I Experienced Embarking at PortMiami’s New MSC Cruise Terminal
MSC Cruises’ newest ship, MSC World America, arrived in Miami on April 7, ready to give industry insiders a first look at the 216,638-gross-ton vessel capable of hosting up to 6,762 guests at full capacity, not to mention its 2,138 crew members.
As Cruise Hive journalists are onboard to capture all of its bells and whistles, we also got to experience the brand-new MSC Terminal, which opened on April 5, 2025, and is located at terminal AA/AAA.
From the moment of arrival in the parking lot – which can hold more than 2,400 cars – it is evident that MSC World America is big.
Greeted by terminal staff from baggage to embarkation, the boarding process took about 15 minutes in total, and that’s mostly because the walk from the parking lot and through the 492,678-square-foot terminal and the winding covered gangway to the ship takes a bit of time.
It is the length of more than 8 American football fields!
The space is so large it feels as if navigating an airport, with the standard roped off areas for lines, at which there were none upon our embarkation. It also features an expansive sitting area in case guests have to wait to embark.
Still, while the terminal can process up to 36,000 passengers per day, it moves quickly due to the use of facial recognition scanners.
Upon entering the terminal, passengers present their passports that are scanned into the system. Looking at the camera, the system scans faces and takes a photo that will be used anytime a guest disembarks and embarks.
Once through the first facial scanners, guests will move through baggage check, which features large bins and lots of space to keep bags moving.
After walking through metal detectors and collecting bags, passengers then move to the check-in desks. With the space’s vaulted ceilings and glass windows, it is overwhelming, bright, and expansive.
Upon receiving digital keys and completing check-in, passengers will walk between the nearly wall-to-wall digital display that looks like a live aquarium and make their way to a final checkpoint.
Presenting boarding passes/keys and undergoing another facial recognition scan, it’s finally time to enter the gangway, which snakes around with three curves and features a number of small “speed humps” to help keep bags and wheelchairs from moving too quickly (but which also trip up carry-on bags).
And then, there she is: MSC World America. Where crew members are ready to greet guests with a warm welcome.
Boarding MSC World America
The MSC Cruise Terminal will be home to MSC Cruises and its Explora Journeys luxury small-ship cruise line, servicing up to three ships simultaneously.
MSC World America is the largest ship outside of Royal Caribbean that will dock in PortMiami, as well as call it home. With 2,631 staterooms across 12 decks and a total of 20 passenger decks, the ship is massive.
But boarding is also streamlined using technology.
Twelve elevators are immediately near the gangway, utilizing new technology meant to minimize wait times. Rather than selecting an up or down button, guests select the floor they want to visit and then are directed to an elevator that will only stop on selected floors.
Read Also: Miami Cruise Port Guide: Terminals, Transportation and More
Inside the elevator, it will display the floors it is traveling to and drop guests. It will not visit any other floor, even if someone attempts to catch an elevator as its traveling – it’s seriously painless, although a bit tricky to understand the first time.
Also tricky, admittedly, are carpeted areas throughout the terminal and when boarding the ship that are so new and thick, it can be cumbersome to pull a bag.
The dark sky-blue carpeting featuring celestial symbols and coordinates is easier to avoid, but the brown carpeting near the elevators blends with the smooth flooring and can trip one up if toting a rolling bag.
However, these will most likely “settle” and are part of the fun of being one of the first to board.
Keep following Cruise Hive for more first looks at MSC World America, including its exciting christening ceremony taking place on April 9, 2025.
I Experienced Embarking at PortMiami’s New MSC Cruise Terminal