Sailing From The Sunshine State
Florida Cruise Ports
Just one of the many advantages of living in Florida is the amazing choice of cruise lines from various ports such as Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Tampa and Orlando (to Port Canaveral). You can set sail for some of the most incredible places in the Caribbean tropics on a week-long or weekend adventure and also schedule cruises to places in Mexico, Central and South America and even explore the Panama Canal. Depending on the length of the cruise and which port is chosen, itineraries will vary due to the size of the ship and accommodations in the port.
Port Canaveral
Port Canaveral recently underwent major expansion and has become the world’s 2nd busiest cruise port in multi-day embarkations. They plan to expand even further as the need for additional terminals grows in Florida. They have the necessary deep-water channel and are the only established cruise port in the state with space for significant expansion. Their location is the closest to Orlando and is the gateway to Walt Disney World Resort, so they are the home of many of Disney’s ships.
Port of Tampa
Sailing from Tampa is a great option for smaller cruise ships with several choices of popular cruise lines. This port is conveniently located to shops and restaurants near Channelside, a popular entertainment complex near Downtown Tampa. One of the exciting features of taking a cruise from Tampa’s port is traveling slowly down the channel towards St. Petersburg and cruising right under the incredible Sunshine Skyway Bridge. It is so beautiful gliding along the shores of Tampa Bay, heading out into the Gulf of Mexico and well worth taking a smaller ship to enjoy these unique sights.
Livin’ the Good Life!
I have personally cruised from Port Canaveral, Tampa, Fort Lauderdale and Miami. All provide different experiences and views of the shoreline and all ports have great locations and amenities. Not having to book a flight to board a cruise ship is an added bonus of living in the sunshine state. There is a budget available on various ships for anyone wanting to experience the open waters and the adventure of a lifetime!
