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Home Port Thoughts from Another Angle


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The home ports thread intrigued me in that what are the differences between the ports from various perspectives. So, here it goes from a bit different angle for ports that Royal Caribbean uses off the top of my head...I'd love to know what others think and what their experiences are...

Port Canaveral (overall favorite so far)

  • Physical Characteristics -- big port and not too busy around -- arranged nicely -- really exciting to drive to it from Orlando on 528 and seeing a few ships docked.
  • Distance from airport -- this is very manageable using a rental or using a shuttle or ride share service -- it is an extra expense you don't encounter at the other Florida ports
  • Hotels -- lots of hotels within a couple miles of the port
  • Rental Car Agencies -- plenty to choose from
  • Parking -- it's right there and very convenient. There are also lots of third party options.
  • Embarkation -- I've experienced the most efficient boarding process at this port
  • Sail Away -- this is very nice, however, once the lines are dropped, you are pretty much gone. To the north is Cape Canaveral and lots of beach and flat vistas other than a distant view of Nasa. To the south, it's pretty much Cocoa Beach. Not as much to look at as other ports.
  • Disembarkation -- efficient -- I've never been in customs too long -- easy to get out of there

Port Miami

  • Physical Characteristics -- because of the geography, there is only one way to get there -- really exciting to see five to seven ships docked all in a row -- coolest turning basin I have seen
  • Distance from airport -- two big airports are close. Miami International is expensive for domestic flights. Fort Lauderdale is about 40 minutes away -- I do not like this airport at all, it's awful, but it doesn't take too long to get away from there.
  • Hotels -- there are lots to choose from -- they are fairly expensive, but if you look diligently, you can find a good rate -- I have stayed in a South Beach hotel that I really liked on Ocean Drive for less than $180.
  • Rental Car Agencies -- lots
  • Parking -- it's right there and very convenient. There are also lots of third party options
  • Embarkation -- it's pretty good, but it seemed to be very frenetic getting in the terminal and getting on board since there people disembarking are crossing pretty much the same space as people embarking. I think Port Canaveral does it better considering the terminals are spaced out more, and people leaving don't necessarily intersect.
  • Sail Way -- absolutely gorgeous -- I guess I like the urban points of interest -- it's seen more in photos and videos, so it is really nice actually to be there
  • Disembarkation -- pretty quick and efficient -- the sidewalk outside the terminal seems frenetic like on embarkation day, and it's easier just to grab a cab to get out of there.

Tampa

  • Physical Characteristics -- it is pretty much downtown -- always cool to see ships docked there -- the terminals and the area is small and compact -- it's perfect for the size ships it handles -- up to 90,000 grt from what I understand
  • Distance from airport -- it's very close -- about 15-20 minutes
  • Hotels -- it's downtown Tampa -- I will probably continue to do what I did before when I sail from there and stay at the Marriott at the airport. If I have time, I would stay at the Waterfront and just walk to the terminal if it's not too hot.
  • Rental Cars -- not really necessary here because ride shares and taxis are plentiful -- there is one agency in a nearby hotel that you can use that I know about
  • Parking -- essentially across the street
  • Embarkation -- the two (of three) terminals I have used are small and efficient -- I really like this port -- one terminal is very nice -- another is like a warehouse --aesthetics are nice, but not critical. One sailing (at the wareshousey one) required a wait for the ship to be cleared, and it was fine. The other sailing had us getting on board just a couple seconds after completing check-in.
  • Sail Away -- to the left (or the east), it is very industrial -- to the right, you get absolutely gorgeous views of Tampa -- I love sailing through Tampa Bay to the bridge which take almost an hour
  • Disembarkation -- I paid a porter to get us out quickly both times because I witnessed the lines being very long. He got us through customs quickly

Port Everglades -- as of this writing, I sail out of there for the first time three weeks from today -- I will report about it in a live blog on this forum -- I am excited about it being close to airport, hotel, rental cars, etc

Other ports on the bucket list

Bayonne -- can't wait

Baltimore -- I expect to sail from here within a couple years

San Juan -- I really look forward to sailing from this port -- I can't wait to spend a couple days there before a sailing

New Orleans -- may be the first port I drive to from home -- wait, I drove to Tampa one time

Boston -- if we decide to do a New England and Canada cruise, it will be from here. I love Boston despite how expensive it is.

Galveston -- I expect to sail from there eventually, but it may be one of the last on this list that I pick

Southampton -- I am working on a back to back from there sometime in May of 2021 to celebrate a milestone anniversary

Barcelona -- I am looking for an opening for a sailing from there...maybe Icon Class?

Sydney -- If I live long enough

Singapore -- see Sydney

Shanghai -- see Singapore

Other Ports?

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I find it interesting you dislike the FLL airport so much. Having mostly flown out of EWR and knowing the experience there, my family and I all thought that FLL airport was much nicer and more pleasant to deal with than EWR.

Kind of makes me wonder what your reaction will be to EWR when you finally get a chance to sail out of Bayonne. ?

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4 hours ago, JLMoran said:

I find it interesting you dislike the FLL airport so much. Having mostly flown out of EWR and knowing the experience there, my family and I all thought that FLL airport was much nicer and more pleasant to deal with than EWR.

Kind of makes me wonder what your reaction will be to EWR when you finally get a chance to sail out of Bayonne. ?

