The JAXPORT Cruise Terminal () is a "temporary"

cruise ship Cruise ships are large passenger ships used mainly for vacationing. Unlike ocean liners, which are used for transport, cruise ships typically embark on round-trip voyages to various ports of call, where passengers may go on Tourism, tours k ...

terminal in Jacksonville,

Florida Florida ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders the Gulf of Mexico to the west, Alabama to the northwest, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the north, the Atlantic ...

. The facility located at the northwest corner of the ''Dames Point Marine Terminal'', beside the Dames Point Bridge. It was completed in six months during 2003 and is a facility at the Port of Jacksonville, administered by the Jacksonville Port Authority. The baggage handling area is ; and a passenger embarkation section has . Vehicle access to the site is via Hecksher Drive and there is paved parking for about 600 cars.

Celebrity Cruises Celebrity Cruises is a cruise line headquartered in Miami, Florida, and a wholly owned subsidiary of Royal Caribbean Group. Celebrity Cruises was founded in 1988 by the Greece-based Chandris Group, and merged with Royal Caribbean Cruise Line in ...

began regular service from Jacksonville on October 27, 2003 on the MV Zenith."Jacksonville: America's First Port"
Jaxport Celebrity discontinued their service from Jacksonville in 2005. The ship '' Carnival Miracle'' was christened at the Port of Jacksonville on February 27, 2004, beginning Jacksonville service by Carnival Cruise Lines. The Carnival Miracle was replaced by Carnival Cruise Lines' Jubilee, which sailed between JAXPORT and The Bahamas from May 2004 through August 2004. Carnival established year-round cruise service from Jacksonville aboard the Celebration on October 12, 2004. The Celebration continued to sail between JAXPORT and The Bahamas through April 2008. After a four-month hiatus in service, Carnival restarted Jacksonville-Bahamas cruise service aboard the Carnival Fascination, which provided service from Jacksonville until April 2016, being replaced with Carnival Elation. The Carnival Elation was replaced by the Carnival Ectasy in 2019. As of 2022, cruises from Jacksonville visit the

Bahamas The Bahamas, officially the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, is an archipelagic and island country within the Lucayan Archipelago of the Atlantic Ocean. It contains 97 per cent of the archipelago's land area and 88 per cent of its population. ...

and Eastern Caribbean sailed aboard the Carnival Elation. During the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...

all cruises were suspended. The first post-pandemic cruise was the American Queen Voyages ship, ''Ocean Voyager'' which departed February 21, 2022 for a 12-day cruise to destinations along the Atlantic coast. The Carnival Spirit operated from Jacksonville from March 7, 2022 to April 9, 2022. Five cruise ships were chartered to serve as floating hotels during the week preceding Super Bowl XXXIX in February 2005. Four of the vessels docked at JAXPORT terminals, providing over 3,500 rooms plus restaurants and night clubs for fans. The Jacksonville Port Authority had plans to relocate the cruise terminal. In 2008, an parcel was purchased in the small fishing village of Mayport as the site of a permanent $60 million facility. The economic crisis delayed the project, and opposition from local residents was vehement; a lawsuit seeking an injunction was filed. In March 2010, the authority announced that they were starting over and reviewing all possible locations for the cruise terminal.Dixon, Drew
"Jacksonville Port Authority looking at 20 sites for possible cruise ship terminal"
Florida Times-Union, May 20, 2010. In February 2024,

Norwegian Cruise Line Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) is an American cruise line founded in Norway in 1966, headquartered in Miami, Florida, and incorporated in the Bahamas. It is the List of cruise lines, fourth-largest cruise line in the world by passengers, controlling ...

announced plans to sail from the port for the first time in its history. Beginning Nov. 2025, Norwegian Gem will offer seasonal cruises to

The Bahamas The Bahamas, officially the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, is an Archipelagic state, archipelagic and island country within the Lucayan Archipelago of the Atlantic Ocean. It contains 97 per cent of the archipelago's land area and 88 per cent of ...

and Eastern Caribbean every year through 2028 out of Jacksonville.

References

External links

Page of the Jacksonville Port Authority's website
{{Jacksonville attractions Buildings and structures in Jacksonville, Florida Ports and harbors of the Florida Atlantic coast Transportation in Jacksonville, Florida Northside, Jacksonville Passenger ship terminals Transportation buildings and structures in Duval County, Florida 2003 establishments in Florida Transport infrastructure completed in 2003