Cruise Port - Fort Lauderdale

Introduction

Fort Lauderdale is located in the east-central part of Broward County, Florida, about 23 miles north of Miami, and 43 miles south of Palm Beach.

Fort Lauderdale is named after a Seminole War fort, built on the New River in 1838. The region was mostly farmland until the 1890s, when a road was made linking the area to Miami, a ferry service was established across the New River and the Florida East Coast Railway was extended further down the coast. The mild climate was attractive to new arrivals, and the settlement’s population increased dramatically in the early 20th century. But the two setbacks of a devastating hurricane in 1926 and the general depression of 1929 led to a complete reversal in the town’s fortunes. Like the vast majority of the US, Fort Lauderdale did not shake off the effects of the Great Depression until after World War II, at last returning to a period of strong growth.

Today more than 10 million tourists come to Fort Lauderdale every year to boat along its canal system, go to its large variety of family attractions and relax on its sparkling beaches.

Fort Lauderdale’s advancement owes a lot to its thriving port, Port Everglades. In 1928 a channel was cut from Lake Mabel to the Atlantic Ocean, creating the port. Having the deepest entrance channel of all port in Florida, the port was open to even the largest cargo ships, and trade through the port grew quickly. The first cruise ships arrived in the 1930s, with vessels from Chandris Line, Grace Line and Holland America Line calling at the port. Port Everglades has risen to be a major cruise hub, with ships from over 5 cruise lines homeporting from its modern cruise terminals.

You Choose The Cruise

Cruises available comprise the Eastern Caribbean (San Juan, St Maarten, Tortola and St Thomas), the Western Caribbean (Roatan, Belize, Cozumel and Grand Cayman), the Bahamas (Freeport and Nassau), or the Southern Caribbean (Bonaire, St Johns, Curacao and Aruba). Extended trips are also available, such as the Amazon, trans Panama canal to Florida and South America.

Cruises from Fort Lauderdale shows all the cruise departures from Port Everglades.

Cruise Terminals Map



Cruise Terminals

The northern end of Port Everglades is called Northport, and is the site of cruise terminals 2 and 4. The central part of Port Everglades is called Midport, and is home to cruise terminals 18, 19, 21, 25, 26 and 29.



Northport

The cruise terminals have the usual facilities such as full A/C, vending machines, seating areas, bathrooms, an automated passenger boarding bridge and check-in desks. In addition terminal 2 boasts faster embarkation/debarkation times by having an extra passenger boarding bridge. Terminal 2 and 4 share the car parking at the Northport garage. Terminal 2 is allocated to Princess Cruises, terminal 4 to MSC.



Midport

The terminals have the usual facilities like full A/C, check-in area, seating areas, luggage handling, vending machines and restrooms. In addition terminals 18 and 21 boast faster embarkation/debarkation times by having an extra passenger boarding bridge. Parking lot 18 provides parking for terminal 18, and the multi-deck Midport parking garage provides parking for terminals 19, 21, 25, 26 and 29. Terminal 18 is used by RCCI, 19 by Princess Cruises, 21 by Carnival Cruise Line, 25 by various cruise lines, 26 by Holland America Line, and 29 by several cruise lines.

For the port website see Port Everglades.



Sightseeing In Fort Lauderdale

Stranahan House
Stranahan House is Fort Lauderdale’s oldest house. It was built as a trading outpost for trade with the Seminole Indians, but also served as a school, post office and bank. The house can be found at 335 Southeast 6th Avenue, around 2 miles north west of the port.

Riverwalk
The Riverwalk offers a lovely one mile stroll in the Riverwalk Arts & Entertainment District in downtown Fort Lauderdale by the banks of the historic New River. The route passes fashionable shops, friendly restaurants and lush landscaping and impressive cultural venues including the Museum of Discovery and Science, the Museum of Art, Stranahan House and Fort Lauderdale History center.

Museum Of Art Fort Lauderdale
Possibly the most memorable exhibit at the Museum of Art is the Indigo Room, a backlit installation by the Voodoo influenced artist Edouard Duval-Carrié. After taking in the art on show, be sure to browse the museum’s bookstore.

Fort Lauderdale History Center
The Fort Lauderdale History Center presents the story of the community's history from the pioneers of Fort Lauderdale to the citizens of today. Walk around the 1905 Acetylene building, a little shed which housed an acetylene gas generator, an 1899 replica school house, a rebuilding of Broward county’s first ever school, the 1905 New River Inn, the county’s oldest standing hotel and the 1907 King-Cromartie House, a private residence.

South Beach Park
At the southern end of Fort Lauderdale’s beautiful beaches sits South Park Beach, a popular stretch of white sand. There’s lots of things to do at South Beach including fishing, swimming, wind surfing, rollerblading, snorkeling and jet skiing. Many shops, restaurants and bars can be found on popular Las Olas Boulevard, which joins with Hwy 1A behind the beach.

