What Are Some Things To Do In The Usa
Unless you book a cruise that has an actual port stop in the U.S. or you’re taking a river cruise, much of what you can do and see will be before and after your sailing, particularly in cities like Miami, Fort Lauderdale, San Diego and Seattle. If you have time you can see a Broadway show in New York, check out the art deco architecture in Miami’s South Beach, visit Pike Place Market in Seattle or tour the Kennedy Space Center near Orlando. For more: USA Cruises.
Baltimore Maryland Cruise Port
Extend your time in Baltimore and explore this city rich with personality. One of the best things to do in Baltimore is explore the Inner Harbor. Its an icon of the city and is home to a number of attractions. The USS Constellation is a historic ship built in the mid-1800s and used during the Civil War. Explore the numerous museums around the harbor. Get a bite to eat at Miss Shirleys Cafe or Phillips Seafood for some fresh crab!
For incredible boutique shopping, head to Fells Point. This area of Baltimore had residents before America was even a country! Fans of street art can visit the colorful Graffiti Alley for a glimpse into the local culture. You can visit Edgar Allen Poes house and final resting place near Lexington Market. If you need a break from the city, head to Druid Hill Park for some open space. Theres a conservatory with a botanical garden in the park. Keep an eye out for a Druid carved into an old tree!
The ease of access and variety of things to do in the area makes Baltimore one of the best cruise ports in the United States.
United States Cruise Port Map
On the map below. we’ve starred all the ports. If the port is colored in we have information on it below. If it’s white it’s not included below, however check back for updates as we will continue to add to this post.
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Should I Rent A Car To Get To The Port Of Galveston
Some passengers may look into renting a car from the airport in Houston and driving to the Port of Galveston themselves.
However, this is typically not going to be the most convenient nor cost effective option, especially if youre unable to secure a one-way car rental and have to pay to park the car for a week.
It cant hurt to check pricing and availability, though, especially if youre traveling with a large family and would prefer having a private vehicle. It can also be a nice option if you plan to explore more of the Galveston or Houston areas before or after your cruise.
Holland America Line: Classic California Coast
Sail seven days roundtrip from San Diego onboard the 2,650-passenger Koningsdam, and the ports you’ll visit are Californias most beautiful: Monterey and San Francisco, with a toe-dip in colorful Ensenada, Mexico. An overnight in San Francisco gives you plenty of time to explore: Gawk at the 360-degree view from Twin Peaks, revel in virgin costal redwoods across the iconic Golden Gate Bridge, tuck into fresh-caught seafood at the ever-lively Fishermans Wharf. Other offerings to check out include a tour in a semi-submersible sub off Catalina Islands coast, and winery tours and tastings near Ensenada. Departs October 10 and October 31 prices begin at $499 per person.
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Fort Lauderdale Florida Cruise Port
By Derek Hartman and Mike Walsh, from Robe Trotting
Fort Lauderdale, Florida is one of Americas premier cruise ports. Conveniently, the cruise ship terminal is only three miles from Fort Lauderdale Airport. There are some shuttle options, but the best way to reach the terminal from the airport is to take an Uber or taxi. The cost is around $10-15 and most of the shuttles are similar or more in price, but on a fixed schedule. For example, the Carnival shuttle is $16. Parking at the cruise port is about $15 per day and many lots require an advanced reservation, so make sure to research before your departure.
The port of Fort Lauderdale services some of the biggest cruise lines like Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Princess, Celebrity Cruises, and Holland America. Its a popular departure point for many themed cruises on these lines, whether Biker themed, Star Trek themed, or an LGBTQI+ cruise, for instance. It’s worth noting that Fort Lauderdale is an incredibly gay-friendly city.
If youre sailing from Fort Lauderdale and book a few extra nights in town, you will have plenty of options for entertainment. There are dinner cruises on the Intracoastal Waterway or you can dine at any of the incredible seafood restaurants in town. The magnificent beaches in Fort Lauderdale are clean and popular with cruise guests before or after their departure, because there is no such thing as too much sand and sun.
Which Cruise Lines Go To The Usa
All of the major U.S.-based cruise lines like Royal Caribbean, Norwegian Cruise Line, Celebrity, Princess, Carnival, Holland America and Disney among others have ships that homeport in the U.S. and some itineraries that feature port stops in U.S. destinations . Princess Cruises offers a number of itineraries that call on the ports of the scenic Pacific coast. Some international cruise lines like MSC Cruises and Cunard also have ships that homeport in the U.S.
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What Is The Best Time To Cruise To The Usa
The best time to cruise in the USA will vary greatly depending on the region. Cruises sailing from or stopping in Florida or Southern California are available year-round, but regions like Alaska, New England and the Pacific Northwest are primarily summer and early-fall destinations. Beyond ocean cruises, river cruises also depend greatly on the region.
