Cruise Port - Singapore

Introducing Singapore

Singapore, a sovereign nation, is located off the southern point of the Malay Peninsular in Southeast Asia 85 miles (137 km) north of the Equator. Singapore and the Malay Peninsula are connected by a 1km bridge crossing the narrow Johore Straits. The country has a total area of 278 square miles (720 square km) made up from the main island and 54 smaller nearby islands.

The Malay Annals tell how Singapore was founded centuries ago when a prince from Sumatra when hunting on the island of Temasek saw a lion. He took the sighting as a good omen and established a city at the place named 'Singapura' after the Sanskrit for 'lion city'.

Modern Singapore was founded in 1819 by Sir Stamford Raffles who signed a treaty with local rulers giving control of Singapura to the British.

Raffles' confidence in the trading prospects of the island were proved over the following decades as Singapore's growth surged, in step with an increasing demand for East Asia sourced rubber and tin in Europe.  More and more ships' quays were built along the banks of the Singapore Straits - eventually extending to more than 3 miles (5 km) in length.

Singapore's prosperity and security crashed to an end when Japanese aeroplanes blitzed the sleeping city in the small hours of 8 December 1941. Singapore surrendered to the Japanese on Chinese New Year 15 February 1942, and was renamed Syonan-to (Light of the South).  Japan surrendered in 1945 and Singapore was put into British Military Administration.

In 1959 the growth of the independence-movement led to self-government and Singapore's first general election.  Lee Kuan Yew was installed as the country's first Prime Minister.

Today many elements of Singapore's multi-cultural, wartime and colonial past can be found around the city. The cruise tourist can step back through time by following a history trail such as the Jubilee walk, the Singapore River walk or the World War 2 trail visiting important docks, buildings, bridges and memorials.

You Choose The Cruise

There is a whole multitude of cruises available which depart from Singapore.  The two most popular itineraries are both 7 day trips - firstly the voyage hugging the eastern seaboard of the Malay peninsula and secondly the voyage circumnavigating the Gulf of Thailand. Alternatively choose from many  of the more extensive cruises on offer including grand voyages to Southern India, Australia or Indonesia. Cruises from Singapore is a comprehensive calendar of cruise ship sailings out of the city.

Singapore Cruise Terminals

In 1991 Singapore's first cruise centre, the Singapore Cruise Centre at Harbourfront, opened.  Then in 2012 a second centre, the Marina Bay Cruise Center at Marina Bay, was inaugurated. 

Singapore Cruise Centre

Singapore Cruise Centre offers efficient baggage services, fast customs clearance, separate passenger embarkation and disembarkation areas and security screening. Passengers can enjoy a range of facilities at the centre including an information counter, left luggage services, free Wi-Fi and food and beverage outlets.

The cruise port can cater for for two cruise ships, with one quay 310m long, 11m deep and the other 270m long, 11m deep.

Parking can be found at the nearby HarbourFront Centre car park costing about $40 per day.

Marina Bay Cruise Center

The cruise centre boasts separate arrival and departure halls as well as a substantial ground transport area all to ensure a smooth and hassle free experience for cruise passengers. There's comfortable seating in the lounges, with luggage porters, a foreign exchange counter, toilets, a stylish cafe and an information desk.

A 360m pier by the terminal with two berths down both sides so two large cruise ships can berth at the same time.

The DriveCruise option includes discounted parking at the cruise centre's car park.

Sightseeing in Singapore

Merlion Park

Merlion Park, the home of the iconic Merlion statue, is located in front of the Fullerton hotel on the shore of Marina bay. The statue was constructed by sculpturor Lim Nang Seng and was inaugurated in September 1972 by then PM Lee Kuan Yew to greet visitors to Singapore. To reach Merlion Park take the MRT to Raffles Place on the North South or East West line.

ArtScience Museum

The ArtScience Museum beautifully mixes art and science to create a thoughtful narrative. The museum has a permanent exhibition with an arresting three dimensional video presentation and has two extra galleries for temporary exhibitions. Part of the Marina Bay Sands area, the ArtScience Museum is a few minutes walk from the Marina Bay Cruise Center.

