I like any port I'm leaving on a cruise out of........... But seriously the easiest one so far has been San Diego, but I've heard some complain. It was the very smoothest for us. LA is nice since they moved it to Longbeach, pretty easy access also. I'll post in a couple of weeks on how Miami is.........we leave there this Sat. on the Navigator
For departure my favorite is Port Everglades. For a port-of-call my favorite is St. Martin followed by Grand Cayman.
JV The 4 stages of cruising: planning, anticipation, experience and reflection.
Coming up: HAL Westerdam(3/28/10), MSC Poesia(4/24/10) and Celebrity Millennium(9/17/10)
NCL Norwegian Pearl in
Happy Sailing
NCL Norway,
Celebrity Meridian,
Majesty Royal Majesty,
Costa Romantica,
Dolphin Ocean Breeze,
RCCL Majesty Of The Seas,
Carnival Paradise,
Celebrity Century,
Carnival Imagination,
Caribbean Princess,
Carnival Valor,
HAL Zuiderdam,
Carnival Legend,
Carnival Valor,
RCCL Enchantment Of The Seas,
Carnival Triumph,
Coral Princess,
Celebrity Century, Celebrity Century, Carnival Miracle, Norwegian Sun, Norwegian Pearl, Carnival Splendor,
RCCL Navigator Of The Seas,
Norwegian Jewel, Norwegian Sky, Norwegian Sky, RCCL JewelOf The Seas
Our favorite is San Juan. We got there and had THE BEST TIME. It is a great departure port and a great place to visit. After we were there for a day, my DH said, "This place is great! The weather is great, it's beautiful, there's lots of history, you don't have to mess with passports, and there's gambling! Why haven't we come here before?" There's also some fabulous restaurants and good shopping. And we were only in the Old City. Go a little bit father afield, and you'll find marvelous beaches and jungles that are easy to tour.
After that, we really like Galveston and New Orleans. Galveston was such a pleasure to cruise out of. Yes, we live nearby, but it is so easy to get around, and except for special weekends like Mardi Gras, it is not too crowded. Its proximity to Houston is another plus as far as places to eat and things to do. The NASA Johnson Space Center is only 25 miles away. And with the lower cost of living in the area, this is a terrific place to SHOP.
We've never cruised out of New Orleans, but we love that place too. Lots to do - FABULOUS restaurants - a real fun town.
If you cruise out of any of these places, be sure to stay at least a day or 2 before or after your cruise, so you can get the benefits of these towns. It would be a crime to just fly in and fly out.
MC
Some people try to turn back their odometers. Not me! I want people to know why I look this way. I've traveled a long way, and some of the roads weren't paved.
Most people walk into and out of your life . . . but FRIENDS leave footprints in your heart