From Fort Lauderdale, sail to tropical paradise in the Caribbean including islands like St. Thomas, Aruba and Dominican Republic, along with Mexico. If you have more time to travel, book a cruise from Fort Lauderdale through the Panama Canal and along the coast of South America.
For sailors with only a few days to spare, we recommend checking out cruises to the Bahamas, with stops in Nassau and CocoCay or Half Moon Cay, depending on the line you choose.
Traveling during COVID-19
The CDC continues to advise caution when traveling within or outside the US, though it
no longer requires self-quarantine or a COVID-19 test for fully vaccinated travelers as of April 2021. It recommends that you delay travel if you are not fully vaccinated to protect yourself and your family from getting or spreading the virus.
When traveling, follow safety measures that include wearing a mask in public, social distancing and washing your hands. If you are diagnosed with, have symptoms of or are waiting for COVID-19 test results — or are otherwise at risk of illness — do not attend gatherings or travel for 14 days.
| Royal Caribbean | 8 Night Eastern Caribbean Cruise | - Fort Lauderdale, Florida
- Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic
- Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas
- Philipsburg, St. Maarten
- Basseterre, St. Kitts
- Fort Lauderdale, Florida
| From $638 per person | Book now |
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| Royal Caribbean | 3 Night Bahamas & Perfect Day Cruise | - Fort Lauderdale, Florida
- Perfect Day at CocoCay, Bahamas
- Nassau, Bahamas
- Fort Lauderdale, Florida
| From $289 per person | Book now |
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| Princess Cruises | 5 Day Caribbean Getaway with Cayman Islands | - Fort Lauderdale, Florida
- Ochos Rios, Jamaica
- Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands
- Fort Lauderdale, Florida
| From $369 per person | Book now |
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| Holland America Line | 17 Day Panama Canal & Inca Discovery | - Fort Lauderdale, Florida
- Oranjestad, Aruba
- Cruising the Panama Canal
- Fuerte Amador, Panama
- Manta, Ecuador
- Callao (Lima), Peru
- General San Martin (Pisco), Peru
- Coquimbo (La Serena), Peru
- San Antonio (Santiago), Chile
| From $1,649 per person | Book now |
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| Celebrity Cruises | 7 Days Fort Lauderdale to San Juan | - Fort Lauderdale, Florida
- Nassau, Bahamas
- Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas
- Basseterre, St. Kitts & Nevis
- Philipsburg, St. Maarten
- San Juan, Puerto Rico
| From $899 per person | Book now |
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Short breaks, world-voyages, family holidays, romantic getaways … you name it, a cruise from Fort Lauderdale has it.
Best for world-adventures: Princess
If you're looking to settle into a longer cruise, choose from its selection of world voyages setting sail from this port. Round trips last upwards of 100 days and visit as many as 48 ports across six continents before returning to Florida. Shorter cruises can last between two to three months, soaking in the sights of Australia, South America, and the Far East — but you'll need to organize your own return flight.
- Room service included
- No free alcohol
- Food included
- No price matching
- Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Diners, Discover Card, JCB
Best for short cruises: Royal Caribbean
If you're in the mood for a cheeky weekend cruise, Royal Caribbean has you covered. While its two- and three-day cruises will have you soaking up some sun at CocoCay in the Bahamas, its four-day cruise allows you to see the sights of the Western Caribbean.
- Room service included
- No free alcohol
- Food included
- Price matches
- Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Diners, Discover Card
Best for romantic escapes: Holland America
Though not exclusive to adults, the intimate atmosphere and cultural enrichment offered onboard a Holland America cruise usually attracts an older crowd. Start the day with a romantic breakfast in bed with its 24-hour room service, move onto a wine-tasting on the top deck in the afternoon and — for the cherry on top — make use of the in-room spa bath facilities.
- Room service included
- No free alcohol
- Food included
- No price matching
- Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover Card
Best for for transatlantic: Celebrity
Want to travel beyond the Bahamas and the Caribbean? Celebrity has a huge variety of sailings across the Atlantic to many ports in Europe. Most sailings head to the delights of the Mediterranean, though you'll find a smattering that tours up to Ireland, France and other northern European countries.
- Room service included
- No free alcohol
- Food included
- No price matching
- Visa, Mastercard, American Express
Best for an all-inclusive luxury getaway: Seabourn
No expense is spared on a Seabourn cruise where you can enjoy the luxuries of having one staff member to every guest onboard. With everything from your mid-morning snack to your nightcap included in your fare, sit back on your private sun deck and relax with a glass of bubbly.
- Room service included
- No free alcohol
- Food included
- No price matching
- Visa, American Express, Discover Card
How we picked the best cruises
With such a busy port as Fort Lauderdale, narrowing down the best cruise lines sailing out of Port Everglades was never going to be easy. That’s why we took plenty of time to analyze the itineraries and onboard facilities of these major cruise liners.
Our top priorities were cruises with well-paced routes, interesting itineraries and quality amenities onboard. This means that we looked at the cabin and staterooms available, onboard dining options offered and daily entertainment to make sure they were good value for you.
And, we didn’t just leave this down to the opinion of our experts, but we consulted online blogs, unbiased reviews and travel websites to bring you a well-rounded and honest overview.
Conveniently located on the edge of the Atlantic and as one of the busiest ports in the world, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a destination you can’t access from Port Everglades. Some of the most popular place to sail to include:
- The Bahamas
- The Caribbean
- Transatlantic cruise to Europe
- Belize
- South America
- West Coast of USA
Cruises from Fort Lauderdale generally run throughout the year, though you’ll find the largest selection of itineraries from December through to April. This also happens to be peak season so get ready for very busy ports, hikes in cruise prices and crowded waterways.
If crowds aren’t your thing, consider booking a cruise in May, June or August through to November. Considered to be off-peak, this is when you’ll find the smallest crowds and best bargains. But hurricane season peaks from August until October, so be prepared for last-minute cancellations or itinerary changes.
Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood Airport is conveniently located just three miles away from Port Everglades, which is where you’ll be jumping on your cruise. While there’s no free shuttle, it’s just a ten-minute drive in an Uber or Lyft for about $15. Some cruise lines offer a shuttle from the airport to the terminal, but at $16 per person, this is one of the more expensive options.
From Miami Airport, Uber and Lyft can provide a car to Port Everglades for around $40 for four people. A taxi from the airport can cost around double that. Cruise lines offer shuttles for $30 per person each way, though independent shuttles are also available for a lower price too.
If you’re spending the night in town before your cruise, it’s worth checking with your hotel for a free shuttle to the terminal. If not, Lyft and Uber are your best bets as Florida’s public transport is notoriously unreliable.
If you’re planning on setting sail from The Sunshine State, Fort Lauderdale offers a range of itineraries only rivaled by ports in Miami. When you decide you want to sail, check out these deals and discounts on cruises first to save a heap.
