How MSC Cruises Is Redefining the Future of Cruising with North America’s Largest Terminal

This sponsored content was created in collaboration with a Skift partner.

Cruise demand is booming, and it’s reshaping not just what happens onboard each ship but throughout the entire cruise journey. As more travelers choose cruising for their holidays, ports and the overall embarkation experience are becoming critical points of differentiation. The cruise journey now begins long before the ship departs, and the industry is investing accordingly.

Cruising has already climbed to 107% of its 2019 levels despite being one of the hardest-hit industries in travel during the pandemic. Skift Research forecasts 8% growth in 2025, pushing cruise industry revenue to $72 billion. According to a Kantar report, 68% of global travelers are open to taking a cruise, with the top motivators being the ability to explore multiple destinations in one trip, all-inclusive pricing, and convenience. It’s clear that travelers prefer vacations that provide the best value.

With that kind of momentum, cruise lines are rethinking the full end-to-end experience — not just the amenities at sea, but everything leading up to it. Cruise lines are investing in larger, more efficient terminals to handle growing passenger volumes, accommodate bigger ships, and deliver a frictionless guest experience. The MSC Miami Cruise Terminal, now open at PortMiami, is leading the charge as North America’s largest cruise terminal. The state-of-the-art facility spans over 492,000 square feet, supports more than 36,000 passenger movements daily, and will serve three latest-generation cruise ships.

Tech Innovation Cuts Through the Competitive Landscape

Investing heavily in innovation at every stage of the journey has allowed MSC Cruises to align with modern traveler expectations and stand out in the competitive cruising landscape. “Even before guests arrive, our technology is hard at work setting the stage for a seamless passenger experience,” said Diana Beauchamp López, senior vice president of Port Development, MSC Cruises USA.

For cruisers, the experience begins from the comfort of their own homes, long before they arrive at the terminal. Receiving their boarding passes is the first step in an effortless and fully digital pre-check-in process. From there, guests can create digital identities, upload travel documents, and opt in to biometric scanning. 

Taking inspiration from the world’s most efficient airports, the terminal itself relies on a centralized operations system to manage everything from luggage tag printing to the embarkation process. For example, fully automated parking management technology uses license plate recognition to streamline pre-paid parking. Automated luggage sorting improves operations across multiple vessels and coordinates strategically placed drop-off points on each level of the arrival zone. 

To gain security clearance, guests can use one of the terminal’s many biometric facepods to quickly complete their passport and identity verification. After moving through a magnetometer, guests proceed to bidirectional eGates that optimize passenger flow and grant access to the gangway.

“We moved the onboarding process terminal-side, rather than on the vessel, allowing guests to breeze through embarkation and start their vacation immediately,” López said. “Every element — from cutting-edge technology to streamlined operations — works in harmony to enhance comfort, efficiency, and convenience.”

Hospitality Remains a Top Cruising Priority

With these innovations in place, MSC Cruises remains clear that cutting-edge technology will enhance, not replace, the company's world-class hospitality. Guests have the option to opt out of the biometric embarkation process if they prefer a manual experience. Traveler groups with specific needs (such as guests with young children, those traveling with a birth certificate and driver’s license, and those who need specific mobility accommodations) can interface with ground staff agents.

“Passengers increasingly seek seamless, high-touch experiences that prioritize convenience, efficiency, and exclusivity,” López said. “They want a premium journey from the moment they arrive, with processes that eliminate hassle while maintaining a sense of luxury.”

That’s why the terminal itself is a stunning, thoughtfully designed space that elevates the guest experience at first sight. With design expertise from global architecture firm Arquitectonica and construction by Fincantieri Infrastructure Florida, the terminal blends European style with American comfort. 

Floor-to-ceiling windows create abundant natural light, with Biscayne Bay’s sparkling waters reflecting through the expansive glass façade. MSC Cruises commissioned original installations that introduce curated art experiences both inside and outside the terminal through the Miami-Dade County Art in Public Places program. “The most striking piece — a first-of-its-kind, 10,816-square-foot digital lighting installation — adorns the exterior at night, using real-time National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration data to create an ever-evolving display of tides, currents, and weather patterns,” López said.

In addition to spacious waiting areas throughout the terminal, premium lounges feature a sophisticated space for luxury travelers. For example, MSC Yacht Club guests’ premium cruise experience begins with access to an exclusive private lounge inside the terminal, long before their ship-within-a-ship journey begins on board. 

Evolving Port Infrastructure Signals the Future of Cruising

Cruise lines’ ability to integrate advanced technology, human-led hospitality, and sustainability principles into every project will drive the continued evolution of port infrastructure. Streamlining the cruise experience from port to sea and back again doesn’t just benefit travelers, it’s also a boon for corporate sustainability goals.

The MSC Miami Cruise Terminal exemplifies that balance, furthering MSC Cruises’ mission to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Conserving energy, minimizing waste, prioritizing recycling, and increasing water efficiency were all top of mind at every stage of the terminal’s development and design to achieve LEED Gold certification, which is in progress.

One particular tool critical to terminal sustainability is shore power, which provides an external, port-side power source so ships can run their electrical systems without using onboard generators or engines. The MSC Miami Cruise Terminal benefits from PortMiami’s status as the first major cruise port on the U.S. eastern seaboard with the capability to offer shore power.

“Beyond being North America’s largest cruise passenger terminal, the MSC Miami Cruise Terminal stands out as a global landmark that will redefine both the Miami skyline and cruise terminal infrastructure worldwide,” López said. 

MSC Cruises will have a total of four ships sailing from the new terminal throughout 2025, including its newest flagship MSC World America, alongside ships from MSC Group’s luxury ocean travel brand, Explora Journeys. EXPLORA I will return to the Caribbean sailing from the new terminal in November this year. 

To learn more about MSC Cruises, click here.

This content was created collaboratively by MSC Cruises and Skift’s branded content studio, SkiftX.