Gardens By The Bay

Costing over $1billion Gardens by the Bay is a masterpiece of horticulture and garden creativity that displays flora in an unparalleled way. The two showpieces are its signature Supertree Grove, a collection of tall trees made of steel covered by vertical greenery, and the Cloud Forest, a gigantic conservatory that mimics the climate and environment of a mountaintop forest. Gardens in the Bay is not far from the Marina Bay cruise port.

National Gallery Singapore

Costing $530 million, taking 10 years and completed in 2015, the refurbishment of the Supreme Court and City Hall buildings created the splendid National Gallery Singapore.
In the Supreme Court wing (the one with the dome) view the UOB Southeast Asia Gallery showcasing the works of Southeast Asia artists including Latif Mohidin, Nguyen Gia Tri and Hernando Ocampo. In the City Hall wing tour the DBS Singapore Gallery with more than 400 masterworks from local artists including Chua Mia Tee, Chen Chon Swee and Liu Kang.

The Long Bar Raffles Hotel

Raffles Hotel, immortalized by writing legends like Ernest Hemingway, Joseph Conrad and Rudyard Kipling, is a colonial-style hotel established by two Armenian hoteliers in 1887. Birthplace of the Singapore Sling, the two-storey Long Bar located on the 2nd floor of the hotel is where to enjoy this famous cocktail. The hotel is easy to find, located a few minutes walk from City Hall MRT.

Siloso Beach

Siloso beach on Singapore's Sentosa Island is a wide stretch of clean white sand, lapped by the clear turquoise sea. Facilities include beach chair and umbrella hire, showers and restrooms. The beach is an exciting gondola ride from the International Passenger Terminal or a cab ride from the Marina Bay cruise centre.


Traveling to the Singapore Cruise Terminals

The easiest way to transfer from Changi Airport to either of the cruise terminals is via taxi.  The fare is approximately $25.

Guide To San Francisco Cruise Port

Introduction

San Francisco, considered by many as the US’s finest city, is surrounded on three sides by ocean and bay. In spite of the hilly nature of the land on which the city is built, the original city developers kept faith with a grid system. This has resulted in some steep roads, fatiguing for the pedestrian and testing for those behind the wheel of a car.

In 1769 Spanish settlers arriving from Mexico established the Presidio of San Francisco as an armed fort and the Mission San Francisco de Asís as a missionary base with the aim of converting the indigenous Ohlone population. Mexican ownership of the region was given to the Americans in the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in 1848. In the very same year that SF became part of the US, gold was discovered close to the city, attracting the attention of thousands of would be prospective gold miners. The makeshift outpost rapidly grew into the US’s biggest city west of the Mississippi. From the 1860s through the 1890s San Francisco grew rapidly with the building of complete new neighborhoods. Over half of the population were foreign born, coming from places such as Britain, Germany and China.

On April 18, 1906, San Francisco's rapid expansion came to a halt when a strong earthquake devastated the city. Raging fires spread out of control burning to the ground almost three quarters of the city’s buildings. Restoring the city’s buildings began almost immediately, but building standards were not improved, as many argued that this would hamper rejuvenation.

After two decades of consolidation, the city emerged in the 1930s to benefit from another economic boom time. The Bay Bridge and Golden Gate Bridge were built in a flury of construction, and in 1940 the Golden Gate World Fair received worldwide recognition.

Today the city is an international center for manufacturing, commerce and banking, and is also the home of a major deep water port.

You Choose The Cruise

A wide variety of cruise vacations are on offer with lengths of 7,10,15 days or even longer. Two popular voyages are first the cruise to the magnificent Hawaiian islands, standing alone in the middle of the vast Pacific Ocean, and secondly the cruise to the wonderfully scenic coast of Alaska.

Cruises from San Francisco details all the cruise ship departures out of San Francisco.

Cruise Terminals

San Francisco has 2 cruise terminals sited on the Embarcadero Waterfront, the main terminal at Pier 35 and a secondary terminal at Pier 27. The roles of the two terminals are due to swap in late 2014, with Pier 27 becoming the foremost terminal, with Pier 35 serving as a secondary berth for smaller ships.

