List Of Busiest Cruise Ports By Passengers
This is a list of busiest cruise ports by passengers. Some Asian ports are not included due to lack of information.
Independent Van And Car Services
There are several van services from FLL, too. GO Airport Shuttle costs $11 per person to Port Everglades, and vans hold a maximum of 10 people. Alternatively, you can book a luxury sedan seating up to four through GO Airport Shuttle for $40 per person.
Metro Shuttle Service costs $8 to $15 per person for the ride from FLL to Port Everglades, depending on the number of people in your group. The more people on your reservation, the lower your per person rate.
Related: The ultimate guide to GroundLinks car service
Port Nola In New Orleans Louisiana
Aerial view of New Orleans downtown, Louisiana
Surrounded by the popular French Quarter, and only a short drive from downtown, the port of New Orleans is conveniently located near countless attractions and activities catering to different tastes and interests. New Orleans, also known as The Big Easy, is famous for its multi-cultural heritage, vibrant jazz and street music scene, delicious cuisine, and of course its Mardi Gras festival. Various cruise lines sail year-round from this port, so when youre done exploring this unique city, you can continue the adventure onboard.
Sailings from New Orleans start as early as July 4, 2021, with Carnival Glorys 7-night Caribbean cruise, visiting the ports-of-call of Roatan, Belize, and Cozumel. The next available sailing is scheduled for July 11, 2021, also be aboard the Carnival Glory, stopping at Montego Bay, Grand Cayman, and Cozumel.
For the latest updates regarding Port NOLAs reopening, please visit the ports official website.
Cruise lines continue to announce new sailings and destinations that you can book now and set sail as soon as this June. Stay up to date with our latest new sailings announcements.
*Please note, conditions to board vary per cruise line and per country of residence. All travel is subject to frequently changing governmental restrictionsplease check government advisories before scheduling trips.
Recommended Reading: Transport From Southampton To London
You Can Save Money By Skipping The Hotel
Conventional wisdom says that you should arrive at least a day before your cruise departure date if you will be flying into your embarkation city. And this is clearly sound advice. However, in many circumstances, it can also be reasonable to make a different choice.
Depending on where you live, it is entirely possible to fly into and out of Florida on the same day as your embarkation and disembarkation dates with ample time to spare. One big advantage of doing so is saving money on hotel. We have done this many times. However, this is not for the faint of heart.
You can minimize potential problems if you can book nonstop flights. Trying to switch plans en route adds more opportunities for things to go wrong. And, you should try to take the earliest flight thats practical. If your flight is scheduled to land at least 4 hours before boarding for the ship closes, that provides a nice buffer.
Although we have done this many times without incident, we have some travel companions on a recent cruise out of Tampa who werent quite so lucky. This family flew from their home state in the middle of the country on a flight itinerary that required one change of planes. If everything had gone according to plan, they would have arrived in Tampa several hours before the ship was scheduled to depart. But, several things went awry including weather delays, mechanical problems, and a plane rerouting.
This post may contain affiliate links. Visit our Disclosures Page for more information.
Choose Fort Lauderdale If You’re Sailing Princess Or Holland America
Despite all the options you will find at PortMiami, you won’t find major cruise lines Princess or Holland America there. Port Everglades hosts nine cruise lines and 34 cruise ships from Carnival, Celebrity, Costa, Cunard, Holland America, Princess, Royal Caribbean, Silversea and Seabourn. While Port Everglades sees less than 4 million passengers a year , in March 2016, it did break the world record for most cruise passengers in a single day.
Read Also: What Month Is The Best Time To Cruise To Alaska
Choose Fort Lauderdale If You’d Rather Stay At A Major Hotel Chain Very Close To The Port
There’s no dearth of hotel options in Fort Lauderdale, but they’re all clustered near each other along major highways in the city. The downside is Fort Lauderdale doesn’t offer a ton in the way of accommodations with distinct personality and a sense of local culture. The plus side is there are plenty of options less than a mile from port, meaning embarkation day is relatively stress free when the ship is within arm’s reach.
Check out the best hotels near Fort Lauderdale cruise port.
Reaching The Florida Cruise Port Near Orlando
If you fly into Orlando, the distance to Port Canaveral is 46 miles . Three other commercial airports service the area near Port Canaveral. Melbourne International Airport , Orlando Sanford International Airport , and Daytona Beach International Airport .
Miami Airport to Port Canaveral is 220 miles . And, the distance to Port Canaveral from Fort Lauderdale is 196 miles . The Tampa airport also provides another viable option. The distance from the Tampa International Airport to Port Canaveral is 136 miles .
Read Also: Bonvoy Cruise
What Airport Should You Fly Into To Save Time And Money
Each of these Florida cruise ports has at least one major airport within an hours drive. But sometimes the most obvious airport may not actually be your best option for kicking off your cruise.
