Fort Lauderdale Ranked Top Departure Port for Premium Cruises
Cruising Web site CruiseCompete has released its latest CruiseTrends report. Among the study’s findings:
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Fort Lauderdale, Florida, is the most popular departure port for premium-cruise travellers. I’ve cruised from its Port Everglades twice.
The oceanside city has miles of beach, nature parks, and fabulous food to enjoy before and/or after your cruise.
My favorite place to stay in Fort Lauderdale is the Pelican Grand Beach Resort, which boasts an oceanfront location, a spa, and a lazy river. It also features a wonderful verandah with cushioned rocking chairs overlooking the water; I once spent a lovely night there with a friend, sipping wine from the hotel bar steps away, talking and rocking under a full moon, with the sound of the surf breaking on the beach. And in the morning, pelicans really did swoop past our charming suite’s balcony.
The Caribbean is the favorite destination region for these travellers. The area offers plenty for everyone to enjoy: sparkling turquoise waters, powdery white beaches, lush greenery, colorful flowers, exotic wildlife, flavorful cuisine, smooth rums, colonial and pirate history, and geological wonders including waterfalls, cenotes, and volcanoes.
Their destination country of choice is the Bahamas, the archipelago nation which comprises 700 islands and 2,400 cays about 800 miles from Florida.
The most popular port-of-call is Nassau, the capital city on the island of New Providence, known for its beaches, coral reefs, and conch-based foods.
A short ferry ride away is Paradise Island, which boasts the Caesars-affiliated Atlantis resort, which features a casino, a water park, and a marine habitat.
And I’ve enjoyed two splendid days on Half Moon Cay, Holland America’s private island in the Bahamas.
Every HAL Caribbean cruise from Fort Lauderdale includes a call at the peaceful small island.
If you’re looking to relax while enjoying spectacular scenery, delicious food, and learning a little history, a Caribbean cruise from Fort Lauderdale is a fine choice.
I fell in love with travel on a trip to Mexico when I was nine years old. Since then, I’ve travelled the globe from Israel to El Salvador. I’ve skied the Swiss Alps and hiked national parks like Acadia, Zion, Shenandoah, and Virgin Islands. I’ve marvelled at masterpieces in the Prado, the Uffizi, the Huntington, and the National Gallery of Art. I’ve stayed in a cabin on a mountaintop in Norway and on a kibbutz along the Sea of Galilee, and been kicked out of the Ritz at the Place Vendôme. I’ve taken cooking classes from New England to the Caribbean, and watched a chef prepare traditional shakshuka in the kitchen of his restaurant in Tel Aviv. I weave historical research and my personal experiences together in writing this blog. I hope you find it helpful. Read more …