Pier 35 Terminal
Pier 35’s attractiveness benefited greatly from the resurgence of the city’s docks in the years after the pulling down due to the 1989 quake of the Embarcadero Freeway that divided the piers and the city. The pier offers two cruise ship moorings pier 35 north and pier 35 south. The terminal is missing all but the necessary services, but there is one plus point. After you have embarked aboard your ship, go to the top deck, to appreciate the spectacular views of Alcatraz, the Bay Bridge, San Francisco bay and the Golden Gate Bridge.

Pier 27 Terminal
The brand new cruise terminal at Pier 27 scheduled to open in late 2014 as SF’s primary cruise terminal is named in honor of James R Herman, former president of the Longshoreman Union. The terminal has just one cruise ship mooring, but this is 1200ft long, a considerable increase over the quays at Pier 35. The modern terminal boasts extensive embark/debark halls with retail shops, tourism services, meeting rooms and ticketing counters.

Parking
Parking is not provided by the cruise port; however car parking lots nearby offer competitive rates for cruisers.

See San Francisco Port for the port website.

Sightseeing In San Francisco

Fisherman’s Wharf
Every year Fisherman’s Wharf draws hundreds of thousands of tourists to its many different attractions. Your visit to Fisherman’s Wharf can take in Pier 39, popular with children thanks to its sea lion colony and carousel, the cable car turnaround at Beach and Hyde, a wonderful part of San Francisco’s iconic cable car system, Ghirardelli Square, originally a chocolate enterprise started by Domenico 'Domingo' Ghirardelli, SS. Jeremiah O'Brien, a fully functional Liberty Ship and Hyde Street Pier, home of a number of historic ships. Also be sure to fit it a trip on San Francisco's unique cable car system.

Chinatown
Chinatown is located in the heart of the city bounded by Kearny Street to the east, Bush Street to the south, Powell Street to the west, and Columbus Avenue to the north. Characterful globe lanterns and brightly colored banners cross the avenues, which are lit at night by elaborate streetlights in the form of a Chinese temple on two dragons.

Golden Gate Bridge
The iconic Golden Gate Bridge bridge is accessible to both bicyclists and pedestrians, and was constructed with sidewalks on both sides of the six vehicle lanes. A trip to the Brige's visitor center offers a multi-media presentation on the history of the bridge.

Traveling To San Francisco Cruise Port

Whether arriving by car or taxi, the cruise port's downtown location necessitates a trip across the city, so be sure to allow plenty of time for your journey.

Cruise Departure Port - Dover, England

Introduction

The town of Dover is located at the outlet of the River Dour, after which the town takes its name, on the southern coastline of the county of Kent in Britain. On a clear day you can look across the English Channel from the cliffs above Dover and see France, which is only 21 miles away. Every day throughout the year, numerous cross-Channel car and truck ferries voyage between Dover and the French ports of Boulogne, Dunkirk and Calais. Both to the west and east side of Dover rear the stunning White Cliffs, which are composed of chalk. The Latin word for white is albus, and in ancient times England was called Albion.

Even long ago in Anglo-Saxon times Dover was an important center, well ordered with a metalworks, a large church, a busy port and a mint. King Henry VIII had a keen interest in Dover, having held the position of Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports before he ascended the throne. He specified additions to Dover castle, and the building of extra heavy gun batteries overlooking the docks. During both World Wars Dover was one of the largest military centers in England. Huge numbers of soldiers with their armaments made the crossing between Dover and France.

Today Dover’s role as a major port continues, and over 60% of the 18 million passengers who cross the Channel every year do so from the town. The town’s modern cruise terminals have attracted many cruise lines including Fred Olsen, Princess Cruises, Carnival Cruises and Saga Cruises, who all use Dover as a UK turnaround port.

You Choose The Cruise

Cruises from Dover visit a large number of exciting destinations. Pick a cruise to the warm Mediterranean and sightsee around world-renowned cities like Rome, Dubrovnik, Barcelona and Athens. Cruise south to the wonderful Canary Islands, and find moon-like landscapes and subtropical greenery. Head east into the Baltic to view magnificent St Petersburg with its exquisite Church of our Savior on Spilled Blood and enormous Hermitage art museum. Circumnavigate the British Isles and appreciate these charming islands off Europe’s mainland.

