Los Angeles is ready to welcome a new era of cruise travel with a brand-new terminal project.
(Credit: Pacific Cruise Terminals, LLC)
On January 22, 2025, the Port of Los Angeles announced that Pacific Cruise Terminals, LLC (PCT) was selected as the developer and operator of the new Outer Harbor cruise terminal. The project was initially announced in 2024.
PCT, a joint venture between Carrix, Inc. and JLC Infrastructure, will also redevelop and operate the existing World Cruise Center on the Port's Main Channel.
The Outer Harbor cruise terminal will be able to handle the newest and most environmentally sustainable cruise ships in California. It will also offer open spaces, recreational facilities, and enhanced access to the LA Waterfront for residents and tourists.
(Credit: Pacific Cruise Terminals, LLC)
"This new Outer Harbor cruise terminal and World Cruise Center redevelopment will allow us to capture more of the rapidly growing cruise business, while also establishing Los Angeles as the primary West Coast gateway for cruise operations," said Port Executive Director Gene Seroka.
"This project will also be a huge win for our Port communities, who will greatly benefit from the economic activity generated by such significant public and private investment in our LA Waterfront."
At the time of publication, PCT hasn't released an estimated timeline for when the terminal will be operational and open to cruise passengers. However, it's sure to boost Los Angeles’ position as a leading cruise destination for West Coast vacations.
Read more: I flew across the country for a 3-day cruise. I maximized the trip by making a few smart decisions
Booming cruise passenger numbers drive LA's expansion
In 2025, the Port of Los Angeles welcomed over 240 cruise calls and a record-breaking 1.6 million passengers, up from 183 calls and 1.1 million passengers in 2024, according to the Port’s website.
Last year, Royal Caribbean made the strategic decision to deploy Ovation of the Seas to California. As such, the Quantum Class ship became the largest cruise vessel to ever dock at the World Cruise Center.
Moreover, Carnival Cruise Line announced plans to construct a new $26-million shoreside destination in Ensenada, Mexico, a popular cruise port on sailings from Los Angeles.
Both these moves highlight a growing demand for bigger and more modern cruise ships in the region.
Each cruise ship visit generates roughly $1.3 million in local economic activity, supporting thousands of jobs in the tourism and hospitality sectors, along with crucial port operations.
Carrix is the parent company of SSA Marine
SSA Marine recently announced it is pushing to build a new multi-berth cruise port in Manatee County, Florida.
According to the proposal, the terminal would be built on a roughly 328-acre coastal property known as the Knott‑Cowen tract at the mouth of Tampa Bay.
As such, situating the terminal beyond the Bob Graham Sunshine Skyway Bridge would finally open Tampa to larger cruise ships.
Currently, only smaller vessels, such as Royal Caribbean's Vision Class ships, can operate from Tampa due to the bridge's height restrictions.
Although the new port project is in the early planning phase and has not been officially approved, initial work to identify and evaluate potential environmental, traffic, noise, and public access considerations has already begun.
Pending approval, construction of Tampa's newest cruise terminal would take three to five years.
Like the Port of Los Angeles, the Port of Tampa Bay had record-breaking numbers in 2025. The Western Florida cruise port welcomed over 1.6 million cruise passengers last year, along with over 262,000 shipping containers, as reported by Spectrum Bay News 9.
Read more: A new proposal could solve the Tampa cruise problem that limits ship size
