Tampa Cruises: Best Cruises From Tampa
Table Of Content
And that’s exactly what cruise operators and their itinerary planners will find at Port Tampa Bay on Florida’s West Coast. Unlock a treasure trove of adventures on Florida’s west coast, plus cruises to the Western Caribbean. Cruise Critic is not a booking agent and does not charge any service fees to users of our site. When you book with one of our partners, please be sure to check their site for a full disclosure of all applicable fees as required by the U.S.
Public Transportation
In 2013, the port Tampa was ranked USA's 16th largest (by domestic trade tonnage), 32nd largest (by foreign cargo tonnage) and 22nd (total shipping tonnage). Port's impact on Florida's economy is over USD 15 billion, with supported over 80,000 local jobs. Most handled vessels are bulk carriers and tankers, also Ro-Ro ships (car carries) and boxships (container carriers). Carnival ships here have passenger capacity between 1000 and 2600, and generally operate on Western Caribbean roundtrip itineraries. Port's strategy is not homeporting mega-ships, but rather attracting smaller and recently refurbished vessels with itineraries to easy-to-reach destinations. While Hillsborough Area Regional Transit (HART) services the airport and downtown, cruise passengers will likely find the hour-long journey lacks convenience.
( Celebrity Cruises' Caribbean fleet (9 ships) and diverse (3- to 12-day) itineraries
I cruised Royal Caribbean from Tampa for the first time. Here's what a cruise from this smaller port is like. - Royal Caribbean Blog
I cruised Royal Caribbean from Tampa for the first time. Here's what a cruise from this smaller port is like..
Posted: Fri, 17 Nov 2023 08:00:00 GMT [source]
Some lines even offer five-night voyages from Tampa to the Bahamas, most of which call at the cruise line’s private island there. Autumn and spring transatlantic voyages also arrive and depart from Tampa every year. The islands of the Western Caribbean offer the ideal mix of adventure and relaxation in a lush, tropical environment. Dive into some of the world’s best-preserved coral reefs in Cozumel and explore the famous Mesoamerican Barrier Reef off the coast of Belize. You’ll find it hard to choose a favorite from the area’s picturesque beaches. The Southern Caribbean promises palm trees, white-sand beaches, and crystal clear waters—all the ingredients you’ll need for an unforgettable vacation.
Margaritaville at Sea ship MAS Islander to be homeported in Florida (Tampa) starting June 2024
Located just over 8 miles away, a trip from the airport to the cruise terminals takes about 15 minutes outside of commuting times and around 30 during rush hours. The rubber-tire In-Town Trolleys circulate around downtown and the Hyde Park Village shopping area. For the sake of convenience, many cruise lines will offer transfers for their passengers from the Tampa airport.
The port is a major container and shipping center, but also has a popular and growing cruise business, which sail out of three terminals. All three terminals are a short walk from ample parking including garages and surface lots, the Tampa Riverwalk, Florida Aquarium, and Sparkman Wharf. Hotels with Cruise ShuttlesPlanning to stay at a hotel before your cruise? Some hotels offer shuttles to the cruise port as a perk for cruise passengers. Others are near public transportation that can get you to the ship in just a few minutes. No matter which option you choose, selecting a hotel with a shuttle can take a lot of the headache out of getting to the ship on embarkation day.
Taxis
Its culture is diverse and thriving, with influences from Latin and Caribbean communities. The annual Gasparilla festival, which celebrates the legend of pirate José Gaspar, attracts half a million people to the city every year. Located southwest of the city of Tampa, St. Pete is an artsy city that boasts upscale boutiques and restaurants, museums and art galleries, and fun activities for the whole family. If you’re here on a Saturday, stop in the Saturday Morning Market for live music, international cuisine, and artisan goods. While there is some public transportation offered, it’s not particularly convenient, unless you are coming from Ybor City. Ybor City has a rail line (TECO Streetcar) that runs back and forth from Ybor City to the port area.
Multiple cruise lines have already reaped the benefits of homeporting their ships at Port Tampa Bay. Uber/Lyft are a great option whether you are coming from the airport or anywhere else around town as they offer service in Tampa, St. Pete, Clearwater, and surrounding areas. Thus, if you are staying in an area hotel or want to explore the city, you can get a ride to spots other than the port. Another place to see the majesty of the ships sailing by is located out by the Sunshine Skyway bridge. While a fairly far drive from the port at around 45 minutes, the bridge is one of the longest cable-stayed concrete bridges in the world.
Port Tampa Bay
HART's Route 30 runs buses from the airport to downtown, leaving from the east end of the red baggage claim area. Port Tampa Bay has plans to invest $380million over the next five years to build new docks with deep-water access, modernterminals and navigational improvements. It also plans to install gantry cranesable to handle the largest post-Panamax ships. Cruise parking atTampa Cruise Terminals is free for registered disabled drivers and disabledveterans at the onsite parking lot at the port.
See our article for a full list of Tampa hotels with cruise shuttles. Park 4 Cruise offers parking that is very close to the port of Tampa. The Orange Lot, which is adjacent to all three cruise terminals, is as low as $10.50 per day (plus 7% sales tax and a $4 processing fee).
Recent leisure project developments resulted in new dining, shopping, accommodation and entertainment options. The city of Tampa is approx 85 mi (140 km) from Orlando City /Port Canaveral to the west, via Highway I-4E (~1,5 hours drive distance). Regency Cruises and HAL-Holland America Line were the first companies to start homeporting/roundtrip voyages from Tampa (in the 1980s). CCL-Carnival Cruise Line started homeporting operations in 1994 with MS Tropicale (1982-built/2021-scrapped).
241 Car Services are located as close to the cruise terminals as the port’s official parking lots and at much cheaper rates. Depending on your ship and the length of your cruise, you’re looking at paying roughly $7 to $9 per day, including tax and a $5 service fee. They operate a Union Station Lot that’s a mile or two from the cruise terminals. There is no shuttle offered, so you’ll have to get a ride to the cruise terminals.
If you are arriving byair, Tampa International Airport (TPA) is 9 miles northwest of Tampa cruise port.Transfers by taxi take about 20 minutes, depending on traffic conditions alongthe I-275. Luckily, transportation, parking, and lodging is very easy to find here, and won’t cost you too much (depending on the options you go with). Additionally, Tampa is filled with rich history, dining, and entertainment for anyone in your group to experience and enjoy. Plan to stay for an extra day or two so you can enjoy as much as can before shipping out on your cruise.
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