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Time to kill between getting off boat and flight home in Tampa


kitkaatt
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I have from when I disembark the ship until 5 pm in Tampa until I need to be at the airport. What can someone do for that time while carrying luggage around?:D

 

Usually the ship offers an Excursion that ends at the airport. Luggage goes in cargo hold of tour bus.

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I saw that as an excursion option, but wasn't sure if there were other things. I will probably end up booking it even though I still think we will end up at the airport early. Maybe they will adjust the tour if everyone has a flight as late as ours. Thanks

NMLady!

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We disembarked at the Tampa terminal on 12/1417 and as we were leaving I noticed a baggage holding window at the terminal. I'm sorry we didn't notice the cost. We had planned on flying the home the day of disembarkation, but it was a later flight that day. We decided to stay over that night and fly home the next day, making for a much easier disembarkation.

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The Aquarium sounds like fun! Maybe drop off the luggage there, do Ybor city as well, then Trolley back and maybe Uber airport. Thanks caribsun!

 

Aquarium is fun. I particularly enjoyed the seahorse exhibit. Lots to see.

 

They offer an optional 75 minute boat excursion to view wild dolphins.

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At the pier there is shopping, restaurants, Tampa Aquarium and trolley to Ybor City. Luggage storage at aquarium. https://www.813area.com/tampa/channelside/

 

Channelside is virtually dead. Has been 80% or more empty store fronts for years. Parts have been approved for demolition ....

 

Hooters and the bowling alley were about all that was left when I was there a couple of months ago, down more from a year ago.

 

The aquarium is OK and last I heard they will hold luggage.

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If you do spend some time in Ybor City, a great place for lunch is the Columbia restaurant. Great ambiance, great Cuban/Spanish food, wonderful sangria!

I live in the Tampa Bay area, and the Columbia restaurant is my favorite place to go when I want a really special lunch.

They tend to be very busy at lunchtime .... tourists seem to also love it there ... so it's best to get there before noon.

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I had tried to get an earlier flight, but there were none that were nonstop. While I don't mind flying, I really don't like getting stuck on a plane. It gets stuffy, claustrophobic and uncomfortably warm. I'm okay with the late departure, it's the luggage that throws me off. Everyone has given me some great information and direction. I really appreciate it. With being able to store our luggage, the Aquarium and Ybor city should be great. Then we can Uber to the airport when we are done. Very excited! Thank you all!

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There's a Columbia Cafe just a short walk from the aquarium if you don't want to trek out to YBOR which is more of a night venue ... not much during the day.

 

Cafe has a limited menu (as compared to the main Columbia in YBOR) but for lunch they probably have what you want and rather than being locked in a big windowless dining room, it is open and waterside ... right on 'riverwalk'

 

http://www.columbiarestaurant.com/Menus-By-Location/Locations/Tampa-Bay-History-Center

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There's a Columbia Cafe just a short walk from the aquarium if you don't want to trek out to YBOR which is more of a night venue ... not much during the day.

 

Cafe has a limited menu (as compared to the main Columbia in YBOR) but for lunch they probably have what you want and rather than being locked in a big windowless dining room, it is open and waterside ... right on 'riverwalk'

 

http://www.columbiarestaurant.com/Menus-By-Location/Locations/Tampa-Bay-History-Center

 

 

Thanks!

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There's a Columbia Cafe just a short walk from the aquarium if you don't want to trek out to YBOR which is more of a night venue ... not much during the day.

 

Cafe has a limited menu (as compared to the main Columbia in YBOR) but for lunch they probably have what you want and rather than being locked in a big windowless dining room, it is open and waterside ... right on 'riverwalk'

 

http://www.columbiarestaurant.com/Menus-By-Location/Locations/Tampa-Bay-History-Center

 

In the main Columbia restaurant there are multiple dining rooms in the building that houses the restaurant. I was just there a few days ago with visiting friends from out of state, and while not all dining rooms have windows, all the dining rooms have great ambiance because of the Spanish-style décor. The service there is outstanding, the menu large, the food great, and IMO, worth the effort to get there. It has great "class", but at the same time is casual.

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Channelside is virtually dead. Has been 80% or more empty store fronts for years. Parts have been approved for demolition ....

 

Hooters and the bowling alley were about all that was left when I was there a couple of months ago, down more from a year ago.

 

The aquarium is OK and last I heard they will hold luggage.

Hmmm. Interesting. I am looking at taking a little trip down to Tampa in a couple of weeks and was thinking of staying in the area. Any more comments? Safe?

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general area is fine .... Channelside just never made a profit. I never saw the place 'full', there were alway a bunch of empty storefronts.

 

we recently did a weekend in Tampa having won a weekend room in the Barrymore. This is an older property, former HJ as I recall, recently redone. For the price - no complaints and I'd stay here again. It is next to the Straz Performing Arts Center aka where the big plays happen. AND it is on Riverwalk.

 

Riverwalk is a safe place day or night IMO ... Barrymore is toward the north end and Channelside (such as it is) is the south end. As I mentioned Columbia Cafe is near the south end too).

 

We walked Riverwalk from end to end in the evening, then went over to YBOR for dinner each of 2 nites. Once we ate at Columbia YBOR (good for dinner but consider the Cafe water side for lunch) and the other night there is a very nice little Italian place in YBOR ....... yummmmmm ...... La Terrazza

 

altho had we been smarter we'd have made ressies for Bern's ....... if you go to Tampa and miss Bern's you miss a treat.

We failed to make ressies and could not get in on short notice .... but we've been many times b4 and can say it is WORTH a visit

 

Consistently in the top 20 steakhouses in US

 

arguably the largest wine list of any restaurant, anywhere (yet you can get a nice bottle for under $30 ... if you want to spend $1500, they can accommodate you)

 

wanna see the kitchen? No problem

 

wanna see the (on site) wine cellar? No problem (but they have warehouses of wine stored off site)

 

want dessert? When you make your ressie, also make a ressie for the completely sep' dessert room ...... {you can visit only the dessert room all on its own}

 

https://www.bernssteakhouse.com/

 

Enjoy your visit to Tampa .... we always do .....

Edited by Capt_BJ
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