Looks like no 7 day cruises from Tampa next summer

[mommom of 7]

Yeah we are lucky to have the most ports within driving distance, but I'm sure everyone who is disappointed has their reasons. :o

 

For me, I was hoping to have a wedding aboard the Miracle, Pride or Legend (the only class of ships with Chapels) and since it would be in our backyard all of my family could attend. Even the elderly, those who can not afford to travel with us or those who could not make the drive would have been able to come. That leaves me with the way over priced option of RCCL or doing it on the Paradise. Sailed the Paradise twice and attended 2 weddings...not impressed. So darn it, I am a bit disappointed, but life will go on and we will have to figure something else out.:p

 

When the LEGEND came back from dry dock the Chapel was no more. I tis now a crew only area. Shame as it was beautiful room. Was sorry to see it go.

[mawmawmaw123]

YES!!!! Year-round 7 day cruises from Long Beach! So next year we don't have to take a plane somewhere to go on a cruise in the summer!

[gtalum]

MEMO...Florida is greatly blessed with Seniors from EVERY State in the USA who spend their golden years in Florida.............to enjoy the weather. have access to cruises and such. Florida has MILLIONS of cruising seniors. And they greatly enrich this state. Their tax money. The homes or condos they buy. The money spent in restaurants and such when family comes to visit. We have Many wonderful Canadians here.......who are cruising lovers.

 

Many cruise MANY times a year. Cruise lines RUN buses to retirement villages due to the huge number who cruise one, two, three times a MONTH. And they are the most fun of all people to cruise with. Cruise lines make Way Plenty off of them.....so showing them some love.............could only enrich their coffers.

 

PLUS Tampa draws....Alabama. Mississippi. The Panhandle. Tennessee. Kentucky. there are Inner state highways from most of the Central States and most of the N.W Southern states to Tampa.

I have never understood why they do not have a ship in Pensacola. The beaches there are stunning.

From the Tip of Alabama...which is also TN. and MS border.....to Pensacola.....6-8 hour drive.

Tampa..longer but still. .you can cut across Georgia.

 

Tampa is dying as a port because it is constrained by the Sunshine Skyway.

 

Pensacola has no cruise port and no place to feasibly build one. The airport doesn't have the capacity to serve cruise passengers on embarkation/debarkation day. Finally, there are several options just a few hours' drive away in New Orleans.

[jwalk03]

I really don't understand the I can't go on a cruise if the port is not with XXX number of hours from home. I mean it amazes me how many people do the same ship and the same collection of ports over and over and over again just becuase they want to only cruise out of the port that is located the closest to home.

 

Granted I live in Ohio, so NO PORT is close to me, but still. I have been on 4 cruises and cruises from a different port each time. Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, San Juan, and Pt. Canaveral, and my 5th cruise next year is going to be from San Diego!

 

Broaden your horizons and try out new ships, new cruise lines, new ports of call, new embarkation ports! It makes for a much more exciting vacation! IMHO.

[classylady59]

I am very disappointed to hear the news and am really hoping we get a 7 night ship to replace the Legend/Pride itinerary.:(

I live a few minutes from the Port of Tampa and love cruising out of there.

 

I agree. I live 50 minutes from the Port of Tampa. It is so convenient. We really need another option for 7 day cruises. I don't really like the Fantasy Class ships for 7 days. Once you go on a larger ship, it is hard to go back to a smaller one, IMHO. But that is just me. Plus, I love a balcony and the smaller ships don't offer that.

[sc4125]

I really don't understand the I can't go on a cruise if the port is not with XXX number of hours from home. I mean it amazes me how many people do the same ship and the same collection of ports over and over and over again just becuase they want to only cruise out of the port that is located the closest to home.

 

Granted I live in Ohio, so NO PORT is close to me, but still. I have been on 4 cruises and cruises from a different port each time. Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, San Juan, and Pt. Canaveral, and my 5th cruise next year is going to be from San Diego!

 

Broaden your horizons and try out new ships, new cruise lines, new ports of call, new embarkation ports! It makes for a much more exciting vacation! IMHO.

 

No one is saying they CAN'T go XXX number of hours from home, we're just disappointed that after so many years of being able to do 7 day cruises out of Tampa that it's no longer available. It's a great embarkation port.

 

I'm sure that if you lived close to a port, you'd love to have the option of cruising close to home, right? Not saying it's the only place you'd ever cruise from, but it is nice to have it available.

 

Luckily I live between Tampa & Orlando, so it's not that big of a deal, but I can understand the disappointment.

 

I'm not a WHINER - anymore than those that live in the north were WHINING about cold weather this year!!

[S.S.Oceanlover]

No one is saying they CAN'T go XXX number of hours from home, we're just disappointed that after so many years of being able to do 7 day cruises out of Tampa that it's no longer available. It's a great embarkation port.

 

I'm sure that if you lived close to a port, you'd love to have the option of cruising close to home, right? Not saying it's the only place you'd ever cruise from, but it is nice to have it available.

