Monday, April 1, 2024

THE 25 BEST Cruises to Key West, FL 2024 with Prices Key West Cruise Port Terminal on Cruise Critic

cruise tampa to key west

If you’re looking for art galleries and clothing boutiques, head to Duval Street. The ratings by passengers range from poor to excellent, mainly depending on the ship. Visitors have a great time exploring and enjoy things like the aquarium, the Hemingway home, the butterfly conservatory, and key lime pie. For example, many cruise ships have a small jail, called a brig. The brig is generally located on one of the bottom decks.

Key West, Florida

Keep an eye on your belongings while you're downing a rum drink or frosty brew, or while singing along with the whole bar to a Jimmy Buffett or Kenney Chesney classic. While federal agents were trying to stymie drug smugglers, Keys residents decried the roadblock as a tourism disaster as well as disrespectful to its people. But Key West's mayor and his supporters failed to sway a federal court in Miami to lift the roadblock.

Night Bahamas Getaway CruiseDetails

It’s easy to feel at home in Key West among swaying palms and small fishing boats glittering off the harbor. Once mostly cut off from the rest of the world, it has persevered through countless hurricanes. For any cruises listed, Cruise Critic does not guarantee any specific rates or prices. Key West is compact and walkable, so you can easily explore on your own. Tour the Hemingway House for a glimpse of life here in the 1930s. Choose a shorter voyage to the sunshine, with blissful days in both Key West and Grand Cayman.

Night Southern Caribbean - TampaDetails

Teachers, military, first responders can sail for free on new Margaritaville at Sea cruise out of Tampa - WFLA

Teachers, military, first responders can sail for free on new Margaritaville at Sea cruise out of Tampa.

Posted: Tue, 06 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]

It’s also known for an inclusive, close-knit LGBTQ-friendly community. Hold sea stars, hermit crabs, and conches in the palm of your hands in the “touch tank” of the Key West Aquarium, plus enjoy free guided tours and maybe even a shark feeding session. Open 9am to 6pm, the Key West Aquarium is a delight for the entire family. Key West, as part of the Florida Keys archipelago,is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world.

Visit the Museum of Art and History at the Custom House, a “must-see” when in Key West. At night, streets filled with sidewalk cafes, open-air bars, legendary pubs and world-class restaurants with island specialties come alive. As part of the Florida Keys archipelago, Key West is famed for its pastel-hued, conch-style houses, it’s a cruise-ship stop also accessible from the mainland via the Overseas Highway. It’s known more for its coral reefs, destinations for diving and snorkeling, than for its beaches. Cruise Critic is not a booking agent and does not charge any service fees to users of our site.

Top Sights & Attractions for Cruises to Key West

cruise tampa to key west

In addition to being a convenient departure port, Tampa is also a great city that should be explored either before or after a cruise. The Channelside Entertainment Complex, located near the harbor, offers shopping, dining, and entertainment. Make your way through the Y-Bor district, where you can shop for the best hand-rolled cigars or try artisanal brews. Visit Busch Gardens, which has two exciting parks to select from for the perfect family. In Mallory Square, you’ll find lots of local vendors selling seashells, souvenirs, cigars, rum, and of course, key lime pie.

Burial at sea: Scattering a loved one's ashes from a cruise ship

Stop at nearby sandwich stand Cayo Hueso for a cold drink or a sandwich. No Caribbean cruise is quite complete without experiencing Key West’s day-and-night bustle. If you have enough time, book a catamaran 70 miles west for a day trip to the one-of-a-kind Dry Tortugas National Park, home to the historic Fort Jefferson. The remains are generally required to be in a biodegradable urn and some cruise lines require the entire urn to be tossed into the sea. Several cruise lines allow for the scattering of cremated remains from their ships, provided the guest can produce the decedent's death and cremation certificates. Experience a taste of Caribbean culture in this southern most town in the continental U.S.

cruise tampa to key west

Night 7 Nt Key West, Belize & MexicoDetails

A longer cruise gives you the luxury of two overnights in steamy New Orleans, as well as visits to Honduras, Cozumel, Costa Maya, and the charmingly eccentric Key West. Many cruise lines, including Disney Cruise Lines, Carnival and Royal Caribbean, offer weddings and wedding renewals aboard the ship or at scenic tropical locations. We're lucky in Florida, home to some of the world's busiest cruise ports including PortMiami, Port Canaveral, Port Everglades, Port Tampa Bay, JAXPORT, and Port of Palm Beach. There is also a port in Key West, but this is mainly used for cruise ship calls rather than a homeport.

