Richard Branson, joined by Miami-Dade county mayor Daniella Levine Cava and Virgin Voyages chief executive Tom McAlpin, made a splash with a memorable ribbon cutting ceremony marked by mermaid aerialists and a grand entrance via Virgin branded electric Moke vehicles.

With a street address of 718 N Cruise Blvd. – cleverly earmarked to celebrate Sir Richard Branson’s birthday on July 18th – the opening of Virgin Voyages’ own cruise terminal represents a major milestone in the brand’s history and the first time Scarlet Lady sailed from her new home.

“Coming to this beautiful new terminal and seeing Scarlet Lady in her home port here in Miami has been such an incredible experience.

“The team at Virgin Voyages has created a stunning building that delivers on our commitment to being better stewards of the earth with its LEED Gold Certification,” said Branson, founder of the Virgin Group.

Terminal V is a three-story building on the north-western corner of PortMiami.

The geometric design, a palm grove where land meets sea, was inspired by Miami’s iconic palm trees and the area’s historical origins (formerly used for harvesting coconuts).

The concept was developed by the award-winning, global architecture and landscape firm Arquitectonica and built from the ground up by Suffolk Construction.