10 Cruises From Florida for a Warm-weather Getaway
These cruise lines offer trips from Florida to sunny destinations in the Caribbean and beyond.
Courtesy of Seabourn Cruise Line
Florida’s coastlines on the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico are home to cruise ports in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Tampa, Jacksonville, and Port Canaveral. Cruises from Florida take travelers to exciting destinations around the world, ranging from Caribbean islands to European countries. And because so many cruise lines offer itineraries leaving from Florida, you can find a wide variety of cruises to fit any budget or travel style —including fantastic family cruises and luxury cruises perfect for couples.
Royal Caribbean International
Courtesy of Royal Caribbean
Royal Caribbean’s cruises depart from Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Port Canaveral, and Tampa. Itineraries range from three-day trips to the Caribbean, Key West, and Mexico to 14-day transatlantic cruises to ports like Barcelona and Rome. Royal Caribbean also offers cruises through the Panama Canal that disembark in Los Angeles.
Most Caribbean cruises include a day at CocoCay, the cruise line’s private island in the Bahamas, where guests can swim in the Caribbean’s largest freshwater pool, lounge in a cabana, or grab a cocktail at the swim-up bar. There’s a water park, a zip line, and quiet spots for relaxation. Royal Caribbean’s ships feature family-oriented onboard amenities like water parks, pools, arcades, lounges for teens, and entertainment that includes ice skating, circus-style shows, dancing, and live bands.
Carnival Cruise Lines
Courtesy of Carnival Cruise Line
With departures from Miami, Port Canaveral, Jacksonville, and Tampa, Carnival's ships visit Caribbean islands, the Bahamas, and Mexico. Carnival also offers a 16-day cruise from Miami to Seattle with stops in Colombia, Costa Rica, and Mexico.
Families will especially appreciate Carnival Cruises, but there’s something for everyone on the expansive ships. Seuss at Sea features parades, story time, arts and crafts, character breakfasts, and fun for Dr. Seuss fans of all ages. Camp Ocean offers activities like games, movies, and more for young travelers, and they have supervised programs so parents can enjoy a night out without the kids.
Disney Cruise Line
Courtesy of Disney
Departing from Florida ports in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and Port Canaveral, Disney cruises include Broadway-style entertainment, fireworks, character experiences, movies, and water park fun. Disney’s Oceaneer Club offers age-appropriate activities for kids ages three to 12. Designed for families and Disney fans of all ages, the ships also include adult-exclusive restaurants, lounges, pools, and a spa.
Castaway Cay, Disney’s private island in the Bahamas, features family-friendly and adults-only beaches with umbrellas and beach chairs, water slides, snorkeling, live music, character appearances, and a barbecue lunch. Three, four, and five-night cruises stop in tropical Caribbean destinations and Castaway Key.
Princess Cruises
Courtesy of Princess Cruises
Princess Cruises embark from Fort Lauderdale for destinations throughout the Caribbean islands, including Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Martinique, and Turks and Caicos. Onboard, find a spa, pool, casino, and entertainment including magic shows, films, and musicals. Camp Discovery offers age-appropriate experiences for young cruisers.
Princess features MedallionClass for a streamlined experience, with a small wearable device used for touch-free boarding, contactless payments, and keyless stateroom entry. In addition to traditional dining, Princess introduced "360: An Extraordinary Experience," an immersive dining experience available to guests booked in suite accommodations aboard Discovery Princess and Enchanted Princess. Through synchronized storytelling, imagery, music, and food, guests are taken on a fun Mediterranean journey.
Norwegian Cruise Line
Courtesy of Norwegian Cruise Line
Norwegian cruises depart from Miami, Tampa, and Port Canaveral to visit destinations in the Caribbean, Mexico, and South America, as well as Spain and Portugal.
Norwegian offers multi-room suites, connecting staterooms, and on many ships, two-bedroom family suites. Activities for young cruisers include Splash Academy for children as young as six months. For 13 to 17-year-olds, Entourage features video games and movies. Adults-only areas include a pool, casino, spa, and beach club.
Norwegian’s Freestyle Cruising concept lets guests make their own schedule for dining and entertainment, which includes Broadway-style musicals, live music, nightclubs, parties, comedy clubs, and variety shows.