Depending on where you live, the price for air tickets may be cheaper if you fly to a nearby city and drive the remaining distance. You can often find affordable shuttle services to cover that distance. Or, you may find that taking a car service or renting a car still yields overall cheaper travel costs. Also, if you investigate options at other Florida airports, you may find more convenient travel times to fit your schedule.
If you do exercise your option to fly to an alternative airport for your cruise, make sure that you make prior arrangements for a ride to take you from the airport to the other city.
Port Canaveral In Orlando Florida
Aerial view of Port Canaveral
Port Canaveral, located in Orlando, Florida, is the homeport of major cruise lines such as Carnival, Disney, Norwegian, and Royal Caribbean. The ports location near many theme parks and family-friendly attractions make it a great place to extend your trip before or after a cruise.
If Port Canaveral is your port of choice, there are many itineraries available for you. You can sail away as early as July 1, 2021, with a four-night Bahamas cruise aboard the Carnival Elation. Disney Cruises is also offering three-night and four-night Bahamas cruises in July aboard the Disney Dream. If you need a longer getaway, Royal Caribbean has seven-night Caribbean cruises aboard the Mariner of the Seas and the Allure of the Seas.
For the latest updates regarding Port Canaverals reopening, please visit the ports official website.
Don’t Miss: What Cruise Lines Depart From New York City
Sail Away From The Top Ports In Florida
With easy access to the Caribbean and beyond, if you are among the 25 million passengers that cruise each year, youll probably sail out of one of Floridas five ports of call. With the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean on either side of the state, its easy to hop aboard the best cruise ships from the Florida Panhandle down to Miami.The Port of Miami is considered to be the busiest port in the world. With an average of five million passengers each year, most cruise lines dock here making it much more affordable to cruise. Set on Biscayne Bay, PortMiami is known as the Cruise Capital of the World,” and is served by cruise lines like Disney, Carnival, Azamara, Norwegian, and more.Port Canaveral on the eastern Florida coast in Cape Canaveral and Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale are the next busiest ports respectively. Port Canaveral is a great option for those planning to visit Orlando or Cocoa Beach, and then sailing out to explore the world. Some popular Cruise lines utilizing Port Canaveral include Carnival, Disney, Norwegian, Royal Caribbean, and more.For those in the north Florida region, you don’t have to head south to enjoy a fun-filled cruising journey. The Port of Jacksonville or JAXPORT is located along the St. Johns River and includes the Mayport ferry and Carnival Cruise Lines.
Stunning Map Shows Dozens Of Cruise Ships Off Florida Coast
If you needed a visual of just how hard-hit the cruise industry has been, look no further than the map below.
This map, from the website CruiseMapper.com, shows the current location of dozens of cruise ships off the coast of Florida near Miami and Fort Lauderdale. These ships are currently sitting idle as the entire industry has suspended sailings.
Because of a limited amount of spots to dock, cruise ships are taking turns. A ship will dock, get supplies it might need, and then head back to sea to bide their time and let another ship in its space. While they are sailing with no passengers, crew members are still aboard.
This is going on all around the entire country, in ports from Los Angeles to Charleston.
But when it comes to cruising, Florida is the king. Each year millions of passengers sail from Miami and Fort Lauderdale, Port Canaveral, and Tampa, and many ships homeport here.
Combined, these cruise ports have dozens of spots to dock and the facilities to handle multiple ships at once. For that reason, ships are staying in the region while cruises are suspended.
All told, we counted more than 40 cruise ships docked at the Port of Miami or Port Everglades or sailing in the area. This includes ships from all the major cruise lines, including Carnival, Royal Caribbean, and Norwegian.
The map above is color coded, based on cruise line:
- Red: Carnival
- Purple: Celebrity
- Blue: MSC
Read:Anticipated Return to Sail Dates for Major Cruise Lines
Also Check: Panama Canal Cruise Small Ship
Choose Fort Lauderdale For Breezier Transportation Options
Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood Airport is a busy international airport, but overall it’s less hectic than Miami. Choose to fly into or out of Fort Lauderdale if you want to avoid staggering wait times and find cheaper transportation options to the port. The Go Airport shuttle has a pickup location with a small stand in front of each airport. Shared rides in air-conditioned vans cost $11 and run every 15 to 20 minutes. Or, reserve the ride in advance to avoid the wait. Lyft and Uber also offer rideshare options in the area. Another possibility is driving yourself — driving to Port Everglades from the airport is about 5 miles and less than 10 minutes.
This Is What You Need To Know About Cruise Ports In Florida
Florida cruise ports are the busiest cruise ports in the world. This guide to cruise ports in Florida has what you need to know to save time, money and aggravation.
Florida has some of the busiest cruise ports in the world. More passengers sail out of Florida cruise ports than anywhere else in the world. If you are going on a Caribbean cruise, odds are real high your sailing will depart from one of them. But, cruise ports in Florida arent just launching points for Caribbean travelers. You can also find ships sailing to other parts of the world such as South America or Transatlantic crossings to Europe.
