Over the last several months, we have written about the things to see and do in every major cruise port city in the United States. Below is a list of every one of these U.S. port cities, with each entry in the list linking to the port’s individual article. While some cruise ports are more active than others, major cruise lines and multiple ships operate out of every city listed below (with one exception – see below). The port cities of the United States are listed in alphabetical order.
The number of major operational cruise ports in the U.S. – 20 in total – may come as some surprise. People tend to think of cruise vacations as emanating almost exclusively from Florida. While the state has five ports, including the biggest in the world (Miami), and thus offers more cruises than any other state in the U.S., you can nevertheless depart for a cruise from almost every major coastal city in the country. This is great for consumers because one of the biggest expenses associated with cruise vacations is getting to the port of departure. With so many ports spread around the country, you can hunt for low airfare to a port city relatively nearby, potentially saving a significant amount of money.
However, it is worth noting that the port’s geographical location heavily influences the cruises that operate from it, so it is not as if you can pick the closest port in the country and sail to wherever you want from there. If you want to go to the Caribbean, you can sail out of Galveston, New Orleans, or a northern East Coast city, but there is still a fairly high probability you’ll have to go through Florida because this is the main hub for Caribbean cruises. Obviously, this isn’t necessarily a bad thing, particularly if it is easy and/or cheap for you to get to a Florida port, but it is worth keeping in mind. There are lots of cruise ports and this can be convenient, but if you are particular about where you want to go, you might not be able to sail from the easiest port to get to. In any case, here is the list:
Baltimore
Bayonne
Boston
Charleston
Fort Lauderdale
Galveston
Honolulu
Jacksonville
Long Beach
Los Angeles
Miami
Mobile (There are currently no cruises from this port, but it may be operational again in the future.)
New Orleans
New York
Norfolk
Philadelphia
Port Canaveral
San Diego
San Francisco
Seattle
Tampa
Regular cruise vacationers should keep this list at hand. Wherever you end up for your cruise, you’ll have a guide to the things to do and see in the city you find yourself in, one that is written with travelers exactly like you in mind.
