Ya Know What I'm Going to Love Most About Carnival vs NCL or VV?

[Daruma]

That I can sail out of Tampa, which is only an hour away, vs Miami which is 4 hours away, lol 😂🤣

[mz-s]

Carnival's home port strategy is a huge competitive advantage for sure!

[vswan]

I sailed NCL out of Tampa. Carnival too.

[ninjacat123]

I have never sailed out of Tampa.  I should look into cruises out of Tampa👍

[shof515]

Royal also sails out of Tampa too

[lazydayz]

Here are the things I love about my Carnival cruises that sail from Tampa.

 

Carnival has the fun ships, so there are a lot of activities if you want to participate.

 

There will be live music around the ship, in addition to the piano bar.

 

Comedy shows nearly every night (usually two different comedians).

 

The pizza is really good.  

 

The new Emeril's selections each night in the MDR. Delicious. 

 

You get to sail under the Sunshine Skyway bridge.

 

Valet parking is offered at a reasonable price (cheaper if you book online in advance). 

 

In addition to the many hours of driving saved, it's a less stressful trip to the Port.  Downtown Tampa is not nearly as chaotic as Miami. 

[Daruma]

Thank you all. 

 

I didn't include Royal simply because I haven't yet looked into a Royal cruise for myself ... but I know that they sail out of Tampa because as a college graduation present, (in 25 days, May 3rd), my son is going on the Grandeur of the Seas sometime in August. 

 

As for NCL, none of the cruises in which I was interested sail out of Tampa 🤷

[jimbo5544]

16 hours ago, ninjacat123 said:

I have never sailed out of Tampa.  I should look into cruises out of Tampa👍

Nice sail away.  Pretty unique port, clearing the bridge is cool as well.  I would def say do it.

[Daruma]

3 hours ago, jimbo5544 said:

Nice sail away.  Pretty unique port, clearing the bridge is cool as well.  I would def say do it.

 

Already have. 

 

I've got two VV cruises and one Carnival cruise booked... I'm just not looking forward to having to go to Miami... but I do loves me da no kids cruising, lol... plus all the other different ways VV handles cruising. 

 

But yeah... nothing at all wrong with Carnival and they SAIL OUT OF TAMPA 🎆🎊🎉

[davy jones]

Doesn't the Skyway Bridge limit the size of the ships sailing from Tampa?

[jimbo5544]

32 minutes ago, davy jones said:

Doesn't the Skyway Bridge limit the size of the ships sailing from Tampa?

Yup

[jimbo5544]

And unless somebody comes up with a bridge grower that is not changing anytime soon.

[mz-s]

Would be cheaper and probably better for them to build a new cruise terminal outside of the bridge's path than it would be to build a new bridge.

[lazydayz]

34 minutes ago, mz-s said:

Would be cheaper and probably better for them to build a new cruise terminal outside of the bridge's path than it would be to build a new bridge.

 

Probably but that is Tampa's only access to the Gulf of Mexico.  So it would have to be in another county.  At one time, Tampa offered St. Pete a swap. Tampa would get the Rays and St. Pete could do a cruise terminal.  That didn't go very far. 

[Frank12]

1 hour ago, davy jones said:

Doesn't the Skyway Bridge limit the size of the ships sailing from Tampa?

Fantasy and Spirit class are the only ones who can make it under the bridge.