Norwegian Cruise Line: Caribbean
Get the party started on 3,963-passenger Norwegian Breakaway, sailing seven days roundtrip New Orleans. Walk the plank on the largest ropes course at sea, giggle in the Headliners Comedy Club, spend me-time in the Mandara Spa. Outings include wandering ancient Mayan ruins in Costa Maya, Mexico, snorkeling in Honduras amidst the Caribbeans best pillar coral and marine life, fishing for tuna, and riding trail horses. Departs December 5, 2021 prices begin at $519 per person.
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United States Cruise Port At Oahu
Cruise ships in Oahu, Hawaii dock close to the Aloha Tower Marketplace, which is conveniently located about a 10-20 minute drive from Honolulu International Airport. It’s very easy to book a tour from the Oahu, Hawai cruise porti too.
The most popular cruise line sailing the Hawaiian Islands is Norwegian Cruise Line. They are docked at Port of Honolulu Pier 2 and easy to access. You can get a taxi/Uber/Lyft from the airport and is about $30 USD each way.
For parking, the public parking is about ¾s of a mile away and the cost is about $21 a day. It may be easier to just take a taxi from the airport so you dont have to pay for a rental car and to park it for the duration of your stay.
Norwegians Cruise Ship in Hawaii used to do 7 day sailings around the island but has now included French Polynesia in some of their itineraries. It is like getting two vacations in one and you get to stay on the same boat.
Most cruises originate in and out of Oahu, so you will want to plan to stay an extra day or two as to not miss anything. Some things you should have on your Oahu bucket list include: a visit to the North Shore, Pearl Harbor, Waikiki Beach, piping hot malasada from Leonards Bakery, shave ice, and some snorkeling.
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Crystal Cruises: Luxury Bermuda Escape
Indulge in eight days onboard 848-passenger Crystal Symphony, cruising roundtrip from New York. Count on two full days and nights in breathtaking Bermuda, unwinding on pink sand beaches, and exploring UNESCO World Heritage Site St. George, the oldest continuously occupied British settlement in the New World, with 17th century architecture. Take a ferry to Hamilton, admiring its pastel-hued colonial buildings and posh boutiques. Onboard, dine at global superstar chef Nobu Matsuhisas restaurant Umi Uma & Sushi Bar. Multiple departures through November 19 prices begin at $1,999 per person.
The Wintergarden on Viking Orion
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Hull Reclassifications And Skipped Hull Numbers
CA-1, CA-6 and CA-10 were never used, as ACR-1 Maine, ACR-6 California/San Diego and ACR-10 Tennessee/Memphis were lost prior to the 1920 redesignation, and their sisters’ original hull numbers were carried over. CA-20 through CA-23 were skipped with the merger of the CA and CL sequences, which allowed the reclassification of the Washington Treaty CLs as CAs without re-numbering.
Heavy cruisers CA-149 and CA-151 to CA-153, light cruisers CL-154 to CL-159, hunter-killer cruiser CLK-2, and nuclear guided missile cruiser CGN-42 were canceled before being named.
Guided missile cruisers CG-1 through 8 and CG-10 through 12 were converted from World War II cruisers. CAG-1 USS Boston and CAG-2 USS Canberra retained most of their original gun armament and were later returned to their gun cruiser designations CA-69 and CA-70. CGN-9, Long Beach, originally held the last designation in the heavy-light cruiser sequence, CLGN-160.
CG-15 was skipped so the Leahy-class guided missile frigates could be redesignated without renumbering. The other missing numbers in the guided-missile cruiser series, 43â46, were not used so that DDG-47 Ticonderoga and DDG-48 Yorktown could be similarly redesignated.
Cruise Port At San Diego California
The United States cruise port in San Diego is one of the most convenient ports in the world. It mainly offers cruises heading south to Mexico or up the California Coast. But you can also find itineraries to Hawaii and even the South Pacific.
Holland America and Norwegian are the most common cruise lines that sail from here, but some ships from Silversea, Celebrity, and Disney Cruise Line have added San Diego to their United States cruise ports map.
Cruise ships dock right in the heart of Downtown San Diego. From here, cruisers can explore the top attractions of San Diego on foot, including the San Diego Gaslamp Quarter, the USS Midway and Maritime Museum, Balboa Park and much more.
If you still have not had enough time on the sea, you can do a Flagship Harbor Cruise to enjoy the sights of San Diego from the water. You can also hop on a ferry to cross the bay over to Coronado Island. Explore its quaint downtown, the famous Hotel Del Coronado, and its magnificent beaches.
Another fun excursion is a trip to La Jolla. Here, you can check out the seals sunbathing on the rocks, go kayaking around the caves and watch the sunset over the stunning coastline.
If San Diego is the starting and endpoint of your cruise and you need to park your car, your best option is airport parking the airport parking lots are a short cab ride away from the San Diego cruise terminal. If you arrive by Amtrak at Santa Fe station, you can even walk to the cruise terminal.
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San Francisco California Us Cruise Port
Few people would think of San Francisco as a cruise port city. And rightfully so, as many more visitors arrive by air, road, train or other means. The big commercial port of the area is across the bay in Oakland.
However, when considering the United States cruise ports map, ships sailing the western coastline of North America dock at one of the cruise terminals along Embarcadero street every summer. One could spend the day just on the piers visiting the Fishermans Wharf area for all sorts of entertainment: sailing the bay, visiting Alcatraz Island, dining etc.
