New Terminal to Add 1 Million Passengers

Port Tampa Bay is running out of room. According to officials, the port’s three existing cruise terminals are operating at or near maximum capacity. So, a new terminal is in the works.

Tampa Busier Than Ever

Tampa might not offer the busiest cruise port in Florida or the largest ships, but it’s breaking its own records as more cruise passengers than ever hop on its available ships from five different cruise lines.

The port welcomed a record 1.66 million cruise passengers in 2025, which is the highest total in its history. It’s now on track for about 1.8 million passengers in 2026, with a record 51 ship calls in March and 394 expected in all of 2026.

This Saturday three ships are scheduled: Grandeur of the Seas, Rhapsody of the Seas, and Carnival Paradise.

While Tampa can’t host mega-ships (those too tall to pass under the Sunshine Skyway Bridge), the port is moving forward with a new terminal right in its same location.

And according to news reports from Tampa Latest, the port is “already turning away new cruise itineraries due to limited space.”

A Fourth Terminal

Port Tampa Bay is actively planning a fourth cruise terminal.  Currently the port offers three cruise terminals in the downtown Channelside area: Terminal 2, Terminal 3, and Terminal 6. 

The Tampa Bay Business Journal reported that this new terminal will be able deliver up to 200 more ship calls each year and bring over 1 million additional passengers.

This would put the port’s yearly totals well over 2.5 million once the new building project is completed.

Everything is still in the early planning phase, and design work is expected to be complete over the next year.  

The goal is to improve passenger flow, reduce downtown traffic congestion, add modern amenities like shore power, and give the major homeport lines (Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian Cruise Line, Celebrity Cruises, and Margaritaville at Sea) the extra capacity they need.

Bay News 9 stated that construction has begun on the new Terminal 6 facility, with a target opening around 2029.

Skyway Port Plans Still Dead

This fourth Tampa Bay terminal is separate from the so-called “Skyway Port” in Manatee County we reported on last month.  The plan for a brand-new mega-ship terminal on the Gulf side of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge is currently dead in the water.

On top of facing strong environmental and community opposition, that project was also blocked after Governor Ron DeSantis signed Senate Bill 302 in March 2026.

Cruise Fever will keep monitoring the developments of Tampa’s cruise port as it continues to grow and offer more options to Tamp Bay residents.