| Cruise ports of call from close to home are | | | | Tour the beautiful streets and estates like |
| what cruise passengers are choosing on a more | | | | Boone Hall or Magnolia plantation. If you |
| frequent basis. It has been a steadily | | | | have time go out to Fort Sumter National |
| increasing trend according to CLIA, the | | | | Monument for an interesting tour of a Civil |
| cruise lines official organization. Cruise | | | | War memorial. |
| ports of call close to home gives the cruise | | | | |
| passenger many more choices and eliminates | | | | In the fall of 2006 the port in Norfolk, |
| the hassle of heightened airport security. | | | | Virginia will offer several cruise lines for |
| | | | the cruise traveler to choose from. Norfolk |
| Cruise lines have caught on to this trend of | | | | is loaded with all things to do with the |
| cruise passengers using cruise ports of call | | | | Navy. If you take a stroll down Cannonball |
| close to home and are positioning their ships | | | | Trail, you willview in depth the history |
| up and down the East Coast, the West Coast | | | | of Norfolk's history. The cruise lines offer |
| and the Gulf of Mexico. This allows cruise | | | | the cruise passenger itineraries to Bermuda, |
| passengers the option of traveling to their | | | | the Bahamas and the Caribbean. |
| cruise port of call by car, train or bus. It | | | | |
| will also save you some money since you will | | | | Now, further north to Baltimore, Maryland's |
| not be buying expensive airline tickets. | | | | Inner Harbor. They have a dedicated cruise |
| With the money saved on airline tickets it | | | | terminal for any cruise passenger that lives |
| allows the cruise traveler the choice of | | | | around this area. The beauty of the |
| picking a pricier cabin, a more luxurious | | | | Chesapeake Bay is renowned, and some of the |
| cruise line, or more cash to spend at their | | | | most delicious seafood can be found in this |
| destinations. | | | | port. Don't miss the aquarium with over |
| | | | 10,000 sharks, stingrays, dolphins and |
| Following are description of the various | | | | tropical fish. |
| cruise ports of call that are now offered to | | | | |
| the cruise passenger on the East Coast. We | | | | Just up the road is the Philadelphia Port for |
| will start in Florida since that is by far | | | | cruise travelers. Currently there are two |
| the most popular port of embarkation for the | | | | cruise lines offering cruise passengers trips |
| cruise traveler. | | | | to Bermuda. Philadelphia is where the |
| | | | Constitution was signed so don't miss |
| Miami is the busiest of all ports on the | | | | Independence Hall and, of course, the Liberty |
| Eastern Seaboard. Miami is a world class | | | | Bell. South Street has lots of funky shops |
| attraction offering incredible beaches, the | | | | and cafes. There is the 9th street market |
| Art Deco section of Miami Beach, a widely | | | | which is always very colorful. And don't |
| diverse culture and marvelous food. Having | | | | leave on your cruise until you have had a |
| left this port on numerous occasions, it is | | | | cheese steak and an Italian hoagie. |
| one of the most efficiently run ports. | | | | |
| | | | We are still going north, this time to |
| Next is Fort Lauderdale which many cruise | | | | Bayonne, New Jersey to Bayonne Cape Liberty |
| travelers choose as a departure port. It has | | | | Cruise Port. This is the newest cruise |
| miles of beautiful beaches, the trendy Los | | | | terminal and is good choice if you do not |
| Olas district, and many chic restaurants. On | | | | want the hassle of New York. Bayonne used |
| Saturdays and Sundays there can be more that | | | | to be the home of oil refineries but now it |
| eight cruise ships departing Port Everglades. | | | | is the place for Port of Bayonne cruises. |
| If you have time before your cruise | | | | There is only one cruise line departing from |
| adventure, go out to the Everglades and take | | | | this port but in a way that is a good thing, |
| an airboat tour over this spectacular nature | | | | since there will be less congestion. And it |
| preserve. | | | | is only 7 miles from New York and three miles |
| | | | from Newark. You will see stunning views of |
| Up the coast is Port Canaveral. It is called | | | | Lady Liberty and the Manhattan skyline. |
| the Space Coast and has many attractions | | | | |
| including all of Orlando's theme parks. If | | | | Cross the George Washington Bridge and you |
| you can, visit the fascinating Space center | | | | are in lower Manhattan. There are a couple |
| along with the Astronaut Hall of Fame. This | | | | of cruise lines offering cruises from this |
| port does not have as many cruise lines as | | | | port including the Queen Mary II. You can do |
| the previous ports but it is a viable option | | | | a Broadway show, visit some of the excellent |
| for people all over Florida and adjacent | | | | museums or visit the Empire State Building. |
| states who wish to take a Port of Canaveral | | | | Nothing is as dazzling as sailing our out of |
| cruise. | | | | this port past Lady Liberty. |
| | | | |
| Further north is the Port of Jacksonville. | | | | Our last stop is Boston, Massachusett's Black |
| They only offer one cruise ship but is very | | | | Fountain Cruise Terminal located in the |
| convenient for anyone living in that area. | | | | industrial center. Cruise travelers are |
| They have a very mild climate so all sports | | | | offered cruises to New England and Canada. |
| are available. There is also Gardens and the | | | | Luckily downtown Boston is only a few miles |
| Crummer Museum. | | | | away. This city is so rich in history. Take |
| | | | a tour on the Freedom Trail to see many of |
| Across the state of Florida is the Port of | | | | the important historical sites. Don't miss |
| Tampa. There are many attractions here, too, | | | | Faneuil Hall Marketplace and do a little pub |
| including Ybor City, the cigar capital of the | | | | hopping, Bostonians favorite pastime. |
| world, Busch Gardens and towards the center | | | | |
| of the state Cypress Gardens. Having revamped | | | | Well, now you can choose your cruise from a |
| its terminal to the tune of $6.5 million | | | | close to home port, and this is only the East |
| dollars it has more than doubled its size. | | | | Coast. Next we'll explore the Gulf of Mexico. |
| The Port of Tampa cruises are centrally | | | | |
| located on the West coast of Florida | | | | Happy Cruising! |
| | | | |
| Let's keep going up the East Coast to | | | | Copyright © Mary Hanna, All Rights |
| Charleston, South Carolina. There are two | | | | Reserved. |
| cruise lines in the Port of Charleston that | | | | |
| take cruise passengers to Bermuda or the | | | | This article may be distributed freely on |
| Caribbean. Nothing can beat the Southern | | | | your website and in your ezines, as long as |
| charm and flavor of the city of Charleston | | | | this entire article, copyright notice, links |
| located conveniently close to tour for you, | | | | and the resource box are unchanged. |
| prior to your Port of Charleston cruise. | | | | |