Traveling To The Cruise Port

By Car

SE 24th street off US-1, the 17th street causeway entrance at Eisenhower Bvld and Eller Drive all have gates which access Port Everglades. It is mandatory to have valid identification, such as a passport or driver’s license, to be allowed into the port.

From I95
Follow exit 26 to I-595 East, signed Port Everglades. Keep going for a little more than a mile then take exit 12B. Keep going on Eller Drive to the I-595 East entrance to the port.

Traveling from West on I-75
Head off at exit #19 to I-595 East. Continue for 12 miles then take exit 12B for Port Everglades. Keep going on Eller Drive to the I-595 East port gate.

From The Airport

The Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International airport is sited little more than a mile from Port Everglades. Transfer is easy by taxi or shuttle bus.

Cruise Port - Palma De Mallorca, Mallorca

Introduction

In the Balearic Sea, one hundred miles off the south eastern coastline of Spain, lies the island of Mallorca. The city of Palma is positioned in Palma Bay on the south west side of the island.

The Romans were the first people to spot the ideal location of Mallorca as a trading center, and in 123BC founded two ports, one being Palmeria. In medieval times Palma was ruled by Moors, who named the settlement Medina Mayurka. There is little evidence of this era remaining, apart from the Arab baths and sections of the walls of Almudaina Palace. The Moors employed Palma as a base to harass Catalan boats sailing near the mainland.

In 1229, to remove the menace, James I of Aragon conquered Palma. The city was annexed into the Kingdom of Aragon. The Golden Age of Mallorca started, this saw a blossoming of the island’s agriculture, trade and industry. The imposing Bellver Castle and magnificent le Seu cathedral were constructed, and the Almudaina was transformed into a marvelous Gothic palace. In 1516 the Kingdoms of Castile and Aragon were united when Charles I, son of Isabella of Castile and Ferdinand II of Aragon, the first King of all Spain. Mallorca changed from an important part of the Kingdom of Aragon to a rather neglected region of a much bigger country.

For the following three hundred years Palma descended into a long slump, due to a mixture of political indifference, many plagues and frequent attacks by Barbary Corsairs. The French invasion of Algeria in 1830 at last saw a finish to the risk of attacks by Berber Pirates, resulting in the growth of marine traffic from Palma’s port.

Tourism started to become an important industry to Mallorca during the early part of the 20th century. Holidaymakers visited to experience the island’s tranquility and beauty. There was a lull in tourism during World War II, but after the war visitor numbers skyrocket, as people from all over Europe arrived for a sunny vacation.

Some may criticize the sometimes negative effects of the large number of tourists on the island, but Palma is still to this day a charming city with a lot for the visitor to see. The city’s Old Town, with its beautiful squares, quaint cobbled streets and medieval palaces are the historical highlight of the city.

Mallorca is situated in the middle of the Western Mediterranean sea making the island a favorite port-of-call for cruises. In recent years, in main due to the convenient and well served Palma de Mallorca airport, the island has also become a major departure port for cruise ships.

You Choose The Cruise

Palma is an excellent base for a week long itinerary calling at exciting ports in the Western Mediterranean.

Favorite shore trips available at Western Mediterranean ports would include the atmospheric D’Alt Vila of Ibiza, the eery Cappuchini Catacombs in Palermo, the opulent Monte Carlo casino in Monaco, the towering Colosseum in Rome (from Civitavecchia) and the superb La Sagrada Familia in Barcelona.

In fall repositioning cruises may be on offer to the Caribbean and the Canaries.

Cruises from Palma shows all the cruise ship departures from Palma.




Cruise Terminals




Estacion Maritima 1 Through 4 Cruise Terminals
Estacion Maritima 1,2,3,4 cruise terminals serve ships moored at the Poniente and Paraires quays numbers 21, 23 25 and 26. The cruise terminals are joined with a number of raised and covered foot bridges. Services include restrooms, health office, cafeteria, waiting areas, telephone kiosks, police station and post office. These cruise terminals are about a mile and a half to the southwest of Palma’s center.



Estacion Maritima 5 Cruise Terminal
Some cruise ships moor inside Dique Del Oeste (the west sea wall) at piers 28, 30 and 32. These berths are served by the Estacion Martima 5 passenger terminal. The No 5 cruise terminal is at the southern end of the harbor.

For the port website see Port Authority of the Balearic Islands.



Sightseeing in Palma

La Seu
Palma’s magnificent cathedral la Seu is the city’s favorite attraction. Construction work began in the early years of the 13th century, and continued for over 3 centuries. A major rebuilding project commenced in the the 20th century, with the renowned architect Gaudi making several contentious contributions.

