Passengers on board regular Bermuda caller Zenith will embark from a brand-new cruise terminal in Jacksonville, Florida this winter for 11 to 14 day Caribbean cruises.

The Florida Times-Union in Jacksonville reported this month that the Zenith was due to begin sailing from the port on Monday when she completed a relocation cruise from Bermuda.

The Jacksonville Port Authority's new $5.5 million cruise terminal at Dames Point was originally planned as a was initially designed as a 60,000-square-foot temporary facility and projected to cost $2.7 million.

But port officials enlarged the building to 63,000 square feet to accommodate larger ships expected in the future and for additional federal inspection areas.

The Jaxport Cruise Terminal will welcome ships from Carnival Cruise Lines in February, 2004.

The facility was also upgraded to better suit cruise industry standards, port officials said. The Port Authority hasn't decided if it will build a permanent terminal or where it might be built.

About 150,000 cruise passengers a year are expected to pass through the terminal this cruise season.

Carnival plans to mark its inaugural Jacksonville service with its new 2,124-passenger MS Carnival Miracle starting in February. The ship will make 12 departures during a series of three-day trips to the Bahamas and five- and six-day trips to the Caribbean. The trips will operate through April 17, 2004.

Carnival's ship, the 1,452-passenger Holiday, will begin operating on October 17, 2004, with a special six-day trip to the Mexico and the Bahamas. Subsequently, it will operate four-day Bahamas trips to Nassau and five-day trips to Key West and Nassau year-round.

Fares will begin at $299 per passenger, Carnival said.

The authority is projecting it will receive each year $1.1 million from Celebrity's service, and $1.7 million from Carnival.

About 65 percent of the revenue will come from parking fees, officials said.

The Port Authority is using an existing parking lot with 500 spaces near the terminal. Vehicles will be charged $10 a day for parking.

The authority will also collect passenger facility charges tacked onto each ticket.

Those fees range from $2.50 to $6 for each segment of trips. The cruise companies will also pay the authority to dock at the terminal.