Cruises from Dover shows all the cruise departures from Dover.

Cruise Terminals

In 1988 the Channel Tunnel scheme began building work. The Port of Dover, anticipating the tunnel as a major risk to its vital cross-channel business, planned to branch out with the opening of a cruise port and a marina.

Cruise Terminal 1

In 1994 the old Marine Railway Station at the Western docks was converted into cruise terminal 1. Lots of the Edwardian features are still in place and give a flavor of a bygone era. Services comprise of cafeteria, security, post box, check-in desk, restrooms and taxi rank.

Cruise Terminal 2

Rising demand from the cruise lines led to the construction of cruise terminal 2, just further along from cruise terminal 1, in 2001. The terminal offers all the necessary facilities including an information point, check-in desks, snack machines and restrooms.

Parking

The cruise port’s 1120 capacity car park is next Cruise Terminal 1, so no transfers are required. Porters will take care of your bags. The car park has been given the Park Mark for secure parking.

For the port website see Port of Dover.

Sightseeing In Dover

Dover Castle
Dover Castle ranks among the largest castles in England. It stands proudly on top of the White Cliffs, watching guard over the bustling port below. Your sightseeing ticklist includes the Guest Chamber, the King’s Kitchen, the King’s Brewery, the King’s Chamber, the King’s Hall, the Great Tower, the medieval tunnels and the Guest Hall. The castle is a steep climb up from the town, but you can catch a bus instead of walking.

White Cliffs Of Dover
The White Cliffs of Dover are five miles of magnificent coastline today under the protection of the National Trust. One idea is to take the bus to St Margaret’s Bay, then hike the 3 miles back to Dover following the well-signed path along the cliff tops. The cliffs were the inspiration for the 1942 Vera Lynn World War Two song, There’ll Be Bluebirds Over the White Cliffs of Dover.

Dover Museum
Dover Museum premier exhibit is a Bronze Age Boat, the world's oldest known seagoing boat and a major archaeological discovery. The boat was originally constructed using oak timbers tied together by yew lashings. The museum is a five minute walk from the cruise dock.

Traveling to Dover Cruise Port

By Car
On the M2/A2 from Canterbury
Follow the A2 (Jubillee Way) down into Dover town. Coming to a roundabout turn left onto the A20 with a sign for Cruise Terminal. Keep to the A20 for around 2 miles as it follows the bay. Then at a roundabout, take the 2nd exit along Viaduct St signed for Cruise Terminals. Carry along this for half-a-mile to arrive at Cruise Terminal 1.
On the M20/A20 from Ashford
Head along the A20. Shortly before arriving in Dover town a roundabout has a right hand exit signed for the Cruise Terminals. Take this and drive for half-a-mile to arrive at Cruise Terminal 1.

By Train
Southeastern trains provide a convenient service by high speed train from London St Pancras and Stratford International to Dover Priory railway station. Journey time is just over one hour. Once at Dover station there are taxis which can transfer you to the cruise port, about 10 minutes away.

Cruise Port - Boston

Introduction

Boston, the largest city in the north eastern US, is seen as an unofficial capital of New England because of its artistic and economic influence on the entire area.

The city has played a large part in American history since its beginnings. In 1630, a group of Puritans arrived from England and founded Boston, which rapidly became the financial, educational and religious center of the Massachusetts colony. In the 1770’s Boston was a hotbed of anti-English feeling. The famous Boston Tea Party, when men dressed as native Americans boarded English ships in the harbor and threw the tea cargo into the sea, was a precursor of the war. The rise of industry in the mid 19th century attracted many immigrants, and Boston transformed from a commercial city with citizens of generally English origin, to a manufacturing hub populated by a majority of Irish residents.

Today Boston is celebrated as a center of computer and electronics inventiveness, thanks to its large number of research and development companies with strong links to premier universities such as Harvard and MIT.

You Choose The Cruise

Boston’s winters are snowy and cold, restricting the cruise calendar to the period between May and September.

