DH and I are looking at a cruise. Likely 4-6 days. We are flexible when and we aren't too picky on where. (Bahamas, Cozumel, Carribean)
It seems we have a choice of which port - depending on what line. Tampa Bay, Port Canaveral, Miami (Fort Lauderdale). Flight pricing from home are all very close. If we can get away without a car rental that would be great! Depending on the day of the cruise we would likely do 1 night before and maybe 2 after if there is stuff in the area to do.
Where would you choose and why?
Tara and Terry: May 13, 2006
Elizabeth Vittoria: December 21, 2007
Personally I would choose Tampa. I like the area and used to live there. There is Ybor City for nightlife, the beaches are close by, the Dali Museum in St. Pete. They were building up the area around the cruise ship terminal when I moved away and the only cruise I've taken left from Tampa.
I prefer Tampa. I think it is the easiest port to navigate as far as getting on and off the ship is concerned. If you are taking kids, there is a fun water play area and aquarium in the port area. We had a day to kill there (without kids) and found lots of fun restaurants and shopping.
I live in Tampa Bay and my MIL lives across the canal from the port so we are down there a lot (and often wave to the cruise ship when it is leaving port from one of her balconies ) If you don't want a rental car you could stay at the Westin Harbour Island and walk around the port area and downtown.
ETA: you could stay one night before the cruise right there in Channelside without a car and then rent a car and stay at the beach (Clearwater, St. Pete, Treasure Island, Reddington Shores etc) for two days after.
Last edited by dragonfly_71; 08-03-2012 at 10:12 AM.
I live in Tampa about 10 minutes from the cruise port. I can't speak to the other choices on your list, but I would think Tampa would have some advantages -- the port is about 10-15 minutes from the airport (very nice, easy airport too) and an easy cab ride. In terms of what to do while you're in the port area itself, the port sits in Channelside which is a complex of restaurants, movie theaters, fancy bowling alley (which is super fun for small kids, btw!). The Florida Aquarium is next door to the port and it does have a fabulous water play area for little ones as a previous poster mentioned. Compared with a couple of other places on your list, I would imagine that the Tampa port is also a little less of a zoo which just makes everything simpler. There aren't *that* many ships that leave in and out of Tampa each week.
If you want to leave Channelside, you can take the streetcar/trolley one direction to Ybor (restaurants, bars, etc. -- old Cuban cigar town) or the other direction to downtown Tampa where there is a great up and coming waterfront area with the new art museum, children's museum, and public park with a sprayground and a cool play area for kids.
If you're interested in other things in the Tampa Bay area there is St. Pete with the Museum of Fine Arts, Dali Museum, Vinoy Park and the Pinellas County beaches (Clearwater, St. Pete Beach, etc.) but I think if you wanted to cross to the other side of the bay from the port in Tampa you'd want a car. If you were to stay around the port area, downtown Tampa, and Ybor you could absolutely get away with no car. I think there's plenty to do for a few days with or without kids.
Choice of cruise port in Florida
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) If you don't want a rental car you could stay at the Westin Harbour Island and walk around the port area and downtown.