Spend a full day exploring the best of St. Petersburg, including the numerous art museums and beautiful botanical gardens. Key West is an island, or Key, that is just two miles long by four miles wide, so all the essentials are near the docks -- bars, restaurants, shopping, scuba diving and beach-going. Mallory Square, on the waterfront near the docks, has restaurants, shops and public restrooms. Key West is only about four miles long and two miles wide, which means tackling the city on foot isn’t such a daunting idea. But there are also a variety of other methods to see Key West, like the Old Town Trolley.

Cuban Coffee Queen also serves hearty breakfasts, refreshing smoothies, and Cuban sandwiches to keep you going as you continue on your way through town. Support local journalism by subscribing to a Florida news organization. Your health insurance may not cover you while you're on the ship and out of the country. Check with your provider before boarding and look into travel health insurance for concerns over recouping any out-of-pocket costs. Begin planning your U.S. cruise adventure with American Cruise Lines today.

While there are a lot of perks for traveling via cruise ship, there are some facilities available on most cruise ships that may surprise you. For example, 50 non-sailing guests can take part in weddings aboard Carnival Cruise Line ships before the cruise sails from the port of embarkation. But there are some lesser-known accommodations available on most cruise ships. Stroll along the St. Pete Pier and admire the peaceful blue waters of Tampa Bay and the botanical wonderland, called the Sunken Gardens, which hides right in the middle of downtown. Key West, the southernmost city in the continental U.S., is the last in a chain of tiny tropical islands -- the Florida Keys -- scattered off the mainland.

Stop in sunny Key West, a quirky city with a lively downtown and pristine coral reefs. Discover vibrant marine wildlife during a snorkeling excursion or go on a kayaking trip around maze-like mangroves, where you’ll see stingrays, crabs, and other tropical fish. During one of these unforgettable cruises, you’ll revel in warm tropical weather and heavenly beaches and discover a wealth of natural wonders both on land and underwater. Snorkel over reefs and shipwrecks that teem with marine life, or explore mysterious Mayan ruins. Embrace the local cuisine, from conch in Grand Cayman to rich gumbo in New Orleans and spicy tacos in Mexico. During days at sea, unwind by the sparkling pool on board, or indulge in a relaxing spa treatment.

After a day of adventure, dine at one of the elegant waterfront restaurants or peruse the artsy boutiques and designer outlets, before heading back to the ship. Accessible only by boat or seaplane, this beautiful park features picturesque blue waters, amazing coral reefs and marine life, and a variety of incredible bird life. The park is also home to the 19th century Fort Jefferson, Fort Jefferson, was once used as a prison during the Civil War. Key West comes alive along the main drag of Duval Street, akin to New Orleans’ famous Bourbon Street.

During the daytime, art galleries and outdoor cafes line the street. When the workday ends (or a little before), stop in for a drink at Rick’s Bar or Sloppy Joe’s and find live music along the way. Pub crawls down Duval are famous here, giving travelers a true sense of how fun the Key West nightlife can be. Tampa welcomes many cruise ships throughout the year at its cruise terminals, offering a wide range of itineraries to Key West.

Then set out for attractions along Duval Street or Mallory Square, both hubs for shopping and nightlife. Don’t miss the six-toed cats living at Ernest Hemingway’s famed Spanish Colonial house-turned-museum. And, of course, a photo op awaits at the Southernmost Point of the United States, a concrete buoy memorializing Key West’s geography. You can catch all kinds of exotic fish in Key West’s tropical waters, so it’s no surprise that much of the local cuisine centers on fresh seafood.

No comments:

Post a Comment

8 Common Hair Washing Mistakes and How to Correct Them

Table Of Content Pick the right shampoo for your hair type Skipping Conditioner Double shampoo Stunning Chestnut Brown Hair Inspo For All Ha...