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Chapter 15 Landing in the Caribbean
In This Chapter Poking around the ports of embarkation Calling at the Caribbean’s ports Enjoying the best excursions Exploring private islands
hen most people think cruise, they think Caribbean, whether Wthey mean to or not. It’s almost creepy, like they’ve been programmed — and maybe they have. For a dog’s age, the cruise indus- try focused laserlike on the region, and it’s still the top cruise destina- tion, for good reason. On the practical side, the Caribbean islands (and The Bahamas, which aren’t technically on the Caribbean Sea but might as well be) are pretty much in Florida’s backyard, and are so close to one another that it makes for easy sailing. On the unpractical side are white-sand beaches, swaying palms, clear turquoise waters, tropical fish, lush gardens, deep rain forests, waterfalls, mountains, rivers, and even volcanoes — plus rich Caribbean culture, spicy Caribbean food, European colonial history, and a big dollop of laid-back island living to top it all off. The multicultural history of the region creates a checker- board blend, with the architecture, language, and customs of the Spanish, French, Dutch, Swedish, British, and Americans in their former (and cur- rent) colonies or possession. Pre-Columbian peoples, European explor- ers, pirates, and shipwrecked sailors all contributed to the stories behind numerous ruins, forts, churches, synagogues, historic homes, and museums.
StormingCOPYRIGHTED the Shore MATERIAL Now granted, a lot of the islands are touristy, but often it’s confined to the vicinity of the docks and other resort areas. If you tire of shopping for fine jewelry, local handicrafts, and duty-free items (or of tipping back the beers at an island bar), you can head to more isolated and frequently gor- geous spots along the coast or in the interior, either on your own or a shore excursion. In this chapter, we list a selection of the best excursions offered by cruise lines in all the ports. 23_598309 ch15.qxd 10/20/05 10:55 AM Page 273
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Major sights on many of the islands are also perfectly accessible on your own, either on foot or with the aid of a taxi or other transportation. As is true everywhere, the cruise lines contract with local operators to run these tours, so you may be able to get the same trips cheaper by book- ing them yourself once you arrive. Of course, you may just want the ease of having the cruise line do it for you, figuring the extra few bucks they make off the top is worth it.
Shore excursions aren’t what they used to be either. For every bland bus tour or mindless booze cruise, the cruise lines over the past few years have also been programming more and more active excursions, includ- ing rain forest hikes, mountain biking, golf, jungle canopy exploration, scuba, sport fishing, horseback riding, and more.
The prices listed in this chapter are based on 2005 rates and may be slightly higher in 2006.
Boarding Ship for the Caribbean The main port cities for Caribbean cruises remain in Florida — Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Cape Canaveral/Cocoa Beach, and Tampa — plus San Juan (Puerto Rico). In recent years, though, cruises have been leaving from alternative homeports such as Galveston and Houston, Texas; Charleston, South Carolina; Norfolk, Virginia; Jacksonville, Florida; and even as far north as Baltimore, Philadelphia, and New York. Beyond Puerto Rico, other Caribbean islands also serve as homeports, including St. Thomas and Barbados.
In this chapter, we cover the most heavily trafficked ports of embarka- tion for Caribbean cruises — Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Cape Canaveral/ Cocoa Beach, Tampa, and Galveston — hitting the see-and-do highlights, whether you only have a few hours before or after your cruise or are planning an extra couple days. (Prior to Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans served as a popular port — and may again — but cleanup from the dev- astation could take months or even years.) The cruise lines typically offer pre- and post-cruise packages for hotels, sometimes with a rental car, admission to local attractions, and/or organized tours.
San Juan, which is a port of embarkation and a popular port of call, is covered in the ports of call section. Miami Maybe more than anyplace else in the U.S., Miami seems to embody the cultural mash-up of fashion, celebrity, design, and wealth that is America in 2006. It’s the most Latin city in the country, with a stylin’ club scene that’s utterly replaced the retirement condo lifestyle that predominated in the 1970s. It’s like the Rat Pack era has returned, only now it’s got a Latino accent. 23_598309 ch15.qxd 10/20/05 10:55 AM Page 274
274 Part V: Calling All Ports: Where to Go and Why The Gulf of Mexico & the Caribbean
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Florida Homeports
85 319 19 29 10 10 Fort Walton Beach 98 231 10 Pensacola 98 River Jacksonville Destin CENTRAL Tallahassee TIME EASTERN 319 Panama City Apalachicola 19 TIME 27 98 319 A 27 p a l a ApalachicolaApalachicola c h e CRUISE LINE HOMEPORTS e OCALA NATIONAL FOREST B MIAMI Carnival a y Celebrity Crystal Norwegian Oceania Royal Caribbean Silversea Windjammer Tampa FORT LAUDERDALE Carnival Clearwater Celebrity Costa Gulf of Crystal Cunard Mexico Holland America MSC Cruises Princess Radisson Royal Caribbean Seabourn Silversea Windjammer BIG CYPRESS CAPE CANAVERAL Carnival NATIONAL PRESERVE Disney Royal Caribbean EVERGLADES TAMPA Carnival NATIONAL PARK Celebrity Holland America Royal Caribbean
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Of course, all the stuff that made Miami a resort destination in the first place is still there too: sparkling beaches, crystal clear waters, palm fronds, and that particularly Miami style of resort hotel, jutting up right from the beach’s edge. And it’s the undisputed cruise capital of the world, with nearly 4 million passengers embarking here annually. Cruising into port Miami International Airport (% 305-876-7000; www.miami-airport. com) is about 8 miles (or 15 minutes) west of downtown Miami and the port. If you’ve arranged air transportation and/or transfers through the cruise line, a cruise line rep directs you to shuttle buses to the port. Taxis are also available for a fare of about $21 (plus tip) to the port. SuperShuttle (% 305-871-2000) charges $12 per person to the port, with two pieces of luggage.
If you’re arriving by car from the north, take I-95 to I-395 and head east on I-395, exiting at Biscayne Boulevard. Make a right and go south to Port Boulevard. Make a left and go over the Port Bridge. Coming in from the northwest, take Interstate 75 to State Road 826 (Palmetto Expwy.) south to State Road 836 east. Exit at Biscayne Boulevard. Make a right and go south to Port Boulevard. Make a left and go over the Port Bridge. Parking lots at street level face the cruise terminals. Parking runs $12 per day.
A five-lane bridge from the downtown district of Miami provides access to the number-one cruise port in the world, the Port of Miami (1015 N. America Way; % 305-371-7678; www.miamidade.gov/portofmiami). To accommodate the enormous amount of cruise traffic, a dozen bi-level terminals offer easy car access (as you’re coming) and quick Customs clearance (as you’re going). Scoring the best excursions Everglades Airboat Ride: The Seminole Indians called the Everglades Pahay Okee, the “grassy water,” and on this 40-minute airboat ride you get to see some of the area’s indigenous wildlife, including water birds and American alligators (4 hours; $45). Exploring on your own You probably need a taxi to hit most of the attractions in Miami.
Go to the beach! You can beachcomb along 10 miles of glorious sand and surf between the south of Miami Beach and Haulover Beach Park at the north end. Behind the surf, South Beach’s renowned Art Deco district spreads out over a full square mile. All in all, it’s the largest concentra- tion of 1920s and 1930s resort architecture in the U.S. The district stretches from 6th to 23rd streets, and from the Atlantic Ocean to Lennox Court. Ocean Drive boasts many premier Art Deco hotels, while other buildings house chic shops, clubs, restaurants, and cafes.
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