Favorite departure port

[missymckibben]

I'm planning our cruise for the end of April, this will be our 3rd. They have all been on Carnival. What is your favorite departure port and why? Closeness to a port is irrelevant as we live in MN. We've only departed from Miami.

 

Thanks!

[timhoke]

My favorite port is the next one I leave from!

Really all of them are pretty easy that we have done, Miami, Port Everglades, Galveston & Long Beach. I think Long Beach is my least favorite even though I can drive to it. It just doesn't seem as organized as the others. Personally where I leave from is so much less important than where I am going to.

Miami is probably our favorite city to leave from, my wife loves the shopping, I love the food & the beach. Plus there are so many hotel choices from cheap dives to amazing spa resorts that you can stay in any budget.

Leaving out of Port Everglades in a couple of weeks but we are staying in Miami pre & post cruise.

[gtalum]

Tampa for me. It's close to our home and extremely efficient (60 minutes from our front door to boarding the ship!). It's a quick ride form the airport (irrelevant to us!) and parking is a breeze.

 

Port Canaveral is a close second, the only significant difference being its distance from our home. if you're flying, though, it's pretty far from the nearest airport in Orlando.

 

Port of Miami, by comparison, is an absolute zoo.

Edited January 8, 2015 by gtalum

[waitn2cruz]

My favorite port is the next one I leave from!

,

 

Ditto:)

[cruizinisthebest]

I'm happy to use any one so long as I can get on a ship, but I prefer Port Canaveral hands down.

[EdmundXXIII]

Norfolk, VA.

 

The cruise terminal is beautiful, and it's centrally located in downtown. You can walk to the port from your hotel.

 

Only downside is limited sailings in May and October. I keep hoping we'll get a ship home ported for more sailings.

 

I've also sailed out of Seattle, Baltimore, Fort Lauderdale, and Port Canaveral. All were basically good experiences. Baltimore was my least favorite.

 

 

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[timhoke]

Oh, I forgot about San Juan. Easy on & off close to old San Juan for sightseeing, hotels, food or last minute things you have forgotten. Last time out of SJ, we didn't leave until early evening, so got into the cabin & went back out for Mofongo at a great little local place that was 3 blocks from the ship.

[figdu]

Canaveral is tops

Tampa is 2nd

San Juan is great is well.

The only redeeming quality of Miami is that it is next.

[Aplmac]

Bridgetown BARBADOS

 

- because I live just 10 mins. away! I could almost walk there

to catch Carnival Valor, on any given Wednesday

but that will soon (come April) be LIBERTY

 

Liberty at Sint Maarten

 

.

[splintz]

for me baltimore because it is 30 minutes away and very easy to get to. every time i cruised from baltimore it has been smooth.

 

but for scenery cruising out of Manhattan NY was incredible. we stood on the lido deck in February and froze our butts off but it was beautiful. we stayed out side until we cruised pass the statue of liberty then went inside to defrost.

[T. Advisor King]

Galveston because I can sometimes get to Houston without having to connect. In addition, it is half the airline points from PNW as Miami in one of my loyalty programs. As a result, I can sometimes get the family there pretty cheap -- i.e., $2k and maybe 7 or 8 hours of combined travel (door to hotel door).

[irie0518]

I love sailing for New Orleans. I love coming in 3 or 4 days prior to the cruise to explore the city. It is such a great place to visit. Sailing down the Mississippi is also kind of cool. Although you don't get to see too much of it before it gets dark. But my reasons are mostly based on my love of visiting NOLA.

 

Other than that I am with the others. As long as I am getting on a ship, that is all that matters.

[OCruisers]

Charleston, SC because it's very convenient for us.

Unfortunately, our favorite ships don't sail out of Charleston. :(

LuLu

[mouche]

Any one will do for me:D, but I like Charleston because we can drive to port in 4hrs just wish they would change out ships.

Edited January 8, 2015 by mouche

[SeaGoingDAD]

New York, followed by Miami.

[Conwaycruiser]

New Orleans for the city and Fort Lauderdale/Miami or San Juan for the intineraries!

[swodog94]

We sailed out of Baltimore three times because we lived there and it was very convenient. Embarkation was smooth every time (on the ship within 20 minutes of arriving at the port). Also, if you're coming from out of town and staying the day before or day after, there are lots of things to do in the Inner Harbor. However, the downside is that it takes hours to transit Chesapeake Bay before you hit open sea, and in the winter months, you might lose the first and last sea days to cold temps on deck.

[MURCOTT]

New York City for sure. Nothing quite like sailing past The Statue of Liberty.

[Jamman54]

New York by far!! Followed by Port Canaveral and Jacksonville.

[winddawn]

I'm planning our cruise for the end of April, this will be our 3rd. They have all been on Carnival. What is your favorite departure port and why? Closeness to a port is irrelevant as we live in MN. We've only departed from Miami.

 

Thanks!

New Orleans!! Go in a day or two early and stay downtown. The city is very walkable and its fun to hang out at Harrah's and gamble. There is plenty of sightseeing within walking distance. New Orleans Airport Transfers dot come offers an easy, reasonably priced ride from the airport to your hotel. Either Harrah's or Hilton on the river are good downtown locations. Drago's inside of the Hilton has great seafood and charbroiled oysters. New Orleans opened a new downtown riverwalk recently with stores. And you are a very short taxi ride to the port on embarkation day. It's fun and hassle free. If you fly out of Minneapolis, Southwest usually has reasonable flights into MSY airport in NOLA.

 

That's my 2 cents. Have a great cruise!

[Publius1787]

Another vote for New Orleans! We will be cruising from there for the 3rd time in 2 weeks. We always go in a couple of days early because there is so much to see and do. Great food, music and atmosphere!

[winddawn]

Norfolk, VA.

 

The cruise terminal is beautiful, and it's centrally located in downtown. You can walk to the port from your hotel.

 

Only downside is limited sailings in May and October. I keep hoping we'll get a ship home ported for more sailings.

 

I've also sailed out of Seattle, Baltimore, Fort Lauderdale, and Port Canaveral. All were basically good experiences. Baltimore was my least favorite.

 

 

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I loved cruising from Baltimore. Cruising southward down the coast past the Chesapeake Bay area is beautiful and memorable. And Baltimore's airport has great seafood restaurants (especially crab).

[winddawn]

Another vote for New Orleans! We will be cruising from there for the 3rd time in 2 weeks. We always go in a couple of days early because there is so much to see and do. Great food, music and atmosphere!

I agree Publius! New Orleans is a fun city. I've been multiple times over many years, and still have a great time every time I go. You're correct. There is plenty of great music in NOLA. And sometimes even just walking around, you'll run into someone playing great music right on the street. I do not care for Bourbon Street though. I guess everyone needs to experience that once, but once was enough for me. There are just too many other fun things to do in NOLA.

[OCruisers]

Miami is on our list as "Worst Favorite" :D

LuLu

[missymckibben]

Thank you for all the opinions. They've been fun reading. We've only cruised out of Miami but thought it went well. New Orleans is more expensive to fly to, coming from MN.