Virgin Voyages
Courtesy of Virgin Voyages
Virgin Voyages, Richard Branson's adults-only cruise line, sails from its own Terminal V in Miami, which opened in February 2022. Scarlet Lady sails from Miami with voyages from four to eight nights to destinations in Mexico, Honduras, the Florida Keys, Puerto Rico, and St. Croix. All include a full day at Virgin Voyages Beach Club at Bimini where guests can take a guided scuba dive or a cultural tour, enjoy an afternoon cruise around Bimini, or relax on the beach in a comfy day bed.
Virgin Voyages cruises include all food, non-alcoholic beverages, tips, Wi-Fi, and group fitness classes. More than 20 eateries offer something for everyone, with everything from 24-hour casual spots to upscale steakhouses. Accommodations range from inside staterooms to the over-the-top Mega Rockstar Suites.
Viking Ocean Cruises
Courtesy of Viking
Viking cruises depart from Fort Lauderdale for destinations that include Caribbean islands, Mexico, Belize, Costa Rica, and Honduras. In keeping with its theme of being the “thinking person’s cruise,” the ships have onboard libraries, guest lectures, and classes to enhance the experience.
Viking’s new, all-veranda ocean ships carry only 930 guests (much fewer than the thousands you'll see on mega-ships). The modern Scandinavian design is elegant, and each ship is identical, providing a comfortable level of familiarity for Viking’s many returning guests.
Regent Seven Seas Cruises
Courtesy of Regent Seven Seas Cruises
Regent Seven Seas cruises embark in Miami for destinations in the Caribbean that include Curacao, Aruba, St. Barts, Trinidad, Guadalupe, Barbados, and more. The cruise line offers a 17-day voyage with visits to Aruba, Curacao, and several other islands before heading north to Charleston, Norfolk, and New York City. A longer 150-night cruise originates in Miami and ends in San Francisco after visiting ports around the globe.
With all-suite luxury ships, all-inclusive dining, upscale shore excursions, and pre-cruise hotel stays, Regent Seven Seas cruises generally attract adults and experienced travelers who appreciate the sophisticated atmosphere and amenities. Evening entertainment includes cabaret shows, musical revues, and performances by the Regent Signature Orchestra. A spa, fitness center, casino, cooking classes, lecture programs, and presentations that highlight destinations are available onboard, too.
Celebrity Cruises
Courtesy of Celebrity Cruises
Celebrity Cruises depart from Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and Tampa for short trips to the Bahamas and longer voyages throughout the Caribbean. Three and four-night getaways are popular, with stops in Key West and Nassau. An 11-night Panama Canal cruise boards in Fort Lauderdale for two days at sea before visiting Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao, and Cartagena, Columbia before returning to Fort Lauderdale.
“Relaxed luxury” is how Celebrity describes its style, and the focus is on service, dining, entertainment, and comfort. Guests can upgrade their experience by booking a room in The Retreat, with suite accommodations, a private restaurant, an exclusive lounge and sundeck, and a dedicated butler. Families are welcome, and Celebrity offers Camp at Sea with engaging and enriching programs for younger travelers.
Holland America Line
Courtesy of Holland America Line
Holland America offers Caribbean cruises, Panama Canal crossings, transatlantic journeys, and more trips (ranging from seven to 31 days) from its Fort Lauderdale port. The Panama Canal, Inca, and South America Discovery cruise stops in Aruba before entering the canal and heads to ports in Ecuador, Peru, Chile, and Uruguay before disembarkation in Buenos Aires.
Their newest ship, Rotterdam, continues Holland America’s tradition of excellent cuisine, service, and entertainment. Restaurants range from casual to gourmet with menus by world-class celebrity chefs. And young cruisers stay busy at Club HAL with arts and crafts, video games, scavenger hunts, and themed parties.
Seabourn
Courtesy of Seabourn Cruise Line
Seabourn cruises depart from Miami to reach destinations in the Caribbean and beyond. The luxury cruise line’s itineraries tend to be longer; the 140-day Extraordinary Discoveries cruise ends in Barcelona after visits to ports in Africa, Australia, and the South Pacific, to name a few. Transatlantic cruises go to Barcelona, Lisbon, and Dover.
Seabourn’s intimate ships feature ocean-front suites, world-class dining, and premium wines and spirits. In the Grand Salon, lectures, live music, cabaret performances, and classical recitals entertain guests. Onboard entertainment includes “An Evening With Tim Rice,” a concert-style presentation highlighting his most popular work, from "Jesus Christ Superstar" to "The Lion King."
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