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On our recent cruise we had a pleasant experience with a new port and here are Five Reasons Why You Should Consider Sailing Out of Tampa for Your Next Cruise.
When I lived in Palm Beach County it was very easy to book a cruise since I lived within reasonable distance to the Port of Miami and Port Everglades in Ft Lauderdale. I had no reason to check out Caribbean or Bahamas cruises from other ports.

When Derek and I decided on a cruise for his 40th birthday celebration, we knew we would have to fly or drive to the port. We expanded our search and focused on great deals which we did find on the Rhapsody of the Seas out of Tampa. I knew that we could also get a great deal on air traveling through Tampa, too. We’ve done it before since my sister lives an hour south in Sarasota.
We settled on that sailing and I’m glad we did. I was very impressed by the port and today I want to share with you Five Reasons Why You Should Consider Sailing Out of Tampa for Your Next Cruise.
Its Close Proximity to the Airport
The Port of Tampa is only ten miles from the airport and you have quite a few options to get there. You can take a taxi, Uber, or pay for a shuttle service. If you have time, I recommend the budget-friendly and scenic route, the bus!
For only $2 a person Derek and I took the bus from the airport to the historic streetcar that runs along Channelside Drive and is right next to the cruise ports. Now, there are a few steps to getting to the bus stop. You have to take the tram all the way to the east side of the red terminal. There are signs near the baggage claim but there is also an information booth and we met some very nice ladies who were more than willing to direct us the correct way. The bus was right there when we arrived, no waiting on our part!
Bus Route 30 takes you downtown along Kennedy Boulevard. It picks up every 30 minutes at the airport stop. They have maps of the route at the front of the bus that are very useful.

We enjoyed the relaxing drive to our stop on Whiting Street. We also got to meet a nice couple from Maryland who were in town for the day escaping the winter cold. We had a quick conversation with them before their stop.
Our bus stop was just across the street from the TECO Streetcar station which is aptly named the Whiting Station. Our bus driver was even kind enough to point it out to us. If in doubt, just ask the driver but head towards the YMCA across the street, the station is right there.
As with the bus, the streetcar was also waiting on our arrival. I have to say that if you ever find yourself exploring downtown Tampa, take the time to use the streetcar. It’s a beautiful piece of history and best of all, it’s free to use! Now knowing which station to disembark from really depends on which terminal your ship is at, ours was Terminal 6, the last one and our stop was Station 5, also known as the Publix Station. Just make sure to alert the driver that you want off, I missed that step but he noticed our bags and stopped for us!
This is a popular option for getting to the port for many cruisers whether they’re coming directly from the airport or their downtown hotel. It is a short walk from the station to the ship and it’s always a good thing to get a little extra walking in before cruise time because of all the delicious food you’ll be enjoying! It probably takes about an hour to get from airport to port this way, so I only recommend it if you’re not in a rush to get to the port.
TPA is a Southwest Hub
Southwest has been one of my favorite airlines for many years not only as a traveler but as a travel agent, too. Their customer service is top-notch and they always try to make things as smooth as possible.
It’s a bit ironic that I’m gushing about them because our flight to Tampa this last trip had a big hiccup. We ended up arriving four hours late due to a delay in the paperwork processing time of an inspection report. Our plane wasn’t allowed to take off until it went through!
We still had plenty of time to get to our ship although we did miss out on some planned exploring downtown Tampa time. Now the reason I still want to gush is that without needing to make a complaint we returned from our cruise with emails saying that they were giving us $100 vouchers each to make up for the inconvenience. That is wonderful customer service!

One of the main reasons why we booked with Southwest, apart from the amazing airfare, is that they still offer two free checked bags per passenger. That is a huge money-saver when cruising! We needed swimwear and extra outfits for dinner and we did, in fact, bring a total of four suitcases for our week-long cruise!
The Tampa airport is also one of my favorite airports. It is beautifully laid out and everyone is very helpful and kind. I’ve had nothing but pleasant experiences at this airport whether I’m there for a layover or it’s my arrival/departure airport.
Very Efficient and Accommodating Port
Embarking and disembarking from this port was a breeze. The porters were very kind and informative on arrival and were nice enough to make sure we had our passports on us before checking in. Their service is free but always make sure that you have some cash on you for a tip!
Checking in took no time at all and the port employees were very considerate. We received the same service on our return we were able to leave the ship a half-hour earlier than expected and the customs process was very smooth.
You’ll Get to Sail Under Skyway Bridge
We actually missed this part because it actually takes about an hour and a half of sailing time before you get to the bridge. If we knew how long it takes ahead of time we would’ve adjusted our time accordingly but we had four suitcases to unpack before dinner. My parents who were on the cruise with us did see it and said it was very cool. We’ll definitely make a point of it for our next cruise out of Tampa because we have driven over that bridge quite a few times over the years.
Tampa is a Great Destination to Explore Pre or Post Cruise
I was disappointed that we didn’t get the exploring time I was hoping for on this trip. I even had a coffee house I wanted to check out that served café con leche and Cuban bread toast, something this Florida native would’ve loved!

There is so much to do in Tampa! You can visit the Florida Aquarium, explore Ybor city, or visit the Dalí museum amongst others. If you decide to spend a few days and invest in a rental car, the nearby areas of St Petersburg and Sarasota are also wonderful destinations to explore and all three have incredible shopping and dining options.
So, those are my Five Reasons Why You Should Consider Sailing Out of Tampa for Your Next Cruise. Although it is a smaller port, I was pleasantly surprised by my experience with it and I will definitely consider it for future cruises and I hope that you will, too!
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