The new $56 million, 182,000-square-foot terminal in Brooklyn was officially inaugurated on April 15 with the arrival of the QM2. Cunard Line and Princess Cruises will primarily use the new facility which can accommodate one ship at time.

However, the facility has been designed to accommodate the largest ships and expects to handle some 40 calls in its first year of operation. According to NY Mayor Michael Bloomberg, the new terminal has created 290 permanent jobs, and he said that by 2012 he expects the cruise industry to support 5,000 jobs citywide. The mayor also expects the economic impact to climb to some $900 million by 2011, up from $600 million in 2004, due to the city’s increased capacity.

With two facilities – in Manhattan and now in Brooklyn, some one million passengers are expected in 2006. The Manhattan terminals will be renovated to better accommodate the larger ships and provide a better passenger experience. Once renovations are completed, the city expects to be able to handle four post-Panamax ships at once – three in Manhattan and one in Brooklyn.

The new terminal has an 880-foot-long pier and the entire area covers approximately 15 acres, including dedicated passenger pick-up and drop-off areas and parking
space for 600

But no port or city official said anything about how you can get more taxis – or sometimes any taxi at all – at the Manhattan facility.