Realistic boarding time in Tampa

[mspink98]

We sail out of Tampa on Majesty of the Seas next month. We live in NE FL, so we will be driving to port that morning and parking offsite. When sailing from Port Canaveral or Ft. Lauderdale/Miami, we have typically arrived around 10:30-11 and been able to board pretty much right away.

 

Recent Tampa sailers, has this been your experience as well? I know the "official" time is something like 1:00, but the sooner we're on board, the sooner vacation starts. And, quite honestly, the sooner we're through the downtown Orlando mess, the better.

[JohninDC]

Have not sailed "recently" from Tampa, but your times/plan sound reasonable and what we would try to do.

[DaveOKC]

Two weeks ago we boarded our HAL ship at 11:30 am.

[Clarea]

Royal has been starting boarding on their cruises out of Florida ports around 11am lately.

[Capt_BJ]

is it a week day? And from NE Florida, are you planning on I-4??

 

Tampa has a wicked rush hour ESPECIALLY at the I-4 I-275 merge which is pretty much where you are going, and don't forget that I-4 is a MESS thru downtown Orlando with big time construction and DELAYS from north of the city thru the Disney area ..... worse than usual (I've had to make 4 Orlando I-4 runs in the past month and each has been a PITA. "I-4 ULTIMATE" is the name of the expansion project and it is a mess)

 

I'd plan my arrival time accordingly!!!! Or get a room for the nite b4 and come thru at will sans traffic problems.

 

You might want to use this site to monitor traffic for a few days b4 you hit the road ..... http://www.mynews13.com//content/news/cfnews13/traffic.html

[FloriDan]

Tampa has a wicked rush hour ESPECIALLY at the I-4 I-275 merge...

 

What he said. We live in Tampa and avoid I-4 like the plague. If there's a chance you're going to hit at a bad time (and maybe even if you aren't), consider jumping off the interstate at Seffner, coming down into Brandon and taking the Selmon Expressway into downtown. The quickest way will be on the elevated lanes and the entrance is south of the Westfield Brandon mall. It will dump you out a couple of blocks west of Channelside Drive where the port is.

[FloriDan]

I should add though that the Selmon is a toll road. $1.75 or $1.95 depending on whether or not you have SunPass in your car.

[mspink98]

We’ve been debating whether we should just avoid I-4 altogether, and I think these comments have solidified it. We’ll run the backroads to 75 around Ocala or Gainesville and come down that way. Thanks, y’all!

[Capt_BJ]

watch the site I mentioned for a few days .....

 

75 is not a magic answer!!!!!

 

Yes you miss the Orlando mess

 

but you get dumped into the same Tampa mess .....just from another side!

[mco_rich]

Just take the 417 south from I4, you will skirt round the construction and join back on I4 just past Disney traffic improves after 8.30 so as you get to Tampa will be ok around 9.39

 

 

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[MarlboroBell]

RCCL starts boarding in Tampa around 10:30am. Peak is around noon, and by 1pm when we arrived last week, the terminal was dead and we got from the port entrance to Deck 4 in about 10-15 minutes. Make your own choice!

[JohninDC]

Thanks for the feedback.

[mspink98]

We're solving the whole problem by going to Disney the day before we sail, which of course puts us on the right side of Orlando, not to mention only an hour or so from port. Creative problem solving and one day left on a multi-day ticket FTW! :D:cool:

[FloriDan]

...Creative problem solving and one day left on a multi-day ticket FTW! :D:cool:

 

I love this solution! Perfect! Enjoy your Disney day.

[wannasail4ever]

Sounds like I've found the motherload of information here (which I needed! :cool:). We are also on the Majesty on July 14 and will be driving down from central Alabama. Have not cruised from Tampa in many years so I'm sure everything has changed. We will be driving down I-75, so give me my best route, please! Also, I've posted this ? elsewhere, but any hints on a good place to stay and park pre-cruise?

 

Thanks for your help!

 

Macy

[JohninDC]

Sounds like I've found the motherload of information here (which I needed! :cool:). We are also on the Majesty on July 14 and will be driving down from central Alabama. Have not cruised from Tampa in many years so I'm sure everything has changed. We will be driving down I-75, so give me my best route, please! Also, I've posted this ? elsewhere, but any hints on a good place to stay and park pre-cruise?

 

Thanks for your help!

 

Macy

 

I cannot help with driving directions, but Rocky Point area offers several hotels with cruise parking packages - we liked Chase Suites, but shop around. Have a great cruise! :)

[wannasail4ever]

I cannot help with driving directions, but Rocky Point area offers several hotels with cruise parking packages - we liked Chase Suites, but shop around. Have a great cruise! :)

 

Thank you! I'm thinking the Rocky Point Area sounds about right for us.

 

Macy