Many seasoned and novice cruisers labor under the misguided notion they must leave the land from any one of Florida’s several ports, including Miami, Jacksonville and Fort Lauderdale, in order to reach their tropical destination of choice. However, these same travelers are often overlooking a busy port that might be closer to home than they might think: New York City. Embarking from New York is not only a potentially wise financial decision, especially if this vibrant city is closer to home than Florida or even Texas, it also allows you to enjoy the wonders waiting for you in this metropolitan area, which is a great excuse to extend your vacation for a few more days! Here are just a few of the many reasons why shoving off from one of New York’s various ports might just be the best vacation decision you’ll ever make.
Centralized Location
Here’s a typical scenario you might find all too familiar, especially if you’ve ever had to trudge all the way to Florida just to start your vacation: You wake up long before the sun rises, hurry the kids and luggage into the car, drive to the airport and stand in line for what seems like hours just to board a plane to reach Florida, which isn’t even the sight of your vacation. Take many of these physically and mentally exhausting factors out of the equation if you leave port from New York, especially if you live within a few hours of the city. Imagine being able to lazily roll out of bed, enjoying a long shower and leaving on your schedule from one of New York many breathtaking ports. If you must travel a short distance to New York, the city also boasts a variety of bus depots, three major airports and a sprawling train system, providing you with several convenient choices to reach the city on your terms.
Start Your Vacation with a Vacation
There are several reasons why New York is “the city so nice they named it twice.” The sheer amount of distractions and attractions available in this vibrant metropolis is a mini-excursion in itself, and a great way to either begin or end your vacation. Wander through the city’s numerous museums, enjoy a classic or contemporary show on Broadway or rub elbows with the stars while watching a Knicks game at Madison Square Garden. You might find yourself so engrossed in the city that you even forget you have a cruise to board!
Hidden Savings
You might not notice a huge price discrepancy between cruises that are embarking from Florida or cruises from New York, but you will find surprising ways to save money when you board your liner from the Big Apple. One massive expense that many overlook is the price of traveling to a Florida port city. Whether you travel by bus, plane, car or train, reaching the Florida peninsula can potentially take a huge bite out of your travel budget. Keep this money in your pocket by leaving from one of New York’s centrally located ports. You might also be forced to stay in a hotel overnight if traveling from Florida and this cost isn’t included in the price of your cruise. Leaving from New York could eliminate the need for an unwanted overnight stay, which is another way to keep money in your already depleted travel budget.
Destinations
The Caribbean and Mexico are two of the hottest cruise destinations, and many assume that embarking from Florida or Texas is the obvious choice to reach either of these tropical paradises. Traveling from New York may add a few hours to your cruise, but you’ll still reach any of these sultry journey’s ends with plenty of time to enjoy the sights, and the beach. New York is also a popular starting point for travelers looking to explore Canada and New England. Imagine leaving one of New York’s famous ports to begin a romantic weekend cruise along the banks of New England to watch the fall leaves change color.
A final popular cruise destination from New York ports is, well, nowhere. Many tourists flock to this famous city to cruise around its harbor for the weekend, admire the sights –including the Statue of Liberty and return without leaving the area. These excursions are referred to as “Cruises to Nowhere” and are an experience not to be missed.
This guest post was provided by Shannon Pierce, who is a freelance writer and cruise coordinator. She helps hundreds of people book great cruises, and truly believes travel expands the mind Image by Josh Friedman Luxury Travel.
