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Norfolk: gateway to colonial Virginia & home to maritime heritage.

Article Excerpt
If you love the water--as all cruisers should--then you'll fall for the port of Norfolk, Virginia. With a long legacy of water-based sightseeing and activities, it's obvious why the waterfront city of Norfolk has quickly grown into a popular port-of-call--as well as a unique port of embarkation and debarkation. "Cruiseship passengers simply love Norfolk," said Stephen Kirkland, manager of cruise operations and marketing for Cruise Norfolk. "In fact, we've been so successful that we're building a brand new 80,000 square-foot terminal that will open in early 2007."

The new $36-million terminal (see rendering on page 12) will include a dramatic entrance and rotunda, as well as a huge amount of exterior waterfront terrace space overlooking downtown Norfolk and Norfolk Harbor on the Elizabeth River. There will also be a large waiting lounge for boarding passengers, as well as a new baggage area for debarking passengers.

The contemporary new terminal will surely be welcomed by cruise passengers, but Norfolk has already been welcoming ever-growing numbers of cruisers. More than 110,000 passengers enjoyed Norfolk in 2005, a dramatic increase from fewer than 50,000 in 2003. The reasons for this growth include: the rise in North America-based cruising in general; the easy accessibility of Norfolk to both ships and those driving to the port (it's within a day's drive of half the nation's population); and the wide range of activities in the Hampton Roads region itself. Along with growth as a port-of-call, cruises out of Norfolk to Bermuda, the Bahamas, the...

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