Several cruise lines operate cruises out of Boston, including NCL, Royal Caribbean and HAL.

Cruise ships sail northeast following the New England and Canadian coasts, a fall favorite on account fo New England’s magnificent foliage, or south to the gorgeous white sand beaches of Bermuda.

Cruises from Boston details all the cruise ship departures out of Boston.



Cruise Terminal

The Black Falcon Cruise Terminal is situated in South Boston’s lively Waterfront District, just a quick taxi or bus ride from downtown.

The cruise terminal was inaugurated in 1986, and just a year later was offering new cruise routes to Bermuda on the cruise ships Galileo and Canada Star. In 2010 an ambitious $11 million refurbishment of the terminal created twice the space on the third floor to allow for dedicated processing of embarking passengers.

The cruise terminal offers comfortable seating, along with elevators, security screening, luggage porters, check-in desks and soda machines.

Handily placed cruise parking is offered on level 4 at the BRA-EDIC garage, next to the terminal, which is under 24hr security surveillance.

For the port website see Port Of Boston.



Sightseeing In Boston

Freedom Trail
The Freedom Trail tours a historic collection of parks, houses, a battleship, burying grounds and churches, recounting the story of the turbulent years of the American Revolution. Highlights of the tour include Faneuil Hall, with its famous 2nd floor assembly hall, King’s Chapel Burying Ground, with the grave of Mary Chilton the first woman to alight from the Mayflower, USS Constitution, nicknamed Old Ironsides, Boston Common, America’s oldest public park and Old South Meeting House, where the meeting which instigated the Boston Tea Party was held. Be sure to take a break for a refreshing drink at America’s oldest bar, Bell in Hand Tavern, on Union Street.

Paul Revere’s House
The Paul Revere House in Boston’s North End belonged to the famous silversmith between the years 1770 to 1800. Paul Revere is famous for his ‘midnight ride’ from this house to Lexington, to warn Samuel Adams and John Hancock that they were due to be arrested by British troops. The building was carefully restored in the years 1902 to 1908 to closely matche its late 17th century look, with original fireplaces, doors and raftering. The house is open to the public every day excluding winter Mondays and public holidays.

Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
The Museum of Fine Arts is amongst the most representative art museums in the world with a collection that speaks to the diversity and richness of art from prehistoric times to the modern day. One of the most popular works at the museum is Paul Revere’s Sons of Liberty Bowl, engraved with several Revolutionary emblems. The museum is open every day apart from certain public holidays.

USS Constitution
USS Constitution, one of six new battleships whose construction was given the go ahead by the 1794 Naval Armament Act, has served for over 2 centuries in the US Navy. The ship's greatest fame hails from the War of 1812 when she captured four English Navy frigates. During the battles cannon balls shot at the USS Constitution glanced off her thick hull, giving her the moniker ‘Old Ironsides’. The ship is berthed at Pier 1 of the former Charlestown Navy Yard, in the Boston National Historic Park.

Traveling To Boston Cruise Port

By Car

The cruise terminal is within easy reach via the I90 or I93 of many cities in New England including Providence (1 hour away), New Bedford (1 hour away) and Springfield (2 hours away).

From the North
On the I93 expressway leave at exit #23 signed Purchase Street. At the end of the ramp turn left onto Seaport Blvd signed S Boston Waterfront. Make a right onto D street. Make a left onto Summer St. Continue as detailed below ‘From Summer Street’.

From the South
Follow the I-93 north into Boston. Leave at exit #20 signed I-90 Logan Airport. Follow the signs to South Boston. Head onto Congress Street. Turn rightwards right onto D street. Make a left onto Summer St. Continue as detailed below ‘From Summer Street’.

From the West
Drive along the Mass Turnpike head in the direction of Logan Airport. Take exit #25 signed South Boston. Continue straight onto Massport Haul Road. Make a right onto Pumphouse Road. Make a left onto Summer St. Continue as detailed below ‘From Summer Street’.

From Summer Street
Turn left onto Drydock Avenue into the Boston Marine Industrial Park, with a sign for the Cruise Terminal. Straight ahead on the left hand side is the BRA-EDIC garage.

