Florida - Cruise and Stay

The Sunshine State with Sunshine Cruises 

As with millions of other people, cruising is my favourite way to holiday. What I like even more is having additional nights in the place I Embark and Disembark the cruise. As Caribbean cruising is what I do most each year, the place I stay most is Florida.

Orlando is of course most famous for the Theme Parks but people don't realise there is so much more to do in Orlando and the surrounding areas. The nearest cruise port to Orlando is Port Canaveral which will take you around 50 minutes by car. This is perfect for travellers looking to have a cruise and stay with Orlando.

Port Canaveral is home to the Kennedy Space Centre as well Cocoa Beach, where sun worshippers and surfers take to the waves. Many cruise lines offer Caribbean cruises on a daily basis from port Canaveral. This is a great place for any traveller looking to relax prior to their cruise as hotels here have brilliant cruise and stay packages.

The ports in Florida with most on offer are Miami and Fort Lauderdale. These are both in the South of Florida and can get extremely hot here in the summer months. Both places have brilliant nnight-life to offer with Miami being the most popular. Hotels, Restaurants and Bars are abundant in both places.

Passengers cruising out of Tampa can take advantage of the shopping, sightseeing and museums the city has to offer. As well as some top zoos, Tampa is home to the world famous Busch Gardens. Located just one hour by car from Orlando, Tampa is a very convenient port to use whilst staying in Orlando and the surrounding areas.

The port of Jacksonville is the most northern cruise port in Florida, located North of Cape Canaveral. Jacksonville port offers cruises from Carnival Cruise lines. With under 200,000 passengers travelling through the port each year, this is the least popular port in Florida. The port opened in 2003 and is known as JAXPORT.

Florida's Five Ports:

* Miami - Port of Miami

* Fort Lauderdale - Port Everglades

* Tampa - Port Tampa Bay

* Cape Canaveral - Port Canaveral 

* Jacksonville - Jacksonville Port

My recommendations for places to stay.........

Orlando is a huge City with lots on offer, in different areas. My favourite area to stay is Lake Buena Vista, home to Disney. You do pay more of a premium for hotels in this Area but I would recommend it for all travellers wanting nice surroundings and easy access to all of the sights in Orlando.

The Hotel I find myself returning to the most is the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress hotel. A brilliant hotel year round with fantastic amenities on offer for all!

Cocoa Beach is a great place to stay if you are looking for a beach break, but not wanting to pay Fort Lauderdale or Miami hotel prices. Cocoa Beach have great stuff to do including the Casino Cruise - which is just as it says. This is a Casino on board a small ship where you are taken to sea for a day of gambling. Food and beverages are supplied on board. This is a lot of fun!!!

On my last trip to Florida I stayed at Vero Beach which is south of Orlando but North of Fort Lauderdale. Here, I stayed at The Coste De' Este Beach resort, a hotel owned by the one and only Gloria Estefan. This hotel was absolutely wonderful. Greeted by a stunning exterior and beautiful entrance, from the moment I arrived, to the moment I left, there was nothing I could fault with this hotel. The area is more residential as there are only a handful of hotels surrounding. I would highly the hotel to anyone looking for a luxurious relaxing break, and the Area is a well known place to visit for fisherman.

Florida is endless fun for all ages and I would recommend a Cruise and Stay in Florida to anyone looking at taking a Caribbean Cruise.