Port of Tampa Cruise Ship Terminal
November kicks off the winter cruise season. This is the busiest time of year for Port Tampa Bay and Erehwon Retreat’s more complicated booking season. Each season we host a few cruise line passengers for a week’s visit preceding or following a cruise out of Port of Tampa.
From our historic perspective, the Port’s single largest embarkation took place in 1898. Tampa received 30,000 troops bound for the Spanish American War. The initial wave, which included Teddy Roosevelt’s Rough Riders, departed on June 7 with 16,000 troops. The Tampa Bay Hotel was used as Rough Rider Officer Quarters. The Rough Riders were recruited mainly in San Antonio;s Hotel Menger bar. They were trained in front of the Alamo. In my prior life managing the NY City Joffrey Ballet, whenever the company played San Antonio we stayed at the Hotel Menger. I knew the story that they departed for the east by train, but that’s where the story stopped. When I opened Erehwon Retreat I discovered their destination was Tampa.
Port of Tampa Cruise Services
Carnival’s ships operate year-round four- and five-day cruises to the western Caribbean, including the popular destination at Mahogany Bay. Currently, the line also sails seven-day itineraries during the winter season and these will be offered year-round commencing January 2018.
Royal Caribbean’s two ships will provide four-, five- and seven-day cruises in the winter. And, for the first time, Royal Caribbean will operate four- and five-day summer cruises when Empress of the Seas begins sailing from Tampa on 30 April.
Meanwhile, Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Jade, will offer itineraries ranging from four to 12 days that will include a stop at its new island destination, Harvest Cay in Belize.
Rounding out Port of Tampa’s passenger offerings, Holland America has increased its passenger capacity by replacing a long favorite among Erehwon Retreat guests, the Veendam, with the Oosterdam.
2017 saw a 6% growth in passengers to a total of 813,934 over 188 sailings.
September 22-23, 2018 Port of Tampa celebrated it’s 1 millionth cruise passenger.
Unique Accommodations for Cruise Passengers
Erehwon Retreat is located just 4.6 miles from the Port of Tampa Cruise Ship Terminal; we coordinate our two properties during winter cruise season to turn over the same day arrival/departures of Saturday and Sunday. This allows cruise ship passengers to easily enjoy an evening show at The Straz Center for the Performing Arts, visit Ybor city, the historic Cigar District discover Disney or Harry Potter
With a host who is a sailor and ex US Navy, one of the subtle differences of staying at Erehwon is having special amenities for guests preparing for sea or returning to land.
There are adjustments to avoid land sickness for some, and we know how to prepare our property so that guests rest peacefully in our 1920’s environment. Old Seminole Heights is Tampa’s first suburb (1911) and has been designated as a National, State and local Historic Landmark District.