Port of Tampa

Cruising from Port Tampa

The new buzz phrase in the travel industry is ‘home port cruising’. Simply put people are sailing from ports closer to their home, alleviating the need for a pre and post-cruise flight. After all that ‘cheap’ 3-day cruise isn’t so inexpensive when you add airfare for a family of four.

Florida obviously has the most to offer in the way of home port cruising. Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, Jacksonville and Port Canaveral are all located here.

Tampa has fewer cruise options in comparison to Miami or Ft. Lauderdale but that’s what makes it a great place to start your cruise. The port, located 15 miles from Tampa airport makes flying getting to the port a breeze by air. Its proximity to pristine beaches, world class shopping, sporting events, cultural fare and theme parks make it a favorite port of cruises from the world over.

These same attractions make it a top draw for local travelers as well. Vacationers driving a few hours to the port can take a 3, 5, 7 or 14 day cruise and then stay in the area for everything else the Tampa Bay has to offer.

Carnival, Norwegian, Royal Caribbean and Holland America all sail western Caribbean cruises from Tampa. Cruises range from 4 days to 14 days; visiting Jamaica, Mexico, Grand Cayman, Belize and Isla Roatan, Honduras.

The port is easily accessible from I4, I75, I275 and SR 60, the parking facilities are designed to hold upwards of 4,000 vehicles. Parking fees run approximately $14.00 per day in the parking garage. Other parking options include an overnight hotel stay that offers free or discounted parking while on your cruise and off site reduced rate lots near the airport.

Don’t overlook Tampa when considering your cruise options.


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