Hi,
I am trying to plan a new cruise. It doesn't matter where I leave from as I live in the midwest and am not near any port city. I have questions about different cruises.

1. Where in NYC do cruises leave from?

2. Besides the obvious excursions what is there to do in Bermuda?

3. I've heard that Florida is horrible for embarkation and disembarkation. Is this true? Are there some cities in Florida that are better then others?

4. I've heard that Jamaica is dirty and dangerous. Is this true?

5. What is the port of Galveston like? Is this a small town or a large city? Are there hotels close to the port?

6. I always enjoy spending the day before in the city I am leaving from. What does Galveston have to offer?

7. Besides florida, New Orleans, New York, and Galveston are there any other port cities that I am overlooking?

Bermuda has gorgeous beaches- carriage rides thru Hamilton- the ferry ,which gives you an overview of the island, from the harbour...

Also there are neat caves, a dolphin show, a botanical garden--


Florida is FINE for embarkation and disembarkation- I have been using FLA for 28 years with NO problems-- Puerto Rico was the WORST place...

Other places of embabarkation- ALL thru Europe....

Jamaica IS dirty- but so are most of the Caribbean islands--not really dirty, but lots of poverty...
I am NOT a lover of Jamaica as I am tired of being accosted of trying to have someone sell me dope the minute I step off a ship---and that is the MAIN reason I dislike Jamaica...

Try to do a SOUTHERN caribbean cruise as the islands are TERRIFIC- these cruises usually start from Puerto Rico--just overlook the crummy DISEMBARKATION there- it is a madhouse to try to find your luggage..but if you MARK if properly ,you will be fine...

There are 10 + day cruises leaving from Ft. Lauderdale & Tampa that will take you to the southern Caribbean. You can eliminate the flight to San Juan.

We like Holland America & Princess, and Celebrity is good , too.

Check out their websites to narrow your decision. Have fun.

We have had no problem cruising from Florida or San Juan. Baltimore is a rather new port. In Jamaica we took a cab to Rose Hall Beach Club. It is a private beach where no one can get in to sell you anything or braid your hair!

In my years of cruising I've sailed out of Miami twice.. and the second time reminded me why I hated the Port of Miami and for the second time vow never to cruise from there again. It is obvious you would love Bermuda (we are going on our 10th cruise to Bermuda in six weeks from NYC this time).. There are the "usual" excursions in Bermuda but you can do these on your own.. whether the Perfume Factory, the Crystal Caves,Glass Factory, Aquarium,etc. all by bus or ferry. Bermuda is only 19 miles wide and the people are wonderful, the island immaculate and the shopping fabulous.. There are many ships leaving from NYC to Bermuda, the Caribbean or New England/Canada.. Oh yes..you are overlooking Boston...where the Pier people are the most incredible helpful and polite and that includes the State Police. Cruising from Boston has been a hidden secret no longer...it the BlackFalcon Pier is only 10 minutes from the airport..there is a parking garage a block away which was only charging $10.00 a day.. NCL Dawn (great review on that a few days ago) from NYC does a round trip to Cape Canaveral, Miami and their own beach and back to NYC.. Their disembarking program beats anything else we have ever been on.. you have your breakfast when you want it and you can leave the ship after it's cleared...no waitng in long lines or in the public areas. There is a Carnival that leaves from NYC, but I'm not sure where it's going, probably Bermuda.. and the Nordic Empress a Royal Caribbean that also goes to Bermuda as well as two Celebrity. If you have any questions please write me at [email protected]

I can respond to the part concerning Galveston. Galveston is not a place you would really want to stay before a cruise. The water is murky brown, and the beaches are covered in seaweed.

They are in the process of revitalizing the city, and maybe in a few years it will be nicer. But for now, I would not suggest Galveston as a city to start a cruise.

But, there is the Strand which has little shops and Moody Gardens is a complex with a man-made rainforest, beach, and an IMAX. I would say it's more like a small town, but I'm from Houston so what I think is small might not be small to you. There are hotels close to port.

Hi mercedes355, you said the water in Galveston is murky brown and they are trying to clean it up. That is really too bad bicause it sounds like there are a lot of really great cruises that leave from there. What is this strand and Moody Gardens that you mention? One last question for you-how far is Houston from Galveston?