Almudaina Palace
The attractive Moorish style of the Palacio de la Almudaina echoes its origin as a Moorish castle. After the conquest of Mallorca by the Catalan army in the 13th century the building was converted into a palace for the Mallorcan monarchy. Today it is a museum containing art such as oriental carpets, Flemish tapestries and an excellent selection of paintings.

Bellver Castle
The impressive Bellver Castle is home to the Palma History Museum and the Despuig Classical Sculpture Museum. There are wonderful views from the castle’s ramparts over the turquoise blue Bay of Palma. Bellver Castle is a 10 minute walk upwards from the cruise terminal.

C'an Pere Antoni Beach
The shoreline south of the city center has a narrow ribbon of sand, which, if you stroll for 5 minutes in an easterly direction, widens into the large C'an Pere Antoni beach. The sands shelve gently into the sea. A few palms behind the beach provide a cooling shade, and nearby shops offer snacks and beach gear.

Palma To Soller Railway
This old-fashioned narrow-track electric train connects Palma de Mallorca with the mountainside township of Soller, a journey 27km long. The route traverses a wide stretch of countryside, then climbs up through 13 tunnels to get to Soller. The excursion, taking just over an hour, is an interesting way of getting to know the undeveloped landscapes of Mallorca. The Palma terminus is positioned in the center of the city, nearby the modern train station.

Getting To The Cruise Port

The easiest way of traveling between the airport and the cruise port is by coach or taxi. One other way is to get the no 1 bus which runs from the airport through Palma center to the Estacion Maritima. From the bus stop walk into the Estascion Number 2 terminal across the street then follow the signs to your required terminal.

Cruise Port - Seattle, USA

Introduction

Seattle sits on a wide strip of land between Puget Sound and Lake Washington. On the western side of Puget Sound lie the Olympic mountains, which fall into the Pacific Ocean, and on the eastern of Lake Washington lie the higher Cascades.

White settlers arrived at the Seattle area in 1850 to establish an outpost they originally named New York. These first pioneers soon realized a better harbor facility was available close by, and relocated to what is now called the Pioneer Square neighborhood. In respect to a local native Indian leader who had aided the pioneers, the new township was given the name Seattle.

Processing and exporting lumber was the first business enterprise of the new outpost. In the fall of 1863, surveyor Edwin Richardson discovered coal beside a stream later called Coal Creek. Almost immediately extensive coal mining began, and coal joined lumber as a principal export from Seattle docks. In 1883 a connecting railroad between Seattle and the Northern Pacific transcontinental railway was constructed, and the town's population soared in the 1890s.

In 1889 the city was almost completely destroyed when a raging fire raged through its center. The burnt-out buildings were replaced during a hectic decade of reconstruction. The new layout included reconstructed piers, municipal sewer works and wide streets.

The Seattle population carried on growing through the early 19th century, as the city’s thriving businesses drew people from as far away as Asia and Europe.

Ship building grew during World War I, thanks to huge demand. The end of the war saw the Seattle general strike, which left the city with a reputation as a nursery of radicalism and socialism. In the following years, the Great Depression hit the city hard, with industrial output slowing drastically. World War II sparked an industrial turn around as Boeing, a previously little-known airplane manufacturer, grew its workforce quickly. In 1962 Seattle sponsored a huge world's fair, the fantastic Century 21 Exposition. The Seattle Center, the Seattle Center Monorail, the Space Needle and the Pacific Science Center were all built for the Expo, and have become much-loved features of the Seattle skyline.

Today the city is a foremost commercial harbor, and the heart of a prominent business area.

From early days the economy of the city has been closely tied with the commercial activities of its docks. The export of timber and coal was the main commercial activity of the docks in the early years. Apart from big cargo ships, small boats plied the route along the coast northwards, supplying resource industries based on mining, timber and fishing. Summer voyages to Alaska were in demand even in the early 19th century, with Alaska Steamship Company selling week long cruises. By the 1950s the popularity of cruises to Alaska had fallen, and the Alaska Steamship Company closed. During the second half of the 20th century Seattle’s cruise ship business was non-existent.

Then in 2000 Seattle once again tried to become a major cruise ship homeport, when the Port of Seattle inaugurated the Bell Street Pier cruise port. In 2009 the Smith Cove terminal was built to further cruise passenger capacity. In 2010 the Port of Seattle boasted 223 cruise ship visits with nearly a million revenue passengers.

You Choose The Cruise

The winters in Alaska are long and cold, so Seattle’s cruising season is almost completely May through to September.

