Cruiseport Boston recently got an $11M makeover including new passenger check-in, screening, and boarding area within the Black Falcon Cruise Terminal to improve passenger comfort, increase terminal efficiency and position Cruiseport Boston for continued growth.

Completion of the terminal renovation  enhanced aesthetics and passenger amenities, and created more than 60,000 square feet of new space within the building. The largest part of the work constructed a separate departure area on the unused level of the terminal’s third floor which now allows for the simultaneous handling of disembarking passengers and those waiting to board a ship.

The 2010 season brought 111 ship calls to Cruiseport Boston’s Black Falcon Terminal, which is also up seven percent from 2009. The record number of passengers in 2010 follows three previous years of solid growth: 12 percent in 2007, 15 percent in 2008, and 11 percent in 2009.

Further underscoring the popularity of Boston’s cruise business, this season the 2,200-passenger Norwegian Dawn one of Norwegian Cruise Lines’ newest and largest ships, will start sailing the Boston-Bermuda itinerary. The ship is 10 percent bigger Norwegian Spirit and is the third upgrade to Boston in just four years by the cruise line. Also this year Cunard’s newest ship Queen Elizabeth will make her maiden visit to Boston on Sep. 22.