Carnival Miracle at Channelside
Our Western Caribbean cruise aboard Carnival Miracle salied from Tampa. We drove to Tampa from Northern Virginia, spent one night on the road in South Carolina, and then stayed in Tampa on Saturday night before departure. We arrived at Channelside around Noon on Sunday, drove through the cruise ship terminal to leave our checked luggage with a porter, and then parked in the long-term garage. (The parking fee for the week was $85.) Travel documents and tickets need to be presented to enter the terminal itself. After clearing the security check, we waited in line for cruise check-in. We were on the ship by 1:00 p.m. Our cabins were not quite ready to occupy, but we were able to leave our carry-on bags there. Lunch at Horatio’s on the Lido Deck was the next order of business followed by exploration of the ship. Muster Drill was called at 3:30 p.m. Alternative muster stations were used and our meeting place was the Phantom Lounge, the ship's theatre. Sail Away occurred at 4:10 p.m. and we headed up on deck to watch Tampa slip away and Carnival Miracle make its way down the channel to Tampa Bay. The ship passed under the Sunshine Skyway Bridge at 6:25 p.m., smoothly heading out to sea.
Convenience at SpringHill Suites in Tampa
We stayed at the Marriott SpringHill Suites in Tampa before sailing on our Western Caribbean cruise. The hotel was very comfortable and clean and the suite a good size for our family of four. (Drew slept on the sofabed in the sitting room.) Room amenities included two TVs, a fridge, and coffee maker. In-room Internet access was available.
The hotel offers a complimentary breakfast buffet, free parking, and outdoor pool. SpringHill Suites is covenient to Tampa attractions and the International Plaza mall is nearby. We went to International Plaza in the evening to window shop and had dinner at the mall's food court. The hotel is close to the Tampa airport, though we had driven to Florida by car. It was a short drive in the morning to the cruise terminal at Channelside.
