Tampa, Florida and The Carnival Cruise

Photos & story: Debbie Stock

Spontaneity beat out cautious calculation as I dove head-first into an adventure that would take me across the country from California to Florida and away from my family during the holiday season. With no previous interest in "cruising," I threw some Southern California casual clothes into a suitcase, packed my cameras and met my travel companion/cabin mate on a Saturday morning at 5 a.m. for our flight to Tampa via Houston. Diane and I were going "cruising" on the Carnival Miracle fun ship with stops in Grand Cayman Island,  Costa Maya,  Cozumel and Belize.

The weather was warm, the skies were blue and the excursion answered my questions about cruise ship popularity.

My aunt and cousin live in Tampa Bay—I wished I could see my cousin's inventions where he practically is off the grid, using Florida sunshine to heat water, cook meals and all the basics. Time wouldn't allow it.

With the Tampa Airport Marriott included in our cruise fare  and located conveniently at the airport, we had just enough time to get off the plane, grab a late dinner inside the terminal and get some sleep before heading to the cruise terminal to catch the ship the next day. 

TGI Friday's inside Tampa International Airport was a good choice for our varied tastes (she wanted fish and I liked ribs.) Stepping out of our hotel room to dine, afterwards we browsed the airport shops & kiosks to wear off a few calories before hitting the sack. On the way back to my room I caught a glimpse of colorful costumes and heard music coming from a ballroom dance competition inside the hotel.

While I took a few photos of Tampa on the bus ride to the cruise port, my best views of this southern city were from the deck of my cabin as the ship headed out to open seas.

I want to return and check out Florida Aquarium next to Carnival Tampa Bay Port. You can't miss this unique building with its 83-feet high, green shell-shaped dome roof made of 1,100 panels of glass. Its stand-out design is what you'd expect from HOK, the largest architecture and engineering firm in the U.S. The company also designed the must-see Dali Museum in St. Petersburg.

The Aquarium is next to Channelside, a multi-story shopping and dining complex where we could watch and wave to people munching tacos & sipping beers outdoors as our ship left port.

When I come back, I also want to visit Busch Gardens Tampa, see the local beaches and spend time with my relatives. I really hope to take another cruise, too. With as many as six cruise lines specializing in Caribbean trips from Tampa, the aquamarine waters and white, sand beaches don't seem so distant.

NOTE: One way to see all the hot spots is buying a City Pass. You save approx. 54% with one ticket that gets you into Busch Gardens Tampa, The Florida Aquarium, ZooTampa at Lowry Park, Clearwater Marine Aquarium and your choice of Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI) OR The Tropics Boat Tours Dolphin OR Sunset Cruise. You have 9 consecutive days to see the sights.