ABP Port of Southampton and Carnival UK have joined forces to invest £5m in improvements to the QEII Cruise Terminal for the benefit of all Carnival cruise brands. The work is vital in ensuring the city retains its title as the UK’s premier cruise port and continues to provide the very best customer experience as passenger numbers continue to grow. The improvements, which will be undertaken in two phases in 2015/16, will include the installation of a state-of-the-art ship-to-shore walkway to replace the existing walkway which was initially installed for Cunard’s Queen Mary 2.

This investment will ensure a greater range of cruise ships can utilise the terminal. The terminal upgrade will also include improving the existing check-in, baggage and passenger x-ray areas, installing a new 46-person lift and re-organising the passenger drop off area. The first phase of the work got underway at the QEII terminal in October 2015 and is due to be completed in Spring 2016. The second phase, which includes the installation of the new ship-to-shore walkway, will be finalised in Winter 2016. This project follows the upgrades at the City Cruise Terminal in conjunction with royal Caribbean Cruise Line in 2014/15, the £1m investment at the ocean Cruise Terminal and the £6m revamp of the Mayflower Cruise Terminal that was opened by the Ventura in April 2015.