Seattle cruises take a different course to Alaska than those leaving from Vancouver. The additional total distance adds up to around 320 miles, and the quickest way to Alaska is to hug the outside of Vancouver island. This way only became possible for week-long cruises when fastercruise ships were introduced. This outside passage route through the north Pacific can be rough and stormy, and there is virtually no picturesque land scenery for 2 sea days of the cruise. Also note cruise ships will typically call at Victoria on Vancouver island’s coast, as foreign-flagged ships operating in US waters are mandated to stop in a foreign port on their overall itinerary.

A very well-liked route is the 7 day return trip visiting Ketchikan, Skagway, Glacier Bay and Juneau. You will see magnificent coastal and mountain landscapes, mighty glaciers calving into the ocean and historic port towns.

When the Seattle cruise season finishes a range of interesting repositioning cruises are on offer: to destinations such as Hawaii, Asia and Florida.

Cruises from Seattle shows all cruise ship departures from Seattle.


Cruise Terminals

Seattle boasts 2 cruise ports, the premier downtown Bell Street Pier, and the Smith Cove Piers, 2 miles north of the city center.


Bell Street Terminal
The Bell Street Pier cruise ship terminal was inaugurated in 2000 as a important component of a 10-acre, city center, coastline, multi-purpose development. The terminal is located on Pier 66 which has a historic past dating back to 1914. Over the following years the pier had many roles like refrigerated storage, on-dockrailroad station and warehousing. The terminal is laid out over 2 levels, with a modern boarding system giving easy ship access from the upper floor. Facilities comprise baggage handling, concierge, check-in, retail kiosks, rental car kiosk, customs, restaurant and café. A 1700 space parking garage is positioned just across the road. The terminal has access to just one cruise ship berth. The Bell Street cruise terminal hosts Norwegian Cruise Line and Celebrity Cruises ships.


Smith Cove Cruise Terminal
The Smith Cove cruise ship facility is located 3 miles north west from the city center, on Pier 90 and Pier 91. The waterfront was purchased by the port in 1912 for use as a commercial port. During World War II the navy managed the port as a supply point. Thanks to its previous use, the terminal surroundings have a very industrial looking look. Services include customs, luggage checking, check-in, car rental desk, concierge and shops. A 1,000 car parking lot is sited not far away with a free shuttle to the terminal. The cruise port boasts 2 cruise ship moorings at Piers 90 and 91. Smith Cove is home to Holland America Line, Carnival Cruises, Princess Cruises and RCL.

For the port website see Port Of Seattle.


Sightseeing In Seattle

Space Needle
Seattle’s iconic Space Needle is 605 feet tall, and has an exciting observation deck near the top of the tower. You can see the sound, the downtown skyline, Washington Lake and the far-off mountains. Drop by at the souvenir shop for a memento or, for a meal with a twist, eat at SkyCity, the tower's revolving restaurant that turns once per hour.

Pioneer Square
Pioneer Square is the position of Seattle’s first timber mill, the economic hub of the original pioneer township. The great 1889 fire ruined the wooden structures constructed by the town’s founders. Today the district is characterized by 1890s brick and stone buildings, and is bursting with friendly cafes, interesting shops, splendid architecture and art galleries. Pioneer Square is situated about a mile southwards of Bell Street Pier.

Seattle Aquarium
Sited by Pier 59, the Seattle Aquarium keeps an incredible range of ocean life. Watch colorful fish, Puget sound creatures, Lake Washington fresh water reatures, mysterious octopus, the coral world of the Pacific and lively otters in excellently presented exhibits. Take a break at the stylish Aquarium café, and browse the aquarium store.

Pike Place Market
In 1907 a local councilor helped set up a farmers’ market, to cut out the enormous take of greedy middlemen. The market has matured into a vast shoppers’ heaven laid out over 9 acres. Walk around numerous food shops like vegetables, honey, nuts, dairy and bakery, and then to follow an even bigger number of non-food shops including jewelry, leather, goods, basketware and candles. It's often crowded, and busy so you’ll be happy to take a relaxing break and sip a coffee at the first-ever Starbucks, located in the market. Pike Place market is positioned just by Bell Street Pier.

Museum of Flight
In addition to being the hometown of behemoth Boeing, Seattle has an outstanding Museum dedicated to flying. Inspect a traffic control tower, the supersonic passenger jet Concorde, a history of air hostess fashion, an outstanding collection of WWII fighter planes and Air Force One. The Museum of Flight is about 4 miles southwards from downtown.

Olympic Sculpture Park
The Olympic Sculpture Park is overseen by Seattle Art Museum. It is a free-admission outdoor sculpture park with a whole series of curvaceous and thought-provoking sculptures, with a lovely outlook over Puget Sound and the Olympic mountains behind. The park is positioned on the coastline just north of Bell Street Pier.

