Palmera Vacation Club Members have access to great discounts on cruises around the world through Quest Travel Club. To make the most out of your membership, we thought we’d give a few shoutouts to some very different home ports that can add value to your trip before or after you set sail to whatever dreamy locations await on the horizon.
Port Canaveral
For the third year in a row, Port Canaveral has been voted the Best U.S. Cruise Home Port by CruiseHives readers. The port itself is located on Cape Canaveral, a barrier island on Florida’s east-central coastline. This region is often called the Space Coast, because of the Kennedy Space Center and the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station (that actually takes up part of the entrance to Port Canaveral). There are 21 home-ported ships from well-known cruise lines like Celebrity, Carnival, Disney, MSC, Norwegian, Princess, and Royal Caribbean. With more than 100 additional ports of call (ships that are just visiting), there are more than 50 destinations that can be reached from this port.
This home port is the closest to Orlando, where the state’s largest airport is located. So, not only is getting to Port Canaveral a breeze, but you’ll also have access to one of Florida’s popular travel destinations. Stick around a few days before or after your trip to enjoy one of the many theme parks and other attractions within the city of Orlando, or, if you want to maximize your beach time, you can make a full vacation out of staying on or around Cape Canaveral, especially with Cocoa Beach so close by! If you want to learn more about planning a trip to Orlando, FL, read our Destination Highlight.
San Juan Cruise Terminal
Another popular home port that also sees visiting ships, the cruise terminal located in Puerto Rico’s capital city sees hundreds of ships and millions of guests each year. A great location that allows for more time exploring the Eastern and Southern Caribbean, San Juan is easy to access through Puerto Rico’s main airport, the Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport. Plus, Puerto Rico is a U.S. territory, so you’ll be able to use dollars and English is an official language in addition to Spanish.
The two sections where piers are located are in Old San Juan and across the San Antonio Canal at the Pan American Pier. To maximize your time in San Juan, check to see which terminal you’ll be sailing out of since the ones on the southern shore of Old San Juan are just steps away from the iconic fortresses and other picture-perfect colorful buildings. You don’t need to hire a taxi or rent a car, since these cobblestone streets are walkable and can be done at your leisure. Since the Pan American Pier is across the canal, you’ll have to hire a taxi to get to the historic district. We’ve collected a list of must-see landmarks and things to do while you’re in San Juan in its Destination Highlight.
Port of San Diego
This port technically spans 34 miles of the waterfront that includes not only San Diego, CA, but the towns of Chula Vista, Coronado, Imperial Beach, and National City. While not all of it is for just cruise ships, there are two terminals within San Diego Bay’s Embarcadero. Both B Street and Broadway Piers sees ships from many cruise lines, such as Disney, Holland America, Princess, Norwegian, Celebrity, and other lines who have San Diego as their port of call. Those wishing to visit Hawaii and the South Pacific, the Mexican Riviera, South America, the Panama Canal, and the Pacific Coast all start their journeys here.
The Embarcadero has enough to explore for at least a day or two, with maritime museums, local art, great shopping, dining with waterfront views, and other smaller cruises, charters, and watersports to enjoy. Add the many other attractions of San Diego, and you have a great trip whether you’re traveling with your family, significant other, or friends! The region has beautiful weather, so outdoor enthusiasts will love basking in the SoCal sunshine while they take in the stunning surrounding views. You’ll definitely want to book an extra night or two to explore this beautiful city.
Galveston Wharves
Otherwise called the “Port of Everything,” Galveston Wharves has been known to be a popular maritime commercial center since 1825, with 840 acres full of cargo and commercial business. It’s only been the last 22 years that Galveston Wharves have been the home port of many cruise ships. The only port in Texas that even accepts cruise ships, it’s actually the 4th most popular home port in the U.S.
Carnival, Disney, Norwegian, Princess, and Royal Caribbean International have ships that use Galveston Wharves as their home port. A great access point for those closer to Houston than other ports that offer destinations in the Caribbean and Mexico, many people either drive into Galveston or fly into Houston. A barrier island along the Gulf Coast of Texas, Galveston is definitely worth taking extra time to explore. The port is really in the thick of the Historic Downtown, and the island offers not only beautiful beaches but a lot of beautiful Victorian neighborhoods that tell a rather unexpected history of the town. Learn more in Galveston’s Destination Highlight.
Flynn Cruiseport Boston
Most people forget that there are many different cruise terminals on either side of the country that aren’t dedicated to sailing toward tropical destinations. In Boston, you’ll have the best of both worlds. From March to November, you can find cruise ships setting off to explore the tropical island of Bermuda, as well as those heading north to dock in other New England ports of call, Canada, and even Iceland and Greenland. Cruise lines like Norwegian, Holland America, Royal Caribbean, Princess, and Celebrity use the ports in the Seaport District, conveniently located across the harbor (and only a ten-minute drive away) from the Boston Logan International Airport.
We could argue that an entire week isn’t enough time to visit Boston as it is, so if you ever find yourself booking a cruise out of Flynn Cruiseport Boston, take the opportunity to explore the historic city for a few days if you’re able to. There are plenty of tours that allow you to make the most of your time there however short it is, and while there are many iconic landmarks and places of interest that are close enough to walk between, Boston does have a great hop-on hop-off trolley system that goes throughout the city and waterfront areas.
