Tampa Sailaway

[Leela]

The "Leaving Fort Lauderdale" thread has made me wonder if there are any nice sights/special things to make sure to look out for when leaving Tampa? Mom & I are cruising on the Horizon in April. Neither of us have ever sailed out of Tampa.

[letsgonow]

After leaving the pier, there will be some beautiful homes on the starboard side of the ship. Then, approximately three to four hours later, the Horizon will sail under the Sunshine Skyway. There aren't any announcements about the bridge, so you have to keep watching. It is an impressive sight at night, as the bridge itself looks like a huge sailboat. Once under the bridge, the ship will be in the Gulf of Mexico.

 

I will be on the March 14 sailing, and enjoyed the same itinerary last year. Have a great cruise!

 

Steve

[Leela]

Thanks for the tips! Have a great time on your cruise, too!

[Heymem]

Just sailed on the Horizon out of Tampa in Feb. The bridge is 2 1/2 hours out of Tampa. It looks like you are going to touch the bottom of the bridge. I am not sure we didn't! Be on the deck on the front when you go under it. Wild.

[Shirley and Les]

...It looks like you are going to touch the bottom of the bridge. I am not sure we didn't!..

Supposedly, the bridge is one of the showstoppers preventing Tampa from becoming a major cruiseport. A lot of the larger cruise ships won't fit under it :eek: with the current channel conditions.

Les

[Cracker Ken]

It can vary a little bit, regarding how long it takes to get out to the Sunshine Skyway Bridge. It was about 2 hours when we sailed under it on a HAL ship. It is indeed a beautiful bridge. We live in Central FL and have been over the bridge before (including the bridge before it that was knocked down by an off course freighter). This is a cable stayed bridge, with one huge set of cables running down the middle of it. The cable coverings are painted bright yellow, and are lighted at night. It looks really nice at night. It's still a site to see before it gets dark too. If you go up high to the forward observation deck (on top), it will be a real treat. You will be able to get the best photo of the bridge if you take it off the back of the ship facing East (aft) after the ship has went under the bridge. The late afternoon sun should have the bridge and cables lit up nicely when you pass under.

 

As you leave the docks, there will be dry docks, ship builders, industrial areas, and tank farms on the port side of the ship. On the starboard side will be Davis Islands. The nice homes the other poster mentioned make for good viewing. You will pass those, then the small airport and yacht basin at the end of Davis Islands. After a bit, you will pass S. of MacDill Air Force Base through the channel. The next thing you will see is the St. Petersburg skyline off the starboard side before you approach the Sunshine Skyway Bridge. There's hardly anything to see off the port side when leaving Tampa Bay.

 

Yes, those new obscenely huge ships that some lines are building (like the RCI Voyager and Ultra Voyager, and probably the Grand Princess size ships) won't fit under the bridge. The current bridge is a lot higher than the one it replaced, and it is very high off the water with a clearance of 193 ft. Ships the size of "X" Millineum class ships should be able to make it under the bridge OK. Carnival is sailing a new huge ship (Carnival Miracle) under the bridge routinely. It's the same size as the Vista Class HAL ships. Here is a link to some info:

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunshine_Skyway_Bridge

 

Ken