Cruises to Palm Beach

The Port of Palm Beach (1 East 11th Street, #600, Riviera Beach, FL 33404) is just over 8 miles north of Palm Beach International Airport in the small city of Riviera Beach. Within the marina district, there's not much to see or do. The terminal lacks dining facilities or gift shops, but there are vending machines and an ATM. The area immediately surrounding the port isn't the safest and, besides warehouses and shipyards, you'll only find some fast-food restaurants, kayak rentals and a dive operator. The best bet for nearby dining, internet and shopping options near the port is to drive along Blue Heron Boulevard or 45th Street. However, visitors are widely advised to take the short drive into downtown Riviera Beach to find restaurants, shops, water sports and other creature comforts, rather than exploring the port itself.

Cruisers with a bit more time to spare should consider visiting some of the surrounding cities, as well. The main tourism hub of West Palm Beach is located 5 miles south of the port and features dozens of excellent dining options, a bustling theater and arts scene, a weekly green market, weekly live performances on the waterfront, gorgeous views of the Intracoastal and more. It's an excellent area to while away a few hours walking the palm tree-lined streets.

"Dolphin" appears on many restaurant menus in the area, and it can be worrisome to some visitors. As a heads up, they are not talking about Flipper: It's a nickname for mahi mahi, a white flaky fish that is absolutely delicious.

The ritzy feel of West Palm Beach can give tourists a false sense of security. The city is mostly safe, but not immune to pickpocketing, so keep your belongings close.

Super Shuttle offers shared ride shuttle services between the airport and the cruise port for around $15 per person, with discounts for more than one passenger traveling together.

Taxis are widely accessible, both Uber and Lyft are active in the area, and most major hotels offer a courtesy shuttle. Public transportation (Palm Tran) is available, however travel times from the airport to the cruise port average around 90 minutes.

Alternatively, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport offers a wider variety of flight options and is about an hour's drive south of the port. Affordable one-way car rentals can be found at the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood airport. Or, you can rent a car for the duration of your cruise (which might make sense for a low rate and just two days) and use the valet service that is available through the cruise line. Passengers can hop on the Tri Rail to West Palm Beach and transfer to the bus system. Public transportation is not an ideal way to reach the Port of Palm Beach from Fort Lauderdale. Those taking this option should allow extra time: The trains are frequently delayed.

In the Palm Beach Area: Palm Tran is the public bus system that services the Palm Beach area. Fares are $2 one way, or $5 for an all-day pass. Those visiting downtown West Palm Beach can also hop on the complimentary trolley that stops at most major tourist attractions.

On Foot: Walking around downtown West Palm Beach is a wonderful way to spend the day. (From the cruise port, West Palm Beach is about a 10-minute drive.)

By Taxi: Taxis are plentiful, cheap and metered. Be sure to ask whether the credit card machine is working prior to entering the cab; many drivers like to pretend it is broken.

By Bike: West Palm Beach has a bikeshare program called Skybike with more than 14 locations and affordable rental rates. Pickup and drop-off locations are visible and easily accessible up and down the main strip.

By Water: Palm Beach Water Taxi offers shuttle transportation to and from Peanut Island -- an 80-acre waterfront county park in the Lake Worth Inlet -- for $12 round trip; children under 3 are free.