From the Airport
All the Logan Airport terminals have taxi ranks, and it is a short 10 minute ride to the cruise port.

Cruise Port - New Orleans

Introduction

New Orleans is located in southern Louisiana straddling the Mississippi river. Lake Pontchartrain lies to the north, and the river's sedimentary basin and the Gulf of Mexico lie to the south.

New Orleans was originally established by Jean Baptiste La Moyne, who in 1718 created New Orleans as a trading outpost to ship goods from the interior. In the Paris Treaty of 1763, which concluded the Seven Years' War, Spain lost control of Florida, but received a slice of Louisiana which included New Orleans from the French. Several fires destroyed the original French buildings of the French Quarter, so the Spanish rebuilt the city in the much-loved style we see today. In 1801 Napoleon Bonaparte added Spain to the French Empire and Louisiana went back to French ownership. Then in 1803 the colony was sold to the United States in the Louisiana Purchase.

In the 18th century the city’s population grew rapidly with the arrival of Africans, Americans, Germans and French. Major crops of sugar and cotton were produced by a slave labor force on huge plantations near the city, and shipped out from the city’s port.

In the early part of the 20th century, the emerging business and railroad hubs of the Midwest overtook New Orleans both in terms of size and commercial strength.

Severe weather has damaged the city from as early as 1722, but the most destructive ever occurred in 2005, when Hurricane Katrina made landfall just 20 miles from the city. The widespread flooding caused huge damage, and the extensive clean-up and reconstruction program necessary is still in progress.

Today the tourist in New Orleans will find a city with the hottest jazz, delicious Creole cooking, and a blossoming culture unique to the United States.

You Choose The Cruise

Choose between 4 day cruise vacations, to Cozumel, 5 day, visiting Progreso and Cozumel, or week long cruise vacations to a number of ports in the Eastern Carribean or Western Caribbean.

You’ll be able to visit a number of exciting attractions on a cruise departing from New Orleans - in Roatan swim in the blue waters off Half Moon Bay beach, in Costa Maya see the lush flora of the verdant tropical rain forest, in Progreso take an excursion to see the spectacular Mayan ruins at Dzibilchaltun and in Belize experience lazy Cave tubing in the Sibun Caves.

Cruises from New Orleans shows all the cruise departures from New Orleans.

Cruise Terminals Map

Cruise Terminals

Located just behind the Riverwalk shopping complex on the Mississippi river, the Erato St and Julia St cruise terminals are in the heart of downtown a short 10 block stroll to Canal Street, the beginning of the French Quarter. The cruise terminals’ two cruise ship quays add up to an overall total of 609 meters long.

Julia Street Cruise Terminal

Since its opening in 1991 the Julia Street cruise terminal has undergone four major renovations in order to be able to handle the changing size of cruise ships.

Facilities comprise elevated passenger loading ramp, an ATM, souvenir shop, a refreshment stand, check-in desks, a drive-in/drop-off area, A/C and customs screening. The Julia Street cruise terminal is used by Royal Caribbean and NCL. Carl parking is available in the nearby Whale parking area, off Convention Center Boulevard.

Erato Cruise Terminal

The first ever cruise ship to homeport from the Erato cruise terminal after its inauguration October 2006 was the Norwegian Sun.

Available facilities comprise souvenir kiosk, baggage handling, check-in desks, full air-conditioning, elevated passenger loading bridge, a refreshment stand and a drive-off and pick-up area. The top four floors of the building serve as a parking space for over 1,000 cars. The Erato Street cruise terminal is utilized by Carnival Cruises.

For the port website see Port Of New Orleans.

Sightseeing In New Orleans

Jackson Square
Jackson Square is at the center of the French Quarter, one of the finest historical neighborhoods in the United States. The area still displays a unique Spanish and French personality. A number of interesting buildings are found on the square, including the St Louis Cathedral, originally built in 1724, the 1795 Cabildo, the site of the concluding of the Louisiana Purchase in 1803 and the 1791 Presbytére, today the Mardi Gras museum. A bronze statue of General Andrew Jackson who defeated the British at the Battle of New Orleans in 1814 stands at the center of the square.

