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Good news for East Tennessee: some great cruise ports are a road trip away. I live here too, so I know the drive, the tradeoffs and the little stuff that makes sail day smoother.
Cruise ports you can drive to
Popular picks for Knoxville and East Tennessee travelers include:
- Charleston, South Carolina: no cruises sail from here right now. The last cruise ship called at Union Pier Terminal on June 30, 2026, and the port has not said when or where cruises might return.
- Jacksonville, Florida: Carnival sails short Bahamas getaways year-round, and Norwegian Cruise Line adds seasonal sailings.
- Port Canaveral, Florida: home port for seven major cruise lines, including Disney Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean and Carnival.
- Mobile, Alabama: a Gulf Coast port with Carnival sailings to the Bahamas and the Caribbean.
- Galveston, Texas, and other Gulf ports: a longer drive, but worth it for certain ships.
Drive times and parking prices change, so Fox checks current details for your sailing date.
Fly from Knoxville (TYS) or Atlanta (ATL)?
- McGhee Tyson (TYS): close to home.
- Atlanta (ATL): more nonstop flights, but a longer drive and a bigger airport.
The best choice depends on your port, your dates and how much drive time you want. Fox compares the whole trip, not just the airfare.
Why a pre-cruise hotel night is smart
Ships don’t wait for late arrivals. Getting to the port city the day before gives you a buffer for traffic, weather or flight delays, plus a relaxed start to vacation. I can help line up a hotel that fits your plans.
Last-minute cruises love drive-to ports
When you can drive, you don’t have to line up last-minute flights. That makes short-notice sailings from nearby ports a fun option for spur-of-the-moment trips.
Plan your sail day from East Tennessee
Talk it through with me, a Tennessee travel agent who books clients everywhere. Quotes come back within a few hours during business hours, planning fees are $0, and select bookings come with onboard credit and/or a welcome-aboard gift. Prefer the phone? Call 407-760-8380.