Ft. Lauderdale Last Minute Cruises

Ft. Lauderdale last minute cruises may be the ideal getaway for your next weekend trip. If you have some free time, consider booking one of the numerous cruises leaving from this southeastern Florida city to the Caribbean or even Mexico.

Positioned between Miami and Palm Beach, Florida, Fort Lauderdale is a popular cruise port. Each year, more than three million people come through the port, making it one of the busiest port cities in the region. The port servicing Ft. Lauderdale is Port Everglades. Before exploring the cruise options from this port, consider a few important facts:

Port Everglades operates year-round. Peak cruise season is from November through April. Since most northern United States' ports are nonoperational during the winter months, this southern port is popular during the winter. The port offers 300 miles of waterways, which helped earn the port the nickname: "Venice of America."

Several larger cruise lines operate through this port. Often, to fill up open space on board a ship, a cruise company will offer last minute deals. This can help you to save a substantial amount of money. However, it is difficult to book popular cruises at the last minute during the high season.

One of the most popular last minute cruises leaving from Ft. Lauderdale are those to the Caribbean. The cruises sail to the western and eastern Caribbean islands, as well as the east coast of Mexico. Cruises of all sizes, ranging from luxury cruises to smaller, yacht style cruises, are available for these trips throughout the year.

Some of the cruises from Ft. Lauderdale will take passengers through the Panama Canal. Others travel to the Bahamas. These are popular throughout the year and are best for those who wish to take a longer, last minute cruise. You may also wish to consider a repositioning cruise from this port. This type of cruise takes ships from the Ft. Lauderdale port and positions them for Transatlantic voyages. This occurs in April and May of each year.

Locating last minute cruise discounts from Ft. Lauderdale is possible. The key is to be as flexible as possible. The following websites can help you find available cruises departing from the popular Florida city:

Last Minute Cruises: This website provides detailed and up-to-date information regarding Ft. Lauderdale last minute cruises. Vacations to Go: The site promises to help travelers save as much as 75 percent off on last minute bookings. The company also posts daily cruise specials. Orbitz:This company has a listing of available cruises departing within 45 days. The company sometimes offers numerous discounts and upgrades. Princess Cruises: The cruise line has the most ships docked in Ft. Lauderdale. To find last minute offerings and get alerts about deals, register on the company's website. Carnival Cruise Lines: The company sails from Ft. Lauderdale to the Bahamas, Western Caribbean and the Eastern Caribbean, and posts last minute deals on its website.

In addition to these options, you can find a variety of other cruise companies setting sail from Ft. Lauderdale. The Port Everglades website offers a complete list of cruise companies using the port. You can also get information on single- and multi- day last minute cruises. Some may even offer same-day cruise availability especially for single day excursions.

You might also have luck finding a sweet money-saving deal by speaking with local travel agents. Often they are provided with advance notices on last minute sailings.