Bourbon Street
Bourbon Street, full of restaurants, boutiques, adult clubs, jazz club, bars and hotels, is the best known street in New Orleans. Enjoy listening to a jazz band at The Famous Door, the oldest jazz club on Bourbon street. Feast on lunch at Galatoire’s Restaurant, established by Jean Galatoire back in 1905, with its signature Creole dishes. Unwind at the Old Absinthe House, where in 1874 the infamous Absinthe House Frappe drink was served by the patron. Order a glass of Herbsaint, a legal alternative to banned Absinthe. Call at Jean Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop, now a bar in a 1722 creole cottage. Rumor has it that Jean Lafitte operated the blacksmiths as a front for his privateer operations.

Moonwalk
New Orlean’s enjoyable riverwalk, called the Moonwalk, begins at the small Artillery park next to Jackson square. The riverwalk continues upstream as far as Canal Street. You can take a time out on one of the many iron benches for some picnicking, people watching and boat spotting.

St Louis Cemetery No 1
The 18th century raided cemeteries of New Orleans are the only ones of their kind in the United States. The origin of the above ground vaulted tombs is in dispute, it may beX6 due to the soggy land, X6 that it was a Spanish Roman Catholic tradition. Be warned that St Louis #1 cemetery is well known for spooky apparitions, inexplicable happenings and strange sounds. The cemetery is a short walk from the French Quarter.

Traveling To New Orleans Cruise Port

By Car

Take I-10 south into New Orleans city center. Take exit 234A signed Business/Westbank onto US90. Continue along US90, then leave at exit 11C, the last exit before the Mississippi river, signed Tchoupitoulas St/South Peters St. Join Calliope St. Turn right onto Tchoupitoulas St. Then turn left onto Henderson St.

Then for Whale parking lot, turn left off Henderson St into Convention Center Blvd. Continue for almost a mile then turn right into the lot.

Then for Erato St terminal parking lot, at the bottom of Henderson St turn left into Port of New Orleans Pl. Carry on for half a mile to reach the terminal.

From The Airport

The Louis Armstrong International Airport (MSY) is about 18 miles from the cruise terminals. There are two choices for the transfer, either take the shuttle bus, or hail a cab.

Cruise Port - Galveston

Introduction

Galveston is a city of nearly 50000 inhabitants located on a long narrow island running parallel to the mainland of Texas south from Houston.

The source of the city’s name comes from 1785 when a Spanish ship’s navigator called the island Galveztown in honor of the Count of Galvez, a count from near Madrid in Spain. In 1836 ten businessmen led by Michel Menard from Canada purchased land on the island to construct a city. The city thrived and by the mid 1800s Galveston had become a prosperous city, the home of a large port and affluent business community.

But in 1900 an enormous hurricane struck the island bringing a tidal surge that covered the island, killing over 6000 people and destroying any buildings in the way. To negate the danger of any more storms the city constructed a seawall seven miles in length and up to 17 feet high. The ground level of nearly 500 city blocks was also raised.

Today the city has risen to become a major conurbation with a successful tourist industry and a profitable commercial port.

You Choose The Cruise

Cruise vacations from Galveston visit exciting ports of call including destinations in Mexico, Honduras, Belize and Jamaica. Choose from cruises of 4, 5 or 7 day lengths. You can cruise to a whole number of fascinating places- in Belize experience ever-popular Cave Tubing in the Sibun Caves, in Roatan snorkel in the blue waters of Half Moon Bay Beach, in Grand Cayman amble along the beautiful white sands of gorgeous 7 Mile Beach and in Costa Maya see the amazing rain forest.

Cruises from Galveston shows all the cruise departures from Galveston.

Cruise Terminals Map



Cruise Terminals

The first cruise ship to sail out Galveston was Norwegian Cruise Line’s Southward on a summer series of cruises in 1974. The ship operated from Pier 15. Though it was not until 1990 when the first cruise building, the $2 million Texas cruise ship terminal, was opened at the Mallory building next to Pier 25. The terminal was renamed cruise terminal 1 in 2001. In 1999 Carnival Cruise Lines, the largest cruise line in the world, unveiled a decision to offer cruises from the Port of Galveston. In Sept 2000 Carnival Celebration cruised for the first time out of the port. Then in 2001 Royal Caribbean International signed a contract with the Port of Galveston to homeport a vessel at the port. An unused warehouse was improved to form cruise terminal 2, and an RCI cruise ship was based at the new terminal in 2002.