 

Luckily I live between Tampa & Orlando, so it's not that big of a deal, but I can understand the disappointment.

 

I'm not a WHINER - anymore than those that live in the north were WHINING about cold weather this year!!

 

Well then you are a whiner since us northerners were whining big time this year about the cold.:D

 

Hopefully we will be in your situation one day living in Florida. That's our plan but who knows how that will turn out.:)

 

Bill

[jimbo5544]

I agree. I live 50 minutes from the Port of Tampa. It is so convenient. We really need another option for 7 day cruises. I don't really like the Fantasy Class ships for 7 days. Once you go on a larger ship, it is hard to go back to a smaller one, IMHO. But that is just me. Plus, I love a balcony and the smaller ships don't offer that.

 

I am actually a little surprised they did not try and put a fantasy class ship there and try 7 day cruises, it might have worked well.

[S.S.Oceanlover]

I am actually a little surprised they did not try and put a fantasy class ship there and try 7 day cruises, it might have worked well.

 

I cruised from Tampa 2 times in a 6 month span on the sensation.

 

Had a 3rd one booked until the Sensation had some kind of problems where she couldn't make the speed needed for the itinerary so they swapped ships so Sensation could do the Bahamas run which she is still doing today.

 

It was a nice itinerary that stopped in New Orleans. Loved it.

 

Bill

[jimbo5544]

I cruised from Tampa 2 times in a 6 month span on the sensation.

 

Had a 3rd one booked until the Sensation had some kind of problems where she couldn't make the speed needed for the itinerary so they swapped ships so Sensation could do the Bahamas run which she is still doing today.

 

It was a nice itinerary that stopped in New Orleans. Loved it.

 

Bill

 

It just seems like a much better idea (and revenue producing) for what still are very popular albeit smaller ships. We did the imagination a couple of years ago on a three night. Getting back on that class of ships was actually a nice experience (I did miss the balcony, but for the right price, I would really enjoy it). Inspiration, Ecstasy and the Imagination would fit very well.

Edited May 23, 2014 by jimbo5544

[loubetti]

Unfortunately Port Manatee is still on the wrong side of the Sunshine Skyway.

 

Okay, and excuse my ignorance, as I have only been here 16 months and on the east coast (Boca).

 

What is the issue with the Sunshine Skyway?

 

Hey, I gotta learn!

[Captain Carnival]

Okay, and excuse my ignorance, as I have only been here 16 months and on the east coast (Boca).

 

What is the issue with the Sunshine Skyway?

 

Hey, I gotta learn!

 

The bridge only allows clearance for Fantasy and Spirit class ships; something like 12 feet between the top of the whale tail and the bottom of the center span of the bridge thus giving the Port of Tampa ship size limitations.

[Velvetwater]

Okay, and excuse my ignorance, as I have only been here 16 months and on the east coast (Boca).

 

What is the issue with the Sunshine Skyway?

 

Hey, I gotta learn!

 

Because of the bridge only spirit and fantasy class ships can fit under it.

 

Count yourself lucky if you live in the US...we wont have a Carnival ship nearby until 2016 and cheapish UK loop cruises are the usual colder ports or Spain.

[Eng23]

Okay, and excuse my ignorance, as I have only been here 16 months and on the east coast (Boca).

 

What is the issue with the Sunshine Skyway?

 

Hey, I gotta learn!

The issue with the bridge is it's height. The height of the bridge limits Carnival to Spirit Class ships or smaller and for Royal Caribbean nothing bigger than a Radiance Class ship into Tampa.

Edited May 23, 2014 by Eng23

[Eng23]

I agree. I live 50 minutes from the Port of Tampa. It is so convenient. We really need another option for 7 day cruises. I don't really like the Fantasy Class ships for 7 days. Once you go on a larger ship, it is hard to go back to a smaller one, IMHO. But that is just me. Plus, I love a balcony and the smaller ships don't offer that.

Port Canaveral is not too far away, it's just a short drive across the state. Ft. Lauderdale and Miami are not very far away either. Lots of big ships sail from those ports and you don't have to fly to get to them. Unlike many of us that do have to fly or drive 8 or more hours to get to Florida.

[Captain Carnival]

[quote name='jwalk03']I really don't understand the I can't go on a cruise if the port is not with XXX number of hours from home. I mean it amazes me how many people do the same ship and the same collection of ports over and over and over again just becuase they want to only cruise out of the port that is located the closest to home.

Granted I live in Ohio, so NO PORT is close to me, but still. I have been on 4 cruises and cruises from a different port each time. Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, San Juan, and Pt. Canaveral, and my 5th cruise next year is going to be from San Diego!

Broaden your horizons and try out new ships, new cruise lines, new ports of call, new embarkation ports! It makes for a much more exciting vacation! IMHO.[/QUOTE]

[B][SIZE="3"][COLOR="Navy"]For some it's not about having to drive a few hours to other ports to sail it's having the availability of driving to work (at the Port of Tampa) on ship days with more available sailings; more ship sailings = more day's to work.[/COLOR][/SIZE][/B]