Cruise home ports
Sailing from a port you can drive to saves flights and a hotel night, and often decides which lines you can choose from. Each guide covers the terminals and their addresses, parking and transfers, the lines and ships that sail from the port, and the best itineraries by season, with three picks to start from. Ports are grouped by coast.
Northeast and Mid-Atlantic
- BaltimoreCruises from Baltimore: the Cruise Maryland Terminal, parking and getting there from BWI, Carnival vs Royal Caribbean, and the best trips by season.
- BostonCruises from Boston: Flynn Cruiseport at Black Falcon Terminal, parking and getting there from Logan, the lines that sail, and Bermuda vs Canada trips.
- Charleston, SCCruises from Charleston, SC ended when Carnival left in January 2025 and Union Pier closed to cruise ships in 2026. Here's where to sail from instead.
- New York / New JerseyCruises from New York and New Jersey: which of the three terminals your line uses, Cape Liberty and Manhattan parking, and the best trips by season.
- NorfolkCruises from Norfolk, VA: the Half Moone terminal downtown, Cedar Grove parking and shuttle, and Carnival Sunshine's handover to Carnival Freedom in 2027.
- PhiladelphiaCruises from Philadelphia: the new PhilaPort cruise terminal by the airport, parking, and what Norwegian Pearl sails to Bermuda and the Caribbean in 2026–2028.
Gulf Coast
- Mobile, ALCruises out of Mobile, AL: the downtown Alabama Cruise Terminal, garage parking, and Carnival's switch from seasonal Spirit to year-round Valor in May 2027.
- New OrleansCruises from New Orleans: Erato Street vs Julia Street terminals, parking for Carnival and other lines, and the best Western Caribbean trips by season.
West Coast and Pacific Northwest
- California (all ports)Cruises from California compared: Long Beach, Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco, with Hawaii, Mexico, Alaska and 3-day trips and which port to pick.
- Los Angeles / Long BeachCruises from Long Beach and Los Angeles: Carnival's Long Beach terminal vs the San Pedro World Cruise Center, parking, LAX transfers and the best trips.
- San DiegoCruises from San Diego: the B Street and Broadway Pier terminals, parking, Disney Wonder's season, Mexico and Baja trips, and which lines sail from here.
- San FranciscoCruises from San Francisco: Princess and Carnival round trips to Alaska, Hawaii and Mexico, the Pier 27 terminal, parking, getting there and when to go.
- SeattlePlanning an Alaska cruise from Seattle: which terminal your ship uses, parking and getting there, the lines that sail round trip, and the best month to go.
- VancouverAlaska cruises from Vancouver: Canada Place terminal, YVR transfers, parking, hotels, one-way Gulf of Alaska vs round trips and the passport rule for Americans.
Hawaii and Puerto Rico
- HonoluluCruises from Honolulu: Pride of America's 7-day Hawaii island cruise, one-way trips to Vancouver and Australia, and the Pier 2 and Pier 11 terminals.
- San Juan, Puerto RicoCruises from San Juan, Puerto Rico: which lines and ships sail in 2026–2027, the 7-day Southern Caribbean routes, the home-port piers, parking and documents.