Parking is convenient but expensive in San Francisco so its best to take a rideshare, public transit or have someone drop you off at the terminal. There are bicycle rickshaws along the piers so its easy to travel between the piers and attractions.
Some of the most popular things to see in the city are the Golden Gate Bridge, Golden Gate Park, Palace of Fine Arts, Fishermans Wharf, Coit Tower, The Seven Sister, Nob Hill, SFMOMA, Yerba Buena gardens, the Missions etc. The list goes on and on.
Besides the famous landmarks, one can visit the lesser-known hidden gems of the community such as beautiful mosaic steps and sunset sail in San Francisco Bay.
For chocolate lovers, Ghirardelli Square is an absolute must. And its close to the piers.
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Cruisers Without Hull Designations
The first three modern cruisers in the Navy, the Atlanta, Boston, and Chicago, were most successful as technology demonstrators that stimulated the U.S. industrial base, with features such as steel hulls and electricity generation. The last two protected cruisers which initially served without hull classification numbers, the New Orleans and Albany, were purchased from a British builder during mobilization for the 1898 SpanishâAmerican War.
Atlanta
Officially these ships were e.g., “Armored Cruiser No. 1”. Unofficially, top naval officers initially referred to these ships as battleships because they cost almost as much, shared many features with them, and were intended to accompany them in fleet actions they took care to ensure that Congress never heard their opinion. The 1905 Russo-Japanese War showed armored cruisers did not perform as well as either battleships or as other cruiser types. As battleship technology advanced they were judged obsolete for their original role about the time the last U.S. armored cruiser was commissioned , and so they were retained for other cruiser roles despite their deficiencies. During 1912â1920 the U.S. armored cruisers had their names changed from states to cities within those states to free up the names for battleships.
Maine
The CA/CL overlap of hull numbers would persist until the last armored cruiser of the original CA series, Seattle, was reclassed as IX-39.
Washington Naval Treaty
Salt Lake City
Wichita class
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Does It Pay To Plan Ahead Or Should I Wait Until The Last Minute
Its an age-old question does the early bird really get the worm, or are there perks to taking a wait-and-see approach? If youre booking a cruise vacation, youll find there are benefits to both strategies. Planning ahead is a great way to score big savings, as Royal Caribbean often runs early saver deals to guests booking well in advance. Its also pretty safe to assume prices usually go up as availability goes down the closer you get to your sail date, so booking ahead is a surefire way to lock in a great rate. That said, booking a cruise at the last minute can also yield some unexpected savings but only if the itinerary youre interested in hasnt sold out yet.
What Is The Closest Cruise Ship Port To Me
Many cruisers start our search based on closest port. In an ideal world, our cruise would depart from one of the U.S. cruise port within driving distance.
Once we get out of range, we have to start planning flights, ubers, and hotels. That adds a whole level of complexity and additional costs that we’d prefer to avoid.
Check out the map and list below to find your closest cruise port.
Make sure to pin that list to your “Cruise Search” board for easy reference!
Here’s a complete list below by state. Also provided are links to find more detail on each departure port as well as links to shore excursions for each.
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Ships Eligible To Sail Under American Flag
Passenger ships that are U.S. built, that once sailed under the American flag, and which would be eligible to return to that status:
- United States – laid up in Philadelphia
- Niagara Prince – laid up when Blount Small Ship Adventures ceased operations in 2020
- Grande Caribe – laid up when Blount Small Ship Adventures ceased operations in 2020
- Grande Mariner – laid up when Blount Small Ship Adventures ceased operations in 2020
- American Eagle – moored at Chesapeake Shipbuilding as housing for shipyard contractors
Sail The East Coast West Coast Or Off The Continental Us
The highlights of a cruise to the USA will vary greatly depending what region you visit. No matter where you sail, though, you can expect to find beautiful parks and beaches, energetic cities, and delicious cuisine.
New England
The New England region of the United States is a great place to cruise due to the states being so close to one another. You can visit great American cities like Boston and New York City and incredible outdoor areas like Acadia National Park. Plus, time your trip in the fall and youll see stunning fall foliage.
Pacific Coast
The west coast of the USA is home to the Pacific Coast Highway, an iconic road trip. Guess what? Our Pacific Coastal cruises sail down that coastline, too. Youll have gorgeous views and the chance to see whales and dolphins from your balcony. Youll also stop in some of the wests best destinations.
Hawaii
You dont have to deal with long flights to get to Hawai. Instead sail to the Hawaiian Islands from Vancouver or Los Angeles and spend time at sea getting pampered with spa treatments and 4-course meals before exploring Maui, Oahu, and the Big Island of Hawaii.
Alaska
The wild frontier of Alaska has some of the most awe-inspiring scenery in the USA and a cruise in Alaska lets you see it from both the land and the sea perspective. Youll visit glaciers, historic mining towns, bustling fish markets, and mountaintop vistas. Along the way you can hike, whale watch, pan for gold, and so much more.
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