Getting To The Cruise Ports

Bell St Pier
From the Airport
The travel time from Sea-Tac airport to the cruise port by taxi is in the region of 30 minutes. Alternatively take the Sea-Tac airport to city center Light Rail, alighting at the terminus Westlake. Then hail a taxi or walk to Bell Street Pier, three-quarters of a mile away.
By Car
From the North
Join Interstate 5. Take exit 167, signed Mercer Street/Seattle Center. Make a right onto Fairview Av. Then the first left onto Valley St. Continue along Valley St which turns into Broad Street. When you reach the waterfront turn left onto Alaskan Way. Just before the cruise port building, take a left onto Wall St for the entrance to the cruise terminal garage.
From the South
Join Interstate 5. Take exit 164A signed Dearborn St, James St, Madison St. Follow Madison St/Convention Center signs. Turn left onto Madison Street. Keep on Madison Street until you reach the seafront. Turn right to join Alaskan Way. Carry on for a mile, passing the cruise port to the left hand side. Turn right onto Wall Street to access Bell Street Pier garage.

Smith Cove
From The Airport
The journey time from Sea-Tac airport to the cruise port by cab is about 30 minutes.
By Car
From the North and South
Take I-5 to exit 167 marked Mercer Street. Make a right turn on to Fairview Av North. Turn left onto Valley Street. Valley Street becomes Broad Street. After the Space needle turn right onto Denny Way. The road bends to the right onto Western Avenue. Western Av joins with Elliott Av West. Follow signs for Magnolia Bridge. Follow signage to Smith Cove and cruise terminal.

Cruise Port - New York, USA

Introduction

New York was first inhabited by Europeans in the early 17th century, when a Dutch outpost called New Amsterdam was set up to collect beaver furs. Friction with the indigenous Lenape Native Americans was unavoidable, and to oppose the threat, the settlers built Fort Amsterdam. Disputes multiplied, eventually turning into full-scale fighting. The Dutch sent out more soldiers to the colony, and succeeded in defeating the Native Americans, resulting in a fragile ceasefire.

In 1664 English forces took control of the colony and gave it the new name of New York. Over the following century the colony grew quickly, as a center for shipping between England and the New World. Disputes between the colonies and the English government led to the American War of Independence of 1775-1783. For much of the rebellion New York was under the control of the English, who used the city as a military base and control center. At the end of the war George Washington triumphantly returned to the city on the withdrawal of the English. New York served as the US’s first capital city until superseded by Philadelphia in 1790.

The city expanded in population and as an economic center throughout the nineteenth century. In 1825 the new Erie Canal, which connected New York to the farming area of Eastern Canada and the US Mid West provided a great stimulus to commercial activiy. The number of immigrants from Europe increased significantly in the mid 19th century, as a result of the Great Irish Famine.

New York carried on growing all through the 20th century to become a world center for industry, commerce and trade. A highlight of this century was the construction plan which saw the emergence of Manhattan’s amazing skyscraper filled skyline.

All through the history of New York its shipping docks situated on the Upper Bay have been key to the city’s success. A big reason for the ports’ importance lies in the big numbers of passengers that have come to New York by ship. The first immigration center was Castle Garden, superseded in 1892 by Ellis Island. At the beginning of the 20th century, migrants did not arrive at Ellis Island but at Chelsea Piers on Manhattan Island, from where steerage passengers were transferred back to the immigration center. But Chelsea Piers was incapable of hosting larger cruiseliners, and longer piers were built between West 44th and 52nd streets in the 1930s, making the New York City Passenger Ship Terminal, or ‘Luxury Liner Row’.

Passenger volumes fell rapidly after the introduction of commercial air flights. But the cruise industry came back to life when the New York City Passenger Ship Terminal relaunched itself in the 1970s as the Manhattan Cruise Terminal. Demand for cruises rose and two further cruise terminals opened in the Hudson Bay. The Brooklyn Cruise Terminal in Red Hook opened 2004 and Cape Liberty Cruise Terminal in Bayonnne, opened in 2005.


You Choose The Cruise

Popular all-year cruises include the Bahamas (Nassau and Freeport), and the Caribbean (Antigua, St Kitts, Dominican Republic and St Maarten). This far south you’ll escape the chilly Maryland winter, as you voyage into warmer weather. During the summer, cruises to Bermuda generally stay two days, so passengers can savor the buzzing nightlife.

Also available in summer are northward-bound cruises along the eastern coastline of New England and Nova Scotia, with charming and historic ports-of-call. Another idea during summer and fall is the classic transatlantic cruise to Europe.

Cruises from New York shows all cruise ship departures from New York.