Terminal 1 at piers 23,24,25 and 26

Carnival and Princess Cruises operate cruise terminal 1. The terminal boasts efficient baggage handling services, an expansive cruise passenger embark and debark floor and fast customs facilities. The terminal services a single cruise ship berth



Terminal 2 at piers 27 and 28

Terminal 2 is operated by RCI, Princess Cruises and Celebrity Cruises.The terminal offers streamlined security, baggage handling facilities and a streamlined cruise passenger embarkation and disembarkation area. The terminal has access to just one ship berth

Secure car parking is offered for both terminals at two large parking lots. There is a free shuttle bus service between the parking lots and the cruise terminals.

For the port website see Port Of Galveston.



Sightseeing In Galveston

Ocean Star Offshore Drilling Rig and Museum
The Ocean Star Drilling Rig and Museum is housed in a retired rig which served for nearly two decades in the Mexican Gulf. Check out displays and videos explaining seismic exploration, rig operation and oil production. The museum is open to the public daily, and about an hour is needed to tour the museum. The museum is moored at Galveston's Pier 19 at Harborside Drive.

Texas Seaport Museum
Texas Seaport Museum is the home of the famous tall ship Elissa which transported cargo for nearly 100 years, sailing first the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico, then the Baltic sea and North sea, to finish her career in the Mediterranean. In the nearby museum and theater, hear the story of Elissa's last minute escape from the scrap heap and her painstaking renovation. The museum is sited next to the cruise port.

Bishop's Palace
To experience how the ‘other half’ lived towards the end of the nineteenth century drop by at the wonderful Bishops Palace. The house was constructed in 1892 for the railroad magnate Walter Gresham and his extended family. The house is flamboyantly furnished with scores of original items like eleven impressive fireplaces, rare wood paneling and bronze statues. The gift shop in the basement sells a wide range of jewelry, memorabilia and teas. The Bishop’s Palace is located on Broadway Avenue on the southern side of Galveston’s heritage East End district.

Schlitterbahn Waterpark
The Schlitterbahn Waterpark is a complete blast for all the family with its amazing variety of water rides lke the Bahnzai Pipeline twin water flume, the Blastenhoff heated pool with swim up bar, the Cliffhanger near vertical speed slides, the Whitewater beach, the Torrent tidal wave river and the Wasserfest heated pool. The outdoor section is open during the summer months, the Wasserfest indoor section opens year round. The waterpark is adjacent to Scholes airport, around 9 miles from the cruise ship port.

Moody Gardens
Moody Gardens is a huge tourist draw with three major buildings, the blue Aquarium pyramid, the glass Rainforest pyramid and the pink Discovery Pyramid. Enter the Aquarium pyramid and tour the Caribbean, the North Pacific and the South Atlantic. See Rainforest Pyramid with over 1000 species of luxurious plants from the rainforests of Africa, the Americas and Asia. Explore the interesting field of science at the Discovery Pyramid which presents a number of fascinating exhibitions. Moody Gardens is positioned next to Galveston’s airport, about 2 miles from the cruise port.

Traveling To Galveston Cruise Port

By Car

From Houston
Follow I-45 to Galveston Island. Take Exit 1C. Follow the Exit 1C feeder road then make a left onto Harborside Drive (Highway 275). Continue 4 1/2 miles to Kempner/22nd Street, turn left onto Kempner/22nd to arrive at the cruise terminals.

From the East
Follow State Highway 87 West towards Galveston Island. Catch the Port Bolivar car ferry. Exit the ferry on Highway 87/Ferry road. After 3/4 mile turn right onto Harborside Drive/H275 Continue 1 mile next make a right onto Kempner/22nd street to reach the cruise terminals.

From the Airports
There is a lack of public transport from either George Bush or Hobby airports to Galveston, so the only options are to catch a cruise line shuttle coach or hire a car.

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.