by Scott Laird
Last updated: 1:28 PM ET, Fri November 16, 2018
When I was a travel agent, my most repeated advice was not to fly to a cruise port the same day as embarkation. Too many times I've seen travelers waylaid en route to port by an airline delay or traffic accident, suffering disappointment and often having to file a travel insurance claim.
I've broken this rule myself only a handful of times, and I can say the thin underline of stress that comes from connecting directly from a plane to the ship is easily silenced by spending the night prior to embarkation in a great cruise port hotel. Thankfully, cruise ports around the country have no shortage of lovely hotels convenient to their passenger terminals.
Fort Lauderdale
The most convenient points about Port Everglades is that it's just minutes from both the airport and Fort Lauderdale Beach, making hotels in both locations convenient for overnighting cruise passengers. Of particular note, are the Fort Lauderdale Marriott Harbor Beach Resort, one of the closest beach resorts to the port. Guests can spend an evening watching the previous day's ships sail away from port and out to sea, while on embarkation day the port itself is just ten minutes away.
Miami
Another large South Florida cruise port is the Port of Miami, which is also convenient area hotels. Guests at the W South Beach will enjoy ocean views from every room when not partaking in the area's exciting nightlife. Those looking for a quieter, more secluded luxury hotel will enjoy the Mandarin Oriental Miami tucked away on Brickell Key, with Instagram-worthy views of the downtown skyline.
New Orleans
In the port known as the Crescent City because of the shape of the river bend it sits upon, guests will take in views of their ship moored on the muddy Mississippi seemingly located directly below the Hilton New Orleans Riverside. Convenient to Casinos, downtown dining, and the French Quarter, the hotel offers guests a fine taste of this exciting city before they embark on their ocean voyages.
Seattle
The Emerald City has a number of cruise ports scattered across Elliott Bay, both immediately in the downtown core and just North of it. Views of cruise ship comings and goings are particularly notable at the waterfront Four Seasons Seattle, where guests can swim in the outdoor pool while watching their ships arrive from Alaska's Inside Passage. The fresh, youthful Thompson Seattle also provides spectacular views, notably from their trendy rooftop lounge.
Vancouver
Cruisers departing from Vancouver need to look no further than the Canada Place Cruise Terminal itself: The lovely Pan Pacific Hotel Vancouver is perched right on top of it. Cruise guests and city residents alike enjoy the indoor/outdoor spaces at the hotel for drinks and dining with views of the cruise liners and Vancouver's spectacular natural beauty as a dramatic backdrop. Across the street, the Fairmont Waterfront is equally as luxurious and convenient for pre-cruise overnight stays.
Charleston
Charleston's natural harbor dictated the Holy City's destiny as a port town from it's earliest days. Today, guests at the HarbourView Inn and Andrew Pinckney Inn can try their hand at the centuries-old tradition of walking the terraces to view the day's maritime arrivals and departures. Come embarkation time, both lodging options are just steps away from the cruise port.
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