay, and many will often add a few days before or a few days after their cruise to experience the region.

“Tampa is a destination city. People come here for the beaches, and the theme parks, and in the port district there has been huge development in recent years with restaurants and museums. There is much to do, and a lot of it is within walking distance of the cruise terminals,” he said.

Famous Busch Gardens and the historic Ybor City district, known for its hand-rolled cigars, are among those popular attractions.

Port Tampa Bay handles nearly 33 million tons of cargo annually and is the largest port in Florida by tonnage and by land area, “so we have the good fortune to keep different lines of business separate. Our container terminal is a few miles away, and we have bulk terminals separate from that. Our cruise activity takes place downtown,” said Lovelace, so as a result, cargo and cruise ships never cross paths.