As the third busiest cruise port in the world, Port Everglades is teaming up with the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau (GFLCVB) to go the extra nautical mile to entice pre- and post- cruise stays. A new series of marketing initiatives has been designed to bring the spirit of Greater Fort Lauderdale directly into the port.

To encourage pre- and post- cruise visitation, the GFLCVB has installed colorful, eye-catching wall art hangings and a new brochure station showcasing the destination’s broad range of attractions and activities. The new images adorn Port Everglades Terminal 2, used by Princess Cruises and the 3,100-passenger Caribbean Princess. The largest ship to operate year round from Port Everglades. The images vividly display Greater Fort Lauderdale’s beaches, outdoor activities and luxurious yachting scene.

Plans are in place to expand the artwork displays to additional terminals.

“Greater Fort Lauderdale is a colorful destination, and we expect these sunny bright displays to encourage cruise passengers to stay a little longer and maybe even come back for a sunny vacation in our backyard,” says Port Everglades Director Phillip C. Allen.

Once off their cruise ship, travelers can quickly transfer to the beach, while sending their luggage directly to the airport. Passengers flying Southwest Airlines (year-round) or AirTransat (during the winter season) can take advantage of the luggage delivery service from “Bags To Go” and have their bags picked up curbside at the Port and brought straight through to check-in at the airport. Travelers on other airline carriers can hop on to a shuttle to the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport where they can store their bags for the day with the onsite “Bags To Go” (www.baggagecheckin.com) locations in all four terminals. Plans to expand the luggage delivery service with additional airline carriers are coming soon as well.

Last year, more than 1.2 million passengers took cruises that lasted more than one day from Port Everglades, which was called upon 1,763 times by cruise ships. Approximately 123,000 passengers chose to extend their stay in Greater Fort Lauderdale as an add-on to their cruise vacation.

“There is no reason to make a beeline to board a ship or for the airport following a cruise,” said Nicki E. Grossman, President of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau. “Greater Fort Lauderdale is a port of call where visitors can spend time exploring the destination, from pristine beaches to dining along the Intracoastal Waterway or shopping on Las Olas Boulevard and natural wonders in the Everglades. The goal of these marketing initiatives is to increase the number of cruise passengers staying additional days exploring Greater Fort Lauderdale before and after they take to the open seas.”