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Apr 26 2015

8 Things Every Cruiser from Florida Should Know

By Doug Parker

If you’re coming to or thinking about taking a cruise from Florida – you picked the right state. This past winter was brutal, heck, Chicago is still getting snow in late April.But before you get to Florida, there are some things you need to know:1. Tons of Ships. Over 4.2 million people cruise to the Caribbean annually, a majority of those departures come from Florida. The inventory of ships out of the five Florida homeports is massive. For the best selection and pricing, cruise in the Winter months because all the cruise lines reposition their ships to the Caribbean because it’s cold everywhere else.2. Flights Get Delayed. Florida is known for thunderstorms and with that comes flight delays. A lightning bolt close to the airport can shut the airfield down until the storm passes. Hurricanes are rare, rain happens almost daily.3. Hotels are Affordable. Hotels are a dime a dozen in Florida and there is no reason why you shouldn’t come in a day early to explore. There are a lot of pre-cruise hotels out there like Radisson Resort at the Port in Cape Canaveral and Hilton Garden Inn for cruisers out of Fort Lauderdale. Sometimes there are three and four star hotels in Orlando (40 minutes from Port Canaveral) for $28 per night.4. Humidity. Watch your hair ladies, the humidity is bound to give you some frizz or curl. Why? Humid air causes hydrogen bonds to form between water molecules and the proteins in your hair, triggering curls and frizz, according to Smithsonian Magazine. Welcome to Florida.5. Uber is Awesome. If you haven’t experienced Uber yet, you need to. For more than half the rate of a cab, this peer-to-peer car service can take you anywhere you want to go. It is all app based so no money exchanges hands and you don’t have to tip the driver – it’s all built in.If you’re considering Uber, use promo code ydhf9 for $20 off your first ride.  You can even enter the code before you use it.6. Mosquitos. Pack the bug spray, especially in South Florida. These blood sucking mosquito hawks can find you anywhere! Insect repellent with DEET is considered to be the “gold standard” of Florida bug sprays.7. Beach Location. Location is everything. You never go to the beach right in the center of the city. They are packed. Instead look for a state park to go to with a wide open beach. It may cost you a couple dollars per car to get in but well worth it.Beaches that come to mind are Hanna Park in Jacksonville Beach or the John U. Lloyd State Park in Fort Lauderdale (also a great place to watch sail aways).8. Orlando is Not a Port. The cruise lines use Orlando on their itinerary because it’s easily recognizable. It’s the center of Florida. The port is actually Cape Canaveral, located about 40 miles east of Orlando. Easily accessible by cruise line transfers or a shuttle service like Florida Sunshine Shuttle.Do you have any thing that you tell people who are cruising from Florida? Feel free to leave your thoughts below or on our Facebook Page.If you’re coming to or thinking about taking a cruise from Florida – you picked the right state. This past winter was brutal, heck, Chicago is still getting snow in late April.But before you get to Florida, there are some things you need to know:1. Tons of Ships. Over 4.2 million people cruise to the Caribbean annually, a majority of those departures come from Florida. The inventory of ships out of the five Florida homeports is massive. For the best selection and pricing, cruise in the Winter months because all the cruise lines reposition their ships to the Caribbean because it’s cold everywhere else.2. Flights Get Delayed. Florida is known for thunderstorms and with that comes flight delays. A lightning bolt close to the airport can shut the airfield down until the storm passes. Hurricanes are rare, rain happens almost daily.3. Hotels are Affordable. Hotels are a dime a dozen in Florida and there is no reason why you shouldn’t come in a day early to explore. There are a lot of pre-cruise hotels out there like Radisson Resort at the Port in Cape Canaveral and Hilton Garden Inn for cruisers out of Fort Lauderdale. Sometimes there are three and four star hotels in Orlando (40 minutes from Port Canaveral) for $28 per night.4. Humidity. Watch your hair ladies, the humidity is bound to give you some frizz or curl. Why? Humid air causes hydrogen bonds to form between water molecules and the proteins in your hair, triggering curls and frizz, according to Smithsonian Magazine. Welcome to Florida.5. Uber is Awesome. If you haven’t experienced Uber yet, you need to. For more than half the rate of a cab, this peer-to-peer car service can take you anywhere you want to go. It is all app based so no money exchanges hands and you don’t have to tip the driver – it’s all built in.If you’re considering Uber, use promo code ydhf9 for $20 off your first ride.  You can even enter the code before you use it.6. Mosquitos. Pack the bug spray, especially in South Florida. These blood sucking mosquito hawks can find you anywhere! Insect repellent with DEET is considered to be the “gold standard” of Florida bug sprays.7. Beach Location. Location is everything. You never go to the beach right in the center of the city. They are packed. Instead look for a state park to go to with a wide open beach. It may cost you a couple dollars per car to get in but well worth it.Beaches that come to mind are Hanna Park in Jacksonville Beach or the John U. Lloyd State Park in Fort Lauderdale (also a great place to watch sail aways).8. Orlando is Not a Port. The cruise lines use Orlando on their itinerary because it’s easily recognizable. It’s the center of Florida. The port is actually Cape Canaveral, located about 40 miles east of Orlando. Easily accessible by cruise line transfers or a shuttle service like Florida Sunshine Shuttle.Do you have any thing that you tell people who are cruising from Florida? Feel free to leave your thoughts below or on our Facebook Page.<img data-cke-saved-src="https://ci4.googleusercontent.com/proxy/ITLCapWCyeh0NDwLTfPvMRQmaTHoidDbs1Z0_RomTS3QQJthYJPH-L0BpWUIToda2BsG1AQcddrkMGarv__4sCW6akBFDQaWDcoQJsnIHJWAkpgMFXh8U1MpnJZcUEvN02DfvxZCFelTbpM6alQHPuv42DnakPq4F0Afxg=s0-d-e1-ft#http://cruiseradio.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/11008495_10153190055750513_2477063374624535960_n.jpg" src="https://ci4.googleusercontent.com/proxy/ITLCapWCyeh0NDwLTfPvMRQmaTHoidDbs1Z0_RomTS3QQJthYJPH-L0BpWUIToda2BsG1AQcddrkMGarv__4sCW6akBFDQaWDcoQJsnIHJWAkpgMFXh8U1MpnJZcUEvN02DfvxZCFelTbpM6alQHPuv42DnakPq4F0Afxg=s0-d-e1-ft#http://cruiseradio.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/11008495_10153190055750513_2477063374624535960_n.jpg" alt="11008495_10153190055750513_2477063374624535960_n" style="height: 400px; width: 400px;">

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