While there is a massive amount of information floating around on the Internet about cruises, that information doesn't always answer the questions would-be cruisers are asking. Case in point: in the span of two days, two separate individuals contacted our travel agency and asked these questions:
* Which cruises stop in Las Vegas?
* Where do cruises from Arizona go?
These are certainly valid questions, particularly if you hail from abroad. So this overview of U.S. cruise ports is for those who need to have their basic cruise questions answered before they find out, for example, what size cabin the Carnival Splendor offers.
West Coast Ports and Destinations
The major cruise ports on the West Coast are located in Alaska, Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Long Beach and San Diego. If you depart from Alaska or Seattle, Washington on an ocean cruise, you can experience many ports of call in Alaska and British Columbia. With the exception of urban Seattle, these destinations will be scenic ones; the Northwest and Alaska in particular are known for the dramatic Glaciers and stunning landscapes.
Itineraries available from San Francisco, California will go north to the Alaskan region, west to the islands of Hawaii, or south to Baja California and Mexico. Hawaii offers year-round warm weather and an exotic Polynesian culture. Mexico offers a wide range of experiences; ports line the coast line and range from party towns like Ensenada to quiet seaside towns like Loreto.
If you choose to sail from Los Angeles, Long Beach or San Diego, you may select from seasonal cruises heading north to San Francisco, sailings going west to Hawaii, or tropical vacations in Mexico and South America. The most popular Mexico cruise destinations are Cabo San Lucas and Puerto Vallarta; Carnival, Princess, Norwegian and Royal Caribbean offer one-week cruise vacations from L.A. and/or San Diego that stop in Cabo San Lucas, Puerto Vallarta and Mazatlan. Longer voyages are available as well; these travel through the Panama Canal and all the way to Florida.
And to answer our questions above: although Las Vegas is only a four-hour drive from L.A., there's no cruise ship that will take you there. Las Vegas is located east of Los Angeles, in the middle of the Mojave Desert. Arizona, like Las Vegas, is also land-locked and doesn't offer ocean cruise travel.
Gulf Coast
The primary Gulf Coast cruise ports are Galveston, Texas; New Orleans, Louisiana; and Mobile, Alabama. Itineraries from these ports generally offer four- and five-day vacations to Cozumel, Mexico. Popular activities on the island of Cozumel include diving and fishing.
Florida
The state of Florida, located in the Southeastern U.S., has five major cruise ports: Port of Tampa, Port of Miami, Port Everglades, Port Canaveral and Jacksonville. From Tampa, cruisers can set sail on journeys to the Caribbean and Mexico. Miami's port is the world's busiest and offers cruises to the Caribbean, South America, and even Europe and Asia. Just north of the Port of Miami is Port Everglades. Port Everglades, like Miami, hosts cruises that depart to almost anywhere: the Caribbean, Europe, Asia, even L.A. by way of the Panama Canal. Next on the list is Port Canaveral, which is just west of Orlando. Itineraries from Port Canaveral sail to the Caribbean and the Bahamas. Lastly, from Jacksonville, you can sail on four- and five-day itineraries to the Bahamas.
East Coast
Cruise ports on the East Coast include those located in Norfolk, Virginia; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Brooklyn, New York; Bayonne, New Jersey; New York, New York; and Boston, Massachusetts. Your cruise options from these ports are vast: you can sail north to explore Canada and New England, or southeast to explore Bermuda or the many islands of the Caribbean. The differentiating point among these regions is weather: if you like cold, brisk temperatures, head north. If you are looking for a warm winter getaway, try a southern Caribbean sailing.
About the Author: Catherine Brock operates BrockComm Travel, an online travel agency specializing in cruises from Long Beach and Las Vegas travel planning. The agency has access to high quality travel products, services and unpublished travel discounts. BrockComm Travel also produces online travel destination guides including a Las Vegas Strip information portal.
