Cruises depart from at least four Florida ports every day. Last-minute deals can net deep discounts, but a little research can also protect your budget. There are a number of Internet resources to guide you — specific cruise sales websites and hundreds of sites that can broker fabulous cruise deals.
Cruise prices are determined by date and level of accommodations. Most cruises offer interior rooms (most economical), oceanview rooms, balcony rooms, and suites (most expensive).
Miami is the busiest and most popular port in Florida, accommodating more than three million cruise passengers from the three main cruise lines ported there (Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, and Celebrity).
Through Direct Line Cruises (directlinecruises.com), you can book a two-day cruise cheaply. Three-day cruises to the Bahamas are also available for travelers on a budget. A four-night western Caribbean cruise can be an economical vacation; however, a seven-night night trip to the same location can be had for just a little more if you ship off right away.
The second largest cruise port in the world is located in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. Numerous cruise lines currently sail from Ft. Lauderdale to the Caribbean and the Panama Canal.
Cruisemagic.com lists three-day and six-day cruises from Ft. Lauderdale to the western Caribbean. An eight-day cruise to the southern Caribbean is affordably priced, as are seven-day trips to Puerto Rico, St. Maarten, Tortola and the Bahamas.
The port closest to Orlando’s many tourist attractions is Port Canaveral, which offers several Bohemian and Caribbean cruises. Only an hour from Disney World and just minutes from the Kennedy Space Center, Canaveral is a popular spot.
Through affordabletours.com, a three-day Norwegian cruise or the three-day Disney cruise (both to Bahamas) are reasonably priced. If you want to set sail on short notice, they offer a 14-day Transatlantic cruise through Disney, offering discounted pricing of almost 75 percent off regular prices.
Various Caribbean cruises sail from the gulf at Tampa. With its Cuban influence, this Gulf coast city is a hot-spot for great food, shopping, museums, and aquariums, as well as the famous Busch Gardens.
On smartcruiser.com, you can find affordable four-night and seven-night cruises to the western Caribbean and a 14-night cruise to the eastern Caribbean.