@DunkelBierJay great summary! 

I also found it interesting too that you disliked FLL. I like the size of that airport and I find that people always flow smoothly through there. And I have only ever left from terminal 18 and I love it there. FLL is one of my favourite ports to leave from.

EWR is actually one of my least favourites. Made me laugh reading Joe's last paragraph because I felt like that airport was so dated!  Maybe it was just the terminal I was at but there was nothing there at all, barely any food options and no working wifi.  Very primitive lol.  I was very impressed with the terminal at Bayonne though. Not quite a dressed up as Terminal 18 in PE but fastest flowing ever!

 

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1 hour ago, JLMoran said:

I find it interesting you dislike the FLL airport so much. Having mostly flown out of EWR and knowing the experience there, my family and I all thought that FLL airport was much nicer and more pleasant to deal with than EWR.

Kind of makes me wonder what your reaction will be to EWR when you finally get a chance to sail out of Bayonne. ?

I have flown Jet Blue and Southwest into FLL, and it's been chaotic each time I've been there...I hope others have had better experiences.

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We've sailed out of Tampa, Miami, Bayonne, Port Everglades, San Juan, Manhattan and Canaveral.  Each one is a blur as we are just so excited to get onboard, or exhausted and want to get home.  ?  Just went thru the Bayonne on and off this past week, so still fresh.  Very easy on, very easy off.  No issues with parking or exiting.  Very easy.  Last September was Port Everglades, and some to report.  Love how everything is so close between the airport, the port, hotels and fun.  Personally, I don't care if the airport or cruise port is shiny and pretty, it's a small place in the overall vacation and I guess I have low expectations.  As long as I don't have to sit on the floor and be a zombie, I'm good.  I can't remember saying we'd avoid cruising out of any of the above.  

Next up for us, Boston and Baltimore.  Two more to try! 

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We're flying into FLL to sail out of port everglades, hope it's not that bad! We're flying in the day before and staying in a hotel though so there is no time pressure for us. 

Our previous cruses have been out of Port Canaveral, Long Beach and Seattle. All were mostly ok though somewhat time consuming, but this was before everyone got on board with online checkins and such, so I'm expecting this time to be smoother. Overall I'd say Seattle was my worst experience and least favorite port. It's pretty small and seemed completely unable to handle the crowds of the larger ship (a few years ago when we went Explorer was the largest cruise ship to ever sail to Alaska). Getting on board was not terrible because we arrived early and crowds weren't bad but getting off was a complete nightmare. They had two ships disembarking at the same time and finding your luggage in the giant room they unloaded into was a mess (most of our luggage was not even in the correct alphabetical zone). After we finally managed that though we had to go outside with a mass of other people and wait for one of the 3 shuttles that were taking people to their cars (the only parking was a half mile away). People were waiting hours, in the rain, to get on a shuttle to get to their cars. I'm at a loss as to how they only had the shuttle vans to take around 5,000 people to their cars...

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5 hours ago, Lovetocruise2002 said:

EWR is actually one of my least favourites. Made me laugh reading Joe's last paragraph because I felt like that airport was so dated!  Maybe it was just the terminal I was at but there was nothing there at all, barely any food options and no working wifi. 

Terminal C at EWR is nice.  But then your stuck flying United...

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46 minutes ago, karl_nj said:

But then your stuck flying United...

Hey, I resemble that remark!

Never flown out of any terminal but C as far as I can remember. I will say that the last time I was there for this cruise back in March/April, the terminal had undergone a lot of refurbishment since the last time I'd been there, with a lot of new dining venues and beverage establishments I'd never seen before. But parking was still a mess, getting through security when already late was harrowing, and the terminal gates were just as crowded as I always remembered.

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I would add that Miami refuses to accept Global Entry (at least for me) even though they have the freaking signs all through the terminals ... 3 for 3 on my most recent cruise (including yesterday) being told that they don't honor it at Port Miami. Pretty sure that Lauderdale and Canaveral both honor it, haven't been through Tampa port since I got it but will report on that next month.

Kind of frustrating to pay money to enroll in a program and then not have them honor it ...

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52 minutes ago, jticarruthers said:

I would add that Miami refuses to accept Global Entry (at least for me) even though they have the freaking signs all through the terminals ... 3 for 3 on my most recent cruise (including yesterday) being told that they don't honor it at Port Miami. Pretty sure that Lauderdale and Canaveral both honor it, haven't been through Tampa port since I got it but will report on that next month.

Kind of frustrating to pay money to enroll in a program and then not have them honor it ...

When we cruised out of MIA on NAV in Dec. 16 we had a nightmare disembark.  One of the causes was the fact that they did not have the Global Entry kiosk manned (the other had to do with poor Suite Concierge policy) .  It kind of seems like, from yours and others' posts that I've read, maybe they NEVER man that kiosk.

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The Miami airport really sucks.  Every time I fly through there something bad happens, like loss and theft.  BUT the city is amazing.  The beautiful Art Deco architecture, the Cuban flair and wonderful food, the gateway to the Keys, the balmy summer nights, the flamboyant nightlife, the music.  I'll put up with the airport any day for the enjoyment of the city.   Tropical ports all run together for me - I can't remember the differences between Miami and Puerto Rico ports.

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