Cruise Terminals

New York City has 2 cruise ports, the Mathattan Cruise Terminal beside the Hudson River on the west side of Manhattan Island, and 6 miles to the south Brooklyn Cruise Terminal on the eastern side of Hudson Upper Bay on the Red Hook coastline of Brooklyn. Also nearby is Cape Liberty Cruise Terminal, on the west coastline of the Bay, at Bayonnein New Jersey.



Manhattan Cruise Terminal

The Manhattan Cruise Terminal is situated between West 44th and West 52nd streets West 44th through West 52nd on the west Hudson River shoreline of Manhattan Island. The cruise terminal covers three docks, 88, 90 and 92. A terminal building sits atop each pier. The facilities at the terminal include customs and immigration, seating areas, check-in areas, VIP areas, rest rooms, snackbars and newsstands. All three of the cruise terminals have a car parking lot on the top of the building. There are 5 quays at piers 88, 90 and 92, lengths 1040’, depth 36’.

Manhattan Cruise Terminal is mainly used by Holland America, Carnival and NCL cruise ships.

For the Port Authority Website see New York City Economic Development Corporation



Brooklyn Cruise Terminal

The Brooklyn cruise terminal on the Red Hook shoreline opposite Governor Island was opened in 2006. The terminal contains immigration, check-in, vending machines, restrooms and customs. There is an adjacent parking area able of holding 520 cars. Brooklyn Cruise Terminal has 1 berth, pier 12, length 880’, depth 34’.

Cunard Cruise Line and Princess Cruises ships dock at Brooklyn Cruise Terminal.



Bayonne Cruise Terminal

Cape Liberty cruise terminal is located at the Peninsula in the Upper Bay of New York Harbor. Inaugurated in 2004, the port was formerly the Bayonne Navy base facility. The terminal offers customs, a snackbar, immigration, check-in desks and restrooms. Passengers need to be shuttled by bus from the terminal to the ship dock, as the two are half-a-mile apart. Convenient passenger car parking is sited nearby to the cruise terminal.

The terminal access to a single cruise ship berth, 900ft in length.

Cape Liberty Cruise Terminal is home to Celebrity Cruises and Royal Caribbean ships.


Sightseeing in Manhattan

Empire State Building
New York’s famed Empire State Building rises over a quarter of a mile above the center of the city. The pavilion and promenade at 1050feet high, is a vertigo causing, but very exciting trip. It is a half-hour walk from the cruise ship terminal.

Central Park
In the center of Manhattan island sits iconic Central Park, a huge landscaped park conceived and built in 1857. Well worth visitingare the Obelisk, Sheep Meadow, the Botanical Gardens, the Zoo and Strawberry Fields.

Sightseeing in Brooklyn

Brooklyn Bridge
Finished in 1883 Brooklyn Bridge which spans the East River is Brooklyn’s most famous landmark. There is a walkway the length of the bridge, which can be reached at Tillary/Adams streets or by a staircase on Prospect St between Cadman Plaza East and West. As you walk across Brooklyn bridge you will see marvellous vistas of Manhattan, Brooklyn and Upper Bay .

Brooklyn Botanic Garden
Brooklyn Botanic Garden was started in 1910, on the site of a rubbish dump. Wander around the Children’s Garden, the Japanese Hill-and-Pond Garden, the Herb Garden and the Fragrance Garden. Also in the garden are a garden store, a café and a gift shop.


Sightseeing in in Bayonne

Liberty State Park
This waterfront area that is now enjoyable Liberty State Park used to be a busy transportation center. The old Central Railroad of New Jersey Terminal (CRRNJ), important in New Jersey's history, is situated at the north end of the park. A two-mile waterfront path offers visitors a panoramic view of the Hudson River, the Statue of Liberty and the Manhattan skyline.A all year round ferry service is available from Liberty State Park to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.

Statue of Liberty
For the immigrants that flocked from Western Europe to the US, the Statue of Liberty was the first glimpse they had of the United States. Made in Paris by the sculptor Bartholdi, with help from Gustave Eiffel, this towering monument to freedom was a gift from France to celebrate the centennial of American Independence. Tickets to the base area may be booked or bought at the site. Entry to the spiral staircase and crown is limited to just 30 people per hour, so crown tickets must be reserved in advance.


Getting to the Cruise Ports

Manhattan
By Air
Newark International, La Guardia and John F. Kennedy. airports are the closest airports to the Manhattan Cruise Terminal. Taxicabs are available from each airport. Some cruise lines organize a bus transfer.
By Car
Cars access the terminal from the north at the junction of 12th Avenue and 55th Street. Parking is available at each of the three cruise terminals.
From North/Yonkers
Travel south on the Highway 9A, exit to the right at 55th Street.
From East/Jersey City
Travel through the Holland Tunnel, follow the directions for Route 9A. On reaching the waterfront turn right onto 9A. Carry on for 1 mile then follow the sign for the Ship Terminal.
From West/Long Island
On exiting the Queens-Midtown Tunnel, drive west by 34th Street to reach 12th Avenue. Head right and continue north to the ship port.
By Train
Penn Station and Grand Central Station are the nearest stations to the Manhattan Cruise Terminal. Cabs are on hand at both. An alternative is to take the subway to Columbus Circle, and walk from there to the cruise terminal.