While the beaches in Galveston are not a good reason to go there, the city of Galveston is fun for a day. The Strand is a revitalized part of downtown (1 block from the cruise terminal) that has victorian buildings filled with shops and restaurants. It's very low key and kind of interesting. There are a few museums to visit like the Texas Seaport Museum and some old restored Victorian homes with tours.

Galveston is about 1 hour from downtown Houston. There are 2 airports in Houston. Hobby is to the south of town and closer to Galveston (about 45 minutes away). Southwest Airlines schedules most of its flights out of Hobby. The farther (and larger) airport is Bush Intercontinental, which is about 1-1/2 hours from Galveston.

There are a few hotels near the port (cruise terminal). My favorite is Harbor House: http://www.harborhousepier21.com/
It is literally 1 block from the cruise terminal and you can watch your ship arrive from the hotel. Another good choice is Tremont House, which is about 2-3 blocks away and right on the Strand. People also like Hotel Galvez, but it's a cab ride away.

Let me know if you have any other questions.

Susan

Celebrity has sailings out of Baltimore. It is a fun city to visit a day or 2 before or after the cruise. It is a very reasonable cab ride distance from the downtown inner harbor to the cruise port.

I can respond to some of these questions. I have never had any problem with any port specifically; however, the airports can be a different story. Have been in San Juan airport at least a couple times arriving/departing for cruises and this was PRE 9-11. The airport will filled with people everywhere, sitting on the floors, etc., esp. if travelling on the usual Saturday/Sunday which is when a lot of cruises transfer people in and out of the port. In order words, the airport was a zoo when I was there. Same thing with arriving in Miami ESPECIALLY if you go on Carnival and have to retrieve your own luggage. Have seen the baggage claim area to be a zoo as well, totally crowded with all the incomers getting ready to be bussed to the ports. So related to question #3, we've never really had a problem with embarking, but the frequently used airports can be nuts. In addition, I also think it depends on what time you arrive to the ship. On all the cruises I've been on, someone we don't end up there too early, so we usually have breezed right in.

There are also other ports now being used, I believe, on the west coast. Of course, Vancouver/Seattle for Alaska, but I also think L.A. and San Diego for Panama Canal cruises that go through mexico and the carribean islands.

Jamaica, Andy's reply hit the nail on the head for me, too, so I won't repeat it. If you venture on your own walking through town, expect to be accosted to buy drugs, buy anything, or for the natives to give you a walking "tour". If you stay where the people are and ignore them, you should be ok. But definitely not first on my places of islands to visit. If you do happen to get on a cruise to Jamaica, Dunn's River Falls is a nice excursion.

Hope this helps.

Oh, one last thing, if I were sailing from PR in the future, I would try to avoid flying there as I just recalled some of the worst turbulence I've ever encountered happened during flights to San Juan. Have had others state similar experiences. Something about that Bermuda triangle--lol

Hi Everyone and thanks for all your replies.

Andy, thanks for the information on Bermuda. That is a cruise we are strongly considering.

dmb123, thanks for the information on the Rose Hall Beach Club. If we do go to Jamaica that is something I will consider.

Parrotmom, It sounds like you truly love Boston. Are you sure you don't work for their visitors bureau. You also make Bermuda sound wonderful. You must love it considering the number of times you have been there.

Susan, thanks for the information on Galveston. After reading what you said I would probably like to spend a day in Galveston if we choose to take a cruise from there. If we do cruise from Galveston I will also check out your hotel recommendations.

Budman, could you elaborate on Baltimore.

Hugglynn, based on what you and many others have said I definitely don't want to cruise from Purto Rico.

Does anyone have any comments of the port of New York?

We just came back from an eastern Carib cruise departing from Miami on the Royal Carib. Explorer of the Seas. this was our third cruise and by far the very best. Departing from Miami was easy & organized. the ship, service, food, and shows were top notch. Will definitely do it again.

The Baltimore Inner Harbor is a fun place if you've never been there. Camden Yards, home of the Orioles is within walking distance. They have a GREAT aquarium, great reataurants, water taxi's to places all around the harbor. Near the harbor, reachable by water taxi is Fells Point which is a great places for bars & shopping and hanging out.

We are taking the Galaxy out of Baltimore in November and plan to spend a night or two before the cruise.

Check out Baltimore on a web site.