Miami and Fort Lauderdale – The King and Prince of Cruise Ports

Miami is undoubtedly the busiest cruise port in the World, but Fort Lauderdale isn’t far behind, making the south-east coast of Florida the capital for cruise ship embarkation…and to think there’s also Port Canaveral just up the coast a few hours, and Tampa over the other side of Florida!

So , you may be wondering what cruises are possible from the ‘Sunshine State’?  Well here’s the lowdown:

From Port Canaveral – This port is handy for the Kennedy Space Center, and Orlando theme parks too, and specialises in mini cruises to the Bahamas, along with week-long Eastern Caribbean cruises too.

From Fort Lauderdale and Miami – Also offers mini-cruises to the Bahamas and Western Caribbean, plus 7-nights – 2-week cruises all over the Caribbean, east, west and south!  It is also from these ports that you can board for cruises across the Atlantic or through the Panama canal.  Fort Lauderdale is a more chilled-out version of Miami, and has a great beach, along with easy access to the Everglades.  Miami has the famous South Beach, and the art-deco architecture that goes with it.

Tampa – This port specialises in 7-night Western Caribbean cruises.  The nearby beaches at Clearwater and St Petersburg make this a popular stay-and-cruise destination.

Almost every major cruise line in the world has a presence in Miami and Fort Lauderdale, so you really can choose not only the perfect itinerary, but also the size and type of ship you would prefer to cruise on, along with your preferred style of cruising, eg casual cruising with open dining and all-inclusive drinks packages, or more formal affairs with set dining times and ‘pay-as-you-go’ bars.

Combining this with the fact that most major hotel chains have a strong presence in this part of the world, and you’ve got the perfect recipe for the ideal stay-and-cruise holiday, whether your budget is 3-star or 5-star!