Brooklyn
By Air
LaGuardia is the nearest airport to the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal, John F K and Newark Liberty are only slightly further away. Taxis are readily available at each airport. Some cruise lines lay on a shuttle coach.
By Car
Vehicles access the cruise ship terminal at the junction of Imlay Street and Bowne Street.
From the North/Manhattan
Drive through the Battery Tunnel, I478 into Brooklyn. Leave at Exit 26 into Hamilton Avenue. Make a U-turn at the junction of Hamilton Avenue and Clinton Street, then return along westbound Hamilton Avenue. Turn leftwards at Van Brunt Street, and after 2 blocks, make a right onto Bowne Street to reach the terminal.
From the South/Elizabeth
Drive across the Verrazano Narrows Bridge. Keep on Interstate 278 in the direction of Brooklyn. Exit at Exit 26, Hamilton Avenue. Continue along Hamilton Ave to the end, make a left turn onto Van Brunt and travel 200 yards to make a right onto Bowne Street to enter the cruise terminal.
By Train
Grand Central Station and Penn Station are the nearest stations from the Manhattan Cruise Terminal. Taxis are available at both.

Bayonne
By Air
Newark Liberty Airport is the best airport to reach Bayonne cruise terminal at a distance of about 5 miles. John F. Kennedy and La Guardia are both about 25 miles away. Cabs are readily available at each airport. Often cruise lines arrange a shuttle bus transfer.
By Car
From NJ Turnpike (North/East)
Leave the NJ Turnpike, Interstate 78, at Exit 14A. Head onto 440 South. Continue for a mile, then make a left into Cape Liberty Terminal Blvd
From Staten Island Expressway (South/West)
Turn onto 440 heading north. Drive across Bayonne Bridge and continue on 440. Make a right into into Cape Liberty Terminal Boulevard
By Train
The best-located train station is the HBLR station at 34th street. Catch a taxi onward to the cruise terminal. Be warned that no public transport goes to the cruise terminal itself, and pedestrians are banned from the cruise terminal.

Cruise Departure Port - Port Canaveral, Florida

Introduction

On one of the long offshore islands fronting the Atlantic coast of Florida, halfway between Jacksonville and Miami, sits Cape Canaveral. Enclosing the city to the east is the Banana River, on the north side is Port Canaveral, on the west side is the Atlantic Ocean and on the south side is Cocoa Beach.

The currents which whirl around the Cape make it perilous to ships, and countless seamen have met their fate in wrecks around the Cape. The promontory was named Cape Canaveral by seamen from Spain during the sixteenth century. The Cape Canaveral Lighthouse was erected in 1844 with the aim of making the coast safer for shipping.

In the 1910s a small community centered on fishing was founded just south of Cape Canaveral. The town was called Artesia. To the south of Artesia the community of Avon-by-the-Sea, with streets named after presidents, was started by a club of property speculators. WWII brought about the establishment of Banana River Naval Air Station at the Cape which had the role of supporting coastal seaplanes.

After World War 2 the US air-force, searching for a neck of land extending into the Atlantic ocean to make an ideal launch base, selected the Cape. Avon-by-the-Sea and Artesia were engulfed by the new facilities constructed to cater for the space employees of the base, and the city of Cape Canaveral was founded.

The Cape Canaveral base needed a facility for retrieving booster rockets from the ocean, and Port Canaveral was constructed and dedicated in 1953. The theme parks of central Florida are a huge attraction, and in the 1970s the port was first utilized by cruise ships as it was a port-of-call close to Orlando. During the next decade, Premier Cruises and Carnival Cruises based ships at Port Canaveral, offering cruises to Freeport from newly constructed cruise ship terminals. The 1990s were a period of fast expansion for the cruise port, with the construction of cruise terminals 5, 8, and 10. Disney cruises started operating from the port.

Today more than a million passengers depart on their cruise vacation from Port Canaveral every year. Royal Caribbean and NCL have been added to the list of cruise lines operating cruises from the port.

You Choose The Cruise

Cruises on offer include the Eastern Caribbean (St Maarten, San Juan and St Thomas), the Western Caribbean (Grand Cayman, Cozumel, Belize and Roatan), or the Bahamas (Freeport and Nassau). Longer trips are also to be had, such as transatlantic cruises to Europe. For a list of cruises from Cape Canaveral, see cruises from Port Canaveral.


