When exactly do we have to be in port by?

[iowahuskerkid]

We are staying in West Palm Beach for 3 nights before our cruise and have a few things planned. I was wondering when exactly we had to be in port to board the cruise ship. Was wondering if we would have time to go to Miami Seaqarium before boarding. I don't even know how long to plan for the walk through of the aquarium. Please help ease my jitters :)

[psblin99]

Most lines require you be on board 1 hour before sailing. If you are going to the seaquarium 1st thing in the morning you will have plenty of time.

[Keith1010]

For the start of the cruise the requirement is now usually 90 minutes before the ship leaves. Most like to board early on the day of embarkation so that they can get settled in, have lunch, unpack, explore the ship and then attend the lifeboat drill. I'm sure you could visit the Seaquarium in the morning.

 

Keith

[iowahuskerkid]

I'm thinking we'll get up really early and hopefully be at the Seaquarium by 9 a.m. and their website says to allow 4 hours. We'll probably get it done in 2 or 3 hours. Then it's only 25 min. away from the Port, so that should work good...hopefully! What time does the Carnival cruise usually want you on board? By 4 p.m.?

[Capt_BJ]

You do realize that the Seaquarium is not "an aquarium" but rather a sort of poor man's Sea World.....one of the old style animal parks that used to dot the Florida Coastline.

 

Tampa has a nice aquarium.... a fish museum. That's not what you find at the Miami Seaquarium. It has "dolphin shows".

 

I'm not saying don't go...just don't want you to be expecting something it is not. As an alternative have you looked at Parrot Jungle? It is newer and very close to the port (across the channel)

[iowahuskerkid]

I really appreciate your advise. My husband just loves to look at fish of all kinds, especially saltwater fish. We would like to not go too far out of West Palm Beach, Ft. Lauderdale or Miami area. Do you have any recommendations for anything around there? Does Parrot Jungle have aqauriums? I did look at that one for a bit, but didn't think they had much, but didn't research that park too well. Let me know what you think. I definitely don't want to pay that much money to be disappointed.

[wrp96]

Your ship departs at 4pm, therefore you have to be onboard the ship no later than 3pm. But I would not plan on boarding that late. If there are any delays (traffic backups, flat tires, etc), then you could miss your ship. Remember you can usually start boarding the ship around 11:30 or 12.

[Bequia]

Take a pass on Parrot Jungle, over priced, over rated, tourist trap. Take a pass on the Miami SeaAquarium as well, way past it's prime. Take your hubby to Big Al's Aquarium Center in Tamarac, it's an easy on and off the highway on your way to the cruise terminal.

Big Al's is the largest freshwater and saltwater fish retail store on the East Coast. You can spend a day looking at his display tanks and retail tanks and still not see everything. Big Al's is to tropical fish and aquariums what Home Depot is to lumber and hardware. It's huge, it's free! ;)

 

http://www.bigalsaquariumstores.com/

 

 

 

71

[psblin99]

Consider Butterfly World in Pompano!

[iowahuskerkid]

Free is even better :) I'll definitely take him there, its worth a shot :)

[PINEVIEW01]

Take your hubby to Big Al's Aquarium Center in Tamarac, it's an easy on and off the highway on your way to the cruise terminal.

 

Big Al's is the largest freshwater and saltwater fish retail store on the East Coast. You can spend a day looking at his display tanks and retail tanks and still not see everything. Big Al's is to tropical fish and aquariums what Home Depot is to lumber and hardware. It's huge, it's free! ;)

 

http://www.bigalsaquariumstores.com/

 

 

 

71

 

Were if this located. this is right up my alley

[BlueHerons]

I really appreciate your advise. My husband just loves to look at fish of all kinds, especially saltwater fish. We would like to not go too far out of West Palm Beach, Ft. Lauderdale or Miami area. Do you have any recommendations for anything around there? Does Parrot Jungle have aqauriums? I did look at that one for a bit, but didn't think they had much, but didn't research that park too well. Let me know what you think. I definitely don't want to pay that much money to be disappointed.

 

 

Even better, why not snorkel Peanut Island? It is in the middle of Lake Worth which is the body of water that separates West Palm Beach (the mainland) and Palm Beach (the barrier island). Also, do the water taxi around Lake Worth.

 

Hopefully the Florida Power and Light viewing station will be back open to the public. The manatees flock to the FPL station in the winter for the warm water runoff from the power plant.

http://www.fpl.com/environment/endangered/manatee_overview.shtml

 

http://www.peanutislandwatertaxi.com/

 

Sailfish Marina on Singer Island (which is the barrier island next door to Palm Beach) is a fantastic place to sit outside and eat and watch the ginormous yachts on Lake Worth. Also, every Thursday night they have an outdoor craft show/event and sunset party. Here is a link to a blog.

 

http://thirdagetraveler.blogspot.com/2007/06/sailfish-marina-restaurant-singer.html

 

http://www.sailfishmarina.com/amenities.html