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If you have a bit more time, the beaches of the Gulf of Mexico are a short 45-minute drive west and contain a huge number of lodging options for most any budget — from condos to resorts. If you arrive wellahead of your cruise departure, the best place to find refreshments and drinksis at the Channelside Bay Plaza, just a short walk from Terminal 2. While there is some public transportation offered, it’s not particularly convenient, unless you are coming from Ybor City. Ybor City has a rail line (TECO Streetcar) that runs back and forth from Ybor City to the port area. Fortunately, there is no shortage of ways to get from anywhere in the Tampa area to the cruise port, all at an affordable price. In general, we recommend that passengers flying in for their cruise plan to arrive a day early and stay the night.
Aging cruise ships to call on Tampa in 2025 - Tampa Bay Business Journal - Tampa Bay Business Journal
Aging cruise ships to call on Tampa in 2025 - Tampa Bay Business Journal.
Posted: Mon, 20 Nov 2023 08:00:00 GMT [source]
Arriving by Car
The garages are secure, monitored, and keep your vehicle out of the hot Florida sun. It is already Florida’s largest and most diversified port for cargo, handling over 37 million tons per year. It currently handles around one million cruise passengers annually, in addition to container imports, dry and liquid bulk cargo, petroleum and cars. It is also one of the largest shipbuilding and repair ports in SE USA. If you are driving in from the area, then you are usually fine driving to the port on the morning of your trip, but it still makes a lot of sense to stay in Tampa the night before.
Hilton Garden Inn Tampa Ybor Historic District
It’s also possible to drop off your family or friends at the terminal with your bags (porters are available) and then park while they wait. Surface lots are about a ten to fifteen-minute walk away — so if you choose those, make sure to factor in additional time. Surface lots are also within walking distance and can be booked online before you arrive for around $8 per day, or paid in person when you arrive at the port. Cruise parking atTampa Cruise Terminals is free for registered disabled drivers and disabledveterans at the onsite parking lot at the port. Vehicles must be modified fordisabled drivers, have a wheelchair ramp/lift, or official DV plates. All cruise terminalsat Tampa Bay Port are ADA compliant and wheelchair friendly.
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The port offers online pre-pay for its lots, which we suggest as it gives you one less thing to worry about once you reach the port. However, if you want to pay at the port, they accept cash, as well as major credit cards (including American Express). Just as with any other port, you will pay for the convenience of parking right next to the cruise ship.
Tampa Cruise Terminal
Once the cruiseship is in international waters, sales tax is not added to those priceycocktails, icy beers and bottles of wine. Another excellent benefit of cruises out of Tampa is the free TECO Streetcar System. It runs around downtown Tampa daily from 7 am (8.30 am on weekends) until 11 pm (or 2 am Friday and Saturday nights) with renovated streetcars running every 15 minutes.
Arriving at Tampa Cruise Terminal
241 Car Services are located as close to the cruise terminals as the port’s official parking lots and at much cheaper rates. Depending on your ship and the length of your cruise, you’re looking at paying roughly $7 to $9 per day, including tax and a $5 service fee. Hotels with Cruise ParkingOne of the best-kept secrets in cruising is that many hotels near cruise ports love to offer cruise parking to passengers in exchange for a single night’s stay. Book a room, get a night’s stay and have your parking taken care of as well.
Best Cruises Out of Galveston (8 Ships Through
The best place to hang out before or after your cruise is the Channelside/Water Street area. This section of town, directly adjoining the port, has a great number of restaurants, cafés, and bars, and is on the Tampa Riverwalk which is perfect for a stroll. Itineraries that leave from Tampa offer choices of Western, Eastern, and Southern Caribbean, along with partial Panama Canal transits. Some lines even offer five-night voyages from Tampa to the Bahamas, most of which call at the cruise line’s private island there.
How to Get to Port Tampa Bay Cruise
For example, Lyft estimates a ride from the Tampa airport to the cruise port would run $25-30. Considering taxis charge a $35 flat fee from the airport to the cruise port, rideshare services are a cheaper deal. Uber/Lyft are a great option whether you are coming from the airport or anywhere else around town as they offer service in Tampa, St. Pete, Clearwater, and surrounding areas.
Tampa, Florida
You’ll find it hard to choose a favorite from the area’s picturesque beaches. Tampa Bay is a convenient embarkation point for those looking for a sunny vacation to the Caribbean. Pick up tropical apparel and Florida-inspired souvenirs at the outdoor Channelside Bay Plaza, right at the port. Head to Hyde Park Village for upscale boutique stores, and stop in local sportswear outfitter Salt Pines. Nothing beats Ybor City when it comes to quirky vintage stores and hand-rolled cigars.
Tampa’s food scene stems from a fusion of Cuban, Spanish, Italian and Floribbean influences. Local raw bars serve up fresh shrimp, oysters, scallops and grouper from the Gulf of Mexico. For a taste of authentic Florida Cracker cuisine, try sofkee porridge, pilau (rice cakes) or fried alligator tail during your next Tampa cruise. You might explore interactive exhibits at the Tampa Bay History Center, or go stand-up paddleboarding from the Sail Pavilion.
Thus, if you are staying in an area hotel or want to explore the city, you can get a ride to spots other than the port. Another place to see the majesty of the ships sailing by is located out by the Sunshine Skyway bridge. While a fairly far drive from the port at around 45 minutes, the bridge is one of the longest cable-stayed concrete bridges in the world.
Once you have passedthrough security, you can join the line at check-in. There are dozens of mannedcounters with trained cruise personnel waiting to register you. However, withup to 3,000 passengers and up to 1,800 crew, it can be a slow process soprepare to be patient. If you are renting acar from the airport, follow the directions below.
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