Fort Lauderdale is one of the busiest cruise ports in the world. When combined with Miami just 1 hour south, it’s almost certainly the busiest area.
With the Bahamas just off the coast of Florida, this is a popular destination for 3 to 5 night short getaway cruises.
Both Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries are available; these are typically 6 to 14 nights long, with 7 nights being the most common.
While Fort Lauderdale is a year-round cruiseport, it is much less busy in summertime when many ships reposition to Europe. There are also opportunities to take a ship through the Panama Canal and end a cruise in South America or California.