Deciding Where to Go on Your Cruise

So, you agreed with my Top 3 Reasons to try a Cruise, YAY! Now the next decision is where should you go? In this post I am only including locations that have cruises departing from US ports. Here in Florida we are blessed to have 4 cruise ports, many of you aren’t so lucky. If you don’t live near a cruise port, fear not! Many cruise lines are able to bundle flights with your cruise so that your travel is as seamless as possible.

General Cruise Destinations

Each cruise line has its own itineraries and while they vary there are some generalities within the itineraries. To make this easier for you I am generalizing the destinations into areas that cruises frequently visit.

Eastern Caribbean

This area includes the US Virgin Islands (St Croix, St John & St Thomas), Antigua, Grand Turk, St Kitts, St Maarten and Puerto Rico.

Western Caribbean

This area includes Key West, Costa Maya, Cozumel, Grand Cayman, Belize, Roatan and Jamaica.

The Bahamas

the Bahamas are made up of more than 700 islands but cruise ships often visit Freeport and Nassau.

Bermuda

Bermuda is located in the Atlantic Ocean and is a frequent port for cruises originating in the north east United States.

Mexican Riviera

The ports of the Mexican Rivera were made famous by the “Love Boat”. These include Ensenada, Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan, Ixtapa and Acapulco.

Hawaii

Cruising the Hawaiian Islands is a wonderful way to island hop and see several of the islands on one vacation.

Canada and New England

These ports include Boston, Portland, St John, and Halifax

Alaska

Alaskan cruises usually focus on the inside or outside passage. Many recommend adding a land tour to see more of this beautiful state.

South Pacific

A South Pacific Cruise with stops in exotic places like Tahiti, Bora Bora and American Samoa would be an amazing once-in-a-lifetime vacation.

A Free Printable to Help You Plan

After reading those destinations I am ready to pack and hit the high seas, how about you? Well, where are you going to leave from? There are 20 major cruise ports in the USA. If you know where you want to go on your cruise now you need to see what port will get you there. I created a chart of the 20 ports and the areas you can cruise to from those ports. I analyzed 5 major cruise line’s current cruise offerings to create this chart. It is valid for 2015 and should give you general ideas past this year. Please click on the image below to download the chart to help in your cruise planning.

I hope you are getting excited about your upcoming cruise! I can’t wait for mine!