Virgin Voyages now has a place to call home at PortMiami after the cruise line officially opened Terminal V. The company, created by iconic entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson, celebrated with a ribbon-cutting ceremony marked by mermaid group and a grand entrance via Virgin branded electric Moke vehicles. Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava and Virgin Voyages’ CEO Tom McAlpin were also on hand to welcome Virgin Voyages to the port.
“Coming to this beautiful new terminal and seeing Scarlet Lady in her home port here in Miami has been such an incredible experience,” Branson says, founder of the Virgin Group. “The team at Virgin Voyages has created a stunning building that delivers on our commitment to being better stewards of the earth with its LEED Gold Certification.”
At 718 N Cruise Blvd. (Branson’s birthday is July 18), Terminal V features a three-story building on the northwestern corner of PortMiami with unobstructed skyline views of Biscayne Bay, downtown Miami and Edgewater. The opening of the 132,000 square foot structure marked a little over the year since construction began on the project, marking a significant milestone in the brand’s history. The Scarlet Lady will call the terminal home.
“We’ve always strived to turn the ordinary into the extraordinary, and Terminal V gives us greater opportunity to elevate the Sailor experience from the moment you see the AHOY sign to the time you disembark,” McAlpin says. “Scarlet Lady deserves a home as beautiful as she is, and we cannot wait for our Sailors to begin their voyage at Terminal V.”
Miami’s iconic palm trees inspired the terminal’s design. The geometric design also included the city’s historical origins, which features a palm grove where land meets the sea. The concept was developed by the award-winning global architecture and landscape firm Arquitectonica and built up by Suffolk Construction. Terminal V features floor-to-ceiling windows, natural skylights, and lush indoor landscaping that offers passengers both a grand and warm welcome on their voyage.
As one of the only LEED Gold certified buildings in PortMiami, materials were meticulously selected with sustainability in mind, from the color of the pavers in the entranceway to the glass. The air conditioning and electrical systems were planned to reduce Terminal V’s environmental impact.
The Scarlet Lady will call Terminal V her home year-round, while Valiant Lady will join in the winter of 2022. Both ships will sail on a mix of multi-night itineraries to some of the most desirable destinations in the Caribbean, each with a stop at Virgin Voyages’ Voyages’e Beach Club in Bimini.
For more information on Virgin Voyages, visit www.virginvoyages.com.