Port Canaveral Cruise Terminals



Port Canaveral has several cruise terminals, though just 3 are used day-in/day-out for multi-day cruise ships. These are terminals 5, 8 and 10 which are on the north west shore of the port. Terminal 2 hosts a casino cruise ship. Terminals 3 and 4 are not utilized often.



A Side (North) Terminals

Cruise terminal buildings 5, 8 and 10 are sited on the A or north side, alongside Charles M Rowland Drive.

These more modern terminals are each capable of handling 3000 plus people, and have large docks to berth the newer super sized ships.

Cruise Terminal 5 is an attractive 2 story building, with a 30ft high central hall filled with tropical vegetation and gushing waterfalls. Embarking cruisers are handled on the top storey, disembarking passengers on the bottom. Cruise Terminal 8 was constructed for Disney Cruise Line, and is an eye-catching art-nouveau style terminal with an impressive 90ft circular glass foyer. Cruise Terminal 10 has a 3 layered passenger loading/unloading arrangement, and completely automated baggage processing. The cruise terminals respective dock lengths are: terminal 5 970ft, terminal 8 1000ft, terminal 10 1100ft.

Each terminal provides the necessary facilities including pay phones, ATMs, check-in desks, restrooms, vending machines and cab rank. A dedicated parking lot for the use of passengers is situated next to each terminal building.




B Side (South) Terminals

Cruise terminals 2, 3 and 4 are located on the south west or B side, along George King Boulevard. These terminal buildings were amongst Port Canaveral's first facilities dedicated to the cruise lines, and each can handle about 1800 passengers. The 3 terminals share 2,150 ft of continuous dock offering the capacity to accommodate two large or three medium-length cruise ships.

A large parking area for passengers’ use stands adjacent to each cruise terminal building.

For the port website see Port Canaveral Port Authority.


Sightseeing Around Port Canaveral

Jetty Park
Jetty Park is a attractive coastline park which encompasses a beach, picnic areas, pavilions, camping and a playground. A favorite with both walkers and fishermen is Jetty Park pier, which offers great views of marine traffic departing from/arriving at Port Canaveral, and super fishing for tarpon, common jacks and redfish. The long sandy Atlantic-facing beach offers many facilities like year-round lifeguards, convenient parking, showers and restrooms. The lively Cove Waterfront area positioned between the park and the port has shops, cafes and restaurants. The park is managed by the Port Authority, and is located on the south side of the port’s exit channel.

Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex
The excitement of space travel is infectious to almost everybody. The Kennedy Space Center is the core of NASA’s activities and was the launch pad for the Apollo missions. At the Center you can go by bus to the LC39 Gantry and the Apollo Center, watch a movie at the IMAX center, learn about the future of space exploration at the Exploration Space exhibition and undergo the Shuttle Launch Experience. The Center is only 10 miles northwards of the port.

US Astronaut Hall of Fame
The Astronaut Hall of Fame celebrates American astronauts. See an absorbing collection including space suits, a realistic astronaut training simulator, the Sigma 7 Mercury rocket and the Science On A Sphere exhibition. The Hall of Fame is about 5 miles west from the Space Center.

Cocoa Beach Pier
Originally built in 1962 Cocoa Beach Pier is among the most popular landmarks on the Space coast. The 800 foot pier houses souvenir shops, four bars, frequent live street entertainment and 5 restaurants. The beach next to the pier has restrooms, beach-hire stalls, freshwater showers and year-round life guards. Cocoa Beach is only 5 miles south of the port.

Orlando Amusement Parks
Head west from the Port on Martin Andersen Beachline Expressway to reach fabulous attractions like Disney/MGM Studios, Universal Studios, Sea World of Florida and Walt Disney World all of which are no more than an hour’s drive away.


Getting To The Cruise Port

By Car
North Cruise Terminals
Drive towards Port Canaveral on Hwy 528, cross Merritt Island, and exit at the sign marked A Cruise Terminals onto SR 401 North. Drive 1 mile on SR 401 North next exit at the sign marked with the cruiselines.
South Cruise Terminals
Enter into Port Canaveral on Highway 528 and leave at the sign marked B Cruise Terminals. Next make a left under bridge to George King Boulevard. Carry on for a mile. Next follow directions to get to the required cruise terminal.

By Air
Orlando International Airport
Orlando International Airport, positioned in the southern outskirts of Orlando, is around 45 minutes drive west from Port Canaveral. Travel from the airport can be arranged by taxicab or shuttle.
Melbourne International Airport
Melbourne International Airport is roughly 30 miles south of Port Canaveral. Travel from the airport is possible by shuttle bus or cab.