Read on to learn the basic facts about cruising out of ports in Florida, and some key tips that you should know to help you save money, time, and aggravation.
Editors Note : Many of the facts and figures included below are based on pre-pandemic sailings. The CDC issued a no-sail order in March 2020 that halted all sailings out of Florida ports for more than a year. We expect sailings from Florida ports to recommence this summer. At this time, cruise lines have announced new sailing out of ports in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and Orlando. .
Quick Note: This post focuses on embarkation ports meaning cruise ports that serve as the starting point for a cruise. So, for instance, while the beautiful Key West Port sees quite a bit of traffic from cruise passengers who visit as part of an ongoing cruise itinerary, it does not serve as the home port for any individual cruise ship.
Don’t Miss: Short Notice Cruises
More Ships Coming To Get Crew Vaccinated
Meanwhile, more Royal Caribbean ships are coming to get its crew members vaccinated in preparation for cruises to sail.
The quick pace of approval with Florida’s ports means ships are coming to various ports for brief stops to get crew members inoculated with the Covid-19 vaccine.
Explorer of the Seas stopped in Port Canaveral on Wednesday to administer 210 vaccines, and Adventure of the Seas arrived on Friday morning to administer 1,050 vaccine doses. Explorer will return on Saturday for another 210 vaccines to be administered.
Choose Miami If You Prefer High
If you’re looking for a little atmosphere during your pre- or post-cruise stay, Miami offers a number of luxury and boutique hotel options in addition to the major chains. Along with the Hyatts and Hiltons, there’s Habitat Residences — contemporary condo-style accommodations in the Financial District — or Hotel Urbano, an artsy boutique hotel in the vibrant Brickell neighborhood of Miami. Both are located just about 2 miles from port, with endless more options in the surrounding areas of glitzy South Beach or historic Coconut Grove.
Check out the best hotels near Miami cruise port.
Recommended Reading: Average Cruise Cost Per Person
Port Of Los Angeles In Los Angeles California
Docked cruise ship at San Pedro, Los Angeles
A 40-minute drive south from Los Angeles International Airport gets you to The Port of Los Angeles in San Pedro. Thanks to its location along the Pacific Coast, its the departure point for sailings to the Mexican Riviera, along the coast of California, and even through the Panama Canal to Fort Lauderdale. The Los Angeles cruise terminal offers no shortage of things to see and do: rent bikes right outside the docks, visit the San Pedro Fish market, or browse the hand-made goods at Craftedan artisanal shopping mall perfect for stocking up on souvenirs for friends and family.
Most cruise lines dock at the port of Los Angeles, including Princess Cruises, Celebrity Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean, and many more. One of the earliest sailing available is July 1, 2021, aboard the beautiful Ruby Princess. The ship features a variety of cruise lengths, all centered around the Mexican Riviera.
For the latest updates regarding Port of Los Angeles reopening, please visit the ports official website.
These Caribbean Islands Are On The Cdcs Do Not Travel Listheres How Cruise Lines Navigate Covids Murky Waters
A cruise ship plies the waters near Half Moon Cay in the Bahamas.
getty
Its getting harder to find a Caribbean cruise itinerary that doesnt include a stop on the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions Do Not Travel list. Over the past few weeks, the list of popular Caribbean cruise ports given the CDCs dreaded Level 4 designation has ballooned.
The CDC uses a four-level system to alert travelers to health threats around the world. Countries with a Level 4 travel health notice are deemed to have a very high risk of Covid-19 with a Do Not Travel recommendation for Americans.
The Caribbean islands at Level 4 now include: Aruba, the Bahamas, British Virgin Islands, Curacao, Dominica, Haiti, Jamaica, Martinique, Puerto Rico, St. Barts, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Martin/Sint Maarten and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Its an understatement to say that cruise lines and Caribbean nations share a common interest in navigating the murky waters of the Covid pandemic together. The North American cruise market is dominated by the easily accessible Caribbean, Bahamas, and Bermuda.
Likewise, cruising plays an outsized and growing role in the regions tourism. In 2019, nearly 12 million people visited the Caribbean on a cruise ship, roughly double the 6.2 million recorded in 2010.
Passengers age 12 and up must prove they are fully vaccinated to visit Royal Caribbean’s private island in the Bahamas.
Royal Caribbean
You May Like: Amsterdam Cruise Port
Choose Miami If You’re Looking For The Most Cruise Variety
Hailed as the “cruise capital of the world,” PortMiami is the global headquarters for 42 ships and five leading cruise lines — Carnival Cruise Line, Norwegian Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean International, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises — with 18 cruise brands in total, including Azamara, Crystal, Celebrity, Fathom, Disney and MSC. Nearly 5-million passengers pass through PortMiami in a year. Looking to the future, Miami is set to host visionary new cruise line Virgin Cruises, brainchild of travel and media mogul Richard Branson, in 2020.