Tampa Cruises
Tampa is Florida’s largest port, with an extensive array of terminal facilities, catering for container, break bulk, project cargoes and cruise passengers. The port continues to grow and diversify, with its strategic location providing the most direct route to Mexico, Latin America and the Caribbean. Within close proximity are The Florida Aquarium, Gulf beaches, and the historic Ybor City entertainment district.
In 1898 The Port of Tampa was used as a launching site for Spanish-American War ships. It was also a platform for the expansion of the phosphate industry. According to some historians Tampa may mean ‘sticks of fire’ in the native American language Calusa. This could be a reference to the many lightning strikes that the area receives during the summer months. However it’s also been suggested that the name might be the result of a mix up between the Spanish and the Indians.