NORFOLK, Va. — Norfolk's skyline is about to look a lot different, with massive cruise ships once again towering over the waterfront.
Tuesday, the 3,700-passenger Carnival Sunshine will embark on 2025's first weekly cruise vacation offered from the city's Half Moone cruise center. It's the start of Norfolk's first-ever year-round cruise offering.
Watch: Norfolk city council approves measure to enhance Carnival Cruise operations
“We’re expecting close to 300,000 passengers (total)," said Rehn Saunders, Director of Marketing and Development for Nauticus, which operates the city's cruise terminal. “We’ll see a ship in port every week so this is going to be huge. The days vary, whether it’s a Saturday or a Sunday, that the Carnival Sunshine in particular is coming in. We’ll also have throughout the year port of call ships, so that could be Viking, Princess.”
After more than 250,000 cruisers came through in 2023 — a record passenger commitment at the time — Saunders says it became clear that Half Moone was not ready for the all-year service already in the works for '25.
Service was intentionally slowed in 2024 (minus the sudden addition of cruise ships diverted from Baltimore to Norfolk following the Key Bridge collapse) to allow for a $12 million renovation of the terminal.
The main differences passengers will notice include a new ramp for getting on or off the ship, along with a new U.S. Customs and Border Patrol checkpoint.
“Getting on and off the ship. It’s gonna be quicker," insists Saunders, who adds that outside patio areas and the traffic loop in front of Nauticus are still in line for improvements.
The latter project, she says, is a joint effort with the city to ensure traffic around the terminal is as streamlined as possible.
Watch: Terminal renovations nearly complete as Norfolk prepares for first year-round cruise offering
A Norfolk city spokesperson tells News 3 that the Cedar Grove lot at Monticello Avenue and Virginia Beach Boulevard, over a mile away, will once again serve as parking for cruise passengers who will then be bused to and from the terminal.
That's where area hotels are stepping in to offer what are referred to as "park-and-cruise" options — for passengers who stay the night in Downtown Norfolk before boarding the ship.
Lacy Peterson manages the Glass Light hotel less than two blocks from Nauticus. She says giving people a place to park that's a lot closer gives them one or two fewer things to worry about.
“We’re offering the park-and-cruise package. They’re going to stay here, they’re going to park here. We’re going to offer valet service for them, we’re going to offer them breakfast in morning before they get on the ship," Peterson told News 3.
It's a perk the hotel has offered in previous years too and Peterson says it's once again proving popular with cruise passengers trying to get ahead of the game.
“[We're booking] all the way out to October," she said.
According to Nauticus, the average cruise passenger spends $125 dollars in the city, whether it's before or after leaving on the ship. Visit Norfolk, the city's tourism office, tells News 3 that it's predicting year-round cruise service to have a $19 million economic impact.
"We have launched a full 'Cruise Norfolk' section on the VisitNorfolk website that highlights everything from the cruise schedule, cruise hotel packages and things to do before and after your cruise," said VisitNorfolk spokesperson Sarah Hughes in a statement to News 3, adding that the page is the most visited on the website. "The VN team has been also working with Nauticus and Carnival on a Travel Agent FAM that is happening at the end of the month for travel agents to explore Norfolk and do a site inspection on the ship."
Just a block from the terminal is the popular Granby Street and its dozens of restaurants, bars, hotels and other businesses. Restaurant The Stockpot is on Plume Street, which crosses Granby and runs right into Nauticus. In year's past, the staff there says it's not surprising for passengers to wander in.
“We got a lot of different people from different areas of the world that come in through the cruises. Now, especially with it being a year-round schedule and all different types of areas, (we're) hoping to be able to partner with some other local businesses," said Amber Kostka, Chief Operating Officer for the restaurant's three locations. “It really, really helps a small business like ours to be able to capitalize on just, you know, an extra ten to 15 tables.”
That especially comes in handy, she says, during the typically-slow winter months, which, unlike previous years, will now see cruise service.
But business owners and the people facilitating the new cruises are quick to not let a 100,000-pound Carnival Sunshine put on too much pressure.
“We can’t wait to learn as the year goes on what else we can do to improve the experience for these visitors," said Saunders.
Click HERE for more information about the Carnival Sunshine's cruise offerings out of Norfolk.
