Cruise expert, here's where I would stay in Florida before or after a Caribbean sailing - AOL

Cruise-and-stay packages are increasingly popular, with data cited from the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) using 2025 passenger information. The analysis found 64% of travelers stayed at least one night in the cruise port city before or after sailing, while 15% booked one night before and one after. Marc Shoffman says passengers often combine land time for acclimatization, to avoid missing departure, or to extend the itinerary. He describes choosing Miami and Tampa for these add-on stays. Miami is presented as the world’s largest cruise port, handling about 8.5 million passengers per year, with sailings from PortMiami by lines including Royal Caribbean, Disney, MSC and Norwegian.