A $12 million renovation project is nearing completion at the Norfolk Cruise Terminal ahead of the arrival of the Carnival Sunshine.

After completing a drydock in Europe earlier this year, the Carnival Cruise Line ship is set to launch year-round operations from the Virginia port on Feb. 10, 2025.

As part of a project that started in mid-2024, the cruise facility is undergoing renovations to improve passenger flow and increase its guest capacity.

According to a report by WAVY 10, crews are currently putting the final touches on a new ramp that will link the ship’s gangway to the terminal’s ground floor.

“When the Carnival Sunshine is in port, we’ll have over 3,000 guests disembarking the ship. They will come down this new ramp system to collect their luggage,” Rehn Saunders, Norfolk’s director of development and marketing, said in the report by WAVY 10.

The project also includes enhancements to the space where passengers pick up their luggage before going through a new customs checkpoint.

“We’ve really gotten this down to a science and it’s seamless for our visitors,” Saunders added in his interview.

“We’ll have porters out front to collect the luggage. We’ll have shuttles coming into the front loop to improve everyone’s flow,” he said.

While the new gangway, passenger walkway and customs checkpoint are now ready to welcome passengers, other improvements are expected to be completed by fall 2025, WAVY 10 said.

The renovation project of the Half Moone Cruise and Celebration Center also includes enclosing an outdoor terrace, allowing guests to sit outside in any weather.

Currently crossing the Atlantic with no guests onboard, the Carnival Sunshine is scheduled to arrive in Norfolk on Feb. 10, 2025.

The 3,000-guest ship then kicks off a series of five- to eight-night cruises that include visits to destinations in